I hope like hell that President Obama has a firm grip on his veto pen

[cali]

and the determination to use it. I get that he won't be using it on things like fast track for the TPP and Keystone- both will likely be passed by this new Congress, but I'm really hoping he uses it on cuts to the social safety net and such items as the chained CPI- even though he once proposed just that in the hopes of working with republicans. Now he has no real incentive to cave to the republican agenda- unless he agrees with certain items as he does on fast track.

This isn't just about the ACA which I assume he'll stand strong on. There are other things the republicans will be trying to ram through.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My hopes are the same as yours...n/t

[still_one]

2. we all do

[blkmusclmachine]

3. Obama won't use any veto pens. He'll strike Grand Compromises and kill the Party for 2016.

[Enthusiast]

4. He will say, "Elections have consequences."

[QC]

5. He's way more likely to get all reachy-outy now,

which is never a good thing.

Time for the Grand Bargain?

[kelliekat44]

7. He always reached out and brought back a nub. When he asked to meet he was dissed twice.

People buy into the media meme that the President refuses to work with Congress when it is the other way around.

[madville]

6. I doubt he'll get a chance to use it much

The Senate will likely leave the 60-vote fillibuster in place for legislation so most of the bills that would potentially be vetoed won't get through there.

[Recursion]

8. Fortunately I think the House still scares the hell out of the Senate

I don't think they'll work together much better than they have been.

[LukeFL]

9. Let's be hopeful

[boston bean]

10. dream on...

unfortunately.... but the song is good.

[joshcryer]

11. TPP requires partners to agree to it.

At the rate it's going they don't want half the crap in there and it's likely to be negotiated with the partner states for awhile yet.

Keystone though you have a point, that should get passed fairly easily. But then, Obama has been wanting that for awhile now.

[Autumn]

12. Obama is the adult in the room. He will work with them

to give them what they want.

[RussBLib]

13. Senate Dems will have to use the filibuster

Like the GOP did.

The Dems will have to prevent some pretty odious things from passing. But I bet they won't use the filibuster, because they just don't like to play hardball, for some reason.

So it would fall to Obama to veto the BS, and hope that enough Dems will not vote to override.

[lonestarnot]

14. When he didn't jail the bankers, when appointed the problem thieves to positions, when he gave

it to the insurance companies, when he continues endless war, I don't have much faith for that assurance. I think his ink in that pen may have dried. Not going to hold my breath on that, but I hope so also.