President Obama was elected on two key words; Hope and Change.
What happened to the great promise outlined during his campaign and election? The lack of fulfillment of his promise rests directly with the Congress and their partisanship.
The president was elected into a situation that required a special kind of leadership. He was given many opportunities to exercise that leadership, but continued to come up short. The three greatest challenges for his first term were to prevent further economic collapse, correct the system that was responsible for the collapse and finally to set in place policy that would begin the economic recovery.
Of the three challenges, the president can only claim full success on one; the stopping of a further collapse. He can also claim a partial success on setting policy that supported the recovery, but he must claim failure at correcting the conditions that led to the collapse. However, it is possible that all three areas could have been successful, except for the dysfunction of the U.S. Congress.
Before going further; President Obama failed to spearhead a structural change of the financial industry and essentially left the perpetrators of the collapse completely off the hook. He ended up following the recommendations of his Treasurer Secretary Timothy Geithner and lost support and direction on correcting the financial industry problems; where in no time the firms that were “too big to fail” were right back doing business as usual. Instead of putting the financial house in order, the president decided to pursue his campaign promise of addressing healthcare accessibility. This is the point that his administration seriously went off the rails.
I have focused this article on Congress and state legislatures who effectively have held the keys to the kingdom. Even when we have been faced with similar crisis in the past, the congress has wisely set aside their partisan differences and cooperated to address the critical problems. This is what has made this crisis different from all others. Congress has not only failed to set aside partisanship, but has become even more entrenched in their partisan ideologies. This is exemplified by Senator Mitch McConnell’s (R, Kentucky) statement that the Republicans were going to assure that Obama was only a one-term president. Therefore, the president started his term with a commitment from the opposition to obstruct the administration at every opportunity and guarantee failure.
I can’t place the blamed solely on the Republicans; the Democrats have shared equally in the failures of the congress. If the Democrats would have used their majority position judiciously, they could have forced the administration into addressing the three critical issues and would probably have gained enough Republican support to get the job done.
It is my opinion that the lack of effort to correct once and for all the financial industry, the general electorate made their message loud and clear. The TEA Party and 99% Movement emerged as forces to signal the displeasure with both congress and the administration. Fortunately for the Republicans, they were able to co-opt the TEA Party movement and incorporate it into the party. The attempts by the Democrats to co-opt the 99% Movement has been met with general failure and has become largely a non factor in American politics. However, the TEA Party has become a horse of a different color.
The Republican’s strategy to be obstructionist until they gained their objectives was something that the members of the TEA Party could easily accept and adopted the same strategy. After the whipping the Republicans took in 2008 and was officially declared dead; they rebounded, with the help of the TEA Party Movement, to take control of the House, a majority of state governorships, and control of many state legislatures.
The success of TEA Party candidates made a bad situation in congress even worse. Since the 2010 elections, the congress can’t get anything done and has been putting things off until 2013, when the new congress is seated. In the state legislatures, TEA Party candidates have had a “field day." Passage of social conservative legislation has never seen such a period. Issues such as Personhood, Voter I.D., liberalization of firearms control, abstinence only sex education, defunding women’s health centers, etc; has dominated state legislative business rather than fiscal solutions to the states’ financial struggles. With the gridlock in congress; any movement, one way or another, has occurred at the state level. Therefore, there have been 50 separate approaches to problem solving, solving none of the big issues.
What I don’t understand is why Congress is not being held accountable for the stalemate. Rationally speaking, it shouldn’t matter who is in the Whitehouse if congress was doing their jobs. Although I am following the presidential election, to me it’s less important than the congressional elections. We need to elect members of congress who are willing to stop being obstructionist and will exercise the political art of compromise.
The nation is waiting!
The financial world would appear to disagree with you. Because of Act 10, the state's economic outlook from all major financial institutions was elevated from questionable to great. Meanwhile, our neighbors to the south just experienced yet another downgrade of their state credit rating. Compromise has lead to taxpayers facing billions in new interest charges because of credit downgrades and local municipalities declaring bankruptcy and/or not being able to pay their workers for their labors. Hmmm... a government that collapsed under its burden of debt to others while failing to meet the needs of its own citizens. Where have I seen this before? Oh, that's right, back in 1991 in Moscow! But hey, if that what you prefer, who am I to keep you from what you apparently like!
And I don't recall how many times I have written that I believe Barack Obama deserves a second term to allow strategies to percolate. Perhaps I haven't written it directly to you? Voila.
Was there a violin playing a sympathetic song in the background as you wrote that? What whiny load of BS are you trying to sell? Didn't ACA pass the Senate while they still had the filibuster proof majority (since it passed in December and Brown was elected in January)? Isn't it true that they needed their own party to compromise with itself in order to pass it? Even after your 'compromise' every Republican in the House voted against it and all but one in the Senate voted against it. Are trying to tell me that more Republicans were for it originally before the compromise? Since they were all against it on the final vote, who was the compromise for?
He made sure that everyone knew about the earmarks, etc. It's not hopeless, we need elected officials who will do their jobs, not sell us down the river.
A fundamental need of our economic society. Where is it, where has it been, where is the leadership on this? Failure is the only conclusion Blame only an excuse for the previous
You just cannot fathom or accept that, can you?
Nobody has a filibuster proof majority in both houses, so quit make limp-wrist excuses.
Nice response, you completely ignored the facts. The Dems had to compromise with themselves. They didn't need a single Republican vote. Which explains why more the half the country is still against ACA. As it turns out the Republicans were standing up for the people against the tyrannical leader. Are you saying that the runaway spending during the Bush administration was not Bush compromising with the Democrats that held congressional power? I hold Bush responsible for the spending during those years, are you will to do the same for the Dems in control. As for ideologues, where do you place Pelosi and Reid? They couldn't be ideologues, they are just passionate right? I am glad you have a fair approach.
