Following President Obama’s 2008 election, a Canadian relative sent congratulations, adding, “I didn’t think the U.S. was ready for a black president.”
Unfortunately, she was probably right.
Following Obama’s election, Southern Poverty Law Center documented a big spike in hate groups. Rush Limbaugh said, “I hope Obama fails,” the Tea Party arose, and Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell stated the singular Republican Party priority was Obama’s 2012 defeat.
Before Obama’s inauguration, Republican leadership plotted to obstruct every policy, even if previously Republican-enacted (e.g., Obamacare — Mitt Romney; immigration — Ronald Reagan).
Obama’s grasp of history was exceptional. Parroting Great Depression solutions to avert probable repeat, his 2009 economic stimulus saved or created 1.4 million to 3.3 million jobs (nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office) — many more if necessary Republican votes hadn’t insisted 40 percent of stimulus be tax cuts.
Republicans now praise President Trump’s pre-emptive Syria strikes, but denied Obama support for the same. Republicans’ blatantly obstructionist strategy has gained them full legislative control, so they’re singularly accountable for protecting us from Trump’s quality-of-life reversals. But they’re caving.
