And A Social Security Cut to Be Named Later

If you want a better summary of the recent debt negotiations developments, read this.

I think this cartoon by MacLeod Cartoons describes it best (via Glenn Greenwald)

As for the long running question of is Obama getting what he wants or a bad negotiator, and I think we've finally discovered that the answer is both. The Medicare and Social Security cuts are his idea, and he's trying to get what he wants with them as part of his goal of a massive austerity deal. With that said, it should also be pointed out that it looks like he's caving on his one demand, that the deal include revenues.

So Obama's trying really hard for something awful and destructive, and is still managing to do it incompetently. I feel like that should be called a George W. Bush special.