More likely than not, after Tuesday night, the Republicans will take the Senate. They also will control the House, most Governorships, most state houses, and SCOTUS. The Democrats will still have the White House and the Federal Reserve (thanks to Obama). Still, with most Democrats still hesitant to attach themselves to him, Obama will be pretty lonely with his 41% approval rating. So where did he go wrong?
First of all, I feel that he failed by not trying hard enough to reach out to the GOP and achieve bipartisan compromises, such as a "grand bargain" on deficit reduction; failing to approve the Keystone pipeline, and threatening to take unilateral action on immigration. Whether the Republicans would ever have agreed to work with him is not the point; the main thing is that he should have looked willing to work with them, rather than as a man who has given up on Washington.
Secondly, I feel that the Democrats are allowing too many distractions from core economic issues. Let's face it, the "War on Women" is a niche Democratic issue, similar to how certain scandals like Benghazi are for the GOP. They will kick up our base, but they don't appeal to a broad swath of voters, who care more about things like health care, taxes, and spending.
Thirdly, I believe Obama has misread public opinion when it comes to foreign policy. As many as 45 percent of Americans now want to send in ground troops against ISIS, up significantly over the past month. Most no longer think an air campaign only will work. The past decade has been defined by backlash over the Iraq War, but regardless of what Americans tell pollsters, they still want a strong president who stands up for U.S. interests abroad and can deliver quick, clear victories.
Thoughts?
lol @ the idea there was any opportunity to compromise. The Teabaggers and McConnell's master plan made it impossible.
And I have no idea how Obama could have done any better on Foreign Policy. Maybe should have pivoted on the idea of war. Iraq wasn't bad because it was a war, it was bad because it was a divisive war. However, there was inborn risks that though most people want a "war" against ISIS, the only bipartisan thing and the only ally-uniting thing about Obama wanting to lead the war, would be its opposition.
Keystone XL is risky and won't add that much to the economy and would drive away the base but it wouldn't be THAT risky and it would LOWER gas prices and thus perhaps lower other exploration?
Immigration reform was something he should have definitely done, though.
