I am curious how the “left” is going to react to the latest Obama betrayal, the decision that offshore drilling is, after all, OK. There are no substantive differences between him and the Bushies, only the manner of presentation. Where Cheney might sneer and say he doesn’t care what you think, we’re going to drill, Obama will couch the same policy in different terms … environmentally sensitive places will be avoided, etc. etc. etc.
This is key: Bush could not get away with this. Obama can.
Obama is doing exactly what Bush would have done in Iraq, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and now with offshore drilling. Obama did would Bush could not have done in health care – write a monster check to the insurance companies. This gets right to the point that I’ve made repeatedly in other places – that we have one party and two sets of illusions. At this point in time, the Democratic illusion is more effective at achieving elite policy goals than the Republican illusion.
Piece of Mindful 
Not that I like offshore drilling, but you gotta admire the political strategy – offer up the mid-Atlantic states and Alaska, but keep New England and the west coast off-limits. That way, Obama blunts the Repubs criticism that he’s only for wind/solar/thermal/tidal energy.
It’s a bit like his stance on nuclear energy – which he knows takes nearly 10-15 years to come to fruition (not a gamble many strapped energy companies are willing to make right now). Another easy give to stake out a more ‘comprehensive’ energy policy.
My criticism is that Obama didn’t seem to get anything for tossing this bone to the Repubs. He may be aiming for post-partisan, but to me he comes off as naive and too much flim/flam.
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Missing the point, I think. Only party people care anymore. The policies are locked in, both parties play a role in implementing them. It’s why we need to alternate once in a while to enable total control, over time.
Take “the long war” for example. It might have ended if Republicans did not cede power in the 2006 and 2008 elections. The pendulum does not swing, it is placed where is needs to be to placate those who still think it matters which party is “in charge.” Neither party is in charge of anything except the highly managed game of political perception some call reality.
Like the “long war” most domestic and foreign policies are multi-decade plans very few get to review. Even fewer get to critique and suggest changes. Any dissent is “radical” and “politically unrealistic.”
Widgets anyone?
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He’s just using people like you to rant over his positions so he can appear moderate. And you are obliging him quite well with this one.
Tool.
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Now that was low!
I am not surprised by this move. And I dont’ suffer from the illusion that he is merely a weak negotiator. He is simply with them, and not with us. Or “me” and ladybug, if not you.
Obama’s chess game was described by Cenk Uygur, the “Young Turk”, as follows: “Here’s my queen. Now let’s play.”
That’s what he did with health care, giving up single payer right away. But be honest – he’s simply one of them.
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You said in a past posting that O wasn’t into triangulation.
Has Clinton’s fingerprints all over it.
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I said that O wasn’t into triangulation? Must have been the drugs.
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