Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

Thankfully, Harry Reid managed to stave off Tea Bagger Sharron Angle in Nevada, the outcome of which is good for everyone concerned, including Angle. Perhaps now she will have time to avail herself of Rand Paul professionally; as an ophthalmologist, he may be able to help her with the vision problem that has rendered her unable to– by her own admission– discern Latinos from Asians (You can find this particular speech on Youtube).

Yes, the next two years are going to be very interesting, indeed, especially since the GOP seems to have dismissed the fact that although they will soon have control of the House of Representatives, the Democrats still control the White House and the Senate. Someone should remind Boehner&Co. that all the eggs are not, in fact, in their basket, whether or not they choose to believe they are.

Will this make getting things accomplished more difficult for the Dems? Of course; but regardless, these will not be insurmountable obstacles. A couple of things have to happen, however. For one, President Obama will have to step up to the plate and acknowledge what he has actually accomplished during his first two years in office. In other words, he has to START BLOWING HIS OWN HORN! His academic considerations and reviews of the positive aspects of his accomplishments are simply not enough to get the voters who put him in office in the first place back to the polls. It did not work in 2010, and it will not work in 2012. If he wants to serve more than one term, he is going to have to change his game plan.

And he can’t wait for tomorrow to do it. It has to be done yesterday.

Unfortunately, he’s already taken a step in the wrong direction. Within forty-eight hours of losing the House, he was out there saying he’s "ready to compromise" with the Republicans, up to and including extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.

What? Compromise? What am I missing here? Has he learned nothing about dealing with these people? How do you "compromise" with a party driven uncompromisingly by greed and self-interest?

Still, I’m willing to give President Obama the benefit of the doubt, that perhaps there is a method to his madness. But if there is, it’s high time he started showing us the "method" and not just the "madness" part.

Consider the way in which the Republicans responded to his offer of compromise. Mitch McConnell, for example, stated that Obama will have to come around to the Republican way or he will double-down on his agenda of making sure Obama is a one term President, which he has openly said is his number one priority to begin with. Does that sound like he’s willing to compromise in any way, shape or form with President Obama? Is that the kind of thinking that is going to move our country forward?

McConnell also wants to repeal and replace what he has taken to calling the Health "Spending" Bill.

Health care is also John Boehner’s number one priority. He has vowed to do away with what he calls this "monstrosity."

I submit that these people do not know the meaning of the word "compromise." At the same time, it worries me that when President Obama says "compromise," it too often translates to "capitulate." This cannot continue; too much is at stake here. The President has to stop saying "The buck stops here, but I’ll settle for forty-five cents."

We’re coming off an election in which not only the House was lost to the GOP, but two of the most outstanding members of the House and the Senate, Congressman Alan Grayson of Florida, and Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.

We can’t afford to lose another Democrat of their caliber. President Obama has to change course, and he has to do it now. And he’s not the only one. As leader of the Senate, Harry Reid has to start showing some gumption. It’s unconscionable and unacceptable that the Republicans were allowed to block so much legislation over the course of the past two years while Democrats had the majority in both the Senate and the House. Reid is a good, decent man by all accounts, but it’s time that he– and President Obama, as well– stopped bringing a knife (or an olive branch) to the gunfight.

As Chris Matthews says on MSNBC, "Let’s play hardball."

It’s time.