Looking at the Republicans (?) who are 'running' for President I can't help but notice how loony they all are - maybe downright stupid. This made me realize there is an Obama effect happening. The Tea Party is rooted in racism, and I think this latest manifestation of Tea Party politics is also racist. I think that, in the back of their minds, these loony Tea Party Republicans are thinking: "Well, last time a Black guy won. So how hard could this be? Go for it!" None of them have any real credibility. (At least McCain was a Senator.) Most of these people hold elected offices but it's unclear how any of them could have gotten elected. Maybe their voters felt sorry for them....

“U.S. President Barack Obama suddenly takes hard-line stances against his Republican political adversaries after over two years of meek accommodation.” (recent headline)

I’m really tired of seeing all the negative stuff from the Left about Obama’s ‘meekness.’ It has been my belief all throughout his administration (so far) that he clearly understands what others do not understand: the Right-wing threat is much bigger and more menacing than others would admit. It’s not ‘democracy-as-usual’ to the Right-wing extremists. They are trying to take over the government and wreck it. They are about as anti-American as you could believe. I feel Obama has been taking a reasonable, flexible, conciliatory position with them so as to throw their extremism into sharp relief and make the American people see how dangerous these Right-Wingers really are. In my opinion, he’s trying to prevent a Right-Wing coup. I think his tactic is starting to work – the deficit debacle made some people see how reckless and dangerous these extremists are. I think voters might be waking up.