Am intrigued by how parallel the Bush and Obama presidencies feel. Both got two terms despite bitter, near fanatical opposition from Americans belonging to the other party. Both, without remorse, betrayed a huge part of their respective bases: Bush by spending wildly and engaging in nation building, Obama by continuing most of Bush's hated anti-terrorist policies like drones, Gitmo, civil liberties infringements.
Both Bush and Obama, though, did the One Thing Necessary to secure their own bases: Bush cut taxes and Obama remained a black person. (Kidding - Obama got health care passed.) And, of course, Obama was suitably bloodthirsty on abortion rights while Bush was pro-life. So that soothed both bases as well.
In the end, Obama found the Democrat playbook that worked: hawkish on foreign policy, dove-ish domestically - except for unborn children. Basically the platform comes down to “death to terrorists and unwanted children but love to every one else except the rich.”
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