We're In This Together -- Obama

Shortly after President was elected in 2008 a number of Republicans made it plain that their first order of business was to make sure Obama's term as President was unsuccessful.  What was startling about this was that they said it out loud -- many already believed that would be the attitude of some (but certainly not all) Republicans, particularly the "tea party" types.  It seemed evident given the attempt to continually distract the Clinton administration with repeated unfounded "investigations" into Whitewater, refusal to act on his judicial nominees, and so forth.



Unfortunately, during the last four years the Republicans as a whole have repeatedly opposed legislation proposed by Obama and the Democrats. That is completely their right except that they've done so purposefully for obstruction, even opposed legislative ideas that had originated with them (or came from the Bush administration originally).

The blog Xpostfactoid discusses Obama's belief that success requires people working together (which, frankly, is the only possible approach for any President whose party does not control the House and the Senate).  Xpostfactoid points to a letter Obama wrote in 1985 in which he refers to "promises I hope they can help me keep."  The blog calls this the "credo of the community organizer writ large." This approach was reflected in the President's convention speeches in 2008 and 2012.

In my view the rhetoric of "change" 4four years ago was a setup for a fall.  The only way real change can happen is through cooperation, and it was evident going in that cooperation was not likely. Nonetheless, there has been change in the approach from the top -- Obama is no Bush -- we're better off for that.  the only way that our political system can work effectively is for politicians to be responsible.  The Democrats have to find a way to make that work, and, I think, the only way to do that with the attitude of some Republicans is to make their potential obstruction an issue from the outset, not always wait until it's too late.