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How Obama Became A Big Winner by Doing Nothing

By: Vassar Bushmills (Diary)  |  December 23rd, 2010 at 09:35 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

I’d always grouped Lindsay Graham with the French, who, maybe once every century, did or said anything memorable.

But as Erick quoted Graham yesterday, it was a doozie.

“I can understand the Democrats being afraid of the new Republicans; I can’t understand Republicans being afraid of the new Republicans.”

There you have it.

Charles Krauthammer said that this had been a very good week for Obama, intimating that Obama had schemed and maneuvered, a la Bill Clinton, or maybe Richelieu, to bring about this sudden reversal in his fortunes. Yeah, sure.

Maybe Charles was merely damning Obama with faint praise…he is susceptible to that…but clearly, as everyone of you know, the secret to all of Barack Obama’s success to date…from 2008 on, has been first, Republicans being afraid of Democrats, then Republicans being afraid of new Republicans.

In short Republicans being afraid.

That’s about to change.

But the culture of the GOP side of the United States Senate is about to change in a more dramatic fashion than we will see in the House. God, what an awesome power they will be if they will work in tandem, and in solidarity. While the new freshman class of senators will not have the size or putative power of the freshman in the House, the change in culture there will be more magnified. Lindsay may find himself afraid of those same freshmen himself, before all is said and done.

Our lesson on this 23rd day of December, is that there is still much to be done. It is the culture of Washington the People want to change, but all we won on November 2 was a foot in the door to that change. We have two hard years in front of us.

I’ll dedicate my next 20 months to examining the nature of leadership, the long view, and this new culture we want to see emerge in Washington, as well seeing if we cannot launch a relentless pursuit of the Left outside Washington that will be as effective as the one the Left has carried on against us these past forty-fifty years. Watch for it.

That said, for the next few days enjoy family, peace, and joy, and the true Reason for the Season, as LadyP so poignantly reminded us yesterday….

…’Cuz on Monday, the 27th, not the 3rd, it’s battle armor in full dress regalia.

Many Blessings on your House, and God bless the United States of America.

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COMMENTS

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  • http://theminorityreportblog.com Repair_Man_Jack

    I wish we had weathered it better, but I’m pleased the tax-rates held and the porknibus done died.

    As for The Done, this was it for his agenda. Voting present will no longer work. He will either have to figure out practical implementations for his ideals, (such as they are) or accept that they are out of vogue for a long stretch of time. The GOP can drive this Congress, not necessarily be sheer numbers yet, but instead by ideas and momentum.

  • http://dreamsfrommyforefathers.com RoguePolitics

    I think the truth is more like this.
    A certain number of Republicans, more visible in the senate but just as real in the house, would rather have Democrat control.
    They would rather vote for unemployment benefits extensions, tax increases, cap and trade, more spending, etc. They believe the opportunities to increase state power will be more limited under Republican control.

    They are to coin a phrase, Republicans-In-Name-Only or RINO’s.
    OK, Maybe that is a counterfeit coining

    Why do we persist in treating these folks like they are slightly eccentric uncles and aunts who are nevertheless still on our side?

    The Democrats have acted in manner during the last two years that demonstrates beyond any reasonable doubt their intent to destroy what is left of a once great nation. Any Republican willing to help advance the lefts cause in the smallest way is, at this point, as much the enemy as Pelosi or Reid or Frank or Schumer.

    The nation is flat on its back with a boot on its neck and these bootlicking RINO’s are tying the laces for the enemy.

    That is a great quote by Graham however it is wrong in this sense, the RINO’s don’t fear the left, they are the left.

    They fear the new Republicans in the house them same way Hitler feared the British. After battering us down in word and deed, after opening the door to our enemies and providing aid and comfort to the same, after every perfidious assault, after betraying their very souls to their statist cause, they look out and still we are standing.

    Worse yet, we are moving forward.

    • E Pluribus Unum

      I don’t think the Beltway Republicans quite have this message yet.

      But they will. The Tea Party spirit was not spent in this election. It was awakened. THAT is what neither Democrats nor Republicans fully get yet. Those who survived (or in the Senate, those whose turn to be held accountable has not yet arrived) think that the same old promise-break-promise cycle will be tolerated.

      The joke will be on them.

      • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

        stay on their butts 24/7 in the new Congress

        • E Pluribus Unum

          I believe America was awakened in earnest, not just experieced a momentary turn over from a nap.

          • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

            we can avoid maybe having to go “pure democracy” to force the needed changes quickly enough…and by that I mean that if these next few Congresses or even just this one, don’t remain near pure in opposing and attempting to turn back the size of govt and debt, that We the People will form a third party that has less chance of effecting change and/or have the left initiate violence in response to our civil disobedience…columns to come! smile

            see also the coming Jan 5 civil obedience of the D.C., American Drive-In

            http://theamericandrivein.com/

  • http://thesandsinstitute.org Vassar Bushmills

    It’s our job to keep their nose to the grindstone. Round 2 starts Monday.

    • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

      the former turns out to be more significant that the two latters. I do think that the DADT is a result of a cultural trend that is ominous but that START is rather puny given Obama’s unilateral inaction on defense.

      But if the tea partiers can keep McConnell & Co on the straight and narrow on spending, maybe we can avoid the deluge of deepening depression and decline and a deep crisis.

  • Scope

    Krauthammer comment on the panel last night, and was once again very disappointed, but not surprised. It sounded to me like a congratulations to the O of sorts. He could have added something about how O accomplished what he did by deceit, trickery and bribes, shadowed behind some 50 cent words, of course. Believe me, Sheppard Smith and Juan Williams, Libs both, were competing to see who had the biggest tingles.

    Vassar, have the merriest of Christmas’s, and a truly happy and exciting New Year. Thanks for being a part of the “right” fight.

    • Scope

      spoil that grandbaby. Not too much at least.

      • http://thesandsinstitute.org Vassar Bushmills

        I wouldn’t worry too much about Charles, tho, he has a cunning mind, and indeed, may have damning OB1 with faint praise…as well as teasing the usual suspects in the GOP. The treaty won’t mean much once we get back in charge, and its symbolism may well play more to our hand than the Russians.