Obama no longer cares whether the GOP is outraged

[n2doc]

By Steve Benen

It’s become clear in recent weeks that President Obama and congressional Republicans are reading from very different scripts. The notion that the two institutional forces are butting heads is plainly wrong – they are two trains on separate tracks moving in completely different directions.

GOP lawmakers are now fully invested in fake “scandals” and an upcoming lawsuit/campaign stunt, the point of which they’re still trying to figure out. Obama, clearly tired of waiting for a Congress that will not govern, has become more enthusiastic about using his executive authority on everything from climate to discrimination to the minimum wage.

Clearly, the president’s willingness to keep governing without them has only enraged congressional Republicans – who were already livid. But it’s now obvious that the president simply does not care. Not even a little. The more GOP lawmaker scream, “No more executive actions!” the more Obama thinks to himself, “I wonder what other executive actions I can take.”

Consider the president’s remarks this morning in advance of a cabinet meeting.

“We’ve already seen the power of some of our executive actions in making a real difference for ordinary families…. But what I’m going to be urging all of you to do, and what I’m going to be continually pushing throughout this year and for the next couple of years is that if Congress can’t act on core issues that would actually make a difference in helping middle-class families get ahead, then we’re going to have to be creative about how we can make real progress. […]

“If Congress is unable to do it, then all of our Cabinet members here – and the head of big agencies that touch people’s live in all sorts of ways – and I’m going to be continuing looking for ways in which we can show some real progress.”

Obama and his team aren’t only going to do more without Congress – on immigration, among other things – they’re going to get “creative” while doing more without Congress.

more

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/obama-no-longer-cares-whether-the-gop-outraged

[muntrv]

1. Too bad he didn't have this attitude 5-6 years ago.

[rhett o rick]

5. I would like to know why he didn't. nm

Last edited Wed Apr 15, 2015, 06:21 PM - Edit history (1)

[WillTwain]

64. It's Too Late, Baby.

[rhett o rick]

68. I understand but I am curious what happened. Why now? nm

[WillTwain]

72. r o r, here is my take,

Last edited Wed Apr 15, 2015, 07:54 PM - Edit history (1)

Breaking the backs of the rich is the heavy lifting. Social justice just moves ahead with a life of its own. Granted, leadership help, but at the arc of social justice always leans left.

You want to go after the powerful, the rich, it takes guts. Guts like we have only seen a few times in the last century. Once Obama got elected, and looked into the cold dead eyes of capitalism from the front row, he knew this was too much for him and he rolled over.

The FDR's, LBJ's and Paul Wellstone's of the world are a rare breed. They do not care what happens to them in the fight for economic justice. Look at Huey Long, killed in office.

Elizabeth and Bernie seem to have some of that reckless abandon. Hillary?

[rhett o rick]

87. My take isn't much different. Once in office I think Gen Clapper had a nice friendly

chat with Obama and explained how risky it would be if he, Obama, were to make any drastic changes in personnel or spy programs. I think Obama got a similar talking to by the Banksters. Push Wall Street too hard and they will take down the economy. 2008 was a warning.

[WillTwain]

89. He is not a fighter.

and there is no democrat worth a damn who is not a fighter. The Republicans are a bunch of bullies, Chris Kyles, and if you do not relish a throw down you will be beat up. Obama avoided the beatings by not fighting at all.

Do not get me wrong, Obama is a great person. I wish he was my neighbor, but he does not have the temperament to be president. He should have been a Senator permanently. This is not to say he has not been exceptional at about 60 percent of his responsibilities. Maybe, if everything was in good shape and he followed a great president, he would be great. But as a turnaround leader, whew.

[sendero]

96. Pretty much my take...

... also. I think Obama is one of those people who just hates confrontation. He did everything he could to avoid it until finally he realized that his conciliatory gestures would ALWAYS be met with derision and contempt. It is a shame he did not get there a lot sooner, it was obvious to most of us that this was the case.

