Thursday, December 23, 2010
Back on his feet 'Again'?
Has Barack Obama found his sealegs? After what was one of the more wobbly electoral efforts in recent memory (one which well dismissed the notion that the Prez and his White House was more suited to campaigning rather than governing), Obama seems to have had quite a string of successes leading up to Christmas break--and the end of his Democratically-controlled Congress. Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, a new START treaty with Russia, funding the 911 first responders fund (thanks Jon Stewart!)--all things that the newly formidable GOP opposed.
And it all started with slapping down his own party when he made the compromise on extending Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy in exchange for what amounts to a second (much needed) stimulus package. He took a drubbing from the Left on that (me included) but whatever he's been doing in the last few weeks seems to be working. The hand-wringing which followed the election, not to mention the GOP triumphalism epitomized by Mitch "No second Term" McConnell's angry objectionist tirades have all been replaced with a series of Democratic High-Five Photo Ops.
In each case Obama perfectly played on the obstructionist, partisan-politics policies of the GOP. Frankly, in ways one wish he had done for the last two years, since neither the tactics nor tone of the GOP has changed much since 2008.
So chalk one up for the Prez and his team for winning the week and, more importantly, changing the standard meme coming out of Washington. Can it last? One hopes, but he's already squandered a much easier opportunity to enact change with huge majorities in both Houses and the firm support of a large majority of Americans when he was first elected. Time will indeed tell.
PS Merry Christmas!!!
Has Barack Obama found his sealegs? After what was one of the more wobbly electoral efforts in recent memory (one which well dismissed the notion that the Prez and his White House was more suited to campaigning rather than governing), Obama seems to have had quite a string of successes leading up to Christmas break--and the end of his Democratically-controlled Congress. Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, a new START treaty with Russia, funding the 911 first responders fund (thanks Jon Stewart!)--all things that the newly formidable GOP opposed.
And it all started with slapping down his own party when he made the compromise on extending Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy in exchange for what amounts to a second (much needed) stimulus package. He took a drubbing from the Left on that (me included) but whatever he's been doing in the last few weeks seems to be working. The hand-wringing which followed the election, not to mention the GOP triumphalism epitomized by Mitch "No second Term" McConnell's angry objectionist tirades have all been replaced with a series of Democratic High-Five Photo Ops.
In each case Obama perfectly played on the obstructionist, partisan-politics policies of the GOP. Frankly, in ways one wish he had done for the last two years, since neither the tactics nor tone of the GOP has changed much since 2008.
So chalk one up for the Prez and his team for winning the week and, more importantly, changing the standard meme coming out of Washington. Can it last? One hopes, but he's already squandered a much easier opportunity to enact change with huge majorities in both Houses and the firm support of a large majority of Americans when he was first elected. Time will indeed tell.
PS Merry Christmas!!!
Labels: Congress, Elections, Obama
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