A RE-CAP, AND A NIGHT CAP!
We never came up with an answer to the kingly question that defined our evening on Tuesday, but that didn’t prevent a lively and thought-provoking exchange of ideas. There is clearly much to think over and bring back to a future Political Pub.
We dove right into Obama’s current use of executive order, wondering whether he is using or misusing his presidential authority. While some find it purely a political maneuver, others argued that it’s a gesture of take-charge leadership, challenging the Republicans to step up to the plate so that more comprehensive work can be done. But for some it was more a sign of a failure to lead, or at least an acceptance (as David Remnick suggested in The New Yorker) that Obama knows he won’t get any major legisltation accomplished so all he can do is move the ball forward, hoping the next guy can take it from there. We’ll see, as some warned, whether executive order will be the only game in town for the next two years or whether he’ll find a way to work with Congress on more permanent legislation.
the political pub 