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Obama 2.0: Smarter, tougher -- but wiser? (by David Gergen)
CNN ^ | Jan 19, 2013 | David Gergen

Posted on 01/19/2013 8:15:11 AM PST by Innovative

"Just watch," they said to me, in effect, "he will win re-election decisively and then he will throw down the gauntlet to the Republicans, insisting they raise taxes on the wealthy. Right on the edge of the fiscal cliff, he thinks Republicans will cave."

What's your Plan B, I asked. "We don't need a Plan B," they answered. "After the president hangs tough -- no more Mr. Nice Guy -- the other side will buckle." Sure enough, Republicans caved on taxes. Encouraged, Obama has since made clear he won't compromise with Republicans on the debt ceiling, either.

Obama 2.0 stepped up this past week on yet another issue: gun control. No president in two decades has been as forceful or sweeping in challenging the nation's gun culture. Once again, he portrayed the right as the enemy of progress and showed no interest in negotiating a package up front.

...it is argued, he will tinker with the deficits but cares much more about leaving a progressive legacy -- health care reform, a stronger safety net, green energy, and the like.

...What if he can drive Republicans out of control of the House in 2014? Then he could get his real agenda done. What if he could set the stage for another Democrat to win the presidency in 2016? Then he could leave behind a majority coalition that could run the country for years

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: banglist; constitution; elections; government; obama; socialism
I hope all those who didn't get out to vote or voted third party, because Romney wasn't good enough, are happy now... and they recognize that this is a direct consequence of their actions: gave Obama a second term which will have not only the above mentioned consequences, but much more...
1 posted on 01/19/2013 8:15:16 AM PST by Innovative
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To: Innovative

After eight years...it will be difficult for any historian to find accomplishments beyond the health care law, and his Nobel Peace Prize.


2 posted on 01/19/2013 8:18:35 AM PST by pepsionice
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To: Innovative
No president in two decades has been as forceful or sweeping in challenging the nation's gun culture. Once again, he portrayed the right as the enemy of progress and showed no interest in negotiating a package up front.

There are those..myself included.. who believe this just might cost him the senate in 2014!!!

3 posted on 01/19/2013 8:20:34 AM PST by ontap
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To: pepsionice

“Then he could leave behind a majority coalition that could RUIN the country for years”


4 posted on 01/19/2013 8:21:54 AM PST by Josa
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To: Innovative

The Left’s intent is to split American culture along race and class lines and set off a “proletarian” revolution to destroy capitalism, and their revolution is proceeding along very predictable lines using every opportunity to stir up more division and discontent. A reading of the Constitution of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA at this link should make clear their goals and methods: http://revcom.us/Constitution/constitution.html


5 posted on 01/19/2013 8:26:45 AM PST by DJ Taylor (Once again our country is at war, and once again the Democrats have sided with our enemy.)
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To: Innovative

Obama is just a typical socialist tyrant.

He has a head full of racist/communist dogma and is focused solely on what he wants to the total exclusion of what is best for the nation, what the people want, oaths he has taken or promises he has made.

He is sly, underhanded, unethical, immoral and single-minded.
He will lie, cheat, steal, say or do anything to achieve his goals.


6 posted on 01/19/2013 8:26:52 AM PST by Iron Munro (I Miss America, don't you?)
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To: Innovative

I voted and donated but the GOP is a joke.


7 posted on 01/19/2013 8:28:21 AM PST by MattinNJ (It's over Johnny. The America you knew is gone. Denial serves no purpose.)
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To: pepsionice

“....accomplishments beyond the health care law, and his Nobel Peace Prize.”

:::::::::::::

Accomplishments? What accomplishments? The “health care law” really has little to do with health care, other than permitting a Marxist takeover of it, and untold personal and commercial wealth of the American citizen. And the Nobel Prize....what did he do to EARN that prize? NOTHING.

His legacy is Marxist and criminal destruction of our rights and freedoms, attacks on the Constitution, our economy, our capitalist system and the multi-generational theft of trillion of dollars.

There is no legacy, other than a lesson to the mindless American voter who facilitated this deliberate and damaging attack upon America and its real citizens.


8 posted on 01/19/2013 8:30:10 AM PST by EagleUSA
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To: pepsionice

About that Nobel Peace Prize, can it be recalled?

Seems like the Tour de France and the Olympic Committee both recalled the awards they had given to Lance Armstrong, but of course that was only after he admitted to Oprah that he had been really doping all the time, and concealing it by some extraordinary measures.

If the same standards were applied to the Current Occupant of the White Hut that are applied to our sports figures, Bronco Bama would have been gone a long time ago. There are certainly enough uninvestigated rumors floating around, and a LOT of circumstantial evidence that points to plenty more that is most cleverly concealed, but there are few if any actual investigative reporters willing to proceed. Intimidation, perhaps, or just uncertainty of support from their news organization staff?

