What you're talking about is republican obstructionism and it seemed to escalate in a major way after the 2010 tea party delegates entered Congress. I think the main issue in the next election will be less about who becomes president than it is about the Congressional mix.
GOP obstructionism is a talking point Joe. The GOP will always look to obstruct a DEM president just as the DEM will look to obstruct a GOP president.
But the more successful presidents found ways to break that barrier.
Such as Clinton and Reagan.
Obamas mistake was his ramming through the strimulus and healthcare...using the words "I won" when addressing the GOP.
That is NOT how you get people to work with you.
If you and another friend were trying to make plans for the weekend...and you said "lets go to the beach" and he said "I want to go to the library instead"...and you said lets discuss this and he said "its my car and we are going to the library"...how long would you stay his friend? How flexible will you be with him when it is your car?
It seems to me that Obama was overly conciliatory during the first couple of years. It was only after the republicans showed that they were not willing to compromise in any way that Obama started applying excessive force. I had cut him some slack during that time because blowback is a *****. Had I known how uncompromising the republicans were going to be after 2010, I'd have cheered for a scorched earth approach.
It's not just perception that obstructionism has become extreme. Check this out:
The Rise Of Cloture: How GOP Filibuster Threats Have Changed The Senate | TPMDC
I will explain my thought process...
I am a conservative through and through. I used to be very liberal in my thinking and one day I decided to stop counting on others and do for myself. I went from homeless (literally) to selling my first business in 5 years.
That being said...
I do not believe in gay marriage but I support it for I have no right as a conservative to tell others how they should live.(just dont ask me to marry another man).
I do not believe in abortion, but I support the right to choose for the same exact reason (just dont ask me to pay for it).
I am against a truly conservative President for the same reason I am against a truly liberal president.....no ideology has the right to force their sentiments on others.
I fear a super majority of either party. It will ruin our country in my opinion.
Obama came in with very liberal ideas...spread the wealth (he said it, not me); growth of government; tax payer funded green initiatives; his associations concerned me such as Van Jones and William Ayers as they are far left advocates and activists...; there was NOTHING in his voting record as a state or US senator that showed he was bi partisan...and to the contrary, he was for some pretty liberal initiaives.
I hoped the GOP would slow him down.
Now, that being said, I would hope the democrats would slow down a conservative president.
I do not see it as obstructionism...I see it as checks and balances.
FYI...what your link doesnt go into is why many of those initiatives were filibustered.....oir struck down.
To say...OK GOP, here is a bill that gives you much of what you want....but in it are things that offset those things and the net wiull be all that WE want.....is not being bi partisan...it is designed to fool the electorate.
As I see it, Obama blew it for himself. He came in with an attitude of arrogance when he had both houses...and now he is experiening the negative ramifications of his first 2 year actions.
Also....Pelosi walking through the tea party ralley after healthcare was signed hoilding an oversized gavel most certtainly did not help his cause. (just thought I would toss that in).