How Bidens Firm Line With Republicans Draws On Lesson Of Obamas Mistakes
The president has sought bipartisan support but not at the cost of delay and dilution of his bold policies
Joe Biden started his presidential campaign with promises to be a unifying force in Washington who would help lawmakers come together to achieve bipartisan reform. But over his first 100 days in office, Bidens message to Republicans in Congress has been closer to this: get on board or get out of my way.
This willingness to go it alone if necessary appears to be a hard-won lesson from the early years of Barack Obamas presidency, when Democrats negotiated with Republicans on major bills only to have them vote against the final proposals.
It has also prompted some especially on the left of the Democratic party to make early comparisons between Biden and Obama that favor the current president as a more dynamic, determined and ruthless political force for progressive change than his old boss.
Just three months into his presidency, Biden has already signed the $1.9tn coronavirus relief package, which did not attract a single Republican vote in Congress. Delivering his first presidential address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, Biden signaled he was willing to take a similar approach to infrastructure if necessary.
The numbers behind Bidens proposals tell the story of this daring strategy.
I dont just blame Obama. I could blame all of us everybody, the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, recently told writer Anand Giridharadas.
Public Debate Over Impeachment Demands
In terms of background, U.S. public opinion widely opposed efforts made to impeach previous Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. CNN Polling Director Keating Holland has stated that their organization found that 69% opposed impeaching President Bush in 2006.
According to a July 2014 YouGov poll, 35% of Americans believed President Obama should be impeached, including 68% of Republicans. Later that month, a CNN survey found that about two thirds of adult Americans disagreed with impeachment efforts. The data showed intense partisan divides, with 57% of Republicans supporting the efforts compared to only 35% of independents and 13% of Democrats.
On July 8, 2014, the former Governor of Alaska and 2008 RepublicanVice Presidential nomineeSarah Palin publicly called for Obama’s impeachment for “purposeful dereliction of duty”. In a full statement, she said: “Itâs time to impeach; and on behalf of American workers and legal immigrants of all backgrounds, we should vehemently oppose any politician on the left or right who would hesitate in voting for articles of impeachment.”
Andrew McCarthy of the National Review wrote the book Faithless Execution: Building the Political Case For Obama’s Impeachment, which argued that threatening impeachment was a good way to limit executive action by Obama .
Us President Barack Obama Speaks During A Press Conference At The White House In Washington Dc On November 5 2014
Washington – US President Barack Obama pledged Wednesday to work with Republican lawmakers after their midterm election win but warned he would act without them to protect his core agenda, starting with immigration reform.
The US leader stopped short of accepting direct responsibility for his Democratic party’s colossal defeat at the hands of opponents who successfully turned the election into a repudiation of his policies.
The GOP snatched control of the Senate, tightened its grip on the House of Representatives and won key Democrat governorships, in an election Obama admitted was “a good night” for Republicans.
“To everyone who voted, I want you to know that I hear you,” Obama said.
Congress’s two top Republicans said the new legislature would focus on jobs and the economy, and move to repeal Obama’s signature achievement — the health care bill known as Obamacare, which provides medical insurance for millions who lack it.
“Well also consider legislation to help protect and expand Americas emerging energy boom and to support innovative charter schools around the country,” House speaker John Boehner and the incoming Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell wrote in an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.
Democrats suffering from the whiplash of their overwhelming defeat were left to contemplate what went wrong.
– ‘Red flag’ on immigration –
But he acknowledged he would study Republican proposals to make “responsible changes” to the law.
Recommended Reading: Did Any Republicans Vote For Trump Impeachment
Obama: Gop Blocked 500 Bills
President Barack Obama is railing against congressional Republicans, telling a Hollywood crowd that the midterm elections are crucial because the GOP is willing to say no to everything.
The president, speaking at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee event Wednesday evening hosted at Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horns home, said Republicans have been obstructionist since even before he took office.
Their willingness to say no to everything the fact that since 2007, they have filibustered about 500 pieces of legislation that would help the middle class just gives you a sense of how opposed they are to any progress has actually led to an increase in cynicism and discouragement among the people who were counting on us to fight for them, Obama said of Republicans.
The conclusion is, well, nothing works, the president continued. And the problem is, is that for the folks worth fighting for for the person whos cleaning up that house or hotel, for the guy who used to work on construction but now has been laid off they need us. Not because they want a handout, but because they know that government can serve an important function in unleashing the power of our private sector.
Obama opened by saying that he is in trouble at home, because in 2012 he had told his wife, first lady Michelle Obama, that he had run his last campaign.
