Republicans, Compromise Is Impossible With The Intractable Obama

One thing is sure, Obama has the negotiation style of no compromise.

The day following the embarrassing defeat of the Democrats in the midterm elections,  the President announced that he would act alone on immigration by year's end; arguing that it can't wait because there is a cost to waiting. Therefore, instead of seeing if he could get something done with the new Republican Congress, he is figuratively flipping them the bird.  If this isn't a sign that he is unwilling to  work together for the common good, nothing is.

As to his claim that there is a cost to waiting?  He had an opportunity to act on immigration for nearly six years;  especially in the first two of those years when Democrats completely controlled both houses. Then, earlier this year he announced he would issue an executive order on the issue at the end of the summer.  Of course, when he realized the immigration order would jeopardize the Democrat's chances, he announced he would wait until after the election.  This despite the supposed cost of waiting.

On immigration, Obama sounds like a nut case.  In reality, he's only willing to do something now because he is no longer able to run for office and, presumably, because Democrats can't be damaged any more than they already have been.

At some point, in the same speech, the President sounded as if he may be willing to work with the new Congress.  That is until he said this: "You send me a bill that I can sign and those executive actions go away."  In other words, you send me what I want and I'll sign it and stop those executive actions.  Or, more clearly: "it's my way or the highway."  Nothing in that statement says anything about working together to get something done. It is always you versus me. "We" is never part of any equation.

Once again, President Obama is not taking the November defeat seriously.  It is obvious that it will be business as usual.  No compromise.  Because of this, he is seriously jeopardizing any Democrat's chances in 2016.

References:

Obama Pledges Immigration Executive Order By End Of Year:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/05/obama-immigration-executive-action_n_6109848.html

Does Obama Even Know How to Negotiate?: http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-11-07/does-obama-even-know-how-to-negotiate