Gall: Washington will work better if Obama ‘has his way’(Yeah right..Not)

Hot Air.com ^ | November 7, 2014 | NOAH ROTHMAN

[Kaslin]

I was prepared to offer a sympathetic interpretation of the White House’s preemptive attempts to assuage liberal anxiety ahead of the midterms by dismissing them as mere bravado. The administration’s claim that it would mount a “counter offensive” in the wake of likely midterm losses struck me as posturing – the president, I reasoned, surely could not be so self-absorbed that he believes he will poses enough political capital after the midterms to press for, much less enact, his agenda. This was surely a message aimed at a particularly narrow audience.

But the president’s post-shellacking presser on Wednesday was a stunning misreading of the moment. More than once, the president was quick to remind the assembled reporters that he is the person “elected by everybody” and that his Republican opponents were supported by a mere one-third of the public. Neither is true, but it is a comforting gesture that reinforces a groundless belief among Obama’s waning enthusiasts that the president’s opposition is illegitimate.

Still, this could all have easily been pretense. Obama, a charitable analysis would yield, is merely establishing a façade to prevent the further dissolution of his Democratic coalition. He could not possibly believe that he will be able to govern from a position of strength after his administration has restored Republicans to a position of power they had not known for well over a half-century.

Today, the White House showed me how misplaced my forbearance was. This clip flagged by The Washington Free Beacon, illustrates the degree to which the White House may truly believe that the president remains a powerful force in the capital. There is no way to characterize this statement from White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough other than to call it what it is: delusional.

WH: 'Washington Will Work Better If Obama Has His Way'

“Is there one thing you can say to American voters they’re going to see that’s different, given the message they sent on Tuesday,” NBC News White House correspondent Chris Jansing asked.

“They’re going to see Washington working better if this president has his way,” McDonough replied.

What gall. What absolute intransigence. What pure disdain for the people this president purports to represent.

If this is strategic communications, it’s deeply flawed. This tactic is likely to energize the minority of those who would not abandon Obama if he robbed a bank, but it is just as likely to terrify marginal Democrats who are responsive to the will of the people.

And the anxiety in Democratic ranks is palpable. “No Democrat is gearing up to challenge Nancy Pelosi in public, but behind the scenes some Democrats are saying it’s time for new blood at the leadership table ahead of 2016,” Politico reported on Friday.

“As a party, we need to change,” another senior Democratic aide said. “[Voters] like our policies. All this leftie [talk], the country likes, but somehow the message about us as individual members of the conference isn’t breaking through. There is great unrest.”

As Ed Morrissey observed, the Democratic Party is signaling outwardly that they will refuse to acknowledge the will of the electorate. It is unfair to call such a hapless approach to governance a “strategy,” particularly because it is so likely to backfire on Democrats. It is far more likely that what we are witnessing is confusion and paralysis.

If you went to sleep in December, 2008 and awoke today, this country’s political landscape would appear virtually unrecognizable to you. It seems as if a few Democrats are still reveling in the dream they enjoyed in 2008.

[BenLurkin]

The only thing I want to see DC working on — is chopping the Federal bureaucracies by a third.

[Maceman]

“They’re going to see Washington working better if this president has his way,”

Actually, I think that's true. Washington will work better.

But unfortunately, the rest of the country will go down the drain like crap through a goose.

[Resolute Conservative]

38 federal agencies. I would like that cut by half or more.

[combat_boots]

You know who Pelosi, Reid and 0bama are?

Strelnikov.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6raF7kcJJs

They are brittle, like really old hard candy. Their personas are like old paper mache.

[Blood of Tyrants]

First, eliminate the Dept of Education, then the Dept of Energy, then the EPA. Then lay off half of all the rest non-security alphabet agencies.

[Amendment10]

As mentioned in related threads concerning DC domestic policy, one of the few powers that the states have delegated to the feds which can affect citizens on almost a daily basis is federal government control of the US Mail Service as evidenced by the Constitution’s Clause 7 of Section 8 of Article I.

Otherwise, citizens need to learn to turn to their local and state government representatives for resolving local issues. Much more funding to resolve local issues would be available if the states wised up and put an end to constitutionally indefensible, vote-winning federal taxing and spending programs, spending programs which Congress cannot justify under its constitutional Article I, Section 8-limited powers.

“Congress is not empowered to tax for those purposes which are within the exclusive province of the States.” —Justice John Marshall, Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824.

[RetSignman]

Gall: Washington will work better if Obama ‘has his way’...
+++++
There was some indication that he will demand to have his way. At the lunch today, it was learned that Sea Bass was served, the problem was that the Republican fish was wrapped in newspaper.

[glorgau]

The simplest test case for cutting is PBS. The case is soooo obvious that it can only be denied by the delusional.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Obama is entering his “Malaise” cycle.

Someone remarked that when Richard Nixon was at his lowest ebb, at night he would stand before the portraits of American presidents and ask their advice. But when Obama stands before those portraits, he will spend his time damning them and insisting that he is far better than any of them ever were.

[Doug Loss]

DC will never reduce the FedGov. The only way that will happen is via an Article V Convention. (Or a revolution.)

[Blood of Tyrants]

Even easier is to cut funding for Planned Parenthood.

[DaxtonBrown]

Obama is a dictator. I’m not sure why people can’t figure this out.

[righttackle44]

He HAS his way:

Proverb 14:12 [NASB]

There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

[The Antiyuppie]

Baghdad, Iraq “worked better” with Hussein having his way.

Tripoli, Libya “worked better” with Gaddafi having his way.

Germany “worked better” with Hitler having his way (in the 30’s, anyway).

So, WTF does the this statement mean?

[combat_boots]

Maybe 0bama will blow DC up if he doesn’t get his way? Or the entire US?

[Mister Da]

Yeah, WDC works better when the cronies have the majority, but at the expense of the American people.

[a fool in paradise]

First, eliminate the Dept of Education, then the Dept of Energy, then the EPA. Then lay off half of all the rest non-security alphabet agencies.

Remove enforcement of Hollywood's copyright from Homeland Security's domain.

[dcwusmc]

First, eliminate DHS, DOE, DOE, DOL, EPA, ATF. Then, day 2, get rid of every other agency, bureau, or department not specifically mentioned with approval in the Constitution. Then purge the statists, fags and lefties from State and Defence and DOJ. Then rename DoD back to the WAR Department, as in the days we DECLARED wars and WON THEM.

[stboz]

The Dems have opportunity to get concessions from the Pubbies.

Hand over Obama for legislative gains in return. Impeachment with a purpose. I hope we don't bite blindly.