How Conservatives Moved Obama to the Left

The American Prospect's Jamelle Bouie makes the case that Republicans, by refusing to work with the president, have made him a lot more liberal. Suggested Reading Suge Knight Claims Tupac’s Mother Made This Shocking Move in His Final Moments Spoilers: Black TikTok Has Theories on Whether Taraji’s Daughter in ‘Straw’ The Unbelievable Reasons Jury Deliberations…

The American Prospect's Jamelle Bouie makes the case that Republicans, by refusing to work with the president, have made him a lot more liberal.

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Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

I think itโ€™s best to understand this as part of a deliberate strategy. Rather than try to beat Obama with a more compelling vision of the countryโ€™s direction, Republicans have tried instead to break his presidency with categorical opposition to his policies, a wide swing to the right, and a campaign of constant demonization. The hope was โ€” and remains โ€” that this would alienate and anger voters, and lead Republicans back to the White House.

Now, that still might happen, especially if the economy backslides into stagnation or recession. But if it doesnโ€™t, and Obama wins re-election, then conservatives will have given themselves the worst of all possible worlds: a reinvigorated administration that now understands the futility of working with Republicans. Freed from that concern, the administration can push a bit further to the left than it would have if Republicans had chosen to compromise through Obama's first term.

Read Jamelle Bouie's entire piece at the American Prospect.

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