Obama Skirts Capitol Deadlock by Using Executive Power to Favor Key Groups

[babylonsister]

That bad Obama, trying to do the right thing despite gop intransigence! This criticism is pitiful, especially when prefaced with 'Stymied in Congress by Republican opposition....'


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-28/obama-skirts-deadlock-by-using-executive-power.html

Obama Skirts Capitol Deadlock by Using Executive Power to Favor Key Groups
By Mike Dorning - Feb 28, 2012 11:19 AM ET


President Barack Obama is targeting the concerns of political constituencies pivotal to his re- election one signature at a time.

Stymied in Congress by Republican opposition, Obama has used his executive power in recent months to issue a battery of presidential directives aimed at goals of Democratic-leaning interest groups and voters in battleground states.

Environmentalists saw the Keystone XL (TRP) pipeline stopped and automobile fuel-efficiency standards raised. Young people gained new rules to ease repayment terms for student loans. Hispanics got a policy shifting the focus of deportations to criminals.

Women’s groups watched the White House stand firm against Catholic bishops on providing free coverage for contraception. Consumer advocates won the appointment of a financial watchdog during a Senate recess, and unions got three recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB picks, including one Republican to a seat reserved for the opposition party, restored a quorum so the board can issue decisions.

While the use of executive power has sparked complaints among Obama’s critics that he’s abusing his office, such moves - - which are commonly made by presidents -- can generate enthusiasm among Democratic voters at a time when the Republican Party base is fired up about defeating the president, said Tad Devine, a Democratic strategist.
Energizing the Base

snip//

Even though Obama pushed through some of the most comprehensive legislation in decades during the first two years of his term covering health care, financial rules and economic stimulus, that isn’t enough to get him re-elected, said Devine.

“The shelf life on progress in the minds of voters is shorter than it is for fresh fruit,” he said.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-28/obama-skirts-deadlock-by-using-executive-power.html

[montanacowboy]

1. And Tad Devine is a Democratic Strategist?

bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

flipping idiot

[elleng]

2. Pure B.S.!

'that isn’t enough to get him re-elected, said Devine.

“The shelf life on progress in the minds of voters is shorter than it is for fresh fruit,” he said.'