Etymology Of Obama Republican
On February 12, 2008, Barack Obama mentioned Obama Republicans in his Potomac primary victory speech: “We are bringing together Democrats and independents, and yes, some Republicans. I know there’sI meet them when I’m shaking hands afterwards. There’s one right there. An Obamacan, that’s what we call them.” In another speech, he said, “We, as Democrats right now, should tap into the discontent of Republicans. I want some Obama Republicans!” In his call for Republican votes, Obama referred to Ronald Reagan, who he says “was able to tap into the discontent of the American people … to get Democrats to vote Republicanthey were called Reagan Democrats.”
RepublicansforObama.org was founded in December 2006 by John Martin, a US Navy reservist. The organization grew to include over 2,500 registered members from across the United States, and was featured in USA Today, The New Yorker and other media throughout the 2008 Presidential Campaign.
You May Like: How Many Seats Do The Republicans Control In The Senate
Transition Period And Inauguration
The presidential transition period began following Obama’s election to the presidency in November 2008, though Obama had chosen Chris Lu to begin planning for the transition in May 2008.John Podesta, Valerie Jarrett, and Pete Rouse co-chaired the Obama-Biden Transition Project. During the transition period, Obama announced nominations for his Cabinet and administration. In November 2008, Congressman Rahm Emanuel accepted Obama’s offer to serve as White House Chief of Staff. Obama was inaugurated on January 20, 2009, succeeding George W. Bush. Obama officially assumed the presidency at 12:00 pm, EST, and completed the oath of office at 12:05;pm, EST. He delivered his inaugural address immediately following his oath. Obama’s transition team was highly complimentary of the Bush administration’s outgoing transition team, particularly with regards to national security, and some elements of the Bush-Obama transition were later codified into law.
Congressional Calls For Impeachment
In October 2010, prior to the elections in which Republicans won control of the House, Jonathan Chait published an article in The New Republic called “Scandal TBD” where he predicted that if Republicans were to win control of the House, and Barack Obama were to win re-election in 2012, the Republicans would try to impeach Obama and use any reason possible as pretext.
You May Like: Are There Any Republicans For Impeachment
Why Trumps Foreign Policy Might Prove Less Radical Than You Think
That same weekend, McConnell gathered his depleted Senate Republican caucus in the ornate Members Room of the Library of Congress to deliver a similar non-governing message. He warned his colleagues that they would have nothing to gain from working with the incoming president, that bipartisan cooperation would just make Obama look like a hero. An aide later provided a copy of his talking points:
âWe got shellacked, but donât forget we still represent half the population.â
âItâs important to keep an eye on regaining the majority.â
âMost importantly, Republicans need to stick together as a team.â
That was all before Obama took office. After his inauguration, Republicans quickly canceled his honeymoon.
The economy was shedding nearly 800,000 jobs a month, and Democrats had just crossed the aisle to help the unpopular outgoing President George W. Bush pass a politically toxic bailout for Wall Street. So official Washington assumed that Republicans would reciprocate, and help the popular new president pass a gigantic package of tax breaks and spending goodies for Main Street. But as Obama was about to visit Capitol Hill to meet with Republicans about his stimulus, word leaked that House GOP leaders were already whipping their caucus to reject it en masse. âThis shitâs not on the level, is it?â the president asked his top political adviser, David Axelrod.
Does Obama Even Know How To Negotiate With Republicans
WASHINGTON Like many of you, I watched President Barack Obama’s press conference Wednesday to see how he would approach Republicans, and an electorate that just sent him a pretty harsh “Dear John” letter. Like many of you, I was surprised at his approach. Obama was the one who went out there and said, “Make no mistake: these policies are on the ballot”; if he believes what he said, then voters just delivered a convincing message that they don’t like his policies. No one reasonable expected the president to grovel, but it seemed reasonable to think that he’d seek whatever narrow ground he and Republicans can share.
Progressives have long said that Obama made a mistake in 2010 by admitting he took a “shellacking” in those midterms, and by retrenching rather than pushing harder and louder with a bold progressive message. Those people now seem to have the ear of the president. After naming some unobjectionable items he hoped to get through in the current session, such as fighting Ebola and curbing ISIS, he offered incoming Republicans the chance to work with him on a higher minimum wage and other longstanding Obama agenda items.
Most notably, of course, he said he would take executive action on immigration by year’s end unless Republicans passed a bill. It’s certainly a bold negotiating tactic: You can do what I want, or I’ll go ahead and do what I want anyway. This is how you “negotiate” with a 7-year old, not a Senate majority leader.
Also Check: What Is The Lapel Pin The Republicans Are Wearing
After Election Obama Vows To Work With And Without Congress
By and Peter Baker
WASHINGTON President Obama shook off an electoral drubbing on Wednesday and said he was eager to find common ground with Republicans during the final two years of his presidency, but he swiftly defied their objections by vowing to bypass Congress and use his executive authority to change the nations immigration system.
In a sign of how he intends to govern under a new political order with ascendant Republican leaders, Mr. Obama renewed his commitment to act on his own to allow millions of undocumented immigrants to stay in the country.
