It’s just gone 4 p.m. here in the UK. I should be asleep, I was in my bed, ready to drift off into a dream but was awoken by the thunderous sounds of American accented sighs. Sighs of disappointment I think they were but I can’t be sure. It felt like millions of Americans (again I’m guessing they were Americans because of the accent of the sighs) were expressing their disappointment at the fact that President Obama an Congress actually behaved like adults and averted a government shutdown.
The argument from both sides of the isle was that a government shutdown would be good for the country.
Liberals thought this fight – this budget for the remainder of the fiscal year – should be the moment Obama shows he isn’t a caver.
There is this obsession amongst the Liberals that Obama should beat up the Republicans every chance he gets, that he should fight stubbornly for every single partisan Liberal issue and stick his finger to Republicans who disagree, even though they control 1/3 of government. There is an argument (which I don’t particularly disagree with) that on important Liberal issues, issues Obama campaigned on in 2008, issues such as closing Gitmo, letting the Bush tax cuts expire, the public option of the health-care legislation and now these budget cuts, Obama caves. Obama lets conservatives have their way and walk out of the negotiation room with smiles on their faces proclaiming victory – while he repeats his usual refrain of “I’m not 100% happy with this outcome.” So now the Liberals have had enough, they are sick of Obama losing these negotiations – it’s time to win. ‘Change he said, well change means we have to have our way all the time.”
Conservatives on the other hand seem to take the view that they have nothing to lose.
Why give Obama an inch? What’s a no vote going to cost me? We voted no for the health-care bill and we got more GOP’s elected. Again, I don’t totally disagree with their point of view. The GOP seem to value…well they seem to value their values. They are willing to live or die by their beliefs. If you believe reports, they were willing to let the United States government close down over an amendment to defund Planned Parenthood on an erroneous assumption that federal money goes to abortion.
Politically it seems that Obama is in a Catch 22 position. The only way he could get a deal from this situation is move on some of the GOP’s position (turns out he moved a lot to their position) and by doing so he royally pi**es off his base who are on their last drop of patience with him. And even if he did move, the GOP, with the help of the Tea Party, will just move the goalposts and demand more out of him.
Realistically, Obama actually came out of this whole fiasco better than both parties in Congress.
The American have now seen the caliber of Congress persons and Senators that they have now elected to their government. A group of men and women who were very willing and by the skin of their teeth willing to let hard-working men and women and their families not get paid because of ideological bickering. They were willing to stare in the face the possibility of men and women who serve their country in uniform not get paid – not because of budget cuts – but partisanship. Not forgetting the US job numbers were a ray of sunshine on an issue that has been pretty rainy of late, the US economy and the politicians in congress were willing to damage the fragile recovery over some bull…
Sigh…
I digress. Obama does come out of this almighty mess smelling like roses. Yes, he’s an awful negotiator – but what were his choices? Let the government grind to a halt, risk the economic recovery, watch millions of American not get paid just so the folks over at Rockefeller Plaza marvel at his political strength? Yes the press and media will say he got rolled, but will moderates give care about that? My guess is no. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if his numbers go up amongst moderates for the way he has handled this near disaster.
Yes Liberals and activists groups won’t be happy, but they are not going to vote GOP in the next election. Also they are unlikely not to vote, not if the same GOP that has reared its head during this budget fights shows up next year. As for the GOP, this may have gained them favour with their base, but their behaviour has very likely lost them supporters among the aforementioned moderates.
Anyway you look at it, bravo to Mr Obama — the only adult in the room.
Just a normal everyday bloke writing about films.