The refrain is familiar. A Democratic President, who spends two years governing with a Democratic Congress, loses control of Congress in the mid-term. He tacks to the middle, and the new conservative Congress goes over board. His own base in Congress reacts angrily, but ultimately the President wins, and they follow.Is this 1995 all over again? No, it's 2010, but some are wondering if the GOP is heading the same way. Just months ahead of the March showdown over spending levels, the GOP-lead House is reaching far in it's actions. The President is moving towards the middle, reaching out to business and extending tax-cuts. It's premature, but certainly the similarities are there.
At the same time, the President is facing harsh rhetoric from his left. He's receiving letters from his own party's House caucus saying he should tell the GOP to "keep your hands off of our Social Security." Yes, they want him to take the popular program totally off the table at the outset of any budget discussions. The blanket-ness of the statement smacks nearly as tone deaf as the GOP's $2.5 trillion in cuts to discretionary spending (although far more defensible, as a policy statement). With fears stemming from the tax cut deal and the death of the Public Option, the left-wing of the Democratic Party appears to be drawing early battle lines.
So, on one side is an extremist party that is in charge of the House, and is going to go way out to the right. On the other hand, he has a party of his own that is going to stick tight to it's guns, and may not come along towards the middle. No one said being President is easy. Apparently though, triangulating is.
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