About that prelimary automotive "deal"

This is why I haven't said a word about the prelimary Detroit deal,

Congressional Democrats and the White House continued to negotiate a proposal to lend the struggling auto industry roughly $15 billion after Bush adminstration officials reacted cooly to the initial Democratic proposal.

Of course the White House reacted coolly. That's the whole game.

Congressional Democrats negotiate in good faith with the GOP, a prelimary deal is struck and (importantly) announced to the public. The announcement creates a public anticipation and demand for said negotiated action. The trap set the GOP pulls the proverbial football away and uses the public pressure that "Something must be done!" in order to squeeze more concessions from Congressional Democrats. It happens time after time on issue after issue and yet our Democratic Congressional leadership continues to fall for it. Every. Single. Time.

As a party we suck at politics.




H/T Atrios