One Democratic operative, responsible for raising tens of million dollars for the party in recent years, said the debt ceiling debacle, which damaged Obama’s approval ratings, convinced the White House that its previous strategy of compromise and flexibility — that quest for a political middle passage to woo independents — was pointless.
“It’s not just consistency; it’s that they finally found something that really appeals to the base and is also popular among a broad section of the American people,” the operative told POLITICO, referring to the jobs bill — the American Jobs Act, which includes $35 billion to forestall local teacher, police and firefighter layoffs. “It’s not only something he can run on, it will probably force the Republicans to accept some parts of his proposal.”
But the “bigger deal” politically, he added, “is this push to tax the rich. It has a major upside. It fits the populist times.”
