tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163441833245663827.post4804651124782569681..comments2024-03-22T10:49:51.766-05:00Comments on Horizons: Our attachment to an "imperial presidency"Nancy LeTourneauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12614317154146836694noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163441833245663827.post-62396711675049790092011-11-10T15:08:49.493-06:002011-11-10T15:08:49.493-06:00Deborah - great article!
For awhile now I have be...Deborah - great article!<br /><br />For awhile now I have been writing about "the Obama method" or what Jonathan Chait called "conciliatory rhetoric as ruthless strategy."<br /><br />http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2011/01/sotu-and-obama-method.html<br /><br />http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2011/03/conciliatory-rhetoric-as-ruthless.html<br /><br />It is very "zen-like," as you say. But that should come as no surprise given that Obama spent most of his childhood in cultures more attuned to eastern thinking. <br /><br />One of the best examples of that came from a writer at daily kos back in 2009 talking about Obama's soft power and the Aikido Way.<br /><br />http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/06/08/739986/-Obamas-Soft-Power-a-primer-on-AikidoNancy LeTourneauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12614317154146836694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163441833245663827.post-72483046129676350612011-11-10T14:49:38.112-06:002011-11-10T14:49:38.112-06:00Haven't we apologized enough for the limited p...Haven't we apologized enough for the limited power of the Presidency? When are progressive voters going to finally take the other step in this logic, and begin working on taking back Congress? There doesn't seem to be anyone as smart as Grover Norquist in Democratic politics. Do we really think it will be a "victory" for Obama to be re-elected with the status quo in Congress? Nobody since Howard Dean has seemed interested in doing the hard work to create and sustain a Democratic Congressional majority.Reader Xnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163441833245663827.post-86031574633156096842011-11-10T14:43:15.411-06:002011-11-10T14:43:15.411-06:00I've had my poutrager moments, but I also rece...I've had my poutrager moments, but I also recently had an epiphany that Obama is unlike anyone we've ever seen before. Therefore, he wields what power he has in an entirely different way. I expound on this in my blog, "What if Obama Knows What He's Doing?" http://thepoliticali.blogspot.com/2011/11/what-if-obama-knows-what-hes-doing_02.htmlthe political ihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15990877681092042719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163441833245663827.post-20385605927866261452011-11-10T10:55:45.038-06:002011-11-10T10:55:45.038-06:00I have said it before and I will say it again: The...I have said it before and I will say it again: There should be a required Civics course for folks. I have never seen such willful ignorance about the three branches of government, check and balances in my life. It is all about "where is my sparkle pony? Why isn't Obama changing water to wine? WAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163441833245663827.post-86726440206598712422011-11-10T10:15:00.313-06:002011-11-10T10:15:00.313-06:00People consistently over-estimate the importance o...People consistently over-estimate the importance of the President and under-estimate the importance of Congress. As Orwell observed, strong personal emotions like love, hate, loyalty, and resentment are much more easily felt toward an individual than toward an institution.<br /><br />The Republicans probably understand this -- their strategy of sabotaging the economy via Congress and hoping Obama gets the blame depends on it.Infidel753https://www.blogger.com/profile/10965786814334886696noreply@blogger.com