Obama Must Fight One More Campaign: To Keep Senate & Win House in 2014 - by Robert Shrum

[DonViejo]

Feb 8, 2013 4:45 AM EST

To secure landmark objectives and assure his final two years aren’t a token, the president must in effect run all out for a third term in 2014, using the bully pulpit and the firepower of his political organization, and keeping the heat—and blame—on obstructionist Republicans.

President Obama may have to defy history—again. To pass much of his agenda for change, he not only will have to hold the Senate, but may have to gain the House in 2014, or come close, opening the way to what has eluded every two-term president in modern times—and at almost any time: a final two years of important, even historic, achievement in domestic affairs.

It’s a daunting challenge. Here’s why Obama may have to meet it—and here’s how he can.

Since the election, the Republicans have been dispensing a series of predictable speeches about rebranding. Following Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor weighed in with his own call for a newer, better, and still, of course, conservative GOP. The rhetoric was mostly as empty of substance and evasive on details as a Paul Ryan budget. Indeed the whole exercise across the top ranks of the party is little more than an attempt to put lipstick on an elephant. Meanwhile, it’s plain to see that the elephant hasn’t done a backflip—or stepped even a few feet away from the rigidities of inaction and reaction.

House Republicans did decide, reluctantly, that they couldn’t afford to crater the full faith and credit of the United States or shut down the government. They’ve pulled back from the dubious and conspicuous tactic of crashing the economy. But they now claim they are ready to bleed it with the sequester—the automatic, across-the-board cuts that would depress growth this year to a pallid 1.4 percent. Unemployment would remain above 7.5 percent until 2015. House Speaker John Boehner denounced the president’s proposal to avoid the sequester before he actually announced it.

The Republicans may blink in the glare of public pressure, but a blinkered and unmanageable GOP House caucus may plunge right—far right—into the darkness.

more:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/02/08/obama-must-fight-one-more-campaign-to-keep-senate-win-house-in-2014.html

[davidpdx]

1. Not only Obama, but all of us need to fight for Ds in 2014

This year and next will be tough given the fact that Republicans still hold the House. We need to take it back in 2014 so we have a majority in both houses of Congress. For all the giddiness over who will or won't run in 2016, the focus needs to be on the mid-terms so we have a majority for Obama's last two years and whomever succeeds him.

[Trascoli]

2. Obama will fight in 2016

and so on. He is a team player