Over the course of his career, President Obama has had many opportunities to make great strides for progressive causes but has remained sadly ineffective on important issues at the hands of his opposition. Sure, the president has faced staunch opposition from the right. But continuing to seek bipartisan support for every policy he needs to see through enactment will only serve to distance him from the goals he was sent to Washington by the people to achieve.
“Change.” The rallying cry that Obama ran on, promising that he would come to revolutionize politics in Washington away from the daily status quo that Americans have come to accept. Despite this, Americans have, unfortunately, only seen a President that has been cajoled and hamstrung by partisan resistance and administrative scandal.
So can Obama come back? Is it too late for a 9th inning rally? We’ve been talking with readers, listeners, and watchers of the show over the past few days about the subject, and if one thing is certain, our audience is anxious to see Obama make good on his promises and see his agenda to completion.
Obama is off to a good start, nominating three judges for appointment and calling on Senate Republicans to put an end to the games they have been guilty of playing and promptly consider the appointments. Obama villainized the games Republicans played in the senate with his nominations so far. Obama told the story of how the Senate handled his appointment of Caitlin Halligan in the White House Rose Garden at a ceremony for the appointment of the potential judges. The story was that the Republicans were responsible for obstructing Caitlin’s appointment for reasons that had “…nothing to do with qualifications, it was all about politics,” which culminated with Ms. Halligan asking for her nomination to be withdrawn.
Will it carry? Will this new, aggressive face Obama is donning take hold? Now is the time for him to do so. The Republican party is in a practical fire sale. His opposition has ever decreasing support from the public and it’s time for the president to strike while the opportunity is ripe. Youths across America, the people that helped put Obama in office, see the Republican Party as old, out-of-touch, antiquated and backwards. There is no reason for Obama to submit to threats and demands of this party that has taken the good of the people hostage.
Is it too late? Is Obama too far gone? We hope not; the people want to rally behind him and see the “Change we can believe in” that we were promised.
Joshua is a writer and researcher for Ring of Fire.
