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The Political Upshot Of The Post Partisan Unity Schtick

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 11:40:08 AM EST
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Paul Krugman:

Mr. Obama’s attempts to avoid confrontation have been counterproductive. His opponents remain filled with a passionate intensity, while his supporters, having received no respect, lack all conviction. And in a midterm election, where turnout is crucial, the “enthusiasm gap” between Republicans and Democrats could spell catastrophe for the Obama agenda.

Who could have predicted?

Speaking for me only

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    The Political Upshot Of The Post Partisan Unity Schtick | 17 comments (17 topical)

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    dont you get tired (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Capt Howdy on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 11:43:25 AM EST
    of being right all the time

    sheesh

    "..surely some revelation is at hand.." (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by jondee on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 11:55:31 AM EST
    who about a shout out to Yeats, Paul?

    Credit where credit is due.

    Parent

    thought I was imagining it for a minute (none / 0) (#7)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 12:05:33 PM EST
    The center cannot hold

    Parent
    Well....maybe not ALL the time! (none / 0) (#15)
    by oldpro on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 03:09:12 PM EST
    See Atrios today re the war....

    Parent
    Another alternative (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by dk on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 11:54:27 AM EST
    being that Obama has not felt much need for confrontation becuase he is getting what he wants.

    an astronomical consulting fee (none / 0) (#4)
    by jondee on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 11:58:32 AM EST
    and 200k a night on the speaker circuit in a few more years?

    Parent
    Well that goes without saying. (none / 0) (#6)
    by dk on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 12:01:25 PM EST
    I was talking about policy though.

    Parent
    Haven't read the entire Krugman piece, but (5.00 / 5) (#13)
    by Anne on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 12:53:41 PM EST
    where I think Krugman goes sideways is in seeming to assume that the "Obama agenda" is one rooted in the liberal/progressive tradition.  I don't know why, based on what we have seen over the last 19 months, Krugman would make that assumption, and I would argue that the enthusiasm gap is not so much the result of Obama's lack of confrontation, but about realizing that continuing to vote in Democrats that will push the Obama agenda is not going to get us the liberal/progressive policies we want and need - because the agenda itself - the things Obama seems most interested in, the ideas he likes - is too far to the right.

    I'm pretty sure we're doomed to be bellowed at that "the other guys are worse!" as the whole process races to the bottom, which may be another reason for the general lack of enthusiasm that is heading toward outright anger.

    "You have nowhere else to go!" (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by jbindc on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 02:03:39 PM EST
    Now where I have heard that before.....?

    Parent
    actually, (none / 0) (#17)
    by cpinva on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 06:10:08 PM EST
    those of us paying attention knew this since at least the primaries, which is one big reason i was less than whelmed by candidate obama. granted, clinton isn't exactly at the top of the progressive/liberal food chain, but she has always occupied a much higher link than obama.

    what truly stunned me, isn't that the post-partisan schtick hasn't worked as planned, but that he actually implemented it at all, after he was elected, and the dems maintained majorities in both houses. heck, i thought (hoped) it was just another bit of campaign nonsense for the ill-informed masses. i never thought he'd be dumb enough to actually do it!

    Parent

    I dunno (4.25 / 4) (#12)
    by BDB on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 12:46:53 PM EST
    Given that Obama's agenda appears to be more money for corporate interests, more war, cutting Social Security and Medicare, more domestic spying and authoritarianism, and less accountability, is more GOP representation in Congress really a threat to Obama's agenda?  Now, it may be a threat to Obama since I expect we'll see subpoenas fly, but that doesn't mean that he won't also get a lot of his agenda passed.

    The biggest threat to the liberal agenda, IMO, is the belief that Obama shares that agenda. When there's little to no evidence that's true.

    Krugman on Obama: (none / 0) (#5)
    by shoephone on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 11:59:33 AM EST
    Truth before beauty.

    Who's the man (none / 0) (#8)
    by dead dancer on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 12:08:13 PM EST

    Not even the midterms will wake him up.

    The Midterms (5.00 / 5) (#10)
    by The Maven on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 12:29:13 PM EST
    will give him everything he would seem to want:  a decidedly more Republican Congress which will "force" him to accomodate even further to the right-wing's playbook while simultaneously giving him the ability to run for re-election claiming to be the only one standing between the public and complete Republican domination of government.

    The cynic in me wants to say that this was his strategy pretty much from the time he originally announced his candidacy, if not before.

    Parent

    I think the current admin (none / 0) (#16)
    by BackFromOhio on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 05:04:27 PM EST
    is in far greater trouble, i.e., getting a Republican Congress will not help gain a second term.  BP oil spill was beginning of heightened disenchantment, to which was added lack of 'progress' in Afghanistan, and then the leaks.  The media isn't covering his speeches any more.  He's lost a huge percentage of independents.  

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    I'm surprised at how few (none / 0) (#9)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 12:23:13 PM EST
    Change-with-a-capital-C initiatives there have been.   I expected at least more lip-service to the campaign slogan, to keep the supporters on board. You really have to believe the Beckian ravings about our new non-American socialist leadership to believe there has been Change.

    HCR with the mandates has been about the only major change I can think of.

    Wonder if anyone yelled at the Obama (none / 0) (#11)
    by oculus on Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 12:36:18 PM EST
    video during Netroots Nation.

    Parent
    The Political Upshot Of The Post Partisan Unity Schtick | 17 comments (17 topical)

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