It's as if Obama is daring the voters-& the Republicans-to prove they really want smaller government

[kpete]

Charles Krauthammer gets it
By Greg Sargent

Charles Krauthammer is very angry at President Obama because he didn't use his State of the Union to repudiate his entire existence, and instead doubled down on his vision that government spending should play an important role in resuscitating our economy and securing our future:

This entire pantomime about debt reduction came after the first half of a speech devoted to, yes, new spending. One almost has to admire Obama's defiance. His 2009 stimulus and budget-busting health-care reform are precisely what stirred the popular revolt that delivered his November shellacking. And yet he's back for more.

It's as if Obama is daring the voters -- and the Republicans -- to prove they really want smaller government.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/27/AR2011012705928.html

Yes, Charles, that's right. When it comes to Republicans, at least, that's precisely what Obama is doing.

But you missed one other key point. As David Axelrod has already spelled out quite explicitly, President Obama is is also daring Republicans to show how they would achieve the dramatically downsized government they say they want. Get it?

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2011/01/charles_krauthammer_gets_it.html