“Accomplishment” may be a very negative thing for The Won.


9 posted on 01/19/2013 8:31:08 AM PST by alloysteel (Bronco Bama - the cowboy who whooped up and widened the stampede.)
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To: Innovative
I hope all those who didn't get out to vote or voted third party, because Romney wasn't good enough, are happy now... and they recognize that this is a direct consequence of their actions: gave Obama a second term which will have not only the above mentioned consequences, but much more...

Well I think that "O" would have won anyway as he had FRAUD and DECEIT on his side. However this easily could be the start of CW 2.0 if only the Pubbies have the stones to go for it. In the "Art of War" we are told to "Know your enemy" and attack his weak spot. O's weak spot is his ego and his personal lack of knowledge about any subject. He must be pounded mercilessly and publicly about every action he takes until he cracks and commits a super blunder. Then they must jump on that and force the impeachment vote. Lord knows that there are enough items to include in any indictment. JMHO!

10 posted on 01/19/2013 8:52:18 AM PST by Don Corleone ("Oil the gun..eat the cannoli. Take it to the Mattress.")
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To: Innovative

“No president in two decades has been as forceful or sweeping in challenging the nation’s gun culture. “

Actually, I first read “changing” rather than “challenging”, and I think “changing” fits better.

We have gone from a country that had a truce with its government, where people could buy guns and be left alone, to a country where people are now panic-buying anything that is related to guns (ammo, targets, whatever) - and likely will do so for the rest of his term.

So we go from a moderately armed country (i.e., lots of people used to not have guns, or at least didn’t their lives around guns) to a society now where people are armed-up and pretty much ready for what might be coming their way.

As the NRA well-knows, President Obama has done more to prove them right than the Rush, Hantity, or anyone else could have ever dreamed of.


11 posted on 01/19/2013 9:11:04 AM PST by BobL
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To: Innovative
the GOP erred badly in letting zero inject himself into any negotiating process. Pass the bills in the house and send them to the senate. Let them decide what to do and if it is nothing, they can take the blame for doing nothing.
12 posted on 01/19/2013 9:16:26 AM PST by paul51 (11 September 2001 - Never forget)
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To: Innovative

“Obama 2.0 stepped up this past week on yet another issue: gun control.”

And then blinked. Not smarter, not tougher, and not wiser.

Word is he was ready to go all in on bans and confiscations via EO.
Faced with huge Congressional dissent, state rights, and widespread preparation for violent resistance, be balked. He stumbled thru an unpracticed and unpalatable speech introducing lame “do your jobs” EOs.


13 posted on 01/19/2013 9:27:01 AM PST by ctdonath2 (End of debate. Your move.)
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To: Innovative

Way deep down, at the center of his core, Obama is a lazy putz-head, and real leaders in the Republican Party would send his smirking, effeminate butt scampering off to the warm, familiar security of a fag bathhouse. But the Republicans don’t have leaders.


14 posted on 01/19/2013 9:40:55 AM PST by pallis
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To: Innovative

Romney ran the worst campaign since Alf Landon. I held my nose and voted for that Massachusetts liberal...never again.

Romney did nothing but blow kisses to The One. The fix was in on this one. The GOP had better get better quick or they will go the way of the Whigs.


15 posted on 01/19/2013 9:47:08 AM PST by kjo (+)
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To: pallis
The Republicans have leaders. They just aren't what we need our leaders to be. I'm more concerned with their followers. If it weren't for them our current crop of "leaders" would not be leading. So, I guess in order to replace the leaders we must first replace those who follow them.
16 posted on 01/19/2013 10:44:33 AM PST by Russ (Repeal the 17th amendment)
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To: Innovative

Obama is not wiser, he just has “more latitude” as he told Medvedev. He will “hang tough” so long as he is facing a vacuum. Who exactly is his counterpart on the center or right? Certainly not Romney, Boehner, or McConnell.

Our political and cultural evolution has given the “press” an outsized role in spreading political ideas, and declaring who is righteous and who has power. The media doesn’t spend its time presenting complex analysis to 5% of the public. The proven way to market politics to dimwits is personification. Saddam was made into a poster child for the invasion of Iraq; Osama bin Ladin for the “War on Terror”, etc. Child victims for gun control. When it comes to the left-wing issues they worship, the media has Obama ready for duty as the ideal figurehead.

Conservative ideas will be treated as non-existent until a national conservative leader emerges to fill the media’s marketing template. That’s a tall order right now. Candidates for the job?


17 posted on 01/19/2013 2:59:23 PM PST by Chewbarkah
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