OPINION: Obama Uses His Wild Card

By Roger Madon

As much as most Republicans want Barack Obama to lose the 2012 presidential election the fact is whether he wins or loses has become, in the scheme of things, inconsequential, at least in the short run.

The decision to find and kill Osama bin Laden belongs to President Obama and in the last 2 weeks, because of his decision, his approval rating has soared.  The American people are now convinced that when the matter involves national security President Obama can be trusted.  

Whether he or any member of his administration admits it or not President Obama has clung to those national security doctrines and practices laid down by President Bush: Support of the Patriot Act, enhanced surveillance techniques, military trials, if not enhanced interrogation at a minimum its use of information culled from its application, expansion of counter insurgency in Afghanistan, keeping Gitmo open for business, maintaining American troops in Iraq and the willingness to fight a third or even a fourth front against certain dictators who deny freedom and democracy to its people.  

Americans also know that the economic philosophy of this president is inconsistent with their best interests. However they are unconvinced that the Republicans have the answer to addressing the economic tsunami that awaits them in the decades to come.

It is fairly improbable that the Republicans over this next year and a half will convince the American people that Congressman Paul Ryan’s Plan should be adopted and therefore will require a president to sign off on its passage.  Therefore the 2012 election has a good chance in resulting in a political stalemate: A socialist president and a challenging congress.  This is just the outcome for which the U.S. Constitution was designed.

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