Still, President Obama has the opportunity to create even more history. But he has to deliver on promises that he's made. Black, Brown and Latino people gave him the benefit of the doubt, remained loyal to him even as they were taking the brunt of the economic pain. That is because they genuinely believed in him. They believed him when he said that he was going to take on immigration reform head-on; they believed him when he spoke so eloquently about diversity and they believed him when he said that it was time for women to be equal to men in the workplace and other places.
The president now has enormous political capital. But he's acting as if he has to tip-toe and kow-tow to Republicans who just don't get it. For example, there's newly minted GOP Congressman Tom Cotton who said that Republicans should say "Hello, no" to President Obama; there Speaker John Boehner who is rattling the saber saying that he'll shut down the government if he and his party does not get their way; there is Senator Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, who is now famous for NOT making Barack Obama a one-term president, and then there is the Tea Party Caucus in the Congress that hates the president's guts.
So why the coddling up with Republicans and not defending -- even from a moral standpoint -- people that have done no wrong, are loyal, and want to lift up all boats as opposed to a group that only sees the wealthy and the rich? It boggles my mind.
I'm still a big fan of President Obama. But I think that this criticism is constructive, objective and fair. As a great admirer of the president I hope he proves me wrong. He does not have to punt; it's time to hit the Republican pitchers into the stand.
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