While he puts the usual liberal spin on it, Greg Sargent at WaPo is correct that Obama sees his path forward as overwhelming Republicans. Sargent writes:
Yesterday, President Obama used his Inaugural Address to lay out an expansive case for progressive governance, one rooted in the country’s founding, history and identity, vowing action on everything from climate change to immigration to voting reform to gun control to expanded civil rights for women and gays.
What knits all these specifics together, however, is the speech’s implicit recognition that in order to accomplish any of these goals, he will have to defeat the opposition, rather than win it over. Indeed, one of the most significant things that happened yesterday is that Obama signaled recognition of the true nature of the implacable opposition he faced during his first term and will inevitably face for the duration of his second one. This means a second term in which Obama, rather than forever chase after the illusory notion that he can secure bipartisan cooperation through outreach and charm — not to mention adopting Republican ideas outright — will resort more directly to executive actions and to mobilizing the public to force cooperation wherever possible.
I disagree as to the cause and history. Obama only has engaged Republicans begrudgingly and only when some small bones needed to be thrown in order to achieve near total victory.
Remember Obama’s infamous statment “I won” when Republicans tried to have input on the Stimulus Plan? That attitude, at the start of his first term, carried through on virtually everything.
But I largely agree that the next four years will be Obama trying to steamroll Republicans and Republicans trying not to be steamrolled.
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Obama’s steamroller wheels are hollow, since he has not accomplished anything FOR the people. He’s full of hot air. Post election Obama is coming out of the closet as a far left intolerant radical. “Mask Off” Obama will NOW lose popularity, as I see it.
* Obamacare was mostly delayed till after the election … NOW we are finding out how bad it is.
* 86% feel government spending is out of control, so Obama promised $3 in cuts for $1 in taxes (not “revenue”). NOW he has already broken that promise.
* He was for the second amendment, NOW he wants to rework it, and ignores big killings are in HIS gun free zones (including Chicago). 66% believe our right to bear arms is to protect us from tyrants.
* Al Qaeda was “on the run”. Obama’s lies about Benghazi survived past the election. NOW we know the president sent his ambassador to push a fabricated cover story, then lied himself, in front of the UN, all for his campaign.
* Obama’s war on energy hurts the little guy and jobs numbers. NOW fracking and CO2 scares are being exposed as frauds, with Al Gore selling out to al Jazeera.
* If markets falter, which seems likely to me, this will NOW be blamed on Obama also, since he is getting his spending increases, and has lied about cutting. Fitch will cut our credit rating because of fiscal insanity, not meaningless debt ceilings.
My concern is a serious financial crisis, where the bond bubble bursts (fed forced low interest rates can’t last in the face of parabolic debt). Obama might try something extreme to bail out banks or to “federalize” parts of the marketplace.
And something will happen with Iran.
Chavez and Castro are Obama’s model communists. That may indicate he will attempt to get away with even grander takeover of our government. He supported Zelaya’s gransiose attempts in Honduras, and he sees his unions and welfare class as his internal army, along with his executive branch “generals”.
The man is dangerous and is willing to roll the dice with our freedoms. Jobs and the economy are not his priority .. he wants revolution NOW. The question to me is, how many have already sold US out for a seat at his table.
Steamrolling the opposition is a snap when the opposition is lead by a guy who was born flat as a pancake.
This scenario is quite polite. there exists a Boy Cried Wolf Syndrome on both sides.
A team wants a PUTSCH but can only push & shove
B team threatens to take up arms for revolt but is all hat & no ammo.
Tweedledee & Tweedledum will fumble on because we are all risk averse.
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