President Obama's Centrist Actions/Rhetoric Now = Future Demise Of The GOP

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

There has been a lot of criticism of President Obama on this forum lately, especially with regards to Chained CPI, and some of that criticism is understandable. There is also a lot of criticism because some on our side feel that he is not using the political capital that he earned with re-election.

With that said - I believe President Obama is a political genius. I believe that what he is doing is a calculated political move designed to slowly strangle the national Republican Party to the point where they are no longer a consequential political party and movement with majority support. After the showdown over the debt ceiling in 2011, President Obama realized that he is dealing with a movement with many members who will reject ANYTHING that he supports or proposes, even if we see it as a major concession. He also is aware that in this latest showdown with the fiscal cliff, he has the support of the public.

By him moving to the center, to the dismay of many liberals, he is not only trying to help the brand of the Democratic Party by being "the bigger party" that is willing to compromise for the good of the country, but he is trying to show the public what the GOP really is - the unrelenting sticklers that they are. He also wants the public to see exactly how ridiculous the Republican Party is. Most middle-class Americans are not far-left or far-right, and most do not follow day to day dealings in Washington. The majority of Americans want Congress to work together, and to them, it's the Democrats who want to do that.

Bottom line - you might be upset with President Obama's actions or rhetoric now, but I believe he is laying the groundwork for the Democratic Party to be the majority party for the next several decades, and for the GOP to be inconsequential.

[Indykatie]

1. Good Assessment of Political Environment

Some folks forget that we can't maintain majorities solely with the votes of liberals. All of my friends and family are Democrats and only a handful of them are very liberal. Most would fall in the centrist camp and they all are pleased with the job PBO is doing. I don't think I am the exception to the rule on this either.

[rhett o rick]

11. So those that fall into the "centrist" camp, please tell us what they stand for.

On what issues to they disagree with liberals?

I have never gotten anyone to explain what a centrist stands for.

[Jim Lane]

20. In practice, it means they go along with Republican ideas, but a bit less so.

In the current debate over fiscal policy, for example:
* Republicans say we must address the deficit crisis by drastic cuts in programs that help the poor and middle class, while protecting the rich -- cut their taxes, maintain military spending that benefits the MIC, and don't discuss the billions spent on corporate handouts.
* Centrists say we must address the deficit crisis by more balanced sacrifice -- serious but less-than-drastic cuts in programs that help the poor and middle class, some very modest increase in taxes on the rich, and even a few cuts in military spending and other programs that Republicans like.
* Liberals say that there is no deficit crisis, there's a jobs crisis. The rate of unemployment and underemployment is still disastrously high. Government can address that by taking steps to increase aggregate demand, so the projected deficit for 2013 isn't too high, it's too low. The government should undertake major stimulative action. Increasing taxes on the rich should be done in the interest of fairness, but that step will have a small contractionary effect on the economy, so the overall stimulus should be large enough to overcome that.

I am a liberal. About all you can say for the "centrist" solution, which Obama has adopted, is that it's not as bad as the Republican alternative.

[rhett o rick]

21. Thank you and that's how I see it. I was trying once again to get a so-called centrist to admit

to their stands. I have asked the question directly to so-called centrists, and yet to get anything but snark.

[Tutonic]

2. I prefer to believe that GOP will manage to be inconsequential without assist by O.

Those buffoons see a spark and immediately run for a gas can.

[TheKentuckian]

3. If the Republicans were extinct but their ideology dominates then more is lost than gained

What good is a permanent Democratic majority of Reaganites?

[truebluegreen]

6. +100

[jerseyjack]

4. The argument that Obama is playing the GOP has been stated ad nauseum.

From Thom Hartman's "He's playing 3-D chess with the Republicans" to people on this board...

Its bullshit. He doesn't have my back and he doesn't have yours. I don't want him to use political capital. I want him to stand up for us.

Fuck the chained cpi. Fuck "SMALL increase in taxes for the wealthy."

Lower the Pentagon budget.

Eliminate subsidies for agri-business and oil.

And that would be a start. But you ain't gonna hear any of that from Obama and the sooner you figure that out, the better we all will be.

[Buzz Clik]

12. and speaking of "ad nauseum" ....

... I am weary of this tired schtick.

For four solid years we have heard how he didn't get us out of Iraq, and then did; didn't put an end to DADT, and then did; didn't provide a health care bill, and then did; didn't support gay marriage, and then did.

What does it take?

Wait! I know the answer already.

Nothing.

