Is He Post-Partisan Now? Are We?

Are we finally post-partisan now that President Obama has found a way to help Americans on both sides politically while angering politicians on both sides simultaneously?

President Obama may have taken the first step in showing that he may end up being the first post-partisan president after all – even if it has been two years past due.

After all, the president’s willingness to hold his fellow Democrats accountable in regards to working with Republicans while constructing the stimulus package, the automakers’ bailouts, and the healthcare reform legislation was not evident. That failure has contributed to the heightened political tensions that we have now throughout the nation. Despite political tensions boiling since the controversial Bush presidential victory in late 2000, Mr. Obama – as a candidate in 2008 – campaigned as a leader that would elevate and unite America past the political division. Simply, he has governed otherwise on most domestic issues to date.

Ironic that the political parties have united now – in their common frustration with the Obama tax compromise of 2010. However, everyday Americans may unite behind the president if this move proves to play a role in stimulating the economy.

Liberals such as WVON alumnus Roland Martin and MSNBC’s Chris Matthews were disappointed with the president’s negotiated framework for a deal, stating that Mr. Obama folded too soon. Matthews suggested that Democrats hold they ground for a tax cuts vote on Christmas Eve, forcing the Republicans to acquiesce to the will of Pelosi and Reid one more time or loss the Bush-era tax rates for the rich.This rhetoric, however, is both shortsighted and misguided, contributing to the problems within politics that is holding back the nation today. President Obama knew that the 112^th Congress would be significally-less liberal in make-up, therefore mading several shrewd maneuvers to ensure that unemployment extensions and other ecomonic assurances for Americans during these hard times were available – including tax stability for small business owners.

Counting on Republicans to back down and vote for any Pelosi/Reid-led tax legislation during a late-hour vote – knowing that the GOP moves into power in January – would have been unsuccessful, especially with Republicans basking ni the glow of November’s electoral victories.

With that said, conservatives looking for more from President Obama should walk away from the negotiation table without slighting the president with verbal sniping. Saying that Mr. Obama has not looked “presidential” during this process is disingenuous considering that no one within the Democratic Party has yet to exhibit any political discipline since the 2008 election. Even during times of political power, Democratic leaders failed to engage Republican Congressional leaders to draft key pieces of legislation, instead choosing to cut intra-party deals over brokering bipartisan solutions. Republicans may believe that they would receive their tax cuts without Obama’s deal once the 112

th Congress took office are ill-advised, considering that the Republicans still would not have the votes to overcome opposition from the Senate or the White House. Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) and Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) may dismay admitting President Obama’s role in bringing about the much-desired preservation of Bush-era tax rates, but without the president’s work, Republicans would have spent the next 2 years bemoaning tax increases to prompt GOP votes in November 2012.

Maybe finally there is enough from the president - economically and politically - that may stimulate America, even in a post-partisan way.

Obama’s bold move to push America in the right direction shows the political guts Americans hoped he would exude as a post-partisan leader in the White House. Despite the political pain he has from causing frustrations on both sides, more Americans collectively stand to gain in the short term while facilitating the tax stability that could be vital in making this “jobless recovery” a true uptick for Americans.

Passing big, sweeping social legislation has not come about with bipartisan support for some time now; subsequently, it is no surprise that the lack of bipartisanship in Washington reflects a lack of collective divisiveness that exists in America currently. However, perhaps President Obama’s move to pass this sweeping legislation past the partisanship muck that has fueled this Recession may be the bridge over trouble water that Americans have been anxiously waiting for.

President Obama’s post-partisan presence in such a crucial domestic matter gives the country an ally to broker cooperation between the Democrats and Republicans that the parties would not have parleyed on their own. True, Mr. Obama is taking a political risk, but if it works, the re-emergence of candidate Obama from 2008 may lead to the success of candidate Obama in 2012 – and the re-emergence of more successes for the American economy.

Lenny McAllister, a syndicated political commentator, is the host of “Launching Chicago with Lenny McAllister” on WVON AM-1690. He also hosts an evening show on CLTV. Follow him at www.twitter.com/lennyhhr and www.tinyurl.com/lennyfacebook .