Obama revelling in U.S. power unseen in decades
Fri May 1, 2009 9:47pm BST
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By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Barack Obama is revelling in presidential power and influence unseen in Washington for decades.

Barely 100 days in office, the U.S. president and his Democratic Party have firm control over the White House and Congress and the ability to push through ambitious plans.

Now, with the coming retirement of a Supreme Court justice clearing the way for him to appoint a successor, Obama already is assured a legacy at the top of all three branches of government –– executive, legislative and judicial.

On the corporate front, the federal government's pumping of billions of dollars in bailout money into banks and auto companies has given Obama the power to force an overhaul in those industries, a remarkable intervention in capitalist industries by the state.

Americans are giving him leeway as well. His job approval ratings are well over 60 percent, giving him political capital to undertake big challenges.

His political opponents, the Republicans, are in disarray, reduced in numbers and engaged in an internal struggle over how to recover from devastating election losses in 2006 and last year.

Experts speak of Obama in the same league as such transformational presidents as Democrat Franklin Roosevelt, who led the United States through the Great Depression and World War Two, and Republican Ronald Reagan, who led the country to victory in the Cold War.

"I cannot in my memory remember a time when a president of the United States has had more influence," said Democratic strategist Doug Schoen, who worked in the Clinton White House.

"Not only is it his moment, it is a level of influence and power for a president that is literally unprecedented from any time since the New Deal and Franklin Roosevelt. If he handles it right, it could be his century."

STROKE OF LUCK

Obama is seeing evidence that with power comes the occasional stroke of luck.

A gift came in the party switch this week by Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter from the Republicans to the Democrats.

It could give the Democrats unfettered authority. If and when Minnesota Democrat Al Franken overcomes a recount battle and takes his Senate seat, Democrats will have a 60-vote supermajority in the 100-member Senate.

The announced retirement of Supreme Court Justice David Souter has given Obama the opportunity to put his imprint on the highest U.S. court and replace one of the court's liberals with another liberal voice.

Although he will not be able to change the court's balance of power from a conservative majority any time soon, he will be able to select a justice likely to remain on the bench long after Obama has left the White House.

How long will his luck last?

With the U.S. economy reeling and millions of Americans without jobs, Obama has his work cut out for him. He has a long list of challenges, and spoke of them at a news conference this week.

"If you could tell me right now that, when I walked into this office that the banks were humming, that autos were selling, and that all you had to worry about was Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, getting healthcare passed, figuring out how to deal with energy independence, deal with Iran, and a pandemic flu, I would take that deal," Obama said.

Pollster John Zogby said that after his first 100 days, Obama now embarks on another weighty period in which Americans will want to see evidence that his $787 billion economic stimulus approved in February is working.

"I think by late June, they are going to have to start seeing some of these economic indicators stabilizing or at least some orange cones and hard hats out on the roads –– something that indicates either a stemming of the tide or some kind of progress," Zogby said.

Those who keenly watch the poll numbers also point out that while Obama is personally popular, some of the items on his agenda are less so.

"I think he will always stay personally popular," said Republican strategist Charlie Black, who was a senior adviser on Republican John McCain's presidential campaign last year. "But when you test the individual policies, a majority will tell you we're spending too much money."

"On the policy proposals the jury is out as to how popular they will be," he said.

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the higher he climbs, the farther he will fall.

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"Now, with the coming retirement of a Supreme Court justice clearing the way for him to appoint a successor"

Who's retiring?

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the higher he climbs, the farther he will fall.

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the higher he climbs, the farther he WE will fall.

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If he climbs high enough and falls far enough he could take a lot of the country with him when he takes the plunge.

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Let's hope.

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He is relishing in how fast he is turning US into a socialist nation.  We are fucked.  52 percent of americans now want a socialist nation.  
What the hell happened.  I think it is due to the WW2 generation dying off leaving US with 60's hippies and a demoralized society.  Just my 2 cents.

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The economy WILL recover by next year (even if only slightly), thus guaranteeing a Democrat lock on the 2010 elections and most likely a re-election of Obama along with a continuing majority in both houses of Congress.

Republicans had their chance at it for almost four years with both houses of Congress and President from 2002-2006 and ten years as majority in the House. They fucking blew it.

