Quote:
Originally Posted by kane
It all depends on what the republicans are working together on. If they are trying to pass laws that the democrats see as bad and Obama blocks them it will help the democrats in 2016.
Let's not forget, the republicans blocked everything Obama and the democrats tried to do when he first took office. The democrats got frustrated and started using technicalities and loopholes to get things passed and that obstruction helped the republicans win back the house.
By blocking the republican agenda Obama can help fired up the liberal base for whoever may run in 2016 (likely Hilary).
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Not quite true Kane. The Democrats had a big advantage of seats in the House, and a super majority 60 seat caucus in the Senate. They could have done anything and everything they wanted to do. The Republican had absolutely zero power to stop anything at all in Congress. That changed when Senator Kennedy passed away, and was replaced by Scott Brown to give the Dems only 59 seats, and no longer the super majority they enjoyed for nearly 2 years.
Then the Republicans had a way to filibuster in the Senate, which is why the Democrats did the around the bout, hack job rush bill with the Reconciliation maneuver.
Then in Jan 2011, the new congress took hold where the Republicans then had the House again, and more seats in the Senate. That is when you saw the House start to block the Senates moves, and the Senate start to shelve all bills from the House that Obama didn't want to veto or deal with. That is when the full on grid lock truly started.
Did the Republicans want to block and slow down Obama the first 2 years? Of course they did. They just were absolutely powerless to do so.
Democrats didn't pass all their dream projects and ideas those first 2 years, for one reason only. They wanted to be reelected. Healthcare was going to take all the political capital they could get away with, and still have Obama win in 2012. If they went full bore on EPA, Immigration, Healthcare etc in those first 2 years, he would have been a one and done.
Funny how Immigration wasn't a massive, urgent, must fix at any costs issue those 2 years
