Sunday, October 3, 2010

The End of the Obama Agenda

Whatever the outcome on November 2nd, the Obama agenda is finished and cannot be resuscitated. Most of the economic agenda was aimed at pumping up the income of union and public sector employees. The health care system has been trashed and the financial sector lies under the most burdensome regulatory environment in history. Meanwhile ordinary Americans are still losing their jobs, their homes, their credit cards and their health care insurance. No wonder life is tough for Democrats.

The Obama answer to the enormous backlash to his first twenty one months in office is that the public doesn't understand his program. Unfortunately, for Obama the public does understand his program and has been opposed to it from the beginning.

Having nothing to run on but an incredibly unpopular legislative record, the Democrats, actively encouraged by President Obama, are resorting to mud slinging and personal attacks. That's about all they have left. This is the new politics that will be Obama's legacy to the American system.

Obama says that Americans don't understand. Yes, they do. The two biggest lies in the past two years are: 1) No one will lose their health insurance; and 2) We are bending the (health care) cost curve down. It's hard to imagine anyone in America, including folks in the White House, believe those lies anymore.

It is an Administration in shambles. The rats are leaving the sinking ship. The dream is over. Interviewed on public radio, students who lead the charge for Obama in 2008, were unanimous in their view that "Congressional elections aren't cool...I don't even know who my Congressman is...." So the students will sit this one out, but the adults will not sit this one out.

The Republicans will gain 65-70 seats in the House and 8-10 seats in the Senate. The era of Obama is over.