1) It’s possible that Obama wasn’t inexperienced, but instead sincerely trying through devious means–i.e. hyping the Gang of Six plan–to leverage the revenue number upward in order to sell it to his caucus, or to himself. That he tried to get the old deal back does suggest a blunder, though. He’s supposed to know his own bottom line.
2) Before the collapse, Obama signed off on a compromise that would have raised the Medicare eligibility age. (Take that, boomers!) Did he, or Nancy Pelosi, really think that would fly with voters–presumably because 60-65 year olds would be delighted to accept Obamacare’s untested patchwork of subsidies and exchanges as a substitute for Medicare’s proven security? Seems deluded to me.
3) Which is why this is your lede: According to WaPo
White House officials said this week that the offer is still on the table.
Yikes. The offer in question included raising the Medicare age. In other words, Obama still endorses it. Hello? Republican attack ad artists?
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