Monday, September 30, 2013

The Obama Presidency Reaches Its Critical Point in History – Either Mr. Obama Becomes a Great Leader and a Very Good President

Or

A Failed President Who Turned Governing Over to the Radical House Republicans

With the House rejecting the Senate bill to finance the government for the next several months and with the debt ceiling limit coming due in mid October, President Obama faces a very defining choice.  The House is demanding that Health Care Reform be delayed for one year, in effect killing the reform as a one year delay would mean the end of the law.  This would be in return for extending the funding of the government until mid December at which time the crisis would continue ad nauseum.

While some serious people will argue that the President should accept this position, if he were to do so it would end his Presidency and turn governing over to the House.  A cave in by the President would mean a cave in on the debt ceiling and further concessions in mid December when another deadline for funding the government comes due.  From this point forward the House Republicans would be dictators of national policy.

The radical Republican establishment wants this fight, they want to shut down the government and they want to block an increase in the debt ceiling.  Their motives are two fold, one to get their way on legislation and two to permanently cripple the Federal government whom they view as the source of all evil in the world.

Mr. Obama finds himself in this situation because he has long given the impression that he can be rolled.  He is now stating he cannot be rolled.  But he lacks the credibility and without a fiscal crisis where he withstands the pressure he will never have the credibility he needs to govern.  So Mr. Obama should welcome this test, he should welcome the situation where he has a chance to demonstrate his resolve.  It is the only way he can restore confidence in his administration.  And yes, the cost may be terrible.

Of course, that presumes that he has the resolve needed to govern.  He hasn’t in the past.  Does he have it now?  

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