Obama's Pattern of Accommodation

On issue after issue, Barack Obama has shown a strong reluctance to challenge established thinking and to confront powerful interests. Just the opposite. He instinctively tips his hat to every establishment he encounters -- be it Wall Street, the military, the intelligence community, or the health care industry. He is little more aggressive in pressing Congress. Obama is demonstrably someone whose loud bark is not followed but much bite. Retreat from positions boldly declared has become the hallmark of his administration. At times, the retreat follows brief skirmishes. At other times, it is preemptive -- prompted by skirmishes in the president's own mind.

This is the singular Obama style evident on major domestic issues. The process begins with a firm statement of the problem, a clarion call for action, and a pledge to force change. Then, there is the period of eerie calm -- no plan is unveiled, no campaign strategy executed. There ensues an opaque, slow-motion free-for-all involving a fractured Congress, advocates, lobbies and the media with the White House staff operating in the shadows behind the scenes. Among the protagonists are the very parties that are the cause of the problem.

The very idea of a compelling national interest gets lost in the melee. Obama makes brief public appearances punctuated by further proclamations of the imperative to act, still without any specifics or sustained effort. Whatever comes out of this muddle is declared historic and promising. Thus the ramshackle approach taken toward the financial crisis.

Comments

[PJay1]

Excellent assessment, Mr. Brenner.
The pattern is very troubling, to put it mildly.

[cozen]

O doctrine = preemptive retreat, declare advancing in new direction. OMG! Is O the real POTUS?

[MankyInky]

I dont buy the argument that "he didnt know what he was getting himself into". That or, "he had all these great ideals but he's this great pragmatist and now he is doing whatever he can to make some sort of progress". He should have taken the opportunity to put the banks in their place. Big mistake and I think it will cost all of us, collectively, a lot more than we probably realise at this point.

[PlasmaX]

The economy is still deteriorating very rapidly. The titans of industry responsible for creating this mess seam unable to reverse the damage they caused. An $18 trillion increase in cash, liquidity and guarantees to the banks and little or no improvement. The government will eventually have no choice but to intervene in a much larger way…not just to save Wall Street but to save the general economy.

[jncc1701]

Apparently there is only one way to skin a cat?

The left can be just a loony as Palin at her worse/best.

If Obama is not doing exactly what the loony left wants him to do exactly when they want him to do it he is selling out to the corporate pigs - off with his head!

and to think I am a card carrying liberal.

[nippersdad]

Ummmm. No liberals I know carry cards to that effect. You might want to check the back and look for the small print; sounds like something Rush Limbaugh put out as a joke...on "liberals" who think they need one.

[just saying]

It's a saying from back in the day...shee­sh! It was just to make a point.

[Luvial]

left=right
progressive=change
Obama=Bush

[1088]

Democrats are their own worst enemy!

[Todd Sullivan]

these blogs are always so badly edited and poorly thought out. this has always been one of the main criticisms of self-publishing, which blogs are very similar to. jeez man, can't bloggers get together and form a network of checks so that, at the very least, you guys and girls can have fewer typographical mistakes in your pieces?

i don't understand the interest in blogs, except that maybe they're the product of lazy thinking read by lazy thinkers. i'm not sure how huffpost chooses its bloggers, but obviously the standards can't be very high. and are you people getting paid for this?

[iridium53]

Obama is a great speaker. But, so far, he has demonstrated zero leadership skills.

Certainly Congress must own legislation. Even a quick study of past presidential and other leadership examples shows that leaders can guide discussion to specific outcomes.

No need for Obama to get far out in front of the people on healthcare, they already want a single-payer system. Time for him to follow the peoples' lead - at the least

No need for Obama to get far out in front of the people on the economy, they are losing jobs a a high rate. The stimulus package is not working. Axelrod would say not yet working. But, it seems that for personal political gain (saving face) Obama is more than willing to let millions more lose jobs and suffer instead of taking additional action.

Obama's political beliefs are, apparently, like a basketball bench sitter. If he comes into the game and scores a few points, then he's done his job. Winning to Obama and Axelrod is simply putting a few personal points on the board. Not actually achieving anything. Not winning for the people. Extremely disappointing.

Not Change ANYBODY can believe in. Simply a bait and switch scam.

[jmpurser]

I have a growing sense of dread and certainty that what we are seeing is NOT evidence of President Obama's "zero leadership skills" but instead clear evidence that his goals and intentions are no where near what we believed. I knew he wasn't a liberal or progressive when I voted for him but his actions on war crimes, civil rights, the financial industry, health care, and the stimulus package have me thinking that he's a right wing defender of the status quo more than anything else. So far there's no real hint of a "centrist" emerging.

