President as “bargainer-in-chief”

It was perfect timing when I came across this article today, on the ‘behind the scenes’ role being played by Obama in passing health care reform.

My students are currently working towards sitting Edexcel Unit 4: Governing the USA in January, and in today’s lesson we examined the limits to the powers of the President, and how he must persuade Congress to act out his wishes. We talked a lot about the health care proposals, and how it is very much “his” policy agenda, but it still needs Congress to agree.

The article from political news site Politico is perfect in this respect, as it shows how Obama has been regularly phoning and meeting up with members of congress, and also how it has ‘ruffled a few feathers’ that his emphasis has been on the senate.

It has some great quotes too:

“Obama has had to be more of a shepherd than a CEO”

“the White House has had to strike a tricky pose — being omnipresent without becoming oppressive. “