Lou - It’ll get worse before it gets better. Hopefully 6 months from now, we’ll begin to see openings for compromise and bi-partisanship. During the passage of ACA, Obama and Nancy Pelosi shut down all Republican contribution to the ACA and shoved it down the throat of the country over the objection of half of the electorate. In 2009, Obama famously rejected Republican overtures for bi-partisanship, stating “Elections have consequences, and at the end of the day, I won.” – President Obama to House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, January 23, 2009. Obama then went on to demonize Republicans, assaulting them as stupid racists, turning the IRS lose on “tea party groups” and shutting down every attempt at bi-partisanship and fair dealing (Notably costing Boehner his speakership) etc… …show more content…
In politics as in life, when a person offers no compromise, none will be given and none should be expected. The state of discourse and public policy in our country is as much a product of Obama’s policies and politics as Trump’s pen. Obama created the climate and Trump is simply keeping promises to his base which put him in office (which were an absolute rejection of the past 8 years of governance). Because Obama didn’t legislate, Trump has the unchecked power to overturn Democratic policies literally at the stroke of a pen. Your anger and feeling of ineffective rage is the greatest acknowledgment of the necessity for respect and comprise in our government. Without compromise and the ability support agreedupon priorities, our citizens and politicians are simply competing radicals claiming the others are destroying our society. Without the ability to compromise, people suffer and worthwhile priorities like you highlight go unfunded and