Lame Duck Dynasty? Obama Goes it Alone...and Up Goes His Approval Rating

[tgards79]

Obama's who-needs-them-go-it-alone approach is gaining traction with the American people:
http://www.borntorunthenumbers.com/2015/01/december-month-in-review-lame-duck.html

[BlueCaliDem]

1. May this send a message, loud and clear, to Democrats: STOP BEING SO TEPID. eom

[samsingh]

2. imagine that - where would we be had he been so bold for the past six years?

[Nay]

3. Really. It's sad to contemplate how far we could have gone if we had even

tried to change the narrative, instead of coddling knuckleheads and religious whackos.

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. I suspect ...

we'd be 4 1/2 years into Constitutional Crisis (a political loser) ... or worse, 5 to 5 1/2 years into a SCOTUS ruling stating that the Executive cannot do what President Obama is now doing (a policy AND political loser).

No ... President Obama (and his team of advisors) gamed this out perfectly, as it is late enough in his term that the SCOTUS cannot intervene.

[tgards79]

7. True enough...

I don't think Obama could have acted with this degree of reckless abandon in 2010...

[FSogol]

5. The term "lame duck" is being misused by the media, pundits, and most everyone.

Obama is not a lame duck until after the election for his replacement. Pretending he has no power in his second term does not make him a lame duck. He becomes a lame duck on November 9, 2016.

[tgards79]

6. No doubt you are technically correct...

...but all those groups you cite are almost certainly using the term metaphorically. He is not technically a lame duck, but the power he wields is believed to be limited by virtue of his ineligibility to be reelected, exacerbated by the outcome of the midterms and his personal unpopularity. Having said that, the point of this piece is that he is finding this situation empowering and is acting with a boldness that has not often been the norm in his presidency. Immigration is a clear example of this newfound boldness.

http://www.borntorunthenumbers.com/2015/01/december-month-in-review-lame-duck.html

[quadrature]

8. sympathy bounce ... nt

[tgards79]

9. Don't think so...

The numbers were higher in early January than December.

[Fearless]

10. Imagine that standing for democratic ideas gains you democratic support?!

[tgards79]

12. It is a wonder!

But I think it also shows that Americans like someone who acts, even if controversially. Unfortunately, George W. bush knew this, too. It only works out if you do things that are reasonably popular and ultimately justified!