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Just exactly how did they cause the economy to go bad or what could they have done to prevent the collapse of the housing market that the Dems set in motion with the CRA?

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Let's hope.

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They couldn't get enough of their own Republicans in line to investigate and rein in Fannie Mae.

But that was their JOB.

They had majority in both houses of Congress and the Presidency for four years... nada. Just talk.

They just kept on spending like drunken sailors.

You want a hundred jillion for prescription drugs for seniors? Sure thing, here ya' go!

Another 30 billion for Africa? Jumbo!

Mortgage companies want to make bad loans to millions of people who can't pay and they want the FedGov to back them up? No problem!

Bush never saw a spending bill he didn't sign.

Every State Of The Union speech by Bush was like watching Santa Claus come down the chimney with a bag of billion-dollar toys for everyone in the room - all paid for by US.

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He just needs to push the wrong liberal project and he will take the house of cards that he build down with him.
Gun grabbing comes to mind as a bad liberal project. But then again the rest of their projects depend on the people being unarmed and defenseless. I feel bad for them... Ok I'm over it.

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They compared him to Reagan? Holy shit.

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I do NOT want to see this happen, just so everybody knows that. But I think a big tipping point will be reached if/when our nation is attacked - either on our soil or upon that of another nation - and the Kenyan either fails to respond or responds inadequately.

Unfortunately, this very instance occurred several times during the Clinton Administration, and that fucker ducked it every time without much damage at all...unless one counts the dead US servicemen.

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The thing is, in the US media, they don't, unless it is as a tool to push an agenda.

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meg·a·lo·ma·ni·a  (měg'ə-lō-mā'nē-ə, -mān'yə) n:

  1. A psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence.
  2. An obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions.

meg'a·lo·ma'ni·ac' n., meg'a·lo·ma·ni'a·cal (-mə-nī'ə-kəl), meg'a·lo·man'ic (-mān'ĭk) adj.

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+1

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The Republican party is reaping what they sowed.

You are so correct.

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If he climbs high enough and falls far enough he could take a lot of the country with him when he takes the plunge.

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I guess the idea of  person having so much unbridled power is okay for the Dems, but knowing that the man who has this much power has never been a leader or even a manager of anything in his life is more than just a little unnerving to me. Yup, count me as one of the people that wants to see him fail, and as hard and fast as possible.

Quoted: Say goodbye to Heller-vs-D.C. as they are going to overturn it once they get a majority of liberal judges on the SCOTUS.

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I still maintain the Democrats have been able to hold on to power by simply importing more voters.  You have to wonder why our immigration policy favors peasants.  Couple that with the future move to legalize all those illegals already here, guess what?  All those with buyers remorse will not be able to help turn the tide come 2010 or 2012.  20-30 million instant voters who have everything to gain in benefits will do that.

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+1

And people laugh when I say there is no real difference between the two parties (with the exception of abortion and guns––to a degree).


GR

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Let's hope.

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They couldn't get enough of their own Republicans in line to investigate and rein in Fannie Mae.

But that was their JOB.

They had majority in both houses of Congress and the Presidency for four years... nada. Just talk.

They just kept on spending like drunken sailors.

You want a hundred jillion for prescription drugs for seniors? Sure thing, here ya' go!

Another 30 billion for Africa? Jumbo!

Mortgage companies want to make bad loans to millions of people who can't pay and they want the FedGov to back them up? No problem!

Bush never saw a spending bill he didn't sign.

Every State Of The Union speech by Bush was like watching Santa Claus come down the chimney with a bag of billion-dollar toys for everyone in the room - all paid for by US.

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They compared him to Reagan? Holy shit.

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+1

And people laugh when I say there is no real difference between the two parties (with the exception of abortion and guns––to a degree).


GR

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Both Bush and McCain kept trying to do something about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and all they got was push back.

The CRA is the source of all the problems with the bad loans and the Feds backing them up.  That was the Dems.

Yeah, keep it up and the Dems will continue to be in power because the other side is splintered and eating itself.

What we have no is sooooooooooo much better.

I think he will be the last back president we have in our lifetimes. He's an amature, sort of like the movie role typically cast for black actors where they only semi-seriously engage whatever activity they are involved in because they lack the basic competence to do the job.