# After Obama wins, can the Republicans continue being obstructionists? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 22, 2012, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266 "2012-08-22T12:27:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/41 "2012-08-22T23:16:55Z")
Moved from General Questions to Elections. **samclem** , Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/42 "2012-08-23T00:11:50Z")
I don’t see why not. They have nothing to gain by governing in a bipartisan fashion. Their base is so anti-democrat and anti-Obama that any sort of cooperation will result in a primary from the right. Dick Lugar comes up as an example of what happens if a republican is seen as ‘helpful’ to helping the democrats pass legislation. So was Arlen Specter (he had to switch parties because he knew he’d lose a primary from the right after he supported the stimulus). Plus if a democratic president turns the country around, he can run on that record. There is no incentive for them to help make things work. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/43 "2012-08-23T01:22:59Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > . . . I think it’s also possible that if the Dems control the Senate by a simple majority they can change the rules at the beginning of the session to eliminate the filibuster or at least lower the number of votes needed to end one. Whether they’d do that I can’t say, but given the recent behavior of the Republicans it’s possible that they would consider it. If Obama wins, it wouldn’t matter as much, since they wouldn’t have enough to overturn his veto. If Romney won, they’d do it in a heartbeat. The first time the Democrats tried to filibuster a Romney Supreme Court nominee, bang, the rules would change and the filibuster would be gone. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/44 "2012-08-23T02:16:38Z")
A lot depends on what exactly Republicans win in the election. If they win the Congress, then by definition they won’t be obstructing anything. They’ll be passing legislation and it will be up to the President to obstruct. If they hold the House and fail to win the Senate, then obstruction is untenable. In the context of the 2010 election, obstruction was sensible given the mandate Republicans got in that election: stop the Democrats. A divided result in 2012 would send a different message. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/45 "2012-08-23T02:30:06Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > Isn’t it pretty much a given that any Republican who tries to get along will get primaried by a Tea Partier? Depends on the disrict, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/46 "2012-08-23T02:34:01Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > Isn’t it pretty much a given that any Republican who tries to get along will get primaried by a Tea Partier? But when they lose the General Election, this will stop very soon. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/47 "2012-08-23T02:37:04Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I say they can. It makes no sense, but nothing they do strategically (long-run) makes much sense to me. If Obama wins, will McConnell come out the next day and express something more like “OK, we tried to make him a one-term President, and we wrecked our brand doing nothing else–now it’s time to become the loyal opposition again” or will he doubledown on their obstructionism and vow to continue opposing anything he proposes or stands for on the principle of being able to then claim a two-term failed presidency? > > This question is much bigger than McConnell himself, of course–I just use him as a handy illustration. I see no reason to believe Obama won’t continue to advance extremely stupid and damaging policies if he wins a second term, so I see no reason to believe that the Republicans won’t continue to thwart his efforts to fuck things up. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/48 "2012-08-23T02:39:30Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Depends on the disrict, I suppose. Depends on how you go about it. Tom Coburn has serious cred, as does Bob Corker. They can get away with it. Lindsey Graham has a reputation of rhetorically attacking his own base, so Tea Partiers are less forgiving of him. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/49 "2012-08-23T02:41:52Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I see no reason to believe Obama won’t continue to advance extremely stupid and damaging policies if he wins a second term, so I see no reason to believe that the Republicans won’t continue to thwart his efforts to fuck things up. I agree with this, sort of. IF Republicans at least control the House and the President doesn’t change course, there isn’t going to be much room for agreement. But I think that this being his last election, he’ll want a legacy. In the runup to an election, it’s all well and good to want to draw contrasts, to stand on principle. But the incentives for both sides point to compromise if the status quo is maintained after the election. Obama will want his place in history assured and Republicans will want to get some things on their own agenda done over the next four years, like tax reform and regulatory form, things Obama supports in theory but where specifics have to be compromised on. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/50 "2012-08-23T02:47:50Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > After Obama wins, can the Republicans continue being obstructionists? “After”? You really are awfully sure of yourself, aren’t you? But continue to think that, if you must. > [@](#): > > It makes no sense, but nothing they do strategically (long-run) makes much sense to me. That usually means you don’t understand their premises. > [@](#): > > “OK, we tried to make him a one-term President, and we wrecked our brand…” We don’t need to TRY. He and the rest of you leftists are doing that quite well all by yourselves. And you really think WE are wrecking OUR brand? What do you think the 2010 elections were all about? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/51 "2012-08-23T02:50:50Z")
