Should President Obama act in a more bipartisan way to get legislation passed in Congress?

[geek tragedy]

Cenk Uygur has recently complained about President Obama's lack of second term legislative accomplishments.

In domestic policy, it seems like the administration is saying, "We passed Obamacare. What else is there left to do? That's our legacy. Why, did you want us to do something else?" Yes, actually we did. There are dozens of progressive priorities that are not even being considered.

What a wasted opportunity. Are there still the ardent Obama defenders out there who are going to tell me he is playing three dimensional chess and that we are finally going to see his progressive policies once he leaves office? Go ahead, hit me with your best shot. What do you think, in your wildest dreams, is President Obama going to do in the couple of years he has left?

Yeah, I didn't think so. What did you do? Yes, you came up with a list of excuses as to why he can't get anything done and mainly blamed Republicans for all of our troubles. Admit it, that's exactly what you thought. Ok, Republicans suck. Get beyond it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/what-has-obama-done-for-y_b_5939762.html

As anyone smarter than a chimpanzee knows, the House of Representatives is controlled by the Republicans, who have given their own Teahadist subfaction a right to veto virtually any piece of substantive legislation, which means that the only way legislation passes is if the Teahadists or a coalition of centrists including Blue Dogs passes it in the House.

So, the alternatives in simple mathematical terms are the bare minimum, or third way compromise to move legislation through.

So, are people blaming Obama for the lack of legislation*, or do they grudgingly accept that a standoff is the best that can be done with the current crew of reactionary nihilists calling the shots in the House of Representatives?

*Note that it is not possible to blame the President and Senate Democrats to the lack of legislation in this congress while also opposing bipartisan compromise while maintaining one's intellectual honesty.

2 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Cenk is right, Obama should reach across the aisle to get more legislation passed
	0 (0%)
	Cenk is wrong, no legislation is better than awful, rightwing legislation
	2 (100%)
	Cenk is just plain wrong
	0 (0%)
	Obama's fault if he fails to get legislation passed, and his fault if he does what it takes to pass legislation
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[merrily]

1. Regardless of his opinions, couldn't he have waited until November 5? What was so urgent?

Why is Cenk doing this a month before midterms, when Republicans all over the country have been running against Obama as it is?

[geek tragedy]

3. this is his schtick nt

[merrily]

5. Very bad timing is his schtick?

[marym625]

2. Why don't people ever rec polls?

Obviously, the more that see them, the more votes will be cast. I want to see what everyone on DU thinks and it's not even my poll.

K&R for exposure and I like the poll.

Although, I think the poll choices are a little skewed. Cenk can be right without that meaning he is advocating bad laws. Qualifying my vote that Cenk is right and he did NOT say he should pass awful, rightwing legislation. But what he actually said wasn't a choice.

[geek tragedy]

4. very few people explicitly advocate bad laws

but his writing reminds me of the "do something, anything" caucus re: ISIS amongst Congressional Republicans--action preferred to inaction without considering the consequences

[merrily]

7. The consequence of warmongering is making military contractors richer and bringing the bacon

home to states with a lot of military bases. It's the one form of govt spending that Republicans feel good/patriotic about their elected officials supporting, so it's a way Republican elected officials can boost employment/spending in their districts while being true to their conservative, um, values. That it costs us in life, limbs, viscera, minds and tax dollars and other nations in countless ways doesn't seem to bother them all that much.

[marym625]

10. I don't see it that way

I think he meant President Obama hasn't pushed for half of what he promised. Not that Cenk is saying do anything. Pushing for doesn't mean giving in. IMHO

[merrily]

6. Good point. You've inspired me to rec polls.

[marym625]

9. YAY! I inspired somebody!

Cool! Thanks!

[merrily]

11. You're welcome. Right after I posted to you, I rec'd this poll, so you caused action, too.

You are a powerful person!

[marym625]

15. AWESOME!

Thank you! Now I need to run for office and cause action there. Man, some people are going to really pissed! Especially the GOP and cops.

Ah, I can dream, can't I?

Thanks again

[el_bryanto]

8. I think if you can get half a loaf it's better than getting no loaf

Politics is the art of compromise, and the nature of a compromise is that everybody is just a bit pissed off at the results. Like it or not we share the country with Republicans and Conservatives and their votes matter too.

However,

This congress has shown no willingness to work with the President even on half a loaf. What seems to happen is that they engage President Obama in discussions in which Obama weakens his proposals to accommodate their concerns, and then they reject his proposal anyway and pretend he's unwilling to compromise. Many Republicans and all of their tea-party base are not interested in compromise or cooperation - they want capitulation. They are zealots unable to bend even the slightest bit, because they are just that sure they are in the right.

Given that, I don't think Obama should try to compromise more.

Bryant

[davidpdx]

12. +1

Well put

[ladjf]

13. Is this a joke question? nt

[merrily]

14. I am going to say it, no matter what anyone thinks.

Anyone who remembers my posts knows I do not find racism in every issue or in every criticism of Obama. And I have criticized Obama more often than many here. I say those things only to put my next paragraph into some kind of context for those who have no clue what I usually post.

That said, Cenk's comment that Obama wants to coast set off my "racismdar." At the very, very least, it feeds into awful stereotypes of African Americans. I am not saying Cenk intended that. I am saying that is what came across to me.

[Arkana]

16. He's wrong on every count.

Cenk would be the first one to complain if we bargained with Republicans for the sake of passing legislation--any legislation. Seriously, he's just wrong and he's whining for no reason.