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| Obama hopes spring bloom brings thaw on Capitol Hill | Obama hopes spring bloom brings thaw on Capitol Hill |
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| Since the heady optimism of Barack Obama's inauguration speech in January, Washington politics has been stuck in the deep freeze. The chilly reaction of a Republican-dominated Congress quickly eclipsed liberal hopes that his second term might match the president's warm words. But the return of spring sunshine – and rested politicians – to Washington this week has raised hopes of a thawing in relations that could finally give the White House something to brag about. | Since the heady optimism of Barack Obama's inauguration speech in January, Washington politics has been stuck in the deep freeze. The chilly reaction of a Republican-dominated Congress quickly eclipsed liberal hopes that his second term might match the president's warm words. But the return of spring sunshine – and rested politicians – to Washington this week has raised hopes of a thawing in relations that could finally give the White House something to brag about. |
| Inside the West Wing, the mood of hope is tangible: from gun control, to immigration reform and gay marriage, there are tentative signs of cross-party consensus emerging that could allow significant breakthroughs over the next few days. Disagreement remains, not least over taxes and spending, which has been the source of much of the rancour. Nevertheless, Democrats hope that progress on just one, let alone three, of the more peripheral issues could be enough to help define Obama's second term. | Inside the West Wing, the mood of hope is tangible: from gun control, to immigration reform and gay marriage, there are tentative signs of cross-party consensus emerging that could allow significant breakthroughs over the next few days. Disagreement remains, not least over taxes and spending, which has been the source of much of the rancour. Nevertheless, Democrats hope that progress on just one, let alone three, of the more peripheral issues could be enough to help define Obama's second term. |
| Unsurprisingly, Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, is already wary of this heightened sense of spring optimism backfiring. "I would not characterise this week as any different," he told expectant White House reporters on Monday. "Every one of these weeks is full of possibility." But the truth is that if the green shoots cannot be cultivated now, Obama may have no choice but to dig in and wait forlornly for the midterm elections in the hope they can change the congressional landscape instead. | Unsurprisingly, Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, is already wary of this heightened sense of spring optimism backfiring. "I would not characterise this week as any different," he told expectant White House reporters on Monday. "Every one of these weeks is full of possibility." But the truth is that if the green shoots cannot be cultivated now, Obama may have no choice but to dig in and wait forlornly for the midterm elections in the hope they can change the congressional landscape instead. |
| Gun control | Gun control |
| A sign of how high the stakes are became apparent on Monday as Obama took the unprecedented step of flying 11 relatives of children and teachers shot at Sandy Hook elementary school from Connecticut to Washington on Air Force One so they could lobby Congress on gun control. Ostensibly, the presidential favour was granted to allow them to attend his speech in Connecticut at the same time, but the message to Republican sceptics is stark: the White House will do whatever it can to keep Newtown at the front of voters' minds. "It's been stated in recent weeks that somehow the memory of Newtown has faded," said Carney. "But the pain will never go away." | A sign of how high the stakes are became apparent on Monday as Obama took the unprecedented step of flying 11 relatives of children and teachers shot at Sandy Hook elementary school from Connecticut to Washington on Air Force One so they could lobby Congress on gun control. Ostensibly, the presidential favour was granted to allow them to attend his speech in Connecticut at the same time, but the message to Republican sceptics is stark: the White House will do whatever it can to keep Newtown at the front of voters' minds. "It's been stated in recent weeks that somehow the memory of Newtown has faded," said Carney. "But the pain will never go away." |
| The timing is good. On Sunday, the Washington Post revealed that a conservative Republican senator, Patrick Toomey, was in talks with an equally unlikely gun control advocate on the Democrat side, senator Joe Manchin, to hammer out an agreement for universal background checks on gun buyers. Back in January, this was seen as the easiest of the various gun reforms to pass, but since then, even this looked out of reach. | The timing is good. On Sunday, the Washington Post revealed that a conservative Republican senator, Patrick Toomey, was in talks with an equally unlikely gun control advocate on the Democrat side, senator Joe Manchin, to hammer out an agreement for universal background checks on gun buyers. Back in January, this was seen as the easiest of the various gun reforms to pass, but since then, even this looked out of reach. |
| Republicans are extremely cagey about such reports for fear of incurring the wrath of the gun lobby. Toomey's office did not respond to calls on Monday. But the White House was quick to leap on the report, making clear that it did not have a problem with their rumoured compromise: allowing family members to transfer guns without background checks. "It was wrong to suggest that universal background checks would be a cakewalk," said Carney. "Comparing the progress with what political prognosticators would have given only six months ago shows the road we have travelled." | Republicans are extremely cagey about such reports for fear of incurring the wrath of the gun lobby. Toomey's office did not respond to calls on Monday. But the White House was quick to leap on the report, making clear that it did not have a problem with their rumoured compromise: allowing family members to transfer guns without background checks. "It was wrong to suggest that universal background checks would be a cakewalk," said Carney. "Comparing the progress with what political prognosticators would have given only six months ago shows the road we have travelled." |
| Immigration reform | Immigration reform |