[F4lconF16]

91. +1, with some caveats

I disagree that FDR was an incredible president. He was the elite reaction to the socialist movement, which would have gone far further. He was the capitalist response to a system that was on the verge of failing. This isn't to say he wasn't a fantastic president by modern standards, but just that he was part of that political/economic elite and acted as such. His reforms went just far enough to stabilize the system for another 70+ years, but he did not solve any of the core problems that the two party system depends on for it's survival. LBJ helped further the establishment as well. This is not to say that what they did wasn't fantastic, but it's important to recognize that they weren't necessarily doing it for the people--they were doing it to keep a broken system alive. We have been closer to revolution in the last century than most people realize.

But otherwise I agree. All three of the names you mentioned still have my respect, and Paul Wellstone and Huey long in particular. Same goes with Bernie. Warren has the fire, but she still holds to the capitalist democracy, which, in my opinion, is non-functional, either short or long term. Still would vote and support her in a heartbeat.

And yes, Clinton has none of that. Same for Obama. As much as he has said in the last few months, it is far too little, far too late. We are up against enemies of literally unimaginable scale. The human brain can't process the numbers when interpreting just how much power they have. And unfortunately, both of our front-runners in the last 8 years have been corporatists through and through. For me, at least, that isn't good enough.

[WillTwain]

99. Good Discussion, I give FDR more credit than you, but whatever.

His accomplishments were incredible, though short of ideal. The same forces that Obama is facing were also facing FDR. In spite of this, he transformed the American experience for hundreds of millions. Possibly, his task was even greater. There was nothing to improve upon or protest, like there is today. He had to build it up out of nothing - Social Security, Wagner Act and minimum wage to name a few.

Granted, entrenched power is enjoying a renaissance, but is it greater than the late gilded age? That is beyond me to know. Great question, though.

Nice talking, have a great day.

One more thing, Bernie has the fire.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

101. This doesn't get said enough!

Yes, FDR outmaneuvered the socialist movement that was rearing for revolt. He "saved capitalism from itself" with his reforms. And yes, he was a good president for the middle class and for capitalists in general.

But he just put the system on life-support for another 70 years until a new class of neo-liberals could start the rollback with a fully lobotomized citizenry.

On point, F4lconF16!

[dorkulon]

82. No longer running for reelection. nt

[AlbertCat]

6. Too bad he didn't have this attitude 5-6 years ago.

Well, this IS from July of last year.

[Lunabell]

13. I agree

He was way too conciliatory.

[AgingAmerican]

22. To me that's the big difference between Obama and Bill Clinton

Clinton did not give a fuck what the Republicans thought. He just did what he thought was right. Of course he wasn't always right, but he fought them tooth and nail on everything, even as they endlessly tried to destroy him.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

76. There is one other difference you are forgetting, a real big one

[Utopian Leftist]

78. Clinton also had the line-item veto for a good portion of his term.

That meant, if Congress sent him something stupid, he could just strike the stupid parts out, essentially. He did not have to negotiate with them nearly as much as Obama has been forced to.

[dflprincess]

86. He had it for two years at most.

Congress passed the line item veto act in 1996 the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in 1998.

[mehrrh]

29. Obama's position

While I would have liked to have seen some of this attitude in him over the years past, I fully understand his reluctance to go there.
He really didn't believe the GOP would ruin the country for personal political partisanship.
He had to establish himself as the first minority president, young and idealistic, that he was pragmatic, not prone to the impulsive and embarrassing behavior of George Bush; and he had to straighten the nation economically, restore our name globally, and demonstrate for all that he is more than capable of the job.
The arrows slung at him from January 2009 until today have been relentless, and the complicit media has kept the inflammatory rhetoric simmering. The obstruction he has faced in congress has been unprecedented. The criticism of his every move is scrutinized more than any president in my lifetime.
So I give him a lot of slack in not moving as aggressively as I wanted -- but now, he doesn't have to consider anyone else's politics (from either party) and he is able to focus on what he can accomplish in the last year and a half -- I like his new attitude.

[slumcamper]

35. Well-reasoned and fair analysis, mehrrh.

I like his new attitude as well, and another thing that's often overlooked is his instinct for and sense of timing. He acts at appropriate times and in a purposive manner; although the purpose may not always be apparent at the time, his actions prove prescient.

Calm, cool, collected and calculating. How different this is from what McCain would have been, and what W was. I expect Hillary shares this quality too.

