* Obama still on bipartisan rap with progress report on deficit reduction: now pivoting to the sequester.
* Sequester would “slow the recovery,” a pretty mild description of economic impact.
* “Some in Congress” only wanting to protect Pentagon from cuts (wonder who that could be?); but that would be worse than sequester.
* Sorta endorses “entitlement reform” (though attributes problem to health care costs), then launches into the “balanced approach” pitch.
* Whoa! Endorses level of Medicare cuts in Simpson-Bowles–but not necessarily methods. Does endorse more means-testing of Medicare, and then expresses openness to “reforms from both parties” so long as they don’t “jeopardize retirement security.” Nice inversion of big GOP line: “Shouldn’t make promises we can’t keep, but can’t break promises we’ve already made.”
* After “closing loopholes/tax simplification” intro, Boehner claps but doesn’t stand. He, of course, has said “We’re done with revenues.”
* Very interesting combo of 100% bipartisanship rhetoric with positions Republicans have already rejected. Interesting Boehner didn’t clap at either attack on “manufactured crises” or at demand that “the people’s government” stay open.
* “Deficit reduction alone is not an economic policy.” Can’t be said often enough.
* Reminded everyone he did in fact propose American Jobs Act.
* Ah, here’s the line GOPers are already screaming about: “Nothing I propose tonight will add a dime to the deficit.”
* Ohio’s shout-out didn’t end on Election Night, it seems.
Since Obama’s into the slow slog of economic policy morsels, I’ll shift to another thread.
