Obama 2011 Goal to Curry Favor with Republican Elite: Focus on Wealth, Put Aside Education, Health, Seniors

if you can't beat 'em - join 'em

One area where Democrats and Republicans will be challenged to work together is on deficit and debt reduction.

Senator-elect Kelly Ayotte, a Republican from New Hampshire, said her party was ready to spearhead that effort.

"Congress must get serious about meaningful debt reduction," she said in the weekly Republican address.

Great! I look forward to you introducing a bill to get us out of Afghanistan - by far the most expensive item in the budget.

So the truth comes out: The next election is all that really matters in 2011. To get that election, Obama figures he will need to win favor with more Republicans.

Ending the multiple endless military occupations is not on the agenda, even though it is by far the greatest destructive use of the public's money on the federal docket.