[Darwin256]

Two Foreign Policy Disappointments
The innocent of Guantanamo:
http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2008/11/22/the-pentagon-cant-count-22-juveniles-held-at-guantanamo/
Another stupid war of choice:
Why Afghanistan Is the Wrong War
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/64932/john-mueller/how-dangerous-are-the-taliban
Strategic Divergence
http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20090126_strategic_divergence_war_against_taliban_and_war_against_al_qaeda

[CompashCat]

Here is how I see this situation:

1. I believe Obama would love to see jobs created by improving health care, education and building an infrastructure for the 21st century. However, he is up against very powerful corporate interests and a deeply ideological opposing party who wants nothing more than for him to be seen as ineffective. Who knows what goes on up there on Capital Hill? Everyone knows bankers and corporate interests run the place ... what power does the President really have?

2. I believe that he HAS proposed, supported and enacted progressive legislation ... quite a bit, according to some historians. Trouble is, this news does not stay long on the 24-hour news cycle because it isn't that interesting. New rules imposed on banking industry - yawn! Millions more children covered under SCHIP - change the channel! If anything, he should be tooting his horn for what he HAS accomplished.

3. Unlike the Republican presidents, a Democrat has a percentage of media outlets that are devoted entirely to questioning him, accusing him of being "Socialist", mocking his policies, outright lying. We on the Left don't take Right-Wing radio and Fox very seriously, but millions of Americans do. I think this erodes confidence in our president across the board.

We need to stand up and speak loudly for what we want, because any law that is GOOD for Americans is BAD for corporate America, and guess who has the louder megaphone?

[Emerald1943]

I wonder if he knows how much support he has lost.

[wanked]

He will. If Oblabla doesnt make health care happen for the masses, he's toast.

[Luvial]

Your description of Obama is the same as most corporate Democratic politicians, except that Obama has less reservations to say whatever people want to hear in order to get their donations and votes. Obama's career is over because nobody can trust him anymore. Stop donations to the Democrats until they deliver!

[dl63]

There are many ways to skin the cat...in the end, his approach may be successful. Give it time; it's only 6 months now; the opposition is strong, and maybe it's a choice between this and nothing. I don't envy the position Obama is in. Too many think once you have the top job, you can make magic happen. If only it were reality.

[edweird]

The Opposition is NOT strong. Repubs are falling apart at the seams, the Sanford Affair, the Palin fallout, just to mention a few; only 40 votes in the Senate; dramatically declining popularity of the "Big Tent" Party. No the opposition is weak, and he may not have another opportunity like this.

[johnie2xs]

I have said the same things myself, during these past few months, as all the political wags have been caterwauling about "When is Obama going to do something?".

I have to admit, I'm beginning to get a little worried. I understand that Barack plays 3D chess when everyone else plays checkers, but where are even the smallest victories?
Anything that is even claimed as being "A step forward", seem so tentative and short of the mark, it hardly passes the sniff test.

I am not a politician, nor do I play one on TV, but if it were me, given the mandate he received, Legislator numbers he has, and the easily identifiable dragons to be slain, it is quite quizzical to me as to why he shows so much trepidation in his governing style.

If the situation the country finds itself in weren't so urgent, I maybe could understand. But things are as serious as a heart attack, and I, for one, would like to see a bit more strident reaction, on Obama's part, especially in refuting Rethuglican charges.

[PJay1]

No, the opposition is NOT strong at all. They are divided and scandal ridden.
The reason that they may appear strong is that President Obama empowers them by ceding, which he calls compromise.

And then there's the squeaky wheel. They sure know how to make a lot of noise and say nothing except loud name calling and hurling all kinds of epithets and insults.
And let's not forget the ridiculous ration of about 3:1 repubs to dems on the MSM, giving them a platform to squeak and whine on.

[Benton]

In other words Breenan wants Obama to be the activist and the President while he sits on his butt and carps from the side lines.

[Benton]

Based upon what I have read and heard on this cite coming out of the mouths of so-called liberals I know see why America went from promise to 30 years of trickle down economics. Liberals particularly those that would like to believe they are part of the white liberal establishment are fundamentally weak and spoiled. There are people who have been struggling in this country for centuries who after hundreds of years were less whiny and defeatist. I would implore anybody who sees "Liberals" as long time allies for change, "DO NOT COUNT ON LIBERALS." When the going gets tough they get whiny, weepy, and defeatist.

[JohnHKennedy]

CHENEY MAY HAVE COMMITTED TREASON !
and Obama is fighting
TO KEEP IT A SECRET?

WHY do we elect these SPINELESS DEMOCRATS?

SIGN THE PETITION
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congressional select committee
and an independent prosecutor
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