Forget that. That was prior to the TEA party. By June of next year, I think Obama's approval rating is 10 to 20 points higher if he vetoes these bills. You never look stronger than you do after you've slapped down the opposition.
Key stone may pass because he left himself an out on it.
That's my guess as to what he's thinking.
If the Congress approves some hardcore, Tea Party-fueled stuff, he can point at it, say "holy shit, look at THAT" and veto it.
The more moderate members of the party had better be careful here, and the party had better be cautious about what it wishes for.
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The problem with having the football is that you're expected to score. When you can't...two things happen.
First...the opposition looks stronger. Not good when there is a six month window between now and the '16 election season kick off.
Two...if you don't aim high and try to flex your new found muscles...your own backers begin to wonder if the coach is trying. So Boehner had better watch his flank.
On the plus side is that the GOP can throttle the engine and decide what to push and what to save for an issue. They can also recraft legislation to appear more mainstream.
I'm harboring a morbid curiosity about how the TP-approved new senators would behave on votes.
If they have control, would they stick to their guns to please their base, or would they moderate, knowing that going too far would hurt them?
I guess we'll see.
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I think unconsciously you perpetuate the propaganda of the DNC. The right wing has not moved drastically right the left wing has swung far left in comparison. Where has the right wing won any battles in the last 8 years? Where have they tried to reverse long standing law to conform to their view?
So to keep saying that the right wing is radicalized is BS. Standing for marriage, government accountability and the principles of the Tea Party are not radical they are needed. Don't be weighed down with left wing propaganda. THEY are the ones driving us to a world in which we won't recognize. THEY are the radicals.
I think it was a domino effect.
The Tea Partiers and Libertarians pushed the GOP to the right with their rabid absolutism. I don't think it's a secret that the party essentially split in two, with the TP/L side having more energy and influence. Holy crap, Republicans have been going after each other as much as they have been going after Democrats since the advent of the Tea Party.
That emboldened the Democrats to move left. They jumped on the madness that was happening to the GOP and were able to say "See? Look at that! LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. They want to abolish Social Security and Medicare and taxes and government and holy crap roads and bridges and corporations are evil and they want you dead and 47% and AAAUUUUGGHHH!"
******* insanity from both parties. But to add to that, the GOP somehow managed to lose to a terribly flawed incumbent President in 2012. Why? Because they are perceived as being NUTS.
The party STILL refuses - proudly, no less, holy shit - to provide the American people with a clear and inspiring reason to vote for them. Instead, what is the public seeing? "Shut down the government, freeloaders, take away health care, Obama is a Kenyan, Obama plays too much golf, Obama is a communist, shut down the government, freedom,liberty, shut down the government, Ebola". Wow, that really fires me up to vote GOP.
The absolutists in the GOP have done the party, and the country, net harm.
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