Obama's Dinner With GOP Senators

    "From what we're hearing at this point, the dinner summit seemed to go well, at least none of the GOP Senators are saying otherwise at this point."

     "Republican senators emerged from a meeting Wednesday night with President Barack Obama optimistic about the road forward toward a grand bargain to solve the country’s financial problems."

     "Obama and the group of 12 senators met for more than two hours at the Jefferson Hotel in Washington D.C., and talked about the debt, deficits and taxes. It was one of the first meetings Obama has held with rank-and-file lawmakers in years."

   Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/optimistic-tone-at-obama-gop-dinner-88548.html#ixzz2MrcDeWWJ

   It's talk like this why I feel that some cautious optimism is in order:

   "The dinner, which was requested by Obama, was organized by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and included 11 additional Republican members of the upper chamber: Sens. Bob Corker (Tenn.), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), John McCain (Ariz.), Dan Coats (Ind.), Tom Coburn (Okla.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Mike Johanns (Neb.), Pat Toomey (Pa.), Ron Johnson (Wis.), John Hoeven (N.D.) and Saxby Chambliss (Ga.).

Hoeven said the meeting was “very candid” and covered several topics including the budget and the sequester."

    “Really where we focused is how we bring together people in a bipartisan way to address the debt and the deficit and that means tax reform and that means entitlement reform in a way that protects and preserves Social Security and Medicare but truly addresses debt and the deficit,” Hoeven said.

    I mean he's actually saying we need tax reform and entitlement reform-this is exactly the President's proposal. If many of these Senators are open to that then it would seem Senate legislation has a shot. It also seems to me that this is a good strategy in going around GOP leaders Mitch McConnell and John Boehner. Still, not all liberals share my optimism. 

    Brian Beutler sees it as Obama caving to the Bob Woodward media in trying to show he's "exercising leadership."

    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2013/03/when_all_else_fails_kowtow.php

     Even worse, Beutler, thinks that this could be the first step for the President to cave on entitlements. This worry among liberals is pretty widespread. Ed last night worried that Obama may end up cutting "the Big Three." My friend and Diary of a Republican Hater reader Nanute had this to say in the comments yesterday:

     "If you think these Republican asswipes are going to agree to a plan without the President initiating "entitlement" reform, I've got a bride in Brooklyn to sell you. If Democrats help the Republicans pass any deal that includes cuts to SSI and changing Medicare I'm done with the party. As Charlie Pierce noted yesterday, "If Obama agrees to any deal with entitlement reforms, he's the biggest sucker in two shoes."

http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2013/03/obama-engages-gop-senators-could-this.html?showComment=1362655222347#c6242439094932992591

      Nanute also left a petition from Congressman Grayson you might want to sign to protect Social Security.

       http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=xzwB/X34/vftcxTjWjRQc8vrT3mG2ttu 

        Still I think he's a little pessimistic:

       "Mike, I appreciate your enthusiasm and support for Obama. How long do you think it would take Republican's to undo loopholes once back in power, as opposed to undoing changes to Medicare and SSI? Don't be naive. They're not interested in entitlement reform. The goal is to eliminate the programs. They've been on this Crusade since Roosevelt and Johnson enacted these programs."

        I mean by this premise why ever do anything as after all the GOP will get back into power at some point? In fact though, it's interesting to note that the first 6 years of Bush W. were the only years the GOP had all 3 branches of power since Hoover. They have wanted to destroy it since LBJ, but there's a reason why they haven't-no political mandate. In fact, in 2005 they claimed they did have a mandate with Bush's reelection and all three branches and what happened. With total Republican control, it didn't happen.

       At this point, I can't see the down side in hanging out with the Republicans-its a way to undermine Republican leadership. The sequester is going to cause pain. The President must do what he can to stop this. For all the criticism he's received, he has already accomplished a lot. I think he can win this one as he won the 2011 debt ceiling fight-David Corn does a good job of highlighting that in his book "Showdown."