Does the President finally understand?

That no matter what he proposes, the Republicans will oppose. He has spent almost 3 critical years attempting to compromise with these people. That is not in their game plan. Does the President finally realize that?

The Republicans are part of the problem, not part of the solution. They are a very big part of the problem. They cannot be worked with. The President must find a way to go around them. Since he is not going to get anything thru this Congress, big or small, he should take his case to the American people. The Republicans should be made to pay a huge political price for their obstructionist tactics. That should be the goal of this President. Make the Republicans pay for their tactics.

Many are suggesting that the President "go big". And he should. If for nothing but political advantage. At the present, that is all that is left to fight for. Republicans have declared war and the Democrats have declared appeasement. And never the twain shall meet.

working on a "compromise" only to have Republicans laugh while they stab him in the back in the end. Obama is dealing with people who don't want to give disaster relief money to hurricane victims unless Grandma gives up her food budget.

I am willing to accept some or many failures if there is a fight involved.

Maybe it is us who do not understand what he stands for or is against. Afterall, to quote him,

He told us he was a Democrat. We elected him because of that. And now that he's in office he seems more interested in pleasing Republicans and trying to get his coctail party pals in the DC press corp to say nice things about him and talk about how reasonable and moderate he is.

I did not give it much thought but should have. Others convinced me to get behind him and I eventually did (moreso than any other presidential campaign I had previously). They assured me and worked to strike down reservations I had regarding Constitutional matters and the previous resident in the White House. That and his pledge made to the American Freedom Campaign of which I took him at his word.

I now realize just how slick it was. Fool me once won't be fooled again or sumthin like that!

By now it appears certain that Obama will go along to get along, becuase getting along is more important than taking a stand.

He's no LBJ. He is to willing to compromise. He really has nothing to lose by holding fast

It's good cop/bad cop, and we're the suspect cuffed to the chair with the bright light in his eyes.

No matter what you think of LBJ, he got stuff done. Obama just wants to be friends.

He has no interest in a liberal agenda and hasn't since day 1. Look at his cabinet choices. Where's the investigations of the last regime? Look at his actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Is there any point, any action, any singular instance that would lead you to believe he's more liberal than he appears?

Perhaps it's you that need to realize something. What you see is what you get and that's all.

Too few people point this out on here when there's any sort of debate or argument about what Obama "really wants to do" and pushing all the blame off on the Senate or the House or the Republicans or the Blue Dogs.

He picked his cabinet. He chose those people, and almost to a number they were status quo, if not directly complicit in all the horrors that came before. He made the decision to surround himself with those people, and he made the decision to continue with a great deal of their policies.

So people can spare me the "It's all congress's fault and poor, beleagured, liberal Obama just can't get anything he REALLY wants to be done. Goshdarnit!!!"

I have tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. However, it is his ass that is on the line now. Either he do something or surrender the presidency. That is the cloud that is hanging over his head. It is a matter of political survival. We will know soon enough if he is going to change course or continue the same deserted path.

His actions during his first term have guaranteed post-presidency payoffs with national and international consulting fees, high-paying corporate board appointments, book fees, speaking fees, probably an endowed chair at the University of Chicago law school, etc. The only question is whether he will start collecting all of these rewards after 1 term or 2 terms.

I think he has supported the GOP game plan from day one of his Presidency, witness his cabinet choices. He's never even pretended to put up a good fight in support of traditional Democratic programs/values. As I've said for many months, the GOP did not nominate, let alone elect black politicians at the federal level. Obama had to pretend to be a Democrat to get into office.

If he loses, he will not be a road block to the Democratic party fighting for progressive programs and opposing corporate welfare and endless war.

As another lifelong progressive Democrat (who once worked for the DNC and was on Clinton's 1st inaugural committee) said to me this week, if Obama gets a second term, he'll move this country so far to the right that we many never be able to reverse course.

However, with Obama's corporate/banking/MIC favoritism to date, and the whacko GOP candidates, I think the big spenders will stick with Obama and he'll get a second term.

I am campaigning for a county level progressive Democratic candidate, and I will not vote for any Blue Dog or otherwise faux Democrat corporatist candidates at any level. I WILL vote a straight Democratic ticket by writing in the names of progressive candidates when necessary.

