Obama Finally Achieves Bipartisanship
When I played football, there were times when tempers flared and practice could degrade into a rather dysfunctional nightmare. Then came the sprints. When we were at each other's throats, our coach would step in and we would run. It sucked. But these tiresome sprints succeeded in reminding us what a joy a brutal practice could be. Our coach would not so subtly remind us that it seemed the only way he could bring us together was to unite us in hating him. No matter what was going on, he always wielded the power to unite us in suffering, a lesson we were never quick to forget. Now, President Obama has unintentionally become America's football coach.
Obama created the Tea Party, an astounding coalition of people united by one common goal: reducing the size and scope of government. The Tea Party is the ultimate big tent. It's members don't care about your political background. The Tea Party is a diverse coalition spanning race, socioeconomic class, and political affiliation. If you want lower taxes and less government spending, you're in; we can work out the rest later.
In Congress, Obama succeeded again by creating a bipartisan effort to block his socialistic agenda. While the Health Bill passed, it didn't sail through. Even though the Democrats had solid majorities, it took arm-twisting, threats, and a near-unconstitutional process to force this bill through. In the end, 38 Democrats were unable to stomach this radical takeover. While that's not close to a majority of the "no" vote, the number represents 15% of Congressional Democrats and 18% of the bill's opposition. If 1 Republican vote equals bipartisanship, then this was extraordinary bipartisan opposition. Of course, the media has chosen to incorrectly frame the skewed tally as "GOP obstructionism."
As we head towards the midterm elections in November, it's clear Obama has fulfilled his promise to unite our nation. Just like my former coach, he has united us against him so that we can focus and eventually prevail. After enduring a year of protesting and media derision, it's clear the Tea Party isn't going away anytime soon. Obama will hand the nation back to fiscal conservatives even as he marches onward in the opposite direction. If Democrats can lose in Massachusetts, they can lose anywhere. Prepare yourself for a major shift in the political landscape. And by the way, it couldn't be happening at a more opportune time; 2010 is a redistricting year.
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