In the wake of President Barack Obama's premature capitulation to the Republicans in the tax wars, a party who I might remind you controls neither Congressional chamber at this moment (they will take over the House in January), once muted criticism of the commander-in-chief on the left has suddenly erupted into a full scale flurry of condemnation.
There have been calls for other Democrats to primary him in 2012, jeremiads that Progressives should have been treating him as an adversary, and a feeling on the Left, put into words by a Congressman (Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York), that Democrats "can't trust him."
So you could say it's been a somewhat bad month for the president - although that might be akin to saying the guys attending South Carolina's "Secession Ball" will only be missing some of their teeth. The president has not only caved on eliminating budget-busting tax cuts for people who have toilet plungers more expensive than your house, but has backed off long-delayed (but promised) environmental regulations to govern smog and toxic emissions from industrial boilers.
He also negotiated a new Korea Free Trade Agreement that isn't free from deleterious affects on American workers, enacted a freeze in pay for federal employees for reasons nobody can figure out, and was ready to listen to recommendations to cut Social Security from a committee of rich, irrelevant Beltway primates so old they look like they should be starring in Weekend at Bernie's 3.
Follow Cliff Schecter on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cliffschecter
Obama could have fixed the economy, eliminated the national debt, won both wars, and discovered the cure for cancer and every last Republican would STILL oppose him. They would have still fought him every step of the way, and Fox would have still been calling him a Kenyan Nazi who wants to kill your grandparents and take away your cheeseburgers. You CANNOT reason with the insane. It would have been better to spend the entire first term distancing himself from the GOP, investigating the previous administration, and answering every attack directly. Whether or not he wants to fight isn't the issue, because the GOP was going to bring the fight to him. Just the slightest bit of courage and common sense would have gone a long way.
Ironically, the only time he let's his frustration show is when it's directed at his own base. I assume that he believes that we'll vote for him regardless, but after his pathetic showing in this term I cannot for the life of me figure out why.
THIS is why Obama has become the target of rotten tomatoes and other refuse. He misled us with his words, knowing that he could not win election if he was honest that "...he saw himself as above the fray."
Democratic Strategist Drew Westen, quoted from an August 2008 Huffington Post piece (no link in original) provides the motive for this willful deception: "...what story has Barack Obama told that could possibly catch the public attention" and thus win him victory? Why, how about standing tall for liberal ideals? After thirty years of "conservative" assault, such a champion would be very popular, maybe popular enough to win against the GOP media.
Such a champion was indeed popular enough, and did win. The only problem was that the shining suit of armor was made of thin foil and wasn't occupied. So if we must recognize the truth of Schecter's conclusion ("You go into policy fights with the President you have. Not the one you wish you had."), there is only one thing to know: we are on our own in the coming fights.
A trillion dollars added to the nation's debt for a stimulus strategy proven again and again not to work. The rich will save, the middle classes will pay off debt. The poor, less disposable income.
What we need is a president with a vision on how to grow the economy, create good paying jobs to increase tax revenues and create more jobs. Our trade policies are counterproductive to the citizens and to small businesses, but profitable for the big corporations. Ditto with our tax policies.
What should have happened is the expiration of the cuts, the creation of an infrastructure/energy independence bank, an appeal to Americans to buy bonds to finance the the bank, and a plan to make us energy independent and our infrastructure modern.
Look, if these Foxbaggers don't love the ideals & principles that comprise this country, then just what the hdck are they frothing at the mouth about?