Does anyone think Obama will change policies as a second term Prez?

[panader0]

Assuming he wins, and I think he will. Ending the wars would be highest on my list. Does anyone think he's not showing a lot of backbone because he's angling to be re-elected? Here on DU, most want a more progressive Obama, but in the nation as a whole, many think him too progressive already. I sincerely hope that when he is re-elected, he will become much more aggresive, knowing he cannot run again.

[pnwmom]

1. I think and hope he will. n/t

[RadiationTherapy]

2. No. As a matter of fact, we seem to be going down the same road as Bush

in relation to those who supported him. In the end, many conservatives (fiscal and values) feel Bush2 was not a conservative administration in any genuine way.

[RainDog]

3. no n/t

[JoePhilly]

4. He'll be able to let the tax cuts for the rich expire.

As a candidate he promised to not raise taxes on the 95% of Americans making less than 250k. If he broke that promise, he'd be screwed for 2012, period.

By extending them until the end of 2011, he can let all of the tax cuts expire with no political consequence.

[provis99]

5. He will completely change his whole approach.

He will try to compromise more, and try harder to get along with Republicans.

[Autumn]

6. Nope. n/t

[FLAprogressive]

7. No, people will say that he will but he won't. Then the excuse will be his "legacy".

[xchrom]

8. No. Nt

[RZM]

9. You certainly hear that argument on the right

Some probably genuinely believe it, others think it's valuable as a scare tactic, and quite a few believe both.

I'm not so sure on the wars. Perhaps more winding-down in Iraq and the beginning of the same thing in Afghanistan, but those issues will probably still be salient in the 2016 campaign. I don't think Obama is going to take bold action here - he's going to defer to advisers on military issues and I think they will argue for withdrawal at snail's pace and significant rump forces being left in both places on a long-term basis.

I think immigration will be the real battle in his second term, though I don't think it's going to be a left/right debate. You have some very strange bedfellows on this issue and serious division within both parties, particularly on the Republican side, which is due for a major clash between Bush-style cheap labor folks and Tea Party types on this issue. Democratic politicians seem more united, but a lot of Dem voters will not be on board for any kind of major amnesty.

It's going to be VERY interesting to watch :)

[krabigirl]

10. Nope.

[OHdem10]

11. I do not believe so. He seems to believe the DLC--New Democrat

ideology.

[Poll_Blind]

12. No, he won't change. I clung to that idea for a while, though.

I was doing it because I was desperate to find some reason to disbelieve all his right-leaning political moves and placations as some over-arching Master Plan.

At a certain point, though, I had to stop, take a step back, and realize that I was constructing in my mind an entirely little world of Obama doing the wrong thing while secretly waiting to spring his trap and do the right thing- and that I could nolonger find grounding in fact for that, somewhat elaborately-constructed, belief.

Obama ran as a firebrand Progressive Democrat and he was elected as one. But that's not who he is, and he ain't about "Change" either.

Believe me, I've been where you are on this idea, so I certainly can't sleight you. But...yeah, for my own self I've moved passed that because the idea just won't float anymore.

PB

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. Only if he can get the Republicans to go along with it through negotiations.

And, if that follows the usual course, he'll compromise and accept Boner as co-president.

[Edweird]

14. Change for the worse, maybe. Change into a Liberal/Progressive? No way in hell.

[northoftheborder]

15. Do not think he will change. This is who he is.

[walerosco]

16. nope

maybe on tax vuts but definetly not on the wars> he seems to be enjoying the smell of gun power

[jwirr]

17. I am old enough to know that other 2 term presidents did. It will depend

on what kind of congress he has. He has nothing to lose because he cannot run again. I hope he will have a true majority in both houses and that he moves to the left in his second term.

[loyalsister]

18. I think it's possible

Keep in mind. One of the responsibilities of a president to his constituency in the first term actually is to get re-elected. We all know that it is not likely to reach the promised goals in only 4 years. Particularly if they will result in some real differences. My hope is that he will be able to be more aggressive and lay groundwork for another Democrat to continue building on policies that I favor.