Obama absolutely did not. There should be no disagreement here.
Big disagreement. You seem to think “acted as a leader” is all that matters and all that’s necessary. I’m saying that’s dead wrong. Congress is what matters. The house of resentatives is what matters. The Senate is what matters. That’s how it works. The president can’t do much without the House of Representatives and the Senate.
President can’t do jack shit with all the leadership in the world if he does not have congress, if he does not have the house of representatives, if he does not have the senate.
So you want to talk the first two years of Obama? He likely reached out for two reasons. One: he wanted to mend the divisions after Bush’s disastrous wars. Get the country unified and back on track and all that jazz. Two: any intelligent candidate knows it’s unlikely they’re going to have control of Congress for all eight years, so he wanted to come off as reasonable and could be worked with, so that he could still accomplish things later in his presidency. I barely blame him for that. Who knew that the GOP was going to explode and become obstructionist to that degree because a half black man got elected. (Btw that’s why allusions to FDR don’t cut anything today. Completely different time.) (Also btw Biden learned from that and said nuts to it, he’s doing what needs to be done.)
Now back to the main point about Obama and how leadership is not the be all of everything. If anything Obama proves this. Obama had leadership (if you want to say that). But Obama only had Congress the first two out of his eight years. The remaining six years he did not have congress. The GOP had Congress. All the leadership in the world did not matter because he did not have Congress for six of his eight years. All the leadership in the world for six of his eight years did not matter. And this was proven when not when the GOP shut down the government under Obama. Congress. has. control. Leadership does not matter (in that way). Control of Congress is what matters.
I didn’t say leadership was the end all be all. I said it was a feature of FDR: the topic of the post, and by extension: being a poor or weak leader is a disaster for a party. I used the term ‘lame-duck’ which is a common term for a weakened president whose party doesn’t have control of legislative branch.
I don’t see how stating the features of an effective or ineffective presidency so quickly translates to some total lack of understanding how American governance or legislation works. Nor do I see how it demonstrates an extremely narrow position I don’t hold or have argued for. Your need to explain is condescending, arrogant, and entirely unnecessary.
There is a term called “bully pulpit”. It is a very common and well known concept in politics. FDR used it well. Obama did not. FDR was a very successful president. Obama was not, at least not for progressives or leftists.
Obama had leadership (if you want to say that).
For the level of argumentative browbeating you’re engaging ing and then you… FFS.
Honestly the most I can get from your previous replies is that leadership does it, accomplishes it, etc And I’m explaining to you that it’s control of Congress.
The context in which you used lame duck was in the context of lack of leadership. Not a lack of party control of Congress.
FDR: the topic of the post,
You replied to my comment which was about recent history. I’m explaining why you/the post can’t just say “but FDR did it and was popular, so why can’t anyone else”.
president. Obama was not, at least not for progressives or leftist
Because he did not have congress. That’s what matters. Because the GOP became incredibly obstructionist.
Honestly I have no idea what your position is anymore. You seem to briefly admit it’s Congress, then (from what I can gather) you’re right back to leadership with the bully pulpit. I think I’ve explained well enough that leadership does not matter (in that way). It’s Congress. If you the voter want progress, then you vote in Dem congresses, because a Dem president with all the leadership in the world is not enough.
Btw I’m not responding your repeated attacks on me. I may be a bit exasperated and to the point, but that’s because there’s way bad information out there and honestly that’s pretty much what I see from you with this stuff about leadership, and why Obama had to reach across the aisle later in his presidency.
Obama had leadership (if yousomeone wants to say that).
Ok I’ll clarify that to someone, didn’t mean you specifically, someone in the general population.
Sigh. I’m explaining how things work.
Big disagreement. You seem to think “acted as a leader” is all that matters and all that’s necessary. I’m saying that’s dead wrong. Congress is what matters. The house of resentatives is what matters. The Senate is what matters. That’s how it works. The president can’t do much without the House of Representatives and the Senate.
President can’t do jack shit with all the leadership in the world if he does not have congress, if he does not have the house of representatives, if he does not have the senate.
So you want to talk the first two years of Obama? He likely reached out for two reasons. One: he wanted to mend the divisions after Bush’s disastrous wars. Get the country unified and back on track and all that jazz. Two: any intelligent candidate knows it’s unlikely they’re going to have control of Congress for all eight years, so he wanted to come off as reasonable and could be worked with, so that he could still accomplish things later in his presidency. I barely blame him for that. Who knew that the GOP was going to explode and become obstructionist to that degree because a half black man got elected. (Btw that’s why allusions to FDR don’t cut anything today. Completely different time.) (Also btw Biden learned from that and said nuts to it, he’s doing what needs to be done.)
Now back to the main point about Obama and how leadership is not the be all of everything. If anything Obama proves this. Obama had leadership (if you want to say that). But Obama only had Congress the first two out of his eight years. The remaining six years he did not have congress. The GOP had Congress. All the leadership in the world did not matter because he did not have Congress for six of his eight years. All the leadership in the world for six of his eight years did not matter. And this was proven when not when the GOP shut down the government under Obama. Congress. has. control. Leadership does not matter (in that way). Control of Congress is what matters.
I didn’t say leadership was the end all be all. I said it was a feature of FDR: the topic of the post, and by extension: being a poor or weak leader is a disaster for a party. I used the term ‘lame-duck’ which is a common term for a weakened president whose party doesn’t have control of legislative branch.
I don’t see how stating the features of an effective or ineffective presidency so quickly translates to some total lack of understanding how American governance or legislation works. Nor do I see how it demonstrates an extremely narrow position I don’t hold or have argued for. Your need to explain is condescending, arrogant, and entirely unnecessary.
There is a term called “bully pulpit”. It is a very common and well known concept in politics. FDR used it well. Obama did not. FDR was a very successful president. Obama was not, at least not for progressives or leftists.
For the level of argumentative browbeating you’re engaging ing and then you… FFS.
Honestly the most I can get from your previous replies is that leadership does it, accomplishes it, etc And I’m explaining to you that it’s control of Congress.
The context in which you used lame duck was in the context of lack of leadership. Not a lack of party control of Congress.
You replied to my comment which was about recent history. I’m explaining why you/the post can’t just say “but FDR did it and was popular, so why can’t anyone else”.
Because he did not have congress. That’s what matters. Because the GOP became incredibly obstructionist.
Honestly I have no idea what your position is anymore. You seem to briefly admit it’s Congress, then (from what I can gather) you’re right back to leadership with the bully pulpit. I think I’ve explained well enough that leadership does not matter (in that way). It’s Congress. If you the voter want progress, then you vote in Dem congresses, because a Dem president with all the leadership in the world is not enough.
Btw I’m not responding your repeated attacks on me. I may be a bit exasperated and to the point, but that’s because there’s way bad information out there and honestly that’s pretty much what I see from you with this stuff about leadership, and why Obama had to reach across the aisle later in his presidency.
Ok I’ll clarify that to someone, didn’t mean you specifically, someone in the general population.