For the GOP, the Economic Meltdown May Have Happened Just a Wee Bit Early

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In addition, Bush is doing his part by attempting to gum up the works for his successor with numerous executive orders overturning environmental safeguards, thus easing the way for polluting corporations to get what they want before the Democrats take over. He also has placed key aides under civil-service protections throughout the federal bureaucracy, there to hamstring Obama's programs from the inside.

The essence of the Republican strategy is to ensure that Obama will face concerted, unrelenting opposition from inside both Congress and his own administration, while the corporate mass-media continue their anti-Obama assaults from outside the government.

In this scenario, a weakened Obama presidency, struggling from one crisis to another and unable to gain political traction, will create the conditions for a Republican resurgency in 2010 and 2012.

THE PROGRESSIVE DILEMMA

I think the Obama transition team sees that handwriting on the wall as well, which helps explain why the President-Elect has been, in effect, assuming the mantle of the presidency by his speeches and actions well in advance of Inauguration Day, to help build up his presidential momentum and enlarge whatever political "honeymoon" period he's granted.

This is why the forces that worked for Obama's victory must remain united to counter the pressure from the Right. Ordinarily, the progressive Democratic base could be counted on to provide the bodies and support for the Obama presidency, but there are fissures inside the Democratic Party that could weaken the effort.

Many progressives, for example, feel they are being taken for granted and watch, with disappointment and anger, as Obama moves more toward the center and even the center-right in his appointments, positions and, particularly, his foreign/military policies.

Watching the Obama balancing act on the greased high-wire of the presidency is going to make for some fascinating, scary political theater during the next four years. Stay tuned for the mayhem and fun. #

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Bernard Weiner, Ph.D. in government & international relations, has taught at universities in California and Washington, worked as a writer/editor with the San Francisco Chronicle for two decades, and currently serves as co-editor of The Crisis Papers (www.crisispapers.org). To comment: crisispapers@comcast.net .

First published by The Crisis Papers and Democratic Underground 12/2/08.
www.crisispapers.org/essays8w/meltdown.htm

Copyright 2008 by Bernard Weiner.

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Bernard Weiner, Ph.D. in government & international relations, has taught at universities in California and Washington, worked for two decades as a writer-editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, and currently serves as co-editor of The Crisis Papers (more...)

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