THat’s the fundamental problem with their perceptions. They got beat and they just assume it meant nothing. I think the more important question is, if Republicans do sweep everything, win the White House and the Senate, will Democrats reflect on what they did wrong, or will they just assume the public is too stupid to appreciate them and wait for demographic change to sweep them back into power?(which won’t happen). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/52 "2012-08-23T03:26:20Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I see no reason to believe Obama won’t continue to advance extremely stupid and damaging policies if he wins a second term, so I see no reason to believe that the Republicans won’t continue to thwart his efforts to fuck things up. He has certainly been a liar and an ass, most politicians are, but I’d rather see poor kids in Mississippi have health care and school lunches than the wealthy keep their Bush tax cuts. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/53 "2012-08-23T12:28:27Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I’d rather see poor kids in Mississippi have health care and school lunches than the wealthy keep their Bush tax cuts. > 🙂 Why do you hate America? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/54 "2012-08-23T12:46:42Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Yes, looking at current election ads, they are all about blaming Obama for the high unemployment caused by 8 years (or more, to be fair) of policies that produced a severe economic crash several months before Obama’s inauguration. “We’ve been harassing the government for 4 years and they still haven’t produced a recovery from the last Republican debacle!” Remember SENATOR Obama? He spent 4 years in the U.S. Congress voting present while the sub-prime mortgage bubble grew. But what could a U.S. Senator do? After all, they’re only U.S. Senators??? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/55 "2012-08-23T12:50:20Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Why do you hate America? Because _A Horse With No Name_ is a really, really stupid song. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/56 "2012-08-23T13:02:33Z")
Given that rescinding the tax cuts for the wealthy doesn’t raise much revenue, and given your concern for poor kids without health care, wouldn’t you also support rescinding the middle class Bush tax cuts? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/57 "2012-08-23T13:12:09Z")
[quote=“adaher, post:56, topic:632266”] Given that rescinding the tax cuts for the wealthy doesn’t raise much revenue, …/QUOTE] Cite? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/58 "2012-08-23T13:16:02Z")
$700 billion over ten years as opposed to $4 trillion if we repeal the Bush tax cuts for the middle class as well. I mean, if you care about health care that much, the only answer is to let all the Bush tax cuts expire. > **[Opinion | Plenty of Work for the Lame Duck: The $4 Trillion Question...](https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/opinion/07sun1.html)** > > The Bush-era tax cuts are set to expire at year end. That means the lame duck Congress has tough choices to make and not a lot of time to make them. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/59 "2012-08-23T13:17:49Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Given that rescinding the tax cuts for the wealthy doesn’t raise much revenue, and given your concern for poor kids without health care, wouldn’t you also support rescinding the middle class Bush tax cuts? Have you a link to some numbers? I’d play more taxes for kids to eat and have health care. I’d like to compare who pays what sort or percentage, and who actually pays. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266/60 "2012-08-23T13:44:08Z")
I happen to be perfectly fine with letting all the Bush tax cuts expire. Ending them for the rich only is also just fine, the fact that this alone wouldn’t balance the budget doesn’t bother me. Turning off the light when I leave the room doesn’t entirely eliminate my electric bill, but I still do it. Let’s go back in history. It’s early 2009, the Republicans lost massively, giving up the White House and are the minority in the House and Senate. Did they say “Gee, we’ve got to change”? Nope, they doubled down on the crazy and decided that their best bet was to say no to everything, the health of the nation be damned. In 2010 they exploited latent white racism and added in hysteria about what was essentially their own health care plan from the Clinton era and took back the House. Now Democrats are supposed to say, “Oh gee wilikers, the Republicans are right and we’re wrong”? I don’t think so. So in 2013, assuming the Democrats retain the White House and Senate and make inroads if not take over the House, do I think Republicans are going to all of a sudden put country ahead of party? Not on your nellie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-obama-wins-can-the-republicans-continue-being-obstructionists/632266.md?page=4)