The Crack In The Wall Of Total Opposition

Whether or not you believe that complete and total Republican opposition to Obama's agenda is politically sound policy or not, the general consensus is that the Republicans sure as hell believe that.  Whether the opposition is born of cynical political tactics or firebrand ideology, the opposition has been there, it's a provable fact, and the Republicans are reveling in it as a populist lynch mob.

But on the day where Barack Obama went into the House Republican retreat and basically said "The reason why nothing is getting done is because your Teabagger masters will never let you work with me, for they see me as The Enemy Above All" we have this article from HuffPo's Sam Stein, who signals that maybe in the post-Democratic Supermajority era that the Republicans are actually worried that they just might have to take responsibility for being the Party of No. (Emphasis mine:)

Some senior Republican strategists and party veterans are beginning to fret that the party's refusal to work with President Obama, even when he crosses onto their own philosophical turf, could ultimately erode some of the political gains they've made this past year.

Over the past two weeks, Republicans in Congress have united in nearly unanimous opposition to a series of ideologically conservative policy suggestions, starting with a commission to reduce the deficit, a pay-go provision that would limit new expenditures, and a spending freeze on non-military programs.

Opposition has usually been based on specific policy concerns or complaints that the measures aren't going far enough. But the message being sent is that the GOP's sole mission is presidential destruction. 

Now, some in the party are beginning to worry.

"I can't tell you why they are taking this approach," said Jim Kolbe, a former member of Congress and longtime fiscal hawk from Arizona. "I have doubts about some of them myself but I think that certainly the pay-go and the commission have some merit and we should be supporting those. I don't have an answer to this. Whether this is just part of them being philosophically opposed or are they just being obstructionists, I don't know?

"I do think there is that worry [that we come off as obstructionists]," Kolbe added. "I think this thing can turn around just as fast as it turned against the Democrats, it can turn the other way if the Republican don't respond with serious proposals here." 

Ahh, but there's the rub.  The spittle-flecked Teabaggers will never let the GOP go over and play with Obama in the big ol' Gubment sandbox.  They seek not only the political destruction of not only Obama but the ideologies that form the kernel core of liberal policies as well.

And so far it's been working.  Scott Brown, the GOP will tell you, is proof enough of that.

On the other hand, I've said that Obama just didn't get the GOP Plan for total obstruction leading to his destruction.  I'm glad to say that Obama not only understands the plan perfectly, but showed yesterday that he can win that battle handily.

Maybe that's what the GOP is really afraid of.  They got what they wanted, that 41st Senator.  Now the GOP has to take responsibility for obstruction.  Yesterday was the beginning of Obama winning that battle.  The question now is how will the GOP respond?  Past evidence shows they will double down and expect Obama to implement 100% of their failed ideas.  If Obama can shift the argument towards that battle of substance rather than noise level, he wins hands down.

As Matt Osborne reminded me, the "Obama we voted for" was always there.