Tornado Alley (PROG)

[fuagf]

F6, it was a long one, but well worth reading. The conflict, the tactics, the cajoling, the
hard bargaining. The despair, at times. The drive to get something through. De Mint, set
the obstructionist theme when he said, we'll get him on healthcare. Gross, crass political bs.

When they first mentioned that some doubted if Obama had any parliamentary strategy, i thought, lol, it would be changing
all the time, so it was not surprising to see it said at the end. On reading (below) "it became a "more aggressive operation"
over time.", i thought, yup, i remember the time when many were suggesting that Obama should be more aggressive.

There is no doubt that Obama is serious, and very intelligent. He is hard-working, responsible and decent. A good man.

Removed from the heat of the battle, the question is easier to answer. Obama, at his core, saw and continues to see legislating as a distinctly political process: one in which goals are imparted, building blocks are set, and compromises are fair game on everything but success itself. His legislative doctrine is not static. As Dunn acknowledged, it became a "more aggressive operation" over time. But it is firmly rooted in the ethos that guided the presidential campaign -- an ethos that one administration official described as "The Art of the Possible."

"The president is not a revolutionary, he's a reformer," said Tanden, the former health care adviser to the president. "He's a person who wants to make progress. He's practical but will fight everyday to actually improve things. If you step back and look and ask: "Is it better to die trying or to get something done?" He's going to get something done."

We all know it's a tough game in there. Some critics seem to forget that at times.