What’s  In Store for U.S. When Lecturer-in-Chief Leaves Lectern

I’m not going to lecture you.   Not until you fetch me a podium and a teleprompter .

Anonymous, On President Obama’s governing style

President Obama is in his element when he is lecturing Americans  and looking down from the bully pulpit.   Perhaps this governing style dates back to his days as senior lecturer at the University of Chicago or to his years as a community organizer, when he mobilized and united  heretofore unorganized minority groups  to challenge and conquer   the majority establishment.

Obama is effective as a lecturer -  articulating  his exposition,   reprimanding,  and criticizing political opponents in a sometimes angry, always cerebral, and usual condescending  fashion. 

Unfortunately, Obama, who promised to unite the country  as a transformational president,  leaves in his wake a deeply divided country ( Gerald Seib,  “Growing  Ideological Divide in U.S. Political Landscape,” WSJ, December 29, 2015),  as evidenced by these poll results.

·         Supports health law,  Dems 73%, GOP 14%

 

·         Supports gay marriages,   Dems 63%,  GOP 14%

 

·         Supports immediate climate change action, Dems 62%, GOP 13%

 

·         Backs environmentalist causes,  Dems 52%, GOP 23% 

·         Supports unions,   Dems 52%, GOP 15% 

·         Supports Black Lives Matter movement, Dems 46%, GOP 6%

·         Supports  business interests,  Dems 26%,  GOP 56%

·         Supports NRA, Dems 11%,  GOP 69%

·         Listens to talk radio, Dems 5%,  GOP 38% 

Until 2016 presidential elections,  divided ideologies will cause chaos to be in the saddle and to ride American politics.  Not until he unsettled unsaddling occurs and not until 2016 will President Obama’s legacy be settled.