Barack Obama: The Democrats’ Richard Nixon? By BRUCE BARTLETT

[sasha031]

There is no question that Barack Obama is one of our most enigmatic presidents. Despite having published two volumes of memoirs before being elected president, we really don’t know that much about what makes him tick. The ongoing debate over the deficit and the debt limit is clarifying what I think he is: a Democratic Richard Nixon.

To explain what I mean, I first have to tell some history.
Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt was a transformative president, partly because of his policies but mainly because he presided over the two most disruptive events of the 20th century: the Great Depression and World War II.

By the time Dwight Eisenhower took office, people craved stability and he was determined to give it to them. This angered his fellow Republicans, who wanted nothing more than to repeal Roosevelt’s New Deal, root and branch. And with control of both the House and Senate in 1953 and 1954, he could have undone a lot of it if he wanted to.
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2011/07/22/Barack-Obama-The-Democrats-Richard-Nixon.aspx#page1

recommend reading the entire article

[aquart]

1. The first sentence is ridiculous. You read further?

[demwing]

8. The one that says Obama is enigmatic?

what's ridiculous about that?

[Gamow]

11. The one that reads "BRUCE BARTLETT". nt

[villager]

Telling paragraph here:

"Conservatives will, of course, scoff at the idea of Obama being any sort of conservative, just as liberals scoffed at Nixon being any kind of liberal. But with the benefit of historical hindsight, it’s now obvious that Nixon was indeed a moderate liberal in practice. And with the passage of time, it’s increasingly obvious that Clinton was essentially an Eisenhower Republican. It may take 20 years before Obama’s basic conservatism is widely accepted as well, but it’s a fact."


Sobering read. Thanks.

[yourout]

2. KnR....good read.

[mmonk]

3. Nixon? Curious.

Maybe in war promises? Maybe I should read the article because I can't think of many except in terms of presidential power, but bush created that, Obama just accepted it.

[BeyondGeography]

4. Very informed; and not just about Obama

Rec'd

[TygrBright]

5. Well, aside from the delusional paranoia, the Enemies List, the CREEP antics, the alcoholism...

...and the toy soldier uniforms, there might be some similarities.

Both intelligent.

Both with a "Y" chromosome.

Both elected President.

WOW! Clones!!

ironically,
Bright

[yourout]

6. Come back and post again after you read the whole article.

[demwing]

9. nice

:rofl:

[demwing]

7. From the article -- "Here are a few examples of Obama's effective conservatism:"

• His stimulus bill was half the size that his advisers thought necessary;
• He continued Bush’s war and national security policies without change and even retained Bush’s defense secretary;
• He put forward a health plan almost identical to those that had been supported by Republicans such as Mitt Romney in the recent past, pointedly rejecting the single-payer option favored by liberals;
• He caved to conservative demands that the Bush tax cuts be extended without getting any quid pro quo whatsoever;
• And in the past few weeks he has supported deficit reductions that go far beyond those offered by Republicans.

Add to that the continued wars, new war, Gitmo continuance, extended rendition, and absolute refusal to pursue BFEE crimes...

[Skink]

10. Obama is trying to emulate Hoover.

[yourout]

14. And he is doing a damn fine job of it.

[Melinda]

12. A sobering read... ev1 should read before they post anything. K&R

[MouseFitzgerald]

13. Great article

It makes a lot of sense.

[sasha031]

16. besides Roosevelt and Kennedy

I have always had a soft spot for Eisenhower and Johnson. The tragedy was the Vietnam war took down a great man.

[banned from Kos]

15. Nixon was elected in an age of Liberalism

the EPA, SSDI, removal of the gold standard, anti-war activism, etc.

Obama, sadly, is post-Bush austerity. Bush bankrupted us (virtually) - it is a sad fact.

[tularetom]

17. Hard to argue with history

and this article lays it out pretty clearly.

Obama is no socialist or flaming liberal.

He's not even slightly left of center.

He's the heir apparent to the legacy of the old, long discredited "Rockefeller republicans" and just like Nixon he won't undo the recent gains made by the opposition party.

So what are we going to do in 2012? Vote for Bachmann, Rick Perry, even Mitt Romney? As unhappy as we may be with some of Obama's actions, these people are not worthy to mow his lawn, let alone provide him with some credible opposition. We're stuck with corporatism for the foreseeable future.

[uppityperson]

18. Barack Obama is just like Tricky Dick, except exactly opposite?

OK.

[Raine]

19. Opposite, yes ... Nixon was certainly more liberal. nt

[uppityperson]

22. And paranoid, alcoholic, generally distrustful and creepy. Opposites, yes. nt

[one_voice]

20. Bookmarked to read in a bit...

I just saw this guy on Hardball...

[OHdem10]

21. Richard Nixon is otten referred as our best Democratic President

and Bartletts says Obama is a Moderate Republican.

He jokingly said if I were a Liberal I would be upset with him.

[JohnnyLib2]

23. Well worth reading, IMO.

The author has placed some of the most common current complaints from both the left and the right in a "historical presidential politics" context.

Any comparison of "our guy" with Nixon is naturally revolting; otherwise, his points seem on target.

[loyalsister]

24. Definitely worth reading

Comparing presidencies and the context surrounding them is a useful lens.