Good post.

[wiggs]

37. Agree. He had to try to work through a traditional process, which he believed in and

still does. He is a consensus builder and a constitutional expert. Pres Obama would have preferred that all the actors do their jobs and act in good faith for the public. Since many are not, he is going to find other less preferable ways to govern.

[Tarheel_Dem]

52. Thank you, and welcome to DU!

[Skittles]

55. sorry but

"He really didn't believe the GOP would ruin the country for personal political partisanship. " - how is it WE knew that to be true but he did not?

[mehrrh]

63. we really didn't

We all complained and suspected the GOP of everything vile and corrupt, but we are not inside politics.
Did you really think that they would destroy the nation via obstruction? I suspected them of being low down and mean-spirited and unethical, but I did not believe they would go so far as they have gone in destroying this president and the country and its people along with him.
Their behavior has been unprecedented (at least in my lifetime and I am no spring chicken) and dangerous and reckless, especially since the introduction of the teaparty lunatics, who now seem to have control of the party -- the tail is wagging the dog.
As bad and awful as I expected the GOP, I did not believe they would be this horrible and destructive.

[Skittles]

65. DID I REALLY THINK THEY WOULD DESTROY THE NATION?

THE PARTY THAT STOLE A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, ALLOWED THE BIGGEST TERRORIST ATTACK IN AMERICAN HISTORY, STARTED SENSELESS WARS, DROWNED A CITY, CRASHED THE ECONOMY - gee, did I think they would destroy the nation with via OBSTRUCTION?
***************HELL**************FUCKING*****************YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!***********************

[cui bono]

92. Agree. Not to mention, they can't stop telling us how govt doesn't work, so of course they want

to prove it. So they can privatize everything possible for their corporate masters.

[Skittles]

94. the idea that Obama "didn't know" how fucked up repukes are

OMG the excuses that are made for him - seriously, WTF!!!!!!

[winetourdriver]

61. And remember

what happened to Jack Kennedy, he certainly does. Presidents can only push the MIC so far, you don't fu*k with those people.

[bvar22]

74. Then that person should NOT run for President.

Roosevelt welcomed their hatred.

[For Freddie]

75. Hoover

FDR worked WITH J.Edgar Hoover. In some ways he made Hoover.
Hoover deferred to FDR. FDR had nothing to fear. That all changed for presidents as Hoover gained power with his secret files.
All the while he himself was being blacked mailed by organized crime.

The assassination option I believe was a great part was part of Hoover's power.

That has changed. Obama is very intelligent. He knows when and how to push. I don't think it was fear. I think it was biding his time. He knew they would self destruct in time. You cannot keep the level of outrage the RW uses at a high pitch. Outrage is exhausting. It all reduces to blather and bullshit. People turn away.
Obama knew there was a time to move and time to let them self destruct.

Anthony Summers' book Official and Confidential the Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover is well researched. It gives a view of the presidency
and the assassinations from a very different perspective. It also has a well researched view of the history of the FBI and FDR's use of it.
We are not on the inside of politics. All our perceptions and opinions
are largely subjective and our own projections. We don't know everything.

[Cha]

62. I understand it too, mehrrh. President Obama got his ACA through, the Economy on the right track

from the bush downward spiral into the abyss, and every other issue he and his team have accomplished so far, having started out with the Lilly Ledbetter act.

Now it's just this about the gop's whining, lies, and obstruction..

[hifiguy]

41. So true.

There was never the slightest chance that the repukes would behave like adults. much less responsible adults. He should have taken this tack long ago with the pathetic brats.

[jtuck004]

46. He did. Just not toward who you might think. n/t

[Doctor_J]

49. no kidding. I think these are satire pieces. now with 44 democratic senators and 188

House members, he's suddenly feisty. What a joke.

[Skittles]

54. exactly fucking right

the amount of time wasted on those assholes was staggering

[Enthusiast]

67. +1 an entire shit load.

[yeoman6987]

80. 5-6 years ago?

What about today when he decided to let Congress take part in Iran deal?

[cui bono]

93. Wait...

wut?

[IronLionZion]

83. Because good people try to do the right thing first

and resort to tough tactics when all else fails.

