I've been reading with interest a number of the diaries about the latest compromise/cave/capitulation (take your pick) of the White House and lots of thoughts on what should or shouldn't have been done.
Since that is being covered by plenty of people, I thought I would talk about what I think is one of the bigger problems this particular White House has; namely that President Obama, in my humble opinion, seems to be working under an unworkable construct in his position. Instead of being President in an equal but seperate branch of the government, he seems to be working as the US Senator from America.
I have come to this conclusion in watching how he works to move forward on his legislative initiatives. Instead of using a bully pulpit and setting an agenda, he seems instead to go into negotiation mode, and pointedly with only the Senate.
Now I've seen a number of diaries and comments talking about President Obama as weak. But I would posit another theory - that he doesn't know how to handle the difference between being the Executive and a Senator.
So instead he falls back on his experience - and all of his political experience is as a State Senator or United States Senator. So, based on his experience, he wants to get to a point of finding enough votes to get the legislation passed.
Unfortunately, that doesn't work when you are President. As President, it is important to set a narrative. And as leader of not only the nation but also your party, it is equally important to explain to the nation what is needed and why.
In following the Executive blueprint, he may not win all the time. And yes, there may be times that he has to compromise.
But by working under the Senatorial rather than Presidential blueprint, he is giving up the power of the Executive. And people on all sides see him as weak and ineffectual, and the power vacuum left by the lack of a strong Executive branch is filled by others - as is always the case when any kind of power vacuum appears in politics.