Obama on Changing Washington

http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-biggest-failure-immigration-reform-change-washington-univision-2012-9

"The most important lesson I've learned is that you can't change Washington from the inside. You can only change it from the outside."




"That's how I got elected. That's how the big accomplishments like health care got done — because we mobilized the American people to speak out. That's how we were able to cut middle-class taxes. So, something I'd really like to be able to concentrate on in my second term is being in a much more constant conversation with the American people, so that they can put pressure on Congress to move some of these issues forward."


Assertion:  You can only change Washington from the outside.

This is the gaffe line, at least according to some Republican commentators.  They retort--then he can change it from outside.  What Obama actually meant, according to himself--it will take pressure outside Washington to force a change, namely the people.  This latter statement appears as a very credible observation, for both parties, and has been so for many years.  Reagan used a connection on several occasions to get the population to pressure elected officials.  Clinton also used this force effectively.

Assertion:  We mobilized the American people to speak out (and got health care).

This one needs some proof.  The ACA passed along partisan lines, a majority ramming it through against the fury of the sizable minority.  Even now the public does not seem to have a loyalty to ACA, mostly because there is no reason to feel such a passion except for a couple notable exceptions--pre-existing conditions, and coverage until age 26.  I don't buy the assertion.

Assertion:  The American people can put pressure on Congress to move issues forward.

Probably an accurate observation.  The pressure could work; however, the public has as many reservations and partisan positions as does the Congress.

My reflections:

I believe the President is seeking for an effective way to govern.  If reelected, he may very well go public for some of his most wanted items. To succeed he will need to garner a great deal of energy from the public.  Although possible, Obama has no proof that it will work.  If the method works, why hasn't he already done this.