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"The Permission Structure Is The Leadership"
The least surprising news of the week is that getting dressed down at the White House correspondents dinner did nothing to persuade Maureen Dowd and other opinion makers that their fantastical depictions of presidential power are actually puerile and lazy. Less than a month after Republicans rejected Obama’s budget — Chained CPI and all — gauzy platitudes about leadership are back in vogue.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, Jake Sherman http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=C7AF3FCB-804A-41F5-BD6E-6993579B527F (A House In Chaos) reports that the very people Obama’s supposed to “lead” to a budget deal (or a deal on anything) are perhaps more dysfunctional and reactionary than at any point since they came to power.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, Jake Sherman http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=C7AF3FCB-804A-41F5-BD6E-6993579B527F (A House In Chaos) reports that the very people Obama’s supposed to “lead” to a budget deal (or a deal on anything) are perhaps more dysfunctional and reactionary than at any point since they came to power.
So he has two options: He can do nothing. Or as a long shot he and his allies can create atmospheric and procedural and rhetorical conditions that might allow House Republicans to give Obama something he wants without appearing to have consorted with him in any way. Ideally while retaining a pretense that they’ve somehow dealt him a defeat. To try and find a sort of legislative wormhole connecting the House GOP’s irrational universe and the universe everyone else inhabits.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2013/05/the_permission_structure_is_the_leadership.php
Thank you, Brian Beutler.. for explaining that!
[font color=red]FYI this is Posted in the Barack Obama Group[/font]
BOG
13 replies
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They supposed to be House Representatives not Big Children! 
because I think the only thing that's going to make the gops work with PBO is when they implode and they have no choice. 
That’s the House majority. Without at least its implicit assent, Obama really can’t pass anything. And he can’t change these attitudes, or the incentives of the people who hold them, with speeches or dinners or even de facto threats and bribes.
We need to vote, first and foremost, special election, MA, Markey (D) vs Gomez (R). Sixty days people we need support here. This is for Kerrys seat.
After that we have to shout out every damn election that pits repukes vs dem. 2014 people, lets get this done! I say enough!
For me, I want to take back our Country!
Forever Strong!
They are gearing up.. they know how different it would be with Reps in Congress who were there for the People of the US. Not there for the plutocratic Koch types.
At least we have Obama as President.. and all those who have his back.
Markey For Senator June 25, 2013! 
But when I heard the President talk about creating a permission structure, what came to my mind is the idea of letting your opponents save face in defeat. It is an ancient strategy from Sun Tzu's The Art of War.
If you surround the enemy, leave an outlet; do not press an enemy that is cornered.
A google search sent me to this interesting article about the fact that President Obama quoted Sun Tzu to a group of Jewish leaders in talking to them about his approach to Iran. The author explains:
We need to let people save face, especially when their only alternative left when surrounded (and sanctioned) is to battle to the bitter end. The key here is Obama is taking the more difficult yet desirable route of winning without fighting. Anybody can fight -- only the wise truly win.
What is interesting to me is that if President Obama is attempting to create a permission structure (or to allow the Republicans to "save face"
, then its also true that the opposition is surrounded. As I've been suggesting for a while now, the forces that are aligned against him look very much like a beast in its death throes.
If you surround the enemy, leave an outlet; do not press an enemy that is cornered.
A google search sent me to this interesting article about the fact that President Obama quoted Sun Tzu to a group of Jewish leaders in talking to them about his approach to Iran. The author explains:
We need to let people save face, especially when their only alternative left when surrounded (and sanctioned) is to battle to the bitter end. The key here is Obama is taking the more difficult yet desirable route of winning without fighting. Anybody can fight -- only the wise truly win.
What is interesting to me is that if President Obama is attempting to create a permission structure (or to allow the Republicans to "save face"
, then its also true that the opposition is surrounded. As I've been suggesting for a while now, the forces that are aligned against him look very much like a beast in its death throes.http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2013/05/permission-structure-and-art-of-war.html
Interesting take from smartypants.. as usual!
BOG
