Will Obama become a lame duck post election day?

[Zebo]

I don't think it will matter. US has huge problems. Mainly revolves around too much liabilities not enough assets = fail.

I think you'll see massive inflation on commodities you love as govt prints it's way out leaving most Americans much much poorer. (opportunity here if you got soon to be worthless dollars)

Meanwhile, China and other countries are spending trillions in infrastructure and in real education which will make USA look like a banana republic within 20 years.

 

[theeedude]

Rational basis is not a prerequisite for rightwing thinking.

 

[MrMatt]

I hope he quits, Biden quits, Boehner takes over the presidency, and the Republicans finish running the country into the ground. I'm tired of there being any doubt how bad the Republicans are for all of us. You'd think the Bush years would have been enough for that, but I guess some folks are really, really slow learners.

Except Bush wasn't a Republican in the fiscal sense. He's one of the 3 most fiscally liberal presidents EVER, which was why his ratings were so low. Dems already hated him, and then he strayed from the fiscal conservative base so they rejected him too.

 

[theeedude]

Except Bush wasn't a Republican in the fiscal sense. He's one of the 3 most fiscally liberal presidents EVER, which was why his ratings were so low. Dems already hated him, and then he strayed from the fiscal conservative base so they rejected him too.

Bush was a Republican through and through. The problem for conservatives was that he was a real world Republican not their fantasy small government Republican.

 

[Balt]

Except Bush wasn't a Republican in the fiscal sense. He's one of the 3 most fiscally liberal presidents EVER, which was why his ratings were so low. Dems already hated him, and then he strayed from the fiscal conservative base so they rejected him too.

Psssst... I hate to be the one to break it to you, but fiscally conservative Republican presidents don't actually exist in recent history. He did exactly what other Republican presidents have done, which is spend more money than they had. He was a Republican, no doubt about it.

Also claiming that's why "his ratings were so low" is laughable. His ratings were low because of many more reasons than just that.

 

[Zebo]

Clinton went from unpopular to extremely popular by moving to the center when he lost his majorities and his mandate. There's no reason Obama can't do the same - IF he is willing to put aside his ego and his ideology to be a successful president. If so, he'll get some of the credit if the Republicans are able to turn the economy around. If not, he'll get none of the credit for success and at least half the blame for failure. If he continues to be a disconnected and disaffected leftist without his Democrat majorities, the liberal media won't even be able to drink him pretty.

Actually the best thing for the economy might well be if Obama continues to rule from the left, attempting to implement his agenda via regulatory agencies. If he blocks Republican attempts at deregulation and Republicans block his attempts at implementing higher taxes and energy costs if not outright Marxism, and IF business is convinced that this is blessed gridlock and not just instability, then we might actually see a recovery.

There are still long-term problems though, even assuming Republicans don't turn into Democrats this time like they did in 2001 - 2006. We still have a huge amount of national debt. And we still have mo clear path to stop the hemorrhaging of manufacturing jobs from our country, nor of stopping the flow of illegal aliens. This leaves us with ever-more people chasing ever-fewer jobs, especially good jobs, and selling off our country one company at a time to pay for our imported goods. Worse, even agriculture seems to be moving off shore. And so far, neither party has a clue about how to stop it.

This. Fiscal debt is actually 15x higher than nominal debt or 200 Trillion. When you are faced with this kind of debt all you can do is "quantitative easing" to the extreme leading to hyper inflation. All that means is sure, you get a SS check but it's worth a loaf of bread.

 

[Moonbeam]

Will Obama be a lame duck for the next two years?

I don't know but you will be lame all your life.

 

[ericlp]

I don't know but you will be lame all your life.

Owned!

 

[spidey07]

It's not in his nature to do so. It's clear he won't move to the center because he is so far left his ideology will prevent it. He'll be a lame duck because his legislative agenda will be stopped but that won't prevent his damage and ultimate goal to "fundamentally transform" the US into a marxist image.

Most likely he'll try to do whatever he can within his power to push farther to the left. You've noticed this in the rhetoric he's been using lately, he's moving farther to the left almost defiantly rejecting (and most certainly mocking) the American way of life.

