Reading over my email this morning there is, to put it mildly, a strong range of opinions about whether the Democrats did well or not by this deal.
Like I said yesterday or the day before, I’m hoping our new set up will allow you to read what I’m reading, to have this sharing of different viewpoints in one of our new discussion areas. In any case, more about that shortly.
I don’t disagree with many of the points made by people who think this was a terrible compromise. Some of the most extreme judges go through. The nuclear option is by no means put to bed. It’s just put off at the discretion of the seven Republicans who were party to this deal.
We won’t know who did better in this until all of this plays out over the next weeks and months. But I think this was a decent resolution, given the range of options on offer. A working majority in the senate wouldn’t consent to Bill Frist’s Dobsonian radicalism. This potentially introduces a third force into the operation of the senate. And this will send the Dobsonites into a feeding frenzy of intra-party cannibalism.
As for ‘Viva Reid’, I think his leadership has been unexpectedly able in the last six months. Understated and unaffected, he’s become an able co-worker with the president in the dismantling of the White House agenda and the president’s popularity. All things being equal, I’ve learned to trust his judgment.
Trust but verify, of course, as another pol said.
And along those lines, see this passage from the Matthews show last night sent to me by TPM Reader DL …
MATTHEWS: Social Security, do you think the presidentâs plans for some kind of personal accounts has a better shot now?
GRAHAM: It has a shot versus no shot. And watch this group of 14 to come out with some deal for Social Security.
MATTHEWS: Really?
GRAHAM: Just keep watching.
On this, redoubled effort.
