Obama’s Ultimate Legacy Will Be Forged on Capitol Hill
Special to Roll Call
A new president promising dramatic change is really not news. A new president who can deliver dramatic change — that’s news. The difference between hope and reality depends on the relationship between the president and Congress. Under our system of government, the president proposes but it is Congress that disposes.
The key to the success or failure of the Obama administration rests on whether President Barack Obama can convince a working majority of Congress to support his agenda. The public clearly has been frustrated by the failure of President George W. Bush and Congress to resolve the huge crises facing the nation. Both have blamed each other for the gridlock, but the people are tired of excuses and made that clear on Election Day.
The great test for Obama is not whether he is for change but whether he can govern for change. And that depends on Congress.
Many assume that if a Democratic president is working with a majority of Democrats in the House and Senate, the president will easily obtain sufficient votes to pass his agenda. But history makes clear that is not necessarily the case.
Former President Jimmy Carter came in with huge Democratic majorities — there was a filibuster-proof 61-seat majority in the Senate, while in the House, more than two-thirds of the Members were Democrats. But that majority proved to be illusory because of Southern and conservative Democrats who opposed much of the Carter agenda.
Almost 16 years later, Bill Clinton was elected president along with strong Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate. But again, that did not always translate into legislative victories. Although he relied on Democratic majorities to pass his economic plan, family leave, gun control and AmeriCorps, he still failed to pass an economic stimulus bill and health care reform. And to pass the North American Free Trade Agreement and other trade legislation plus welfare reform, he had to forge a bipartisan majority with Republicans.
The simple fact is that unlike a parliamentary system, no president has a rubber-stamp majority in Congress. Every president has to work for it. Successful administrations are those in which the president has both the vision to inspire and mobilize the people and the common sense, pragmatism and political ability to get things done.
After eight years of a Republican administration, the Democrats in Congress will be eager to pass their own agenda. A defeated Republican minority will be more conservative and eager to define itself, and less willing to be a cooperative partner. The bottom line is that a decade or more of partisan trench warfare has poisoned the atmosphere in Washington. It will take an extraordinary effort by the new president to govern by bipartisan leadership and cooperation. To have hope for change will require President Obama to do the following:
1. Do Not Be Afraid to Consult. One of the worst mistakes a president can make is to assume that Congress will support an administration proposal with little or no consultation. President Carter’s first move was to eliminate key water projects without discussing the issue at all with key Members of Congress. Needless to say, it got the administration off on the wrong foot. Even with a Republican Congress, President Bush rarely sought their advice. The point is basic — take time to consult with the key chairmen and ranking members of the committees involved and the bipartisan leadership. In the end, Members will be more inclined to support the new president if they feel they had the opportunity to influence legislative action.
Schumer Advocates for Many on Panel
Nov. 16, 12 a.m.
As Senate Majority Leader, Lyndon Johnson once said of the Joint Economic Committee, “It’s as useless as tits on a bull.” But as that panel’s chairman during the 110th Congress, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) seized the opportunity to elevate the traditionally low-profile post to the forefront of shaping policy. Read Full Article
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