Remember he's the "adult in the room", liberals are children and Republicans are well meaning patriots that will eventually do the right thing for the good of the country. That's the world according to Obama.

Love him for what he is or not but don't expect him to change.

and you are entitled to it. Many would agree with you.

I am convinced Obama fell for this trap, it is in his "One America" line he used to launch his career at the 2004 Presidential convention. Republicans are only interested in crossing the aisle if they can clobber Democrats in the head figuratively if not literally. They prefer a Democratic Party if it has to exist of Joe Lieberman's. Republicans are not now nor have they ever been interested in any form of compromise that does not benefit their pocket book or grasp for political control. They are the party of annihilation. Obama needs to deal with it I am curious to see when reality sets in for him.

There are maybe like a handfull of NE republicans he might be able to reach bu not enough to matter.

I think he knows exactly what he is doing.

I think he truly wanted to unite this country after the disaster of George W Bush. I do not think he is a partisan Democrat. I think he wants to do what he thinks will work. He is a pragmatist, in that sense. Unfortunately, he thinks in conservative thoughts, primarily, in my opinion.

His goal of bi-partisanship has caused him nothing but grief. It could possibly defeat him for re-election. It has divided his own Party against him. Yet, he keeps looking for Congress to do what is best for the country. If he does not show recognition of the reality and does not begin to defend the Democratic ramparts, then we will have to form our own opinions about where he stands. Some will stand with him and some will not. That is your decision to make.

He is knowingly embracing neoliberals and neoliberal policy, both of which are harmful to the party and the nation.

Maybe he thinks that his focus on bi-partisanship compromise will help him move his policies forward; Democrats should go along because they are Democrats, and Republicans should because, if it weren't a Democrat pushing it, the policies fit them better than they do his own party.

Maybe he sticks to his bi-partisanship because he thinks it makes the Rs look bad. He isn't GWB, though. He has to know that it's making him look weak.

I remember a thread in GDP a couple of years back quoting him saying that he'd rather be a good one-term president, or something like that. I wonder if he has never expected to win re-election, knowing that he's alienated way too many Democrats and voters that traditionally lean Democrat. Maybe that's okay with him if he managed to accomplish a huge march to the right during his first term. Maybe that was his goal to begin with. The other option, that he's not smart enough to see what damage he's done and CHANGE his policies and style, seems improbable. I have to go with the idea that he knows what he is doing.

:shrug:

Why? Because Republicans pat him on the back when he does that, as they get almost everything they want from Obama, while we Democrats have to sacrifice almost everything on our agenda.

Isn't there danger of losing a lot of support?

ideals, even when they sit in opposition to whatever 'compromise' is being pushed by the maison blanche.

In other words, I am really wanting to see, nationally, more Democrats elected to Congress, and relative to my hopes for the House and Senate, I am not that concerned or invested in Obama, and whether he gets re-elected. Certainly, it would still be a plus over Bachmann or Perry, but as we have been told here repeatedly, the president is a mere powerless figurehead, and can do nothing. Therefore, it's a waste of resources and energy to focus on that.

phrase about "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

I don't think he's insane. I think he knows exactly what the results will be when he 'compromises' and asks for 'bipartisan' results. The GOP opposition allows him to move right with an excuse as to why he can't pass liberal legislation.

Why he doesn't even try is another matter.

nt

war, bankster bailouts, mandatory-for-profit insurance, "free trade", War on (sick people who use) Drugs.

That the President has a "secret" agenda that some hidden actors are preventing him from suggesting, let alone advocating for is nought but a comforting delusion.

That we were all deceived?

It was clear to me in 2007 that Barack Obama was a conservative. For example, he was caught lying about NAFTA during the campaign--campaigning from the Left but promising the powerful to govern from the Right in closed door meetings.

In retrospect the NAFTA flap has become a template for his entire presidency. Bottom line: watch what the man DOES--what he says isn't worth much, and will likely change quite a bit depending on his audience.

Your points, albeit accurate, are a little late in coming, as they have been the operating template for the past couple of years.