Have you read the headlines over the past week, in the wake of the defeat of fast-track?
If fast-track goes down, according to mainstream pundits, Obama:
- “will be perceived as a lame duck”;
- will lose “one of the last chances he has to leave his imprint on the world”;
- will lose “a way to leave behind a positive legacy” “for a president eager to change the world.”
Consider, if you will, a couple of additional observations:
(1) WHILE OBAMA IS COUNTING ON REPUBLICANS TO SAVE HIS LEGACY, HE IS SPITTING IN THEIR FACES –- AND TRAMPLING THE CONSTITUTION –- ON EVERY OTHER ISSUE.
(2) WHETHER OBAMA CAN RECOVER HIS “LEGACY” BY NEXT NOVEMBER WILL PROBABLY DETERMINE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2017.
Since 1949, in every presidential election in my lifetime, there has been a virtually unalterable trend: One party controls the White House for two terms. Then, a dissatisfied electorate throws them out and puts the other party in power for two terms.
There have only been two exceptions in 65 years:
Carter was viewed as a failed president, and was therefore denied his second term.
Reagan was viewed as a successful president and was therefore given, in effect, a third term.
Currently, Barack Obama is on his face. But, if the GOP Republican leadership can pick him up by reincarnating fast-track, he may be able to replicate Reagan’s singular electoral achievement.
So why would the congressional Republican leadership lead an initiative which is effectively a “Hillary for President” campaign? And why would they push relentlessly -– punishing members of their own party for voting their own conscience – after their efforts have been repudiated?
It’s time to derail fast-track. And the first step is for every GOP congressmen to vote against the rule to enable it.
The message is clear: Congressmen: If you think fast-track is a disaster, don’t support it on the critical vote -- the vote on the rule.
Handing Barack Obama a legacy creating victory is not worth the glowing mainstream media press which the GOP congressional leadership covets. Rest assured: That love affair will be ephemeral.