I think Obama is relieved

[Phier]

Funny thing I've noticed about Obama, hes been just about all smiles since Tuesday. Now unless this is all part of some grand Machiavellian plot, I doubt its because he sees it as good for his party or politics.

I'm thinking he is relieved that he no longer has the pressure to actually get anything done. The left has been riding him hard about how he has all this power and is so slow to use it.

They complain about Gitmo, health care, Afghanistan, no torture trial, you name it.

The commentary has been that he is not leading but letting Pelosi/Reid lead.

The house and senate were complaining that they got no direction from the Whitehouse. Now I don't think that claim is true, but what I do think it was is they were getting no real strong backing from the Whitehouse and most of the work was behind closed doors. The Whitehouse was happy to arm twist but less happy to endorse publicly.

And on Tuesday that burden was lifted. Now he has an out, now he doesn't have to 'get results', now he can go on a 10 day trip around the world and say 'what did you expect me to do?'.

One of those things you will hear about is how much presidents seem to age in their 4 years, I've seen it to, its obviously a huge burden no matter what your flavor of politics, unless you were a true megalomaniac, because you know what a mistake can cost.

I think Obama is happy that he doesn't have to shoulder the undefined hopes and dreams which got him elected in the first place.

[Denny Crane!]

Considering the expectations on him were ridiculous and he entered politics in one of the worst periods of history to be in power I'd say he may well be relieved.

[Phier]

Considering the expectations on him were ridiculous and he entered politics in one of the worst periods of history to be in power I'd say he may well be relieved.

I see it like a movie star complaining they don't have privacy while in public.

They deliberately created that image of him. Now perhaps he was just a puppet in the plan, but he still controls the bottom line.

[Oldgamer]

Funny thing I've noticed about Obama, hes been just about all smiles since Tuesday. Now unless this is all part of some grand Machiavellian plot, I doubt its because he sees it as good for his party or politics.

I'm thinking he is relieved that he no longer has the pressure to actually get anything done. The left has been riding him hard about how he has all this power and is so slow to use it.

They complain about Gitmo, health care, Afghanistan, no torture trial, you name it.

The commentary has been that he is not leading but letting Pelosi/Reid lead.

The house and senate were complaining that they got no direction from the Whitehouse. Now I don't think that claim is true, but what I do think it was is they were getting no real strong backing from the Whitehouse and most of the work was behind closed doors. The Whitehouse was happy to arm twist but less happy to endorse publicly.

And on Tuesday that burden was lifted. Now he has an out, now he doesn't have to 'get results', now he can go on a 10 day trip around the world and say 'what did you expect me to do?'.

One of those things you will hear about is how much presidents seem to age in their 4 years, I've seen it to, its obviously a huge burden no matter what your flavor of politics, unless you were a true megalomaniac, because you know what a mistake can cost.

I think Obama is happy that he doesn't have to shoulder the undefined hopes and dreams which got him elected in the first place.

Phier, I think that the man is happy because he can blame the "hope & change" gap on the GOP, now, and stands a reasonable chance of re-election.

[RZZZA]

Phier, I think that the man is happy because he can blame the "hope & change" gap on the GOP, now, and stands a reasonable chance of re-election.

exactly it imo. For 2 years he's had nobody to blame. Now with the GOP in control of the house, he's got a great opportunity to paint a political target for himself.

Obama has always had a great chance of being re-elected anyway. It all depends on two things: jobs and who the GOP run. Right now, the GOP has nobody to run who stands a chance of winning against Obama. Every few months they hype someone as the new "golden child" of the party.

first it was Bobby Jindal, then it was someone else, now they're hyping Marco Rubio (for some reason). Unless they find someone viable for real, they'll just be giving the election away.

[The spartan]

Interesting yet completely unfounded idea you have there Phier. I am just going to assume you know everything about this.

[C-Rob]

I had the impression that the republicans were throwing a baby-like tantrum since his election and were actively blocking everything they could to make sure he failed and then somehow shift the blame to him and convince the public all his plans were wrong, even though the public voted him in office to do the changes... It was a very strange transition that I couldn't keep up on between, "Obama is awesome" and "Obama should get shot in the head for sucking so much dick".

I think it might be because his supporters were transient, entitled, immature people who didn't know what the heck they want so when they faltered the die hard supporters of the republicans who enjoy being spoonfed all their political ideas straight from the party with a, "they can do no wrong" attitude stayed right where they were in their unwavering support of an-ought-to-be-dead party.


I don't know what the hell I"m talking about

[Oldgamer]

I had the impression that the republicans were throwing a baby-like tantrum since his election and were actively blocking everything they could to make sure he failed and then somehow shift the blame to him and convince the public all his plans were wrong, even though the public voted him in office to do the changes... It was a very strange transition that I couldn't keep up on between, "Obama is awesome" and "Obama should get shot in the head for sucking so much dick".

I think it might be because his supporters were transient, entitled, immature people who didn't know what the heck they want so when they faltered the die hard supporters of the republicans who enjoy being spoonfed all their political ideas straight from the party with a, "they can do no wrong" attitude stayed right where they were in their unwavering support of an-ought-to-be-dead party.


