Obama's presser

With respect to his domestic policies, I found President Obama's press conference today to be a study in genuine frustration and growing bitterness. It was of course another prelim to the stump, so naturally the president would have been hellbent on conveying an atmosphere of GOP hostility -- one thwarting his every excellent intention -- but somewhere, not far from the surface, Obama also radiated a certain authenticity beyond politics: Folks, this place is broken.

In characterizing his approach to governance, the president used phrases such as "common sense"; in characterizing the opposition's, he cited "playing politics" and a "partisan minority" and a middle class being held "hostage," all of which "doesn't make sense." Except it does, if roughly half of Washington is determined to grind this country to a miserable and broken halt.

That was the next spoken step that Obama withheld: stripped of Washington's fragrant euphemisms, the plain fact is that the Republican opposition is ... disloyal. A harsh judgment, but the increasingly conspicuous truth transcends mere ideological differences today. The GOP is not only reveling in the nation's failure, it's doing its damnedest to bring it about. For the GOP it's all politics, all day, every day.

Bill after commonsensical bill has come up for a vote, many of which could advance the economy and many of which were once even co-authored by Republicans. The co-authors, noted Obama, then vote against the bills -- assuming they survive obligatory filibuster attempts -- time after time, instance after instance, disappointing jobs report after disappointing jobs report. Turn the screws one more notch.

And why not? think these fine, upstanding Republicans who bark their Beckian platitudes. What political price have they paid for disloyalty to the American worker? The latter may have his or her limits, but the GOP hasn't yet found them.

All of which, I think, has confounded, frustrated and embittered Mr. Obama. And it's finally showing.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not suggesting that the president entered office in a state of profound naivete, believing that, sure, the opposition would oppose, as oppositions are meant to do, but for heaven's sake they'd never obstruct progress if potential progress indisputably could be shown. Obama understands that potential progress is often defined along ideological perspectives, and therein lie legitimate disputes and loyal opposition.

What, I think, has genuinely shocked man-of-reason Obama, however, are the unpardonable depths of utterly unprincipled opposition to which the GOP has plunged. Conservative ideology is no longer even at stake. Republicans' singular goal is merely to crush the president, no matter how many precarious Americans they take down in the process.

There's a word for that -- and typical, is it not, that it's being practiced by those who so methodically level it against others.

Comments

[TennesseeCatfish]

Mbe he should make the analogy that 15 years ago Republicans brought government to a standill. Now they are bringing America to a standstill.

[gryzelda]

It is still hard to believe that the American people cannot see through this. Why are the RePubs to be rewarded for all the obstructionism? Are the people of this country just so damn mad about the weak economy that they will cut their own throats and re-install a GOP congress because the economy is not recovering fast enough? Why can't they see that much of what Obama has tried to do to help us has been hijacked by the Right and just used as talking points? I am so discouraged with the voters in this country.

[Marc McKenzie]

@gryzelda: It's not just that--it's also that many liberals also failed to see what Obama has done to help get the country out of the hole it was thrown into. Instead of giving the man praise, they've given scorn and threatened to stay home. Which will only put the Repubs back in charge.

Perhaps it's just that voters, sadly, have short memories. The eight years of Clinton that gave the country much were forgotten in 2000. Now, it seems that the eight disastrous years of Bush have been swept down the memory hole, and it's all Obama's fault. Meanwhile, the Republicans boogie on, with no shame.

It's enough to make a grown man weep.

[Barbara H.]

I wish people would recognize what Obama has managed to accomplish even though he’s had to swim upstream the entire way. I mean, perhaps we are not climbing out of the hole we were in, but at least we've stopped digging!

I wish the voters who supported Obama should show some tenacity. And, I wish the Republicans should step back from the edge of that crazy precipice. My mother is a Republican, but even she feels that they are losing their ever-loving minds.

Disagreeing on policy is one thing. In fact, that's what they are supposed to do. But, I think they are only trying to bring down the current administration simply to win elections and the American people are caught in their calamitous wake. It is the most selfish, evil thing I've ever seen.