So far, I'm loving post-midterm Bambi (That's what I call Obama because he's just so darn cute). We've got spending freezes for federal employees, we've got (reportedly) a deal to extend all the Bush tax cuts, we've got a serious report from serious people on the deficit commission, and best of all, we've got no more talk of 'wasting a crisis'.
Apologies in advance to anyone unfamiliar with Rahm Emanuel's nickname. Sing this with me to the tune of 'We Will We Will Rock You!' :
We Hate Rahmbo Bye Bye!
Ok so I'm not a song writer, I'll give you that one. Back to Bambi's metamorphosis (and yes the caterpillar might yet become a Clinton-esque butterfly).
Here's one clueless explanation for the 'change'. http://thehill.com/opinion/columnists/ben-goddard/131503-maybe-no-encore-in-2012. This proclaims that Bambi has given up and has decided to be a one term president. I won't even dignify that with a response. After all, politicians seek power-why else subject yourself to the debasement of pandering for votes, begging for money, and lying for a living? --Couldn't help a little response.
A much more likely explanation: Bambi learned a lesson from everybody's favorite family man, Bill Clinton. Dick "The Head" Morris (triangulation's main proponent in the Clinton White House) argued that the Tri was not possible under modern conditions, wailing with his trademark hyperbole that partisanship had gone too far...blah.blah
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/this_time_triangulation_not_an_option_Ll4ow8MJ3p5PH4UJiLeAYM
Nothing could make me happier than to prove The Head wrong.
First let's dispense with the myth that Bambi wants to be like FDR and Reagan but not Clinton, because the prior 2 were 'consequential' presidents. In that yawn inducing stem winder called The Audacity of Hope, Black Jesus said "It was Bill Clinton that recognized the categories of conservative and liberal played to Republican advantage and were inadequate to address our problems. Clinton's third way... tapped into the pragmatic, non ideological attitude of Americans."
Of course we know that before you can become a 'New Democrat' you absolutely must try every tired, pork-bellied, government expansion project that the most detached liberal ideologue can dream up just before your midterm slapdown. After your midterm slapdown, then comes the real governing. Under Clinton, Hillarycare failed, and we all know that Obamacare passed, but the strategy was the same.
The next step, it appears, is also the same. Not only does a fed pay freeze help immunize Obama from the political liability of being in lockstep with federal employee unions, it also gives him a strong (measured by the reception of the idiots who vote) argument against further concessions in federal employee numbers and wages. I already made them sacrifice! Still, Clinton needed welfare reform to really prove that he had moderated, all his school uniforms and V-chip nickle and dime stuff didn't sell the moderate label, it was a miracle most theorists once thought impossible...welfare reform.
There are a few things that might qualify Obama as a moderate. Keep in mind that he needs to be seen fighting the government employee mafias that keep a knife to the throat of America.
1. Major, systemic, wholesale, education reform. This would mean something like, mandating performance pay for teachers by making all federal assistance dependent upon it. As a home run, he could set new rules for teacher's unions, perhaps making them optional rather than required.
2. Broader Government union reform. Ban government unions from spending money on elections that pick politicians that have the power to use guns to give the unions more money. This is my most awesome idea because it helps do away with the incestuous relationship between democratic government and its employees. (Taxdollars that are mandated to go toward the election of politicians that will send more taxdollars to go toward the election of the same politicians.) This idea has numerous problems including states' rights issues, free speech issues, and the simple fact that Obama might lose his own primary if he did this.
3. Serious steps to reduce the deficit. These could include, reduction of DOD budget through (tacit) admission of defeat in AF-Pack and Iraq, substantial cuts in the federal workforce, elimination of foreign aid to criminal dictators, common sense entitlement reforms like: eliminating the employer health-care exemption, raising the social security age, reducing benefits for the wealthy, making healthcare available in a national market etc.. HOME RUN: Constitutional Amendment requiring a balanced budget. I know, dream on.
4. Complete Tax overhaul. David Brooks touched on this http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/03/opinion/03brooks.html
The Heritage Foundation believes this would reduce the deficit 65b a year and create over 2million new jobs. It would lower tax rates for almost everyone while raising revenue, have a direct positive impact on everyday people's lives, empower small businesses and entrepreneurs, and best of all it could be sold to both parties. Not only is this the most possible on this list, it is quite possibly the best. It would need to follow the mold of the 1986 resimplification and do away with the thousands and tens of thousands of loopholes, credits, confusions and complications that make everyone sick to their stomach in early April. This doesn't do away with Obama's union problem, but a few more symbolic moves--such as a hiring freeze-- and he could earn a label as a moderate in one fell swoop. Lower corporate taxes while he's at it, and we've got the best president since...well...since...I don't even know.
In short, Bambi is a politician and as a teacher once told me, all politicians can be explained with a single acronym, SMSR, Single Minded Seekers of Re-election. The lefty stuff is going nowhere, so bring on the Tri. (that's a play on Bi--for those of you who don't know what that means I suggest you make younger friends). So that's it Bambi, just choose from 1-4 above and consider me your new biggest fan. Easy huh? I'm a pushover. (Again, younger friends)
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