Pathetic, just pathetic and weak wristed.
So a policy that covered none of your medical expenses but still charged you a regular premium only 'overcharged,' according to Obamacare, by $10. And you cite this as an example of how Obamacare took on the evil profiteering insurance companies and won? Looks to me more like a solution to problem that really didn't exist in the first place. How many people are United Healthcare laying off because the refund checks? When I google 'United Healthcare layoffs since 2009' I see that over 10,000 people have lost their jobs with United Healthcare. I thought you supported paying a little extra so long as it meant that thousands would continue working and bringing home a paycheck? Wasn't that your argument in favor of raising taxes as opposed to implementing the budget cuts of Act 10 here in Wisconsin? So why are you all of a sudden inconsistent on this point Bren? Oh, I see - the people on the state payroll were far more worthy of a paycheck than those who were working for United Healthcare and lost their jobs thanks to Obamacare! I should have realized - in Bren's world, anyone who works for a private entity is a traitor to the people and doesn't deserve to take home paycheck! Now it all makes sense!
So then the country can hold the Dems responsible for the Bush administration's war and spending because they lacked the testicular fortitude of the current crop of GOP representatives?
You're the one who keeps on saying that Romney is going to use Bush era advisers. Read the article - more companies off-shored under four years of Obama than did during 8 years of Bush. That's a FACT Bren. And Obama has done NOTHING to stop it. Care to try again? So, you're calling people that don't see things your way stupid, eh? Well, I now see what you think about the majority of your fellow Wisconsinites after the recall election! Questions - how can you stand constantly being surrounded by such inferiority? It must really get on your nerves at times. How do you deal with it? You honestly don't see how Obama is a guy who "spend[s] more time advancing special interest agenda and lining up post-government career speaking gigs?" Come on Bren, Obama clearly violates the #3 or your trifecta, if not the other two as well! But he deserves another term. The hypocrisy of Bren continues!
Let's start with the budget. How many different versions of budgets had the House passed? Numerous! How many did the Senate pass? Zero! All of the House budgets are merely a starting point for negotiation, as Paul Ryan has said on countless occasions. Why else would he have returned to the table multiple times with different versions of the budget bill? If he was truly a my way or the highway kind of guy, as you paint him to be, then why wouldn't he have just stuck to his guns after his initial draft? The Dems have refused to even pick a single budget bill, look at them, and start debates that eventual lead into negotiation! But yeah, let's blame it all on the Tea Party obstructionism, cause that's way easier than facing reality and MSNBC and the broadcast networks are all on board in perpetuating that LIE! What happened in Wisconsin? Because of the policies enacted, our credit outlook went from being questionable to great! Where did compromise get Illinois? Yet another credit downgrade which will cost their taxpayers billions in additional interest payments! You claim that the IL model of compromise is working - for who exactly and to what end? Eventual financial collapse and bankruptcy?
Partisanship is the enemy and not the solution.
"What has the financial sector done for you lately." Rarely has Hoffa ever used fiance in his life, but he does currently have a mortgage. So, there's that. Are you saying that you're anti-finance, and that all purchases should always be cash and carry? "I don't care if they say the economic outlook is rated at great, we still are sucking hind tit when it comes to business creation and job growth." It's not just the state Lyle, it's the country and world as a whole. And actually our unemployment rates and productivity rates are positively out performing the national averages, so I really don't see how you can complain too much. At least the children of WI won't have to pay off any of our currently acquired debts, as Walker isn't acquiring any new debts! The children of IL and other states will have an extremely heavy debt burden to deal with the near future! More money spent paying down debts means less money to invest in labor, programs, etc in the future. You're a smart guy, you should know all this already!
Here is the consequence of progressive socialism http://www.usdebtclock.org/ It's not going in the correct direction, let me stand on my head and vote for Obama
Interesting story as The Republican convention ended and Mitt Romney went to check out the tropical storm damage and victims of mother nature. Than Obama the true leader from behind scheduled a trip ( lied about it being planned) because he simply lacks the character and skill set of the job. Its another example in a long list of how clueless this guy is . I dont know if Obama is a nice guy . But I know what everyone else knows.....Hes an awful President! He is the current problem Americans face! Those who support him like sheep simply can not explain why he would be the right choice for another term. ( Tom Barrett supporters flashback ) The worm is starting to turn.....He's a one term President! :)
@Lyle is correct to call out both sides. Yet,in substantive issues, the Republicans are always a "no!": for most of them, they are a voting block, impotent as individuals, impotent as supporting their local constituents: they've signed a very public and well-publicized Pledge, which in turn causes them to be targets of a political hit-squad should they vary from the party line.We're allowing our nation to be torn apart,slowly declining in vigor,economic power, and political relevance.Can any of us define the Collective desires,our cooperative goal for this election? Both sides seem drawn 2 one point:the Republicans only want 2 remove the President;the Democrats want 2 prove how many of us the Republicans want to exclude or damage, should they take over. We need a way forward.An actionable "workplan." No great consultant would ever begin a project without Defining two "states":the "Current State" (or, Point of Departure-in Bain terms) and the (Point of Arrival) or "Desired End-State." The President has a plan: sadly, the highly publicized, mis-leading, highly financed, fight against "The American Health Plan" has vitiated many of his efforts, making the fullness of his plan difficult to understand. The world as it is and The never-ending filibuster seem 2 have sidelined the rest.
2010 midterms after Obama 1st 2 year control of both houses. The people rejected it . Now they are rejecting Obama . The reason are obvious unless you have drank the liberal kool aid which its plan to see you have. Obama budget plan was rejected by everyone in his own party so give me a break! Hes not a serious man and his record proves it . Thats why hes a one termer. You typing non sense will not change that.