To the victor belongs the spoils is an adage that has been overused throughout the political lexicon during the past three centuries. While there is more than a modicum of truth to the statement, election winners have to come into office understanding that they represent the interests of 100% of the people, not the 51-55% that voted for them.
Elections do have consequences, and those consequences often include which items will be front and center in the public eye and which ones will recede into the communal "to do" list. If Mr. Romney had won the election, changes in the tax code which would have benefitted the wealthy, including income tax, inheritance tax, capital gains, and corporate tax decreases as the primary economic driver. There would be a solid emphasis on private corporations driving the economy while the government becomes severely contracted. With the win by Mr. Obama, the tax code will be addressed by restructuring the code, increasing the revenues taken in by these changes. Progressivism in tax policy will be placed to the forefront.
The question on tax policy is whether there should be a winner takes all philosophy? Do the democrats take their victory and run across the finish line, leaving the republicans in the dust, and the nation divided? Or does a democratic leaning compromise that begins to move the tax policies back to a fairer, more progressive system, while introducing the concept that the wealthiest will have to pay slightly more in revenues. I argue that a somewhat conciliatory position would go a long way toward reuniting this nation.
The same questions come up on such policies as infrastructure development, energy development, medicare and social security, immigration reform, defense department cuts, and a plethora of other issues in which come degree of common ground can be met, and both parties believe that the solution is one that they can live with. Within these issues, both parties have come up with good ideas that must be considered. Movement in these areas will demonstrate to the American public that their representatives have the ability to govern.
There are areas, however, that a presidential win does bring with it, a set of presidential spoils. That is, elections are decided over issues and positions. Some may be compromised and moved toward; others provide a level of presidential mandate that tells us that the time for bickering and gridlock are over and issues are, or should be, considered litigated.
This election had those consequences. The Affordable Care Act, or ObamaCare is happening. The debate is over and the implementation must begin. We can tweak it as needed, but it is here to stay. An emphasis on public education and post-secondary education are going to be important parts of the political agenda as we go forward. The president has set forward clear plans in this area and that mandate is there. There was, at least, a tacit level of support given to the president in the area of science over fiction. The president has probably earned credit toward addressing climate change and it's effect on wildlife and humans. Science should be an active part of the president's second term agenda.We also must understand that the president has the imprinteur of the American people to mold the Supreme Court toward a center-left coalition as those openings occur. That means that the American people are seeking more personal privacy {e.g. Roe v.Wade}. less business influence in our elections, and a clearer separation of church and state. The Supreme Court remains one of the major spoils of presidential victory. Foreign policy will maintain the Obama course, utilizing a slow steady hand to influence worldwide events.
With all of these issues, many of us on the progressive or liberal end of the spectrum should also realize that we are not going to get everything that we are hoping for. This will be a good administration in relation to civil rights, women's rights, educational access, etc.. This president has not, however, nor have the democrats in congress, shown a propensity to tackle major liberal issues. Will we get gun control legislation? Probably not. Will this president eliminate rendition or the use of military drone strikes? There has been little indication that he has any intention to do so. Will the president change the law as regards wiretaps? It isn't going to happen.
Politicians win elections. Political parties win and lose electoral cycles. Rarely, however, is any political victory complete. Victory ultimately is defined as incremental movement toward preferred goals. President Obama and the democrats were winners this cycle. We will move in the right direction. But everyone has to know that the liberals among us will not reach the summit, nor will the conservatives among us be relegated back to the foot of the mountain.
