When at first you don't succeed ... 2nd term's not any better

Second-term presidents often show us their true colors.
George Bush II showed us he was not a Texas ‘neo-conservative,’ which had been the story when he ran his first campaign for the presidency. He showed us he was more eastern-ish moderate Republican, and that he liked to spend money. He "blew" the biggest accomplishment of the GOP in the last years of the 20th century: the balanced budget achieved by the Congressional Republicans. Of course, Bush II had lots of help from the Republican Congress who had changed their course drastically by the early 2000’s – but as leader of the party, he could have shut down that idiocy easily. He did not. And the Republicans paid the price: The voters threw them out of office. They lost their dominance in Washington.
Given similar circumstances, there is no doubt in my mind that Ronald Reagan would have
stopped the Congressional excesses dead in their tracks.
What about the current occupant? Mr. Obama tried to convince us the first time out that he was a "unifier;" he said he could re-unite us, bring us together, left and right, and put the country back on the Right Track.
Ooops! Once in office, we found out he was, first of all, no politician. Secondly, we found out that he was a quasi-left liberal of the first order.
The operational truth that emerged after a couple of years is this: Obama had no idea how to go about building a political coalition to achieve anything! He will gladly proclaim from on high how it should be … but somebody else needs to take care of the details. No negotiation, no compromise.
Why were we surprised? After all, he had never even chaired a committee in his entire political career: one term in the U.S. Senate and several years in the Illinois Legislature. During his academic career at the University of Chicago, he developed the reputation of an "ivory tower" guy, secure in his view of the world, and un-interested in interacting with any other faculty members and their ideas. Never went to coffee with them; never sat around and chewed on ideas.
His first term is a wasteland when it comes to accomplishment. A badly faulted health insurance program that is detested by the majority of the country; lack-luster foreign policy. Horrible domestic administration (during the last four years, he and his party never produced a budget).
But they spent a trainload of money, throwing it at one thing and another. “Not enough revenue? So borrow it.”
Will the second Obama term be any better? Will he re-unite us? Will he gather the will and the means to put the country back on a sustainable and constructive course economically? Develop an equitable domestic policy? Do the work to build an effective political coalition in Congress to
address the numerous problems with which we are afflicted? Address the problems with the sacred cows called Medicare and Social Secuity?
Tain’t likely!
I am certain we will hear more of his leftish rhetoric broadcast from on high. More progressivism. More internationalism. Constant assignment of blame to the minority party in Washington.
But no constructive political work that actually can solve problems and find compromises.
Why do I think so? Because I don’t think this president and his men know how to do practical and constructive politics.
And that’s a damned shame because we need some problem solving done.

This year politically…what can we expect?

Jay Leno recently remarked the governor of New Jersey had complained about the Congressional treatment of storm victims in his state, and Congress responded by saying,
“What’s your complaint? We don’t do ANYthing for ANYbody these days!”
Funny, but true! Congress is in the deadlock business these days, and I don’t mean the lock on your front door! Democratic Senate and Republican House were virtually unchanged by the election and there is no prospect of them working together.
A tactful and politically-skillful president could make a big difference by setting a constructive example for the rest of those elected officials on Capitol Hill, eliciting the point of view of the opposition and finding middle ground when negotiating, but that is not the self-appointed task of this president (though part of his rhetoric)! He has now proclaimed exactly the opposite of that. His goals in dealing with the opposition party are those of the Chicago school of politics: “We won, therefore you shall suffer!”
That sort of policy tends to bring out the worst in everyone involved, so that is what we should expect: At-your-throat-and-in-your-face politics. (Wonderful. Just what we want from our government!)
So I predict: The messiest year in national politics since the 1880s – the year when the Democrats were first holding their heads up after their secession and subsequent defeat in the Civil War. The Republicans continued to “wave the bloody shirt” and smote them head and shoulders at every opportunity! Problems were created but not solved.
These guys on both sides of the aisle seem to think they can eliminate the other side!
See them disappear! All they have to do is be nasty, spiteful and aggressive toward them.
But there is NO realistic hope that will happen to either party! Both will endure.
So we will never see a pure ideological political force or movement rule in Washington, either left or right. Our Constitution was designed to precisely prevent exactly that; we will have political hamburger hash: No neat slices of ideological beef tenderloin inside the Beltway!
I think it is very possible Mr. Obama will overplay his hand of cards – that Congress will continue to be deadlocked on significant spending, tax and fiscal policy – and it will be a messy, muddy year in national politics.
There are whispers of election investigations in the offing that may well undercut the modest electoral edge Mr. Obama received, especially precincts in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida that reported votes totaling 120 to 150 percent of their total registration rolls! And others that cast virtually 100 percent of all votes for Obama, 0 percent for Romney! This, if true, will come out – and sully his victory and morally undercut his position.
So: The Messiest Year in more than a Century!