Why We Need a Fighter, Not a Uniter

It looks like the long, drawn-out Democratic Presidential primary season will be over tomorrow after the superdelegates weigh in. Obama's quest to be a "uniter not a divider" is nieve at best since he could have all the people united behind him and still not sway the Republicans in the Senate who will filibuster every piece of Democratic legislation unless the Democrats have at least 60 seats in the Senate which seems unlikely. He will never unite the Republican Senators with the Democrats, and, despite having united "the people," it will all be for nought. That's why we need a fighter not a uniter, and Hillary is much more suited to that job. Task number one on day one of a new Presidency should be taking the Republicans head-on over the filibuster rules that allow them to filibuster just by threatening to do so. They don't have to give long-winded speeches to all hours of the night; they just have to say "we're going to filibuster" and whatever legislation is before that august body will be taken off the table and thrown in the circular file. That legislation is dead just on the Senate Republicans' say-so.

Obama's quest to be a uniter is a pipe-dream; it's pie in the sky. He doesn't know what determined fellows these Republicans are. They are fueled by the money heaped on them by wealthy interests represented by tons of lobbyists all pushing the agenda of the wealthy. A Democratic House and Senate combined with a Democratic President might actually get something done. But it would be necessary to have a filibuster-proof Senate. Otherwise, the Republicans will sit there and filibuster every piece of legislation not favored by the lobbyists to death. This is the fight the next (Democratic) President needs to take on right out of the starting gate. Otherwise, his or her Presidency will be for nought. I think Hillary (hopefully) understands this. Obama doesn't seem to have a clue. Sure he hasn't taken any PAC money himself. So what? How does this change the legislative proclivities of the Senate?

Bill Clinton was put in this same position because he faced a Republican Congress. It's now apparent that the Republicans can accomplish their ends even with a Democratic Congress by means of the filibuster rules. They told Bill Clinton "Either you cooperate with us (triangulate) or you'll accomplish nothing. You'll be a do-nothing President." They'll tell Obama the same thing, and he'll be pressured into triangulating. However, history has shown that it didn't work all that well for the first Clinton. He signed tons of Republican inspired legislation including the repeal of the Glass-Steagall act which led directly to the sub-prime mortgage crisis. Hopefully, President Hillary wouldn't let the same thing happen to her as happened to her husband. Anyway I'd bet she'd be more successful, having been around the block once, at taking on the Republicans than Obama would be.

The first step is using the nuclear option on the filibuster rules - obliteration of the filibuster - which the Republicans have perverted from its original purpose in order to serve their interests. And there are enough self-serving Democrats in the pockets of lobbyists that a Democratic President cannot even count on all of them. The Democratic Congress elected in 2006 has largely failed in its efforts because of its refusal to take on the Republicans over this issue. That makes it even more critical to take on the filibuster in 2009 and destroy it. The revolving door facilitates politicians who pander to lobbyists obtaining lucrative jobs with the corporations whose interests they represent once they leave "public service" if you want to call it that. For them though it's "special interest service." Their whole intention is to make a killing once they leave the government.

So, in conclusion, the stronger candidate in my opinion is Hillary Rodham Clinton. Both she and Obama want to do the right things for the US. The question is who has the better prospects for actually being successful at it. And who is willing on Day 1 to be a fighter, trim the Republicans' wings and put them in their place. There is a lot of money in Washington almost all of which is betting that neither Obama or Hillary will be able to do so.