[onehandle]

85. His voters abandoned him in the 2010 elections and made him a lame duck.

It's the fault of millions of lazy 2008 Obama voters that Republicans gerrymandered the country and seized Congress, State Houses, and the majority of the Governorships.

[LiberalElite]

95. Only Obama voters? No sour grapes from Hillary fans?

You couldn't just say "voters?" You just HAD to get a dig in. What self-serving baloney on a roll.

[onehandle]

98. I am an Obama voter. I vote in every election.

I did not vote for Hillary in the 2008 primary.

What I meant was that millions of Obama voters were excited to see him as President, but then Failed to back him up.

They did it again in 2014.

I've been blaming 'Obama voters' since 2010. You saw the crowds. They failed him.

[Helen Borg]

97. Yup...

[djean111]

2. And, of course, they are enthusiastically helping him with the TPP. nt

[Populist_Prole]

4. All too true

And studiously ignored by DLC/3rd-way fanboys or TPP shills.

[cheapdate]

36. May the TPP isn't the ONLY thing that fucking matters?

[Phlem]

44. So only social issues matter?

I'll have to remind my little girl of that when she get's to working age and is still living at home.

Yes baby we have LGBT rights, abortion rights, and more importantly equal pay for women. We didn't quite get the economic part down so everybody get's minimum wage, only one piece of bread for you tonight.

Jeeeesus!

[bettyellen]

56. We have abortion rights across the country? WOW.

Unfuckingbelievable to read such ignorance here.

[Populist_Prole]

90. Yes, It IS the only thing that matters now

Economic issues are more important than social issues right now, since being impoverished will make social issues moot. It's my opinion; if you don't like it, put me on ignore.

[Arugula Latte]

3. So why did he needlessly cave on Iran after his victory?

[PoliticAverse]

7. Because a sufficient number of Democrats in Congress didn't have his back. n/t

[stevenleser]

9. It would be interesting to see how close to the 67 number in the senate they were AND...

if what was finally what pushed the count over that number was the Russian S-300 sales.

Maybe we will never know for sure on the latter count.

[AgingAmerican]

24. He should have employed the bully pulpit

Like president Johnson. Johnson literally threatened Dem senators with repercussions if they didn't go along. That's how you do it.

IN one instance, he had a helicopter land on a highway and stop the vehicle of a senator, flying him back to DC to vote.

[Duval]

43. And Dems wondering why we don't contribute more! DUH! nt

[corkhead]

8. My understanding is some dems in congress caved and his veto will be overridden

I think he should make them vote anyway and put them on record

[JDPriestly]

53. Because the Constitution gives the Senate the authority of advise and consent.

[calimary]

10. Our President has a very elegant way of saying "Fuck 'em!"

Just absolutely THRILLING for me to see! I'm LOVING this. This is how it should have been from Day One. Shoulda given them the back of his hand from the get-go. He was too kind, too patient, too conciliatory for what these fiends deserved. I'm glad he's finally embraced the reality he's faced and tried so hard not to see for six years. For SIX YEARS he tried.
For SIX YEARS he reached out, only to have them spit - or even shit - in the open hand he extended to them.
For SIX YEARS he tried to compromise, meet them halfway - hell, MORE than halfway.
For SIX YEARS he tried to find common ground.
For SIX YEARS he tried to talk to them, and keep them informed and in the loop. Tried to be inclusive.
For SIX YEARS he showed them respect.
Reached out again and again. In ALL KINDS of ways.
Invited them to state dinners with celebrities and lots of international VIPS. They turned up their noses.
Invited them to cocktail parties he and Michelle attempted to start six years ago, and wanted to bring back. They turned up their noses.
Invited them to pre-Oscar screenings in the White House screening room in advance of awards night. They turned up their noses.
Invited them to watch the NCAA games and the finals and the whatevers in the White House. They turned up their noses.

So enough already. I think he's content in that he tried like hell to work with these assholes and all they were ever interested in - was fucking with him, hamstringing him, obstructing him, losing him his job, driving him out, getting rid of him, even trying to negate everything and anything he stood for and/or tried to accomplish.

