Scott Brown's election offers unique opportunity to President Obama
The Jan. 19 election of Scott Brown as the next U.S. Senator from Massachusetts actually provides President Obama with a unique opportunity. This was neither a "victory for Republicans" nor a "defeat for Democrats" as so many pundits claim.
Instead, it was a clear signal that there is a vast voting population out there that is very dissatisfied with the course and means by which both those parties are operating.
This was a clear victory for the independent-minded citizens of this nation who believe that a better course is possible, a course that will be clear of "business as usual."
But what now? The path being pointed out by the vote has no clear direction. The national mindset that created those results is today a force without unity. And thus the unique opportunity for President Obama.
The next smartest move for Mr. Obama would be to abandon the far left, to fully recognize and embrace the clear message being sent to Washington, and to assert himself as an effective and dedicated force determined to see that message carried through. Mr. Obama has a wide open door to truly, and finally, become the voice of The People. To do this, he must eschew the rhetoric and lay a close ear to the message of the Jan. 19 vote.
He must, in fact, become the president he proposed to be as he worked so hard to win the White House. If he were to do this, if he were to become the full and true voice of the people who spoke yesterday, I do believe that he may well be one of the greatest presidents of this era.
However, should he pretend to claim that role but fail to take it on with true intellectual honesty and dedication, to play just one more political "gotcha" game, then he will end up being one of the most ineffective one-term Presidents we have known. Reality has put him on the ropes this day, but has also laid a path to greatness before his feet. The choice is his.
Gregg L. Matschke Waterloo
Comments
mike from saline
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 3:02 p.m.
Sorry Dave, I don't do Republican talking points. You said in one of your recent posts that "everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but no one is entitled to his own facts". What I said was factual. We elect a President [not a King, or Emporer] who is the leader of ONE branch of the Federal Govt. Congress is responsible for spending, and the Federal budget. George W. Bush [an idiot] became a lame duck after his re-election in 04, and became the lamest of lame ducks when the democrats took over in 06, and the GOP has been virtualy powerless ever since. As for Scott Brown, why would you refer to him as "your new kind of politician"? I've never heard anyone refer to him like like that [least of all me]. You have a nasty little habit of trying to get personal, when it's not realy necessary. As for Brown's first news conference, sorry, I didn't see it. "Said nothing huh? Wow! There's a "dog bite's man story" if ever I ever heard one.
David Briegel
Fri, Feb 5, 2010 : 12:15 p.m.
Mike, those are pretty good Republican talking points. Actually, the current collapse is the coming to fruition of the failed policies of Reagan and the Bush's. The two mismanaged and off budget wars are a huge factor in our demise and point to our ineffectiveness to manage our affairs, much less lead the free world. 20 yrs, 20 budgets and not one balanced. Republican Bridge To Nowhere! tff3, I watched your "new kind of politician" fail to answer any questions last evening as he held his first "news conference". He said nothing! The party of no will not allow him to be any different as they march in lock step.
mike from saline
Thu, Feb 4, 2010 : 5:07 p.m.
history lesson, the economy took off after the GOP took over congress in 94 and stayed pretty strong [despite 911, and the 2 wars], but fell apart after the DEMS took over in 2006
David Briegel
Tue, Feb 2, 2010 : 10:29 a.m.
I will always fondly remember the "uniter"! What a guy. He passed things because sane Dems wanted the nation to progress. Obama has no one willing to work with him Not one Repub vote for anything including bills that were cosponsored by Repubs. What a difference the party of NO makes! Do you know how many Repub ammendments were in the health care bill? Didn't think so. You are still wrong about 20 yrs of Reagan/Bush and not one balanced budget. You put the description to that hypocrisy please! Congress was Republican from '94 to 2006. History lesson? Prescription Drug Benefit = two million per year for Billy Tauzin. Perpetual War Profiteers rent both parties. Have you gone to visit Bush's NEOCON paradise in Iraq? Don't forget to go to McCain's market! That's what two to three trillion bought us! And now we are back in Afghanistan trying to finish what he started before his "steadfast and resolve" turned to his real "chicken hawk cut and run"!!! Osama who?
Hot Sam
Mon, Feb 1, 2010 : 3:56 p.m.
Your absolutely right TFF... Of any recent presidents, Bush reached across the aisle the most. No Child Left Behind, the Medicare Drug thing...even with the war he sought and received overwhelming democrat support...all the things they blame him alone for now...was he perfect? Far from it, but these anti Bush zealots are way off base...
Hot Sam
Mon, Feb 1, 2010 : 3:50 p.m.
"""you still haven't said what you called the guys who actually rang up those trillions and trillions in debt?""" I call them "congress" and mostly democrats...
TFF3
Mon, Feb 1, 2010 : 3:38 p.m.
Good piece, Gregg. I see it only took two posts for the 'blame Bush' rhetoric to show its face. There is PLENTY of blame to go around. Bush deserved (and got) ridicule for his outlandish spending. Now it is Obama's turn, and he is consistently proving that he isn't listening to, or simply doesn't care about the people who put him there. He is on the fast track to pushing more government intervention, at the greatest expense in history, down our throats. Gregg was right about the opportunity he has. One must also consider his priorities. So far, his priorities are to push his own agenda, ignore nearly everything he said on the campaign trail, and just tell everyone to trust him instead of thinking logically on their own. Scott Brown, on the surface, appears to be a different type of politician. He seems open and honest about his opinions. He doesn't double speak based on the audience he has in front of him. He appears to be a bright up-and-commer on this stage, I only hope he holds true to these values and doesn't turn into another DC Fat Cat once he has settled in. Only time will tell.
Top Cat
Mon, Feb 1, 2010 : 10:24 a.m.
It seems clear now that Oborrow doesn't get it or doesn't want to. November 2, 2010!