2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Bernie Sanders Explains How He Would Deal With An Obstructionist Congress [View all]dsc
(52,172 posts)and I am certainly not saying Hillary would have any better luck if the Congress stays in GOP hands, but just look at one issue, gun control after Newtown. Now 20 white, rich, first graders were mowed down by a deranged lunatic with a gun. 90% of people wanted some form of tightening of the back round check system. If there were ever a time when this proposal should have been a slam dunk, this was it. It went nowhere. Obama actually tried to make it happen, he used the bully pulpit, and it went no where. And the GOP gained seats in the following election.
In the House especially, and to some extent in the Senate, the GOP majority is divorced from electoral consequences from the general electorate. the one and only electoral consequence they fear is a primary which Bernie has zero ability to make happen. Unless, and until, we can change that calculus, by either taking back the House or at least putting some fear of the general electorate in enough House districts to make a difference, there is literally nothing whatsoever a President can do to make Congress do anything positive. They can, and should, veto negative things.