dropdeadpolitics

Did the Republicans peak too soon? Time will tell but their momentum going into the 2010 midterm elections was certainly stifled by the tremendous political victory Obama and the Democrats achieved with the passage of the historic health care reform bill. The GOP had been taking advantage of the sour mood most of the country is feeling due to a weak economy and anemic job market.  They decided to play defense and try to stop every piece of the Obama agenda in order to claim he is a failed President.

The GOP has enjoyed political momentum and poll numbers for months but that is all changing now that the Democrats have achieved the biggest political victory in decades. America likes winners and likes ideas, two things the GOP is devoid of.  The GOP will pay a political price for their attempts at obstruction and demonization of a bill the majority of Americans now favor. The GOP was banking on successfully stopping the Obama agenda but that is not how it played out and they were left holding all the political liability. Now the GOP vows to run on “repeal, replace and reform”. History shows that once a bill is passed it becomes more and more popular leaving the GOP on the wrong side of history…once again.

This obstruction has been combined with the GOP’s willingness to play to their angry and radical base further moving them out of the American mainstream. They have allowed their party to be hijacked by a small fringe group partially comprised of racists and xenophobes. The GOP has not spoke out against this small but vocal minority allowing their rhetoric to ostracize many moderates.  The overblown rhetoric about death panels and Communist takeover will be shown to be outright lies now that reform has passed.

Obama seems to be a master at peaking just at the right time. During the Democratic primary everyone thought Hillary Clinton was going to take the nomination easily. Many of the Obama supporters including myself got a bit worried asserting that Obama was not fighting hard enough. Obama just sat back and made his move right in time to win the Iowa caucus propelling him to the eventual nomination. Once in the general election, Obama sat back and allowed McCain to waste his political momentum after the pick of Sara Palin only to turn up the intensity once again at the exact right moment to sustain him through the election. President Obama laid forth an ambitious agenda that included comprehensive health care reform, something his own advisors thought was political suicide. Obama waited and allowed the GOP to work itself into a frenzy during the summer knowing that the intensity could not be sustained. Once the opposition had lost their momentum Obama went to work in series of political events designed to recapture the momentum. One State of the Union, several town hall meetings and a health care forum later and we have comprehensive health care.  Obama’s rope a dope strategy once again worked to perfection, pouncing just as the opposition lost its steam.

It appears this strategy will be employed just in time to stem the losses in the 2010 midterm elections. History shows that this should be a huge year for the GOP but they may have squandered any chance of retaking the majority.  Combine that with a weak economy and the GOP should have a cakewalk this November. I ask again…has the GOP peaked too soon? Obama and the Democrats plan on riding this victory into November and in all likelihood have saved their majority.  The can credibly appeal to the American people on actual legislative victories that have expanded coverage and protected the rights of millions of patients all without the help of a single Republican.

In conclusion, Obama seems to be a master at picking and choosing the right time to put the political pedal to the floor.  While the GOP may pick up seats it will pale in comparison to what they hoped and what history shows they should have achieved.  The GOP is in danger of having a complete failure on their hands if they are not careful how they proceed the next few months. America does not like angry pessimistic politicians and for months that is all the GOP has offered. It is impossible to know exactly how events will unfold by November but it is clear that 2010 has started off great for Obama and the Democrats.  Obama’s rope a dope strategy has once again scored a knockout and it remains to be seen whether the GOP has the ability for a rematch.