I don't know what the hell I"m talking about

Of course, the GOP blocked every part of the Obama agenda that they could. That agenda deserved to be totally rejected as un-American. Naturally, since the DEMs had control of everything, there wasn't much of that agenda they could block, was there?

Things have changed ...

By the way, I think that the tea party movement represents real change, in the future. If anyone thinks that we will now be happy, go home to our trailers, pop a Coors, and smile alcohol-induced smiles of smugness and satisfaction, think again. This is literally the GOP's last chance. If the GOP doesn't do what they promised to do ... if it's all politics as usual ... they will go the way of the Whigs, probably, within the next six years.

[chilon]

Of course, the GOP blocked every part of the Obama agenda that they could. That agenda deserved to be totally rejected as un-American.

Indeed.

Anyone that believes every American citizen (man, woman and children) deserves access to medical insurance is most definitely some type of evil Un-American commie.

Naturally, since the DEMs had control of everything, there wasn't much of that agenda they could block, was there?

They can always just read from the phonebook and prevent legislation moving forward.

That thing called the filibuster.

[Oldgamer]

That thing called the filibuster.

You need 60 votes to break a filibuster. The DEMs broke one GOP filibuster after another, during the last two years. They won't be able to do so now, however ..

Also, the DEMs wouldn't even listen to Republican ideas on healthcare. You make the mistake of believing that Republicans who oppose a 2,400-page bill do so because they want granny to die. Actually, they opposed the bill because it had been written many years ago, and no one ... including the Speaker of the House ... knew what was in it.

One simple example of a GOP healthcare idea: allow people to shop across state lines for the best deal on health insurance. The DEMs ... who wanted the "public option" (and didn't get it, thank God) ... wouldn't hear of it.

[removeduser_052420]

The Democratic Agenda is completely un-american! Damn abortions and weed to hell! YEEAAAHHHH-DOGGY!

[Oldgamer]

The Democratic Agenda is completely un-american! Damn abortions and weed to hell! YEEAAAHHHH-DOGGY!

And throw the damn Odamna agenda into the fire, too! We'll show them derned commies a thing or two!! YEEEE-HAAAAA!

Are we ready to actually discuss this, now?

[Pontifex Maximus]

Phier, I think Obama thrives when he has someone else to blame for the problems facing his administration. He's pretty much played the "Bush screwed us" card to exhaustion, but now he can pull the "we don't control congress/Republicans and tea party are being obstinate" card.

[Phier]

Phier, I think Obama thrives when he has someone else to blame for the problems facing his administration. He's pretty much played the "Bush screwed us" card to exhaustion, but now he can pull the "we don't control congress/Republicans and tea party are being obstinate" card.

Which is why he is relieved since obviously while in control he and his party were grossly incompetent.

[Ramashan]

Which is why he is relieved since obviously while in control he and his party were grossly incompetent.

Really what it has proven is that both parties are equally as incompetent when given complete power. I am actually feeling a little OK with the Republicans taking over half of congress. This way, hopefully, the two parties will have to work together to get things done.

My only concern about this is the Conservative rally of 'no compromises!' that has me worried. Gov can only work if all sides are willing to talk. Your never going to make everyone happy, but in coming to understandings and working together to compromise, in some acceptable way, you may at least make a great portion content.

[Oldgamer]

Really what it has proven is that both parties are equally as incompetent when given complete power. I am actually feeling a little OK with the Republicans taking over half of congress. This way, hopefully, the two parties will have to work together to get things done.

My only concern about this is the Conservative rally of 'no compromises!' that has me worried. Gov can only work if all sides are willing to talk. Your never going to make everyone happy, but in coming to understandings and working together to compromise, in some acceptable way, you may at least make a great portion content.

I really don't think you need to worry. As much as the GOP and its supporters would like Obama to be irrelevant, he is not. He is the President of the United States, and he will use his power. A veto over any Congressional bill will effectively end the process. "No compromises" will not work, and will give Obam a 2cd term, although it will make people like me happy ... government won't be doing anything to me!

If the GOP wants to repeal or defund Obamacare, or extend the Bush Tax cuts, Obama will have to be on board. It's that simple. Elections have consequences, which I couldn't get through to conservatives in 2008 ...

[Phier]

My only concern about this is the Conservative rally of 'no compromises!' that has me worried. Gov can only work if all sides are willing to talk.

My only concern is that they will compromise

[Oldgamer]

My only concern is that they will compromise

My main concern is not that they will compromise, but what they will compromise on!

[Ramashan]

My only concern is that they will compromise

And there you have a government that will not work. As a society, in order to live together, even in relationships, need to make compromises at times that are for the better good. If you are unable to compromise, you are demanding, and demands often don't make for a happy partner or ally.

[RZZZA]

"the Bush screwed us" card is still good, I think. That card will never be worn out, mostly because Bush really did screw us pretty badly.

The American people have a very short term memory, sometimes I think it's worse than a dogs, but all they have to do is be reminded of the fact that the economy was in shambles before Obama was even sworn in. The dow when Bush left? Around 7,000. The dow now? around 11.5

people understand something that simple