I just want to put it out there that Obama, despite being liberal and progressive in many ways, is still the kind of guy to take a lot of different viewpoints into account. Furthermore, he doesn't seem to keen on carrying out grudges and vindictive behavior. If anything, I expect him to reach out in many different directions, including "across the isle". Now is not the time for "payback".

This might create a lot of disaffection here on DU. It shouldn't. Obama has got our backs and will try to carry through on his campaign promises, filibuster proof senate or not. However, he will govern by consensus, and this will involve a degree of compromise. And though there will be much gnashing of teeth over this it will be a good thing because this will be the key to moving the ball forward and consolidating a center left politics power structure in this country.

No one needs to look any further than Bush to see how it shouldn't be done, and it was his lack of being President "of all the people" that ultimately did him in. His unilateral, brash, and vindictive politics created the climate of division and cronyism. This created the crisis of incompetence from the top down. And when that house of cards fell, having no good will to fall back on, the entire Party and "brand" fell apart.

Nothing will maintain Obama's brand and the brand of the Democratic Party like success, real success. We will need to be better off in 4 years, or else. Not only that, there will need to be a new spirit in America of inclusiveness and unity. The latter will not come without an approach to politics that does not include respect and fairness to the opposition.

But if we move to the left with both success and a renewed political spirit, it will bode well for a long term future that might just bring us universal single payer care, some semblance of energy independence, better trade balances, better jobs, less poverty, better educational opportunities, and a reduced budget deficit/national debt.