Reply #316: Obama is smart enough to know that it is DOA. It could have

[alfredo]

been the best plan in the world but the Republicans would reject it.

The most important thing about the proposal is for it to appear reasonable to the most people. By rejecting it, the Reps look unreasonable. This gives Obama more leverage.

What is said and done now has little to do with the final deal.

Some of the cuts Obama proposed was a take back of extra funding during the crisis days of 2009. Home heating funding was upped due to a spike in heating oil prices. They are down now, so the extra funds are not needed. Doing this makes Obama appear willing to make the hard choices. This will come in handy when the Republicans show unwillingness to rescind the tax cuts for millionaires.

Don't get too worked up over the opening salvos in the budget process. This is the pandering and positioning phase.

Do vocalize your disapproval of specific cuts, and show approval of others like taking back the tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires.

In the end, there will be pain. There's no way around it.