Nothing he can do will get you to chill out. Nothing.

[uponit7771]

5. the problem has always been the message not the execution. .. the messaging is going to stink

[stumblnrose]

7. Barack Obama takes his marching orders from

Monsanto and big Pharma amongst other corporate vampires. Health care for all just lines the pockets of the drug cartel until someone stands up to the current process of bringing drugs to market. He is a yes man in sheep's clothing.

[colsohlibgal]

8. He's Smart But

He's not been much of a democrat overall.

Compromise meant one thing back when R's weren't off the rail far right. Now the whole of it has moved so far to right - and the common people get trampled on more each day.

So my view is that I'm not so thrilled about being the majority party if we have to be the old republicans to do it.

[Kablooie]

9. I think the point of the OP was that he proposes center right compromises...

knowing they will not be accepted.
In other words its not really a compromise but a move to expose the GOP as being unreasonable.
If he stayed with left wing ideas only he could be accused of being the problem but when he embraces Republican positions and they are still shot down, all the blame must be laid on the right.

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

14. EXACTLY!

Take for example President Obama raising the income threshold from $250,000 to $400,000 and putting Chained CPI on the table. It's not because President Obama is secretly a Republican, but I think it is part of a clever negotiating technique to give the public the notion that Democrats are adults and willing to compromise, not only to sure up support for the Democratic Party (not just "Reaganites" and "Blue Dog Democrat" ideas), but to have public opinion shift so far in our favor that it squanders the GOP so much to the extent that they would not be a sufficient "opposition" force. Then Democrats could do whatever they want.

[rhett o rick]

10. Yes but is that Democratic Party going to accept

the Patriot Act, indefinite detention, FICA domestic spying, no single payer health insurance, an FDA headed by Monsanto, DOMA, the DOJ spending more resources on prosecuting medical marijuana dispensaries than Wall Street crime, free passes for the war criminals among us, gross over spending by the military, and bail outs for banks?

[DeSwiss]

13. ....

- So when the Republicans are ''Demised'' -- what then? Just one party?

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

16. Political parties in the US change and evolve over time

With changing demographics, I feel that the CURRENT Republican party will not be able to hold onto majorities nationally, especially based on the way they have been acting lately. That is not saying that there would not be state assemblies that are in Republican control or GOP governors.

With that said, I think President Obama is trying to expose the CURRENT Republican party for what they are, in order to build long term, sustainable support for the national Democratic Party in the future. For 40 years (1955 to 1995), the House had a Democratic majority and for 30 of those years ('55 to '85), the Senate also had a Democratic majority). For 12 of those years ('61-'69 and '77-'81), there was a Democratic President. For 12 years, the Democrats were the majority party in Washington, but it wasn't like a one party, totalitarian state.

[DeSwiss]

18. And yet.....

...the shit stinks even worse than before, as this evolution (or mutation?) takes place. I think we need new genes.

Droning children and babies, but crying for them when they die at home. Renditions, assassination lists (complete with Star Chamber), wire tapping of citizens? We're way past 1984. And now pushing us onto cat food diets in order to show one's bi-partisanship? While the MIC fritters away billions and Johnny can't read but he can buy a gun.

- If the government is serious and truly wishes to share our pain, here's an idea:

[cbrer]

15. The reason, and impartiality he showed

During his MSNBC interview will be part of the record, and rerun again and again I'm sure...

*However* American politics are never that cut and dry. The faithful will flock to their chosen one regardless of record. IF we can get to a point of logic with American voters (big if), maybe we can make some progress towards a true Progressive agenda.

I will never give up!

[Flying Squirrel]

17. well that's nice.

I guess someday the Democratic Party will be known as "conservative" and I'll be a member of a more liberal new party which will emerge to take the place formerly occupied by Democrats.

[cui bono]

19. So he's helping the Democratic Party by abandoning everything it stands for?

Oh, just like he's strengthening SS by cutting it.

And saving the environment by picking a Monsanto guy to run the EPA and having him approve frankenfish among other things.

And protecting our civil liberties by expanding Bushco's warrantless wire tapping, you know, spying on American citizens.

And protecting Americans by saying it's okay to assassinate them.

All that will happen is the Dem party will become the GOP. Hell it pretty much already has now, and the GOP has become insane. So what is Obama getting us by doing this? GOP policy. How is that a good thing? How is that helping the Dem party?

Seriously, this brilliant chess master meme is so fucking old.

[DeSwiss]

22. Very well put. :-/ n/t