A man this devious with that kind of deep seated hatred of the American Way will not just roll over or adjust, he will only fight harder against the country.

 

[theeedude]

Obama's ideology is far left? That's good for a laugh, considering his health plan is one previously advocated by conservatives, most of his stimulus went to banks and tax cuts, and more government jobs were cut under his watch than under most Republican presidents. I guess next thing you are gonna tell us is that Bill Clinton is a leftist.

 

[werepossum]

This. Fiscal debt is actually 15x higher than nominal debt or 200 Trillion. When you are faced with this kind of debt all you can do is "quantitative easing" to the extreme leading to hyper inflation. All that means is sure, you get a SS check but it's worth a loaf of bread.

And unfortunately neither party has a solution - nor do I. Perhaps there isn't one. I suspect though that the two issues are tied together, so that if our country could reclaim its manufacturing base it would be much easier to put our fiscal house in order.

 

[CountZero]

It's not in his nature to do so. It's clear he won't move to the center because he is so far left his ideology will prevent it. He'll be a lame duck because his legislative agenda will be stopped but that won't prevent his damage and ultimate goal to "fundamentally transform" the US into a marxist image.

Most likely he'll try to do whatever he can within his power to push farther to the left. You've noticed this in the rhetoric he's been using lately, he's moving farther to the left almost defiantly rejecting (and most certainly mocking) the American way of life.

A man this devious with that kind of deep seated hatred of the American Way will not just roll over or adjust, he will only fight harder against the country.

This is the kind of ignorant crap that has led to such a divided country. Here's a news flash for you, conservatives do *not* own the market on "the American way of life". You see ~50% of this country leans left (and the other ~50% right) so when you claim the left is against "the American way of life" you forget that the left represents half of "the American way of life". You may not agree with their way of life (or the ideals that guide it) but it is undeniably American.

I'm pretty sure he is a lame duck now. He owned congress completely...and could not get a "public option" passed. He is a corporatist as much as the rest of them.

I agree. He failed to properly utilize the power he had and he will have less after the election without a doubt.

 

[werepossum]

This is the kind of ignorant crap that has led to such a divided country. Here's a news flash for you, conservatives do *not* own the market on "the American way of life". You see ~50% of this country leans left (and the other ~50% right) so when you claim the left is against "the American way of life" you forget that the left represents half of "the American way of life". You may not agree with their way of life (or the ideals that guide it) but it is undeniably American.



I agree. He failed to properly utilize the power he had and he will have less after the election without a doubt.

He will have less power, granted. But if he moves to the center as Clinton did, then he will have much more popularity. Americans want to like this guy, if only because he is the first black President.

Congress under Pelosi & Reid has been shocking bad, and as a Democrat Obama gets tarred with the same brush - not that he was due his share. By contrast, if Congress goes Republican, then Obama has the choice to triangulate. When Congress does something good, praise them and be seen to be part of the process during the signing. When Congress does something bad, scold them and be seen to be part of the process during the veto process. Clinton abandoned most of his principles to become very popular, but there's no reason Obama couldn't maintain his press for more socialism in ways that are seen as positive - something that rarely occurs when huge megabills are passed late at night on partisan votes, often with no input other than the vote itself for the minority party. Hell, often the Pubbies were voting on a bill that no Republican had even seen, and on one memorable occasion were voting on a bill that literally did not even yet exist. That just makes Obama look as dirty as Pelosi and Reid. By contrast, if the Republicans pull such shenanigans then Obama comes off smelling like a rose, but if the Pubbies behave themselves then Obama can still get credit (assuming he behaves himself) for being part of a civilized process. And if Congress is hopelessly divided and accomplishes nothing, Obama can still come out smelling like a rose if he maintains himself above the fray.

 

[Fern]

Lame duck?

Well, after the elections I see little chance for him to get his agenda passed. I expect the Repubs to take the House, so he won't even be able to get his 'agenda' on the agenda (bill start out in the House, and the Repubs will control all committees etc).

