Are Republicans Outsmarting Obama?

Sure seems like it.

They certainly know what it means to be the political party in opposition.

They’re tough and ruthless and they use their authoritarian temperament as an advantage.

Obama’s early attempts at conciliation made him look weak rather than gracious.

On health care, the Republicans have created a no-lose scenario: they either kill the bill or weaken it to the point where it won’t work.

They’re aiming to do the same thing on global warming.

On financial reform, they get away with blaming the Democrats for bailing out Wall Street while - at the same time - making sure that meaningful reform is blocked.

They’re the party that can mobilize constituent anger and get media attention. Their search and destroy missions against ACORN and Van Jones have been well executed.

Now they seem to be successful in swaying independents in their direction.

Was 2008 a fluke?

Did we win only because of the ineffectual George Bush and the chaotic McCain / Palin ticket? Will an articulate conservative - Tim Pawlenty, Eric Canter - wipe out Obama in 2012 after Republican Congressional gains in 2010?

Or...

Are these just the early rounds, the chance for Obama and the Democrats to absorb some punishment before coming on strong and steady and winning back public confidence?

There’s a great deal of anxiety, doubt and disappointment on our side right now. Our opponents know this and they know how to exploit it.

Bullies always depend on exposing their victim’s weakness and forcing a sense of helplessness.

This is not the time, fellow Democrats, to go limp.

List of Republicans Voting to End Filibuster of David Hamilton’s Appointment

Ten Republicans joined 58 Democrats and two independents on the cloture motion to allow David Hamilton's nomination to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit go to the Senate floor for a vote:

Lamar Alexander (R - TN)
Saxby Chambliss (R - GA)
Susan Collins (R - ME)
John Cornyn (R - TX)
Judd Gregg (R - NH)
Orrin Hatch (R- UT)
Richard Lugar (R - IN)
Lisa Murkowski (R - AK)
Olympia Snowe (R - ME)
John Thune (R - SD)

Twenty-nine Republicans voted to sustain the filibuster with one Republican not voting.

Obama and Afghanistan - It’s Hard to Say No to the Generals

Remember William Westmoreland, the pugnacious general who commanded American troops in Vietnam?

Those of us from the Vietnam War protest era had a perfect foil: a hard core, right wing, dissident-hating stoic, Westmoreland personified what the new left hated about the military.

That imagery began to change considerably when Colin Powell became chairman of the Joint Chiefs and General Norman Schwarzkoph commanded Gulf War troops under Bush I in 1991.

The 21st Century style of military leadership is even more formidable.

Watch current Joint Chief Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen field questions and you’ll see a smooth, thoughtful and articulate military advisor. (Check out the Admiral’s Facebook page).

CENTCOM Commander General David Patraeus, who earned his PhD from Princeton in 1987, exemplifies the military intellectual.

The arguments President Obama is hearing from top brass at the Pentagon about an Afghanistan surge are not jingoistic and fear-based but sophisticated, geo-political analysis.

Saying no to the military’s intellectual firepower will not be easy.

(In addition, the stature and standing of the military rank and file is higher than it’s been since World War II).

Afghanistan war strategy should not be decided based on the charisma or IQ of military leaders. But this current batch of generals - and the admiral - is certainly quite capable of making a very compelling case.

“Creation Care” – God’s Voice on Global Warming

Along with the usual suspects, the coalition supporting Congressional action on global warming includes a broad selection of religious organizations - most interesting are evangelical groups which promote the idea of “Creation Care” which seeks to

… educate, inspire, and mobilize Christians in their effort to care for God’s creation, to be faithful stewards of God’s provision, and to advocate for actions and policies that honor God and protect the environment...in a desire to be faithful to Jesus Christ.

Exactly the kind of Christian values-driven sentiment which can blunt republican opposition to environmental legislation.

A global warming bill passed the House in June and the Senate Environmental Committee recently approved a measure. But don’t expect passage anytime soon.

Here are some of the religious groups building pro-environment constituencies:

• Evangelical Environmental Network
• Evangelical Climate Initiative
• U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
• National Council of Churches
• Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
• Jewish Council for Public Affairs
• Interfaith Power and Light Campaign

Why Aren't We Doing Better? - A List for Democrats

So why can’t a Democratic White House and a Democratic Congress bring about the kind of change we want?

Here’s what we’ve been hearing:

• Obama’s not very progressive
• The Democrats have no guts
• Corporate and financial interests control Congress
• The Republicans tricked us again
• It’s a conservative country
• Americans are dumb
• The Bush deficit
• The media can’t cover complex issues
• It’s too late to liberalize this nation
• It’s Nixon’s and Reagan’s fault
• Religious people are manipulated
• The working class doesn’t vote
• Clinton damaged the presidency
• Iraq and Afghanistan burn up the budget
• Larry Summers

 Here are a few reasons to be hopeful:

• Obama is 48 and getting smarter
• Right wing Republicans will devour their party
• Henry Waxman
• Unemployment has bottomed out
• Health reform will pass
• Young voters lean toward tolerance
• American’s aren’t so dumb
• The EPA is doing its job again
• Democrats want to win
• Progressives know how to organize

Who knows what will be. My advice is to stay positive, enjoy the ride and try to remember what it was like just a few years ago. Need any help...?:

• Dick Cheney
• Donald Rumsfeld
• John Ashcroft
• Gale Norton
• John Roberts
• Tom Delay

The President’s “Statement” Doesn’t Connect

I was discouraged this morning when I caught the President’s remarks from the Rose Garden about the Fort Hood shooting and persistently high unemployment. Obama looked more like a White House staffer reading a statement than a President connecting with Americans over their grief and pain.

Don’t read to us. Talk to us in your own words. Feel it and mean it.

U.S. Interior Department’s Clean Energy Forum

Watch a few minutes of C-SPAN’s coverage of the Interior Department’s Clean Energy Forum held November 2, and you’ll see something both ordinary and extraordinary:

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, his Deputy, Assistant Secretaries, Directors and Commissioners presenting an intelligent and persuasive case for the Obama Administration’s Clean Energy Strategy.

Contrast this group of professionals with the cast of characters at the highest levels of the Interior Department during the Bush era.

Remember Gale Norton, who ran the Department for six years, using her office to turn federal land and resources over to her friends in the mining, timber, oil, gas and coal industries. Norton is now under investigation for conflict of interest related to oil shale leases in Colorado. She was followed as secretary by former Idaho Republican Governor Dick Kempthorne, known for his animosity toward open space in the West.

Disillusioned Democrats, frustrated by stalled legislation in Congress and a cautious White House, should keep in mind that this administration is slowly and steadily shifting the internal practices and policies of federal departments, agencies and commissions.

This takes time. While it’s not exactly a “purge,” populating the federal bureaucracy with appointees who believe in the mission of government is an enormous asset for environmentalists, unions, consumer advocates and progressive organizations from A to Z.