His remarks, at a news conference in the East Room of the White House, were meant to put the vitriol of the campaign behind him he responded to disaffected Americans by saying that I hear you and that his election mandate was to get stuff done. But his promised action on immigration underscored the profound partisan disagreements that persist in Washington.
transcript
Mitch Mcconnell Brags About Blocking Obama For 2 Years Then Laughs About It
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday night bragged about blocking President Barack Obamas attempt to fill federal judicial vacancies for two years.;Then, he laughed about it as he discussed the Republican Partys effort to stack the courts with conservative judges under President Donald Trump.;
I was shocked that former President Obama left so many vacancies and didnt try to fill those positions, Fox News host Sean Hannity said to McConnell.;
Obama didnt leave those vacancies so much as he was blocked from filling them by a GOP-controlled Senate led by McConnell something the majority leader was quick to point out.;
Ill tell you why, he said. I was in charge of what we did the last two years of the Obama administration.;
Then, he laughed:;;
Hannity: “I was shocked that former President Obama left so many vacancies and didn’t try to fill those positions.”Mitch McConnell: “I’ll tell you why. I was in charge of what we did the last two years of the Obama administration. “
Jason Campbell
I will give you full credit for that, and by the way take a bow, Hannity said. All right, that was good line!;
McConnell not only blocked federal judges, he prevented Obamas Supreme Court nominee;Merrick Garland from even getting a hearing.;In 2018, McConnell told Kentucky Today that the decision to block Garlands appointment was the most consequential decision Ive made in my entire public career.
Read Also: How Many Republicans Are In The United States
Drug Policy And Criminal Justice Reform
During Obama’s presidency, there was a sharp rise in opioid mortality. Many of the deaths then and now result from fentanyl consumption where an overdose is more likely than with heroin consumption. And many people died because they were not aware of this difference or thought that they would administer themselves heroin or a drug mixture but actually used pure fentanyl. Health experts criticized the government’s response as slow and weak.
Killing Of Osama Bin Laden
| Remarks by the President on Osama bin Laden |
The Obama administration launched a successful operation that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, a global SunniIslamist militant organization responsible for the and several other terrorist attacks. Starting with information received in July 2010, the CIA determined what they believed to be the location of Osama bin Laden in a large compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, a suburban area 35 miles from Islamabad. CIA head Leon Panetta reported this intelligence to Obama in March 2011. Meeting with his national security advisers over the course of the next six weeks, Obama rejected a plan to bomb the compound, and authorized a “surgical raid” to be conducted by United States Navy SEALs. The operation took place on May 1, 2011, resulting in the death of bin Laden and the seizure of papers and computer drives and disks from the compound. Bin Laden’s body was identified through DNA testing, and buried at sea several hours later.Reaction to the announcement was positive across party lines, including from predecessors George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and from many countries around the world.
Recommended Reading: Why Did Radical Republicans Impeach Johnson
Michael Brown And Ferguson
Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man, was shot and killed on August 9, 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri, by Darren Wilson, a 28-year-old white Ferguson police officer. The disputed circumstances of the shooting of the unarmed man sparked existing tensions in the predominantly black city, where protests and civil unrest erupted. The events received considerable attention in the U.S. and elsewhere, attracted protesters from outside the region, and sparked a vigorous debate in the United States about the relationship between law enforcement officers and African Americans, the militarization of the police, and the Use of Force Doctrine in Missouri and nationwide. Continued activism expanded the issues to include modern-day debtors prisons, for-profit policing, and school segregation.
As the details of the original shooting emerged, police established curfews and deployed riot squads to maintain order. Peaceful protests were met with police militarization, and some areas of the city turned violent. The unrest continued on November 24, 2014, after a grand jury did not indict Officer Wilson.
Not Entirely His Fault
About half of our academics said the Republicans refused to compromise with the Obama administration from the start.
Some said they were pushed by the steep rise of conservatism among the average Republican.
I think that Obama attempted to negotiate in good faith with congressional Republicans about budgetary issues, and that the constraints on the House leadership made it almost impossible for the House to negotiate with Obama. In short, there was nothing more Obama could have done to negotiate more effectively.James Russell Muirhead Jr., professor of political science, Dartmouth College
Relations are indeed a two-way street. For a long time â perhaps too long â Obama tried to live up to his campaign pledge of transcending partisan polarization. For example, the development of the Affordable Care Act in Congress dragged on and on because Obama, along with his congressional leadership, was intent on some Republican buy-in from the likes of Susan Collins and Charles Grassley. That the Republicans in the end were unanimous in rejecting the Affordable Care Act was not Obama’s fault, but theirs.Bruce Miroff, professor of American politics, State University of New York, Albany
You May Like: Did Trump Call Republicans Stupid In 1998
