Your Twitter Questions And My Answers

@jbennet: asks: "Who does Obama really listen to on foreign policy? Put differently -- who's running foreign policy?"

@marcambinder: I'll get in trouble, but, in rough order: Gates, Biden, Axelrod/Rahm, Rice, Jones, Clinton, Petraeus, Kerry, Lugar, McDonough, Rhodes, Sutphen, Flournoy

@egocrata asks: "Why this "health reform expensive" meme? The feds pay more, insurance ind. get less, consumers pay MUCH less. Savings for all."

@marcambinder: Over 15 yrs, yes. Short term requires $1 tril in "start up" money at least. And not clear that consumers will pay much less...they'll just get better care.

@terionright asks: "Will ABC Healthcare Commericial address whether Obama's program covers illegal immigrants? They are not answering. #tcot"

@marcambider: probably not. Obama doesn't have his own program; question is better asked of Congressional Democrats. Stop picking on ABC.

@Coffee260 asks "Why is it acceptable to act in the most immoral fashions as long as it's put into the category of "politics"

@marcambinder Fashionable immortality is the new green, I guess. Real answer: it isn't. Vote 'em out. (Unless you can't...)

@azizhp asks "question: why doesn't the Obama Administration invite questions the way you just did?"

@marcambinder: Ask them: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ O

@drjjoyner asks "If the Dems can't push their healthcare plan now, given Obama's approval and Senate numbers, how will they ever do it?"

@marcambinder: Probably, but not for another couple of years at least. Time is auspicious now. Political winds still blowing favorably. But they'll shift rapidly this fall.

@lawyer_thomas asks: "Will Democrats be able to blame Republicans for problems when Republicans are seen as very weak?"

@marcambinder: Dems are less popular these days, but Republicans are allergic to popularity. That's one reason why Obama and his Congress still have headwinds despite the economy and deficits.'

@lavaaaron "Is Gay Marriage debate/DOMA, etc a political liability for Obama?"

@marcambinder: Better q is: is it priority worth expending pol. capital? Not really, in his view.