With Start of 2nd Term President Waxes Hegelian

     He spoke of "the Wheel of History"-that sounds Hegelian to me!

     "President Barack Obama on Sunday thanked supporters during an inauguration gala at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., commending them for their commitment to "the basic notion that when we put our shoulders to the wheel of history, it moves."
From Obama's remarks:

As I look out on the room, we’ve got people from every walk of life, every corner and nook and cranny of this country, every state, every city, every suburb — people who have invested so much heart, soul, time, money, energy. One of the things that made this campaign unique was the degree of investment and ownership people had in this common project of ours, because you understood this was not just about a candidate; it was not just about Joe Biden or Barack Obama. This was about us, who we are as a nation, what values we cherish, how hard we’re willing to fight to make sure that those values live not just for today but for future generations.
All of you here understood and were committed to the basic notion that when we put our shoulders to the wheel of history, it moves. (Applause.) It moves. It moves forward. And that’s part of what we celebrate when we come together for Inauguration.
 

     http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/obama-when-we-put-our-shoulders-to-wheel

     No doubt. He has already moved the Wheel of History a few times-his very election as the first African-American-and also passing the first national healthcare legislation in the nation's history, and his very re-election bucked trends many claimed history showed .

    The cutest moment no doubt was when after taking the oath, his daughter said "Yay Dad, you didn't screw it up/"-as in 2009 both he and Justice John Roberts were out of sync.

    No he didn't screw it up-as many have claimed he did. No doubt, he went into his first term a little too optimistic about being able to work with the other side, much less ushering in any "post partisan" age. He's learned from this as the first two battles over the fiscal cliff and debt ceiling have shown:

     "As President Barack Obama enters his second term, his aides have concluded he likely will fall short on one of his signature promises."

     "Barring some collectively cathartic Beltway experience, the Obama administration will not usher in an era of post-partisanship. The forces of gridlock continue to have the upper hand, and they will have a tangible impact on the president's tactics and ambitions."

     "Obama and his aides are neither fretting nor apologizing. Rather, while expressing a continued preference for politics by consensus, they are embracing the need for a more aggressive, even confrontational approach. The president signaled as much by vowing simply to not negotiate with Republicans over raising the debt ceiling. He upped the ante with the introduction of his gun policy reforms, which were more comprehensive than expected."

     "The message was solidified this past week with the announcement that Obama for America -- the organization that lifted the president to two election victories -- would be converted to a non-profit entity for the express purpose of pushing the White House's agenda in Obama's second term. One senior administration official was practically giddy about the prospect of using the organization's massive email list for policy purposes, admitting the campaign group had failed to do so effectively during the president's first term."

      "The White House has made similar boasts before, so skeptics have their reasons. But this time, a dysfunctional Washington and a weakened but more dogmatic Republican Party make a combative strategy the best option."

      "Obviously, we hoped for something better," conceded David Axelrod, Obama's longtime adviser, in an interview. “And to the extent that the president can do more, he will. But this is largely a function of a decision on the Republican Party to try and thwart him at every turn as a political strategy."

      "As for the next term, "I think a lot of it will end up having to do with how the Republican Party sees the future," Axelrod added. "Survival is a strong instinct. If Republicans think there is a political advantage to them personally to continue this Manichean struggle, then that doesn't bode well."

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/21/obama-post-partisan-promise_n_2490700.html

    We'll see if the GOP has any kind of surivial instincts. One way or the other the Kristol Premise is correct: elections have consequences. The future's so bright, we're going to have to wear shades .