Fallows Follows the Filibuster — and worse, Nullification

James Fallows in The Atlantic has been writing about the filibuster and I urge him to keep it up. For example he wrote today

The Congress is finally moving ahead on a budget bill and a temporary extension of the payroll tax cut. End of obstructionism and modern "nullification"? Unfortunately not.

Read what Fallows has to say. But his post made me think of my own major regret (and so far I fear) about Obama: that Obama does not use his communication skills. He is enormously articulate but does not use it to raise consciousness.

The only thing I can personally remember  (and certainly I haven't heard some great things or forgot them) was his riff on "American exceptionalism." Though a quick response in a press conference (?) it was exceptional in its brilliance and could have been expanded (and explained so that no one could think that he doesn't love America) into a full-bore explanation about America's role in the world.

Other than that, I am not sure I can recall anything that Obama has said which enlightened me. I have heard his policies etc etc but with that one exception I can't recall that he has said anything worthy of his intellectual and rhetorical ability.

My point is illustrated by the tawdry Cordray affair.

Obama's correct response -- and he can still do it -- should be to speak above his political opponents by explaining, in a fair-handed and very polite manner, insulting no one and burning no bridges, the way politics is now conducted in the US Senate. 

Obama has the chance to speak to and educate American voters about how things work. Explain the various pressures on an elected official, how one gets elected, the mechanics of Washington DC and so forth. He'd focus on the change in the Constitution from 51% (the childhood notion of Majority Rule) to 60% and he'd condemn. Like Glenn Beck, he could use the medium of chalkboard or graphics to illustrate the change in filibustering over theist 15 (?) years. Etc etc. There would be no hectoring but mere explanation of how things work --or don't. Get above and outside the DC discourse by raise consciousness among the whole people about the mechanics of governing.

Of course there is a necessary realm of private discussion and disretion and I don't expect a President to get into "He said..." or "He promised..." But with his skill I am sure he could start saying things which actually interest me and educate me (rather than simply setting forth policies with which I agree or disagree.)

Ask yourself. What have you learned from Obama? Tell me, I am curious.