What is Obama's presidency if some tax comprmise isn't reached before repukes control the house?

This is purely political, purely.

If Obama is unable to rally Dems in the current supposedly "lame duck" session to back his tax cut/compromise with the reupkes - if the House Dems just reject it out of hand - if it is a defeat for Obama and no compromise is reached before January 20, where does that leave his presidency?

Just done, imho. Over. If he can't get this done, with a Dem majority in the House and Senate, then he's done. It's over. 2011 primary challengers will be lining up, not like they aren't now.

He just walked away today. Walked right off the stage. Let someone else take the spotlight.

Totally political, that didn't look good. Looked like he was absconding to someone with a better grip on things.

I feel for the guy, I really do, and for his supporters, but come on, this is his last stand, isn't it? And if his own party abandons him legislatively, it's pretty much over for him, isn't it?

There were a lot of songs floating around during the 2008 election.

Now there seems to be only one on the left...

Won't Get Fooled Again

If Obama is in trouble with the Democratic base, it is his own doing.

"look for leaders but get gamblers instead"

This tax SELLOUT will prove our Waterloo

The tax cut abomination was just the final blow.

Personally, I think something worse is coming. There are a just a few things about president Obama that the Admin has been able to avoid discussing because he was perceived to be too popular to be vulnerable to real scrutiny. I am terrified about what the consequences will be after those stories start coming out.

Glad your post mentions the supporters. I have felt awful for them this entire time.

if his stupid plan does get passed.

Of course, that depends on where things go from there. Does a much worse plan pass the house? If so, does the Senate take it up, and if they do take it up, do they reach cloture? If they reach cloture, then does Obama sign it or veto it?

The first is probably a certainty, the second less so, and the third is his choice. I would certainly hope that Dems would not let it reach cloture in the Senate, but you never know . If they do allow it, then I would not put it past Obama to sign it.

However, I do not see that he is done. He is gonna have a rough two years in any case. What sort of positive legislation is likely to pass a Republican House? Are they going to shut down the government? Are they going to try for some bogus impeachment?

Obama is still President and still can give a SOTU. Clinton managed to survive six years with a Republican House and a Republican Senate and even got some positive things accomplished, like SCHIP. Clinton also had a good part of his own party fight him on NAFTA, although they didn't defeat it, and they fought him on HCR and helped to bring that down.

Some of it depends on how much Obama can rally the American people to push Congress, and I still do not see a viable primary challenge for him.

Missteps, fumbles, half-measures. Weasel words by the metric ton while the country goes begging for jobs. Outright abdication of any visible leadership, except to shovel more money into the jaws of the corporations and the hands of the obscenely rich.

He coulda been a contender...

and the House sends in a revised version, it could help him and the country immensely. My complaint is that he has been a lousy negotiator, and in fact, has not really been negotiating, per se. If the Dems send in a revised version, then he steps out and above the fray. There is the deal on the table - which the house rejects - and then there are the House changes which, according to Biden, makes the Republican wish list unravel. Okay, he then steps in between the two.

My suggestion to the House would be to absolutely gut the hell out of the deal the Republicans and President Obama cut, knowing that what will finally come is a split between the two. Extend the wealthy for a year, but give unemployment two and include the 99ers; protect Social Security at all costs. If he plays it right - which I sincerely doubt that he will do - he becomes the reasonable voice over the partisans. The democrats are seen as "negotiating." if the Republicans refuse - always a chance - they come across to the American people as the mean spirited, greedy, cretinous little shits that they are.

n/t

And no, his presidency is not done if this shitty deal falls through. Quite the opposite. This deal has blown his support apart.