I agree with PJ, he could come out ahead like Bill Clinton. But I have doubts about his ability (personality wise) to do so.

Fern

 

[theeedude]

PSA for Republicans: Obama already got his agenda passed.

 

[dennilfloss]

Clinton went from unpopular to extremely popular by moving to the center when he lost his majorities and his mandate. There's no reason Obama can't do the same

*Sheldon Cooper*

In what universe is Obama not already at the centre?

 

[Throckmorton]

He will have less power, granted. But if he moves to the center as Clinton did, then he will have much more popularity. Americans want to like this guy, if only because he is the first black President.

Give some examples of Obama not being at the center.

 

[werepossum]

*Sheldon Cooper*

In what universe is Obama not already at the centre?

*Sheldon Cooper*
That would be the known universe. Don't be afraid to ask for help on the hard stuff.

Handy tip - if what you do pisses off a majority of the people, you are by definition not in the center. Were he running for or holding office in Greece, or Cuba, or most of South America, he could legitimately claim to be in the center. Here, not so much - although he could be in the center of Berkley, or most of Massachusetts or Vermont, or Manhattan.

Handy tip #2 - if a politician wants to do something that he knows a majority of people will endorse, he'll tell you about it in excruciating detail. If a politician wants to do something that he knows a majority of people will oppose, he'll spend most of his time and energy spouting feel-good platitudes like "Change we can believe in" and "Yes we can" - and hope that everyone is engrossed in American Idol while he does his worst.

 

[werepossum]

Give some examples of Obama not being at the center.

You can't possibly be serious, but just in case . . .

Moving jurisdiction for all health insurance from the states to the federal government.

Setting up a sham bankruptcy so that the investors legally entitled to come first get pressed by the federal government and the President himself to accept less so that those he personally finds more politically friendly (unions) can assume control of GM - on the taxpayers' dime, no less.

Passing cap'n'tax, where American companies will be placed at a competitive disadvantage because it makes liberals feel good. Also a huge step forward (backward) into the centrally planned economy, as the federal government would literally have the power to determine winners and losers not just among industries, but among regions and even among individual businesses.

Changing a program that provides loans for ailing companies into a program that buys stock, influences or even appoints directors, and generally exerts an influence on its operations. More evidence of the centrally planned economy and that Obama et al not only believe that some of us are smarter than all of us, but that they personally are experts in every category. (This is known as Kim Jung-il syndrome.)

Believing that he should be able to take part of the fruits of your labor for no better reason that to "spread the wealth around".

 

[pcgeek11]

He did exactly what other Republican presidents have done, which is spend more money than they had. He was a Republican, no doubt about it.

By these standards Pelosi, Reid and Obama are all Republicans.

 

[Throckmorton]

You can't possibly be serious, but just in case . . .

Moving jurisdiction for all health insurance from the states to the federal government.

Setting up a sham bankruptcy so that the investors legally entitled to come first get pressed by the federal government and the President himself to accept less so that those he personally finds more politically friendly (unions) can assume control of GM - on the taxpayers' dime, no less.

Passing cap'n'tax, where American companies will be placed at a competitive disadvantage because it makes liberals feel good. Also a huge step forward (backward) into the centrally planned economy, as the federal government would literally have the power to determine winners and losers not just among industries, but among regions and even among individual businesses.

Changing a program that provides loans for ailing companies into a program that buys stock, influences or even appoints directors, and generally exerts an influence on its operations. More evidence of the centrally planned economy and that Obama et al not only believe that some of us are smarter than all of us, but that they personally are experts in every category. (This is known as Kim Jung-il syndrome.)

Believing that he should be able to take part of the fruits of your labor for no better reason that to "spread the wealth around".

Feel free to try again.

 

[hal2kilo]

Bush was a Republican through and through. The problem for conservatives was that he was a real world Republican not their fantasy small government Republican.

Since when have Republicans ever practiced small government and fiscal responsibility. They always have to rebuild the poor neglected military while screwing the working people, then have massive tax give aways for the rich. Seems drowning the baby in the bath tub hasn't worked out too well, huh?