Which is better for Obama's re-election prospects in 2012 a dem congress or a repub congress?

[craigmatic]

If we win this fall it'll pretty much be with a bare majority in one or both houses. The repubs will try to stall anything Obama does even more with their increased numbers and the democrats will be too timid to pass another big legislation package like the health care bill or a stimulus without the repubs signing on. It'll be grid lock but it'll look worse on the president because his own party will be slowing up progress. On the other hand if the repubs take one or more houses, it'll give the president an adversary that he can campaign against and will motivate the base to get out to vote in 2012. If he wins again in 2012 by a big enough margin he could potentially make up for losses we take this year. On the other hand we could be stuck with a Bill Clinton like situation where the president tries triangulation and 2012 is only about the president's re-election and the interests of the party in congress are put on the back burner. Anybody got any thoughts on this?

[caledesi]

1. It doesn't matter. Obama will win. nt

[Robbins]

2. My Take

If Republicans take the House(which I am skeptical of) they gurantee Obama's reelection.If we keep the House very little will
get done because Republicans will continue to fillerbuster everything.Even If Snow and Brown worried about reelection vote with
democrats on some things Republicans will still be able to fillerbuster.

Obama may be able to help In 2012 make up for loses In 2010.

[Radical Activist]

3. Obama needs to pass the rest of his agenda, including a climate change bill.

We need a Democratic Congress for that. It will hurt him in 2012 if he doesn't. And I still believe Democrats could increase our majority in the Senate by one or two seats, which is all we need.

[customerserviceguy]

5. There will be no climate change bill

Even if we keep Congress, we will do so with few votes. The Blue Dogs that survive November will be very wary of getting their names on anything that the President backs.

[Radical Activist]

6. There will be no firm-sounding predictions of things no one knows.

[customerserviceguy]

7. We'll be sure to come back and visit this someday

Maybe in a second Obama term, where we get a progressive Democratic Congress after the economy springs back to life, but not before then. I know that any Blue Dogs who survive November will surely not tempt the fate that makes them so very nervous today.

[customerserviceguy]

4. It all depends on the economy

If it springs back to life, then whoever is in Congress, and the President get the credit. If it's a Democratic Congress, they get to build their majority back up again when Obama is at the top of the ticket. If it's Repuke, they get to claim credit for "divided government", the same way they sold that in 1996.

If the economy sucks, Obama always gets the blame, and so will a Democratic Congress. If it sucks and there's a Republicon Congress, then it's a much harder sell job for them.