| Another long-running issue coming to a head this week is the debate over whether to make it easier for undocumented migrants to obtain citizenship, or at least emerge out of the legal shadows. | Another long-running issue coming to a head this week is the debate over whether to make it easier for undocumented migrants to obtain citizenship, or at least emerge out of the legal shadows. |
| Senator Chuck Schummer went on TV at the weekend to announce that the so-called 'gang of eight' senators negotiating a bipartisan immigration bill should have something to announce by Friday. | Senator Chuck Schummer went on TV at the weekend to announce that the so-called 'gang of eight' senators negotiating a bipartisan immigration bill should have something to announce by Friday. |
| It's not all over yet. Marco Rubio, the key Republican power broker, has been playing hard to get – stressing that he wants final veto over the bill. And his fellow Republican Lindsey Graham was more cautious on timing, suggesting it might still be two or three weeks away. | It's not all over yet. Marco Rubio, the key Republican power broker, has been playing hard to get – stressing that he wants final veto over the bill. And his fellow Republican Lindsey Graham was more cautious on timing, suggesting it might still be two or three weeks away. |
| But what is no longer in doubt is that a Republican party trounced in the election among Latino and other minority voters has decided it needs to do something about its image on immigration. | But what is no longer in doubt is that a Republican party trounced in the election among Latino and other minority voters has decided it needs to do something about its image on immigration. |
| Immigration experts caution that disagreements remain on issues such as border control and quotas for unskilled workers. But most now believe something will pass. "This would be the most important immigration legislation since 1965, when the quota system was set up," said Edward Alden of the Council on Foreign Relations. | Immigration experts caution that disagreements remain on issues such as border control and quotas for unskilled workers. But most now believe something will pass. "This would be the most important immigration legislation since 1965, when the quota system was set up," said Edward Alden of the Council on Foreign Relations. |
| "It would certainly rank alongside healthcare in the first term as one of Obama's defining second-term achievements." | "It would certainly rank alongside healthcare in the first term as one of Obama's defining second-term achievements." |
| Gay marriage | Gay marriage |
| Team Obama also cannot help indulging in a spot of optimism on that other big issue that once divided Washington: gay marriage. | Team Obama also cannot help indulging in a spot of optimism on that other big issue that once divided Washington: gay marriage. |
| In recent days, a host of conservative-minded politicians from both parties have come out in favour of legal recognition for gay people who want to wed, much to the surprise of pundits. | In recent days, a host of conservative-minded politicians from both parties have come out in favour of legal recognition for gay people who want to wed, much to the surprise of pundits. |
| When Obama made gay rights a key part of his second inauguration, it was a regarded as a slightly unexpected second-term priority, and one that would inflame tensions with the conservative right wing. | When Obama made gay rights a key part of his second inauguration, it was a regarded as a slightly unexpected second-term priority, and one that would inflame tensions with the conservative right wing. |
| Instead, as the supreme court prepares to rule on whether to overturn a gay marriage ban in California, Republicans seem to have acknowleged that they have become out of step with modern America. On the Democrat side, only four senators remain opposed. | Instead, as the supreme court prepares to rule on whether to overturn a gay marriage ban in California, Republicans seem to have acknowleged that they have become out of step with modern America. On the Democrat side, only four senators remain opposed. |
| The real action may come in the courts and states rather than Washington, but it's a mood swing that Obama would happily associate himself with. "The country deserves credit," said Carney on Monday. "It's been a remarkable evolution." | The real action may come in the courts and states rather than Washington, but it's a mood swing that Obama would happily associate himself with. "The country deserves credit," said Carney on Monday. "It's been a remarkable evolution." |
| Budget | Budget |
| All three divisive issues could get solved tomorrow, and it still wouldn't thaw the chill at the heart of Washington politics: the disagreement over the size of government, the deficit and taxes. | All three divisive issues could get solved tomorrow, and it still wouldn't thaw the chill at the heart of Washington politics: the disagreement over the size of government, the deficit and taxes. |
| President Obama is expected to announce his budget proposal on Wednesday to the sound of collective raspberries from Republicans such as John Boehner and Paul Ryan, who are dismissive of his proposal to tie tax rises to cuts in welfare benefits. | President Obama is expected to announce his budget proposal on Wednesday to the sound of collective raspberries from Republicans such as John Boehner and Paul Ryan, who are dismissive of his proposal to tie tax rises to cuts in welfare benefits. |
| But even if the so-called 'grand bargain' over fiscal policy remains as elusive as ever, there are renewed signs that both sides have not given up trying. On Wednesday, for example, Obama has dinner planned with 12 Republican senators to try to persuade them back to the negotiating table. | But even if the so-called 'grand bargain' over fiscal policy remains as elusive as ever, there are renewed signs that both sides have not given up trying. On Wednesday, for example, Obama has dinner planned with 12 Republican senators to try to persuade them back to the negotiating table. |
| Judging from the dismissive reaction of Boehner and others, who reject the linkage between tax and welfare, it might be a short meal, but with the spring blossom heavy in the air around Washington, the optimists in town can at least say they are trying. | Judging from the dismissive reaction of Boehner and others, who reject the linkage between tax and welfare, it might be a short meal, but with the spring blossom heavy in the air around Washington, the optimists in town can at least say they are trying. |
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