Does a win for the Republicans help Obama in 2012?

It very well might help him. I am listening to a discussion on local public radio about previous Presidents who have lost majorities in their midterm elections. They are pointing out that Truman and Clinton suffered crushing defeats to their party in midterms yet survived to win second terms. In both those cases it actually helped them politically as they fought politically better as underdogs. Reagan in his first term lost the Senate with the Democrats increasing their hold on the House and Reagan still won in a landslide in 1984.

In the next year we will see how Obama responds to the inevitable hit the Democrats are going to take but there is no reason at all to presume he is done.

 

I don't care. Gridlock in Congress doesn't help anyone in this country except maybe a few politicians.

 

Just to add I am only talking about his political fortune in regard to his reelection but as far as legislatively things are going to be very difficult if not impossible for him. For most Presidencies though this is the pattern as GW Bush, Bill Clinton, GHW Bush, and Ronald Reagan had significant legislative accomplishments after their first two years.

 

nope, he'll still be the same Obama, bitterly clinging to the thought that the country doesn't deserve him. i think the jig is up, he's been exposed, and it's clear now the emperor has no clothes.

Spoiler

 

Go ahead and rally around Palin already... we'll see who's still standing when the dust clears.

 

Gridlock is the most beneficial for the country. Im voting Republican for the House and Democrat for the senate. The more gridlock, the less bad legislature can be passed from both side. If our founders wanted laws passed easily, they would have formed a government to allow laws to be passed or changed easily.

 

I predict a tea party win today will give the President a 10% to 15% jump in his approval by January.

 

Cause things are great just the way they are.

What about needed legislation? What about real, complex problems?

Imagine at any point in our history if we had simply accepted the status quo as the best we can ever do.

Your view is simplistic.

 

Gridlock helps business, a lot. Government doesn't have to be good for investment to happen. It just has to not suck too much, and be predictable.

 

Actually, things are great right now. At no point in time has the standard of living been at its greatest. Life will never be perfect. There will always be those who suffer. No amount of government or legislation will fix that.

If the problem is serious enough, then both sides will come together to fix the issue. If congress is in a gridlock over an issue, then its due to politics. When a group, regardless of party, steps in and forces their issue into law, then you end up with a wet, sticky turd like the new health care law.

 

Are you kidding me that things have never been better? In a time where income disparity is the highest in history? When so many people are unemployed? Who, exactly, is the standard of living fantastic for right now? The people trying desperately to get a job so they can continue to live in their homes and feed their children or the people living it up in their vacation home?

 

I think it absolutely does help Obama. It forces him to concentrate on economic issues -- which will determine his fate in 2012. Also -- having some of the daffier Tea folks in front of the microphone can't help but fracture the Republicans and discourage the saner voters who would otherwise support the Republicans. (Plus I highly doubt 2012 was in peril anyways -- unless you're of the mayan persuasion -- not that there's anything wrong with that).

Thought this article was interesting

 

Actually his views are what many of the Framers felt that is why they built so many checks and balances into the Constitution. They feared the possibility that the Executive could become tyrannical and also the possibility of mob rule through the legislature.

 

Republicans themselves might be very fractured if Palin endorsed candidates rack up significant wins. Already many prominent Republicans like Karl Rove have spoken out against Palin and the establishment Republicans are not likely to get along with the Tea Party Republicans. Especially if the Republicans somehow win the Senate I can see problems brewing between people like Angle, Rand and Miller versus the leadership of McConnell, Kyle and Alexander.