So fuck 'em. He's adept at assessing what has been tried for a long time and hasn't worked. Like the Cuba crap. Time to change it up. Time to do something different. Time to try a new approach. We've TRIED the old way - FOR YEARS - and it hasn't worked. Hasn't helped. Hasn't done what we wanted. So fuck that, too.

He ran on encouraging all of us to BE the change we wanted to see. Now he's onboard, too. AT LAST!!!!!

FUCK 'EM. Let 'em yell. Let 'em gnash their teeth and rant and rage and act like such big pathetic victims. In the words of dear darling joni hog-castrator, "MAKE 'EM SQUEAL!!!!!!"

Fuck 'em.

[mountain grammy]

23. Agree, enough already!

fuck 'em! Almost all of them are an embarrassment to themselves and America.

[B2G]

11. Did he ever? nt

[wolfie001]

12. Jan. 2009, the ugly-assed turdle-man from.....

.....Kentucky stated Replug policy was to make him a one-time Prez. He showed these assholes they were wrong and now he's piling on! Love it!

[JDPriestly]

14. The executive is not granted all the power that Obama is using, not by the Constitution, in my

opinion. So, let the Congress impeach him. It will go nowhere. It will just waste a lot of time and draw attention to the fact that the President is doing what the majority of Americans want while Congress sits and tweedles its thumbs to please a tiny group of rich guys and religious fanatics.

Choice. Obama is finally standing firm and representing the people.

Congress could be achieving so much.

[C Moon]

15. Very glad to see this. I don't understand how he didn't see their hate for him years ago.

The GOP is a distrusting and vile.
I would have been an awful president, because I wouldn't have given them the time of day once in office.

[busterbrown]

20. Oh he saw it all right...

He just didn’t react the way we would expect because.. He would then be called the angry Black President. On fox 24/7

[abakan]

31. I think he didn't do any of this earlier...

because he wanted to be reelected. I like the president very much but say what you will, all politicians are more concerned about keeping their job, than they are about doing it. Obama is a politician who no longer has to worry about another election so he is free to act.

[busterbrown]

48. And his approach was the image of him..

being the adult in the room.... We agree..

[BKH70041]

16. And everyone cheers.... until the shoe is on the other foot.

[JDPriestly]

17. Because of the separation of powers clauses in the US Constitution:

Article I, section 8 (Authority of Congress)

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

. . . .

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;

Article II, section 2 (Powers of the President)

The President . . . shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; . . . .

https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution

The link page connects to the specific pages for Articles I and II.

Congress has the authority of advise and consent with regard to treaties and is arguing that the Iran agreement is the equivalent of a treaty.

[stevenleser]

26. +10^10^100 a lot of unfortunate comments here as I noted downthread. nt

[underpants]

27. It's not a treaty

[KG]

18. yeah, right.....

[47of74]

19. Yeah, he should've stopped caring on Jan 21, 2009.

I think we wouldn't have wound up with the teabagger Congress we have now if he showed a spine with them from the very beginning.

[fadedrose]

21. He couldn't

Because there were too many Democrats running in the 2010 midterms, and in 2012, the next midterms, some were distancing themselves from him claiming they were "Clinton Democrats."

We had a Dem majority for a very short time because of people who ran on his coattails in 2008, and by the midterms, lots of Dems stayed home. Same with 2014.

Doesn't matter to him now.

[Doctor_J]

51. and how did that complete capitulation work?

Maybe if he'd stood for the things he campaigned on, we wouldn't have been decimated while he was in office. Well, you BOG ers reaped what you sowed.

[Skittles]

66. complete BS

he lost a lot of support while he was playing footsies with those corrupt bastards

[WillTwain]

81. His supporters love to blame the Republicans, But

he had a 60 seat supermajority for four months and a week. It just does not get much better than that. Every great president is measured by his first hundred days.

You hear if all the time, FDR's first hundred days, LBJ's first hundred days. The amount they rammed through in 100 days is staggering. By comparison, President Obama fell far short. It still completely boggles the mind that he let the minimum wage slide for eight years in the middle of the greatest financial crisis in 80 years. Awesome, in a hard to believe way.

