Josh...it's always been that way. As I've said before...in the 1990's the Republicans IMPEACHED Clinton and made him sit in front of Congress and commit perjury.
I thought that was all a bunch of bullshit.
But through all of that...Clinton was a great leader and politician and was able to reach out to his enemies and get shit done.
Pres. Obama seems to act aloof from Congress. I saw Newt Gingrich on CNN say that he and Pres. Clinton spoke on the phone every day and met in person at LEAST once a week.
I have heard congressmen and senators on news shows say flat out that Pres. Obama rarely calls Republican leaders and almost never meets with them.
Huge difference between what Pres. Clinton did and Pres. Obama.
Also look at Bush...you can't say he wasn't HATED by Democrats. But yet...he talked to them all the time and worked shit out to get things done.
That is the job of a President.
It isn't supposed to be Pres. Obama putting forth ideas and before anybody can even start discussions...he announces that he will NOT compromise.
That's just insuring that nothing will ever get done by pissing off the opposition party right off the bat.
Bad leadership. And it's why that has been the main criticism of Pres. Obama from the beginning. He's not very good at being Pres.
He has some good ideas. He gives great speeches.
But the everyday function of working with Congress? He hasn't done it since day one in office.
He couldn't even get shit done with the Democrats controlling both houses for the first two years...except the watered down/insurance company gift of "The Affordable Health Act"