The President's Dream

[kentuck]

From the time he was first sworn into office, the President has wanted desperately to work with Republicans and get legislation passed. He wanted very much to be the President that united the country. George W Bush and his eight years had terribly divided this country. But every time the President put out his hand, they would chop part of it off.

Now, after the people have spoken and the President has been re-elected, the President has new dreams that the Republicans will now work with him to pass his program. It's almost like Gollem's ring.

But the Republicans have no intention of working with this President, even after the mandate he got in yesterday's election. They still covet the Bush tax cuts. They are still willing to extort or threaten to get their way. They have not changed.

The President should not surrender on this issue. He should let the taxcuts expire and then attempt to pass a middle-class tax cut if that is what he wants. If the Repubs refuse to cooperate, then he should take it to the people in the next election. He really doesn't have any other choice.

[MannyGoldstein]

1. "If I help cut Social Security, Republicans will finally realize

they can do business with me, that they can trust me, that I'll help them to keep taxes low on rich people."

Fuck that. As you say, the Republicans have zero intention of getting anything done. Now's the time to hit 'em hard, when they're on the ropes.

[Bonobo]

2. No, politics is broken because they have made the calculation that...

if the country is led by a Democrat and then succeeds, the Democrats will get the credit.

The corollary (they think) is that if the country suffers when a Dem is in office, they will have a better chance of reclaiming power.

Politics are broken. There is no working with the Repubs anymore. No compromise.

They must be broken down and made to look bad at every opportunity and the President must evolve into a bully master of the bully pulpit, constantly whipping the Repubs for being recalcitrant.

The POTUS must ADVOCATE unceasingly for the policy he believes in and not the policies he THINKS he can compromise down to.

It is as simple as doing the right thing. All else will follow.

[bluestate10]

3. I agree. President Obama should not try to negotiate removing the fiscal cliff for republicans.

If republicans want to send the nation over that cliff, let them. The President should focus on a clear message for the american people explaining who was responsible. It is time to play hardball with those motherfuckers, the President should look for every constitutional route that he can find to bypass the House.