[stevenleser]

25. A lot of unfortunate comments here regarding "why Obama didnt do this before". He's not supposed to

do it now. As JDPriestly noted, he's over the line on Presidential Constitutional Authority and doing things only the legislative branch should be doing.

Now, we all know he is doing that because the legislative branch has turned into a mockery of what a Congress should be under Republican control, seeking only to derail Obama's policies for the sake of hurting him, not because they think its best for the country.

Because of that, I support him doing what he is doing now, but to say it is far from ideal is an understatement. It's a dangerous precedent to set and if the Republicans take back the White House any time soon, they will take it much further than Obama and use him and his actions as justification.

[Fred Sanders]

28. If the insurgents are going to now try to stage a coup, then a counter-coup is only logical. Timing is

something some folks seem not to fully grasp.

[BKH70041]

30. + a few billion billion

"It's a dangerous precedent to set and if the Republicans take back the White House any time soon, they will take it much further than Obama and use him and his actions as justification."

Post #16 - "And everyone cheers.... until the shoe is on the other foot."

I would only add it's not matter of "if," but "when."

[stevenleser]

32. Our best hope is that the Republican Party loses big in 2016 and collapses shortly thereafter.

Or keeps losing until they collapse.

Otherwise, the next GOP President will make "Dubya's" crimes, power grabs and signing statements look like childs play in comparison. I really hope we all don't have to try to live through that.

[Surya Gayatri]

39. 'I really hope we all don't have to try to live through that.'

You're not alone!

[dbackjon]

33. Should have started that policy in January, 2009

[Enrique]

34. this article is from July of last year n/t

[Surya Gayatri]

38. Now, let me see...how else can I make their heads explode!

I wonder...

[staggerleem]

40. If PRO is the opposite of CON ...

then what is the opposite of PROGRESS?

[Duval]

42. Great post, n2doc. I also am

liking the conversation generated here. I've said it before, but here goes: This is the BEST SITE!

[hobbit709]

45. About time.

[libdem4life]

47. Cut him some slack. He was/is the first Black President, hated like no other in current

history. Really venomously hated.

He and his family were the picture of social class. He was patient, conciliatory and gave them no excuse for preventing a second term. Then he let them have it. Very smart. They thought he saw them as his "better" and was weak. So did/do many on this forum believe he's weak. I believe it was absolutely a political tactic.

I think he HAD to wait until they could not stop him. Now they look like a bunch of fools with no hair left (lots of hair on fire) and just the waning Tea Party to cry with them into their beer.

[Rex]

50. Not recent events...since last November imo.

The POTUS is playing rope a dope and winning every single round with the GOP! They have no idea if he is coming or going. He has them confused and always against the ropes.

[Maedhros]

57. And he NEVER cared when his Liberal base was outraged...[n/t]

[L0oniX]

100. +1

[Gothmog]

58. The GOP have been asses and Obama is correct to ignore their views

[Cha]

59. Exactly, Steve Benen.. I like the way he writes! President Obama on the Congressional gop..

Mahalo n2doc

[workinclasszero]

60. I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into

the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub."
Interview on NPR's Morning Edition, May 25, 2001

Grover Norquist, kochsucking republican

Fuck republicans now, fuck them forever! Their only reason for existence is to destroy the US government, institute dominunist sharia law and give all power and all wealth to the 1%.

They are the enemy of the people! If a foreign country had the same goals as the republican party we would declare Forever War on the terrorist scum!

[Enthusiast]

69. The proper attitude when dealing with knuckledragger Republicans.......

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[Rex]

70. Dammit! Why can't I rec this a 2nd and 3rd time!?!?!

[madokie]

71. Awesome Mr President

fuck those clowns. In our government you are the only person I have voted for. Guess what I'm proud of the fact I see though their shit enough to not vote for any of them.

[on point]

73. What took him so long? He wasted years and progressive ground

Sucking up to them

[Utopian Leftist]

77. Totally on board with the President on this subject.

He is doing the things Congress simply refuses to do.

[Dont call me Shirley]

79. GOPoutrage!

[blkmusclmachine]

84. Day late, dollar short.

[lonestarnot]

88. He probably needs to look into the privatization of some of his agencies that can keep the economy

moving, good union paying jobs. Privatization is already underway. Wonder how long it will take?