Barack Obama
McCain-Palin
The Birthers The Facts
2008 Results Obama 365 McCain 173
The Great Recession
Bush and Obama: Keynesian Response
Priorities: Health Care White House Health care page Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – Introduced Sep 17, 2009 – Passed House Oct 08, 2009 – Passed Senate with Changes Dec 24, 2009 – Passed Senate Mar 21, 2010 – Signed by the President Mar 23, 2010
Tea Party Movement
The Fringe
2010 Elections Senate YearDemocratsRepublicansIndependent 2008 (111 th ) (allied with Democrats) 2010 (112 th ) (allied with Democrats) 2012 (113 th ) (allied with Democrats) 2014 (114 th ) (allied with Democrats)
2010 Elections House YearDemocratsRepublicans 2008 (111 th ) (112 th ) (113 th ) (114 th )188247
2012 Obama 332 Romney 206
Republican Strategy Stop Obama’s legislative agendaObama’s legislative agenda
Obama Strategy Executive power Immigration
Changes in Republican Party 1980s-2010s Reagan Coalition Midwest small towns Wealthiest Americans Hawks on foreign policy Blue Collar in North and Midwest – union and non-union White Southerners Evangelicals Yuppies Trump Coalition Non-College-Educated White Men White Southerners Blue Collar in North and Midwest – Union and non-union – Anti-free trade Anti-intervention/nation-building Evangelicals Conservative nationalists – (white/Christian) Rural/anti-elite Tea Party
The Current Battle 1. House Lawsuit against Obama Actions on Affordable Care Act Obama delays employer mandatedelays employer mandate The Resolution Authorizing the LawsuitResolution 2. Supreme Court ruling on Affordable Care Act 2015Supreme Court ruling
Lessons From Teddy Roosevelt From LBJ From Ronald Reagan
What TR Would Say: Use the Bully Pulpit! Press conferences Average number Informal Q and A – Less than 1/3 of Bush and Clinton Meetings with reporters – More than Bush and Clinton combined
What LBJ Would Say Health Care vs. Civil Rights Control the bill Make it yours
What Reagan Would Say Obama Priorities The key elements of health care reform? Reagan: Clarity, focus, sell the message Increase defense Cut spending Cut taxes Balance the budget
Increased Polarization?Polarization