With the inauguration festivities commemorating the start of President Barack Obama’s second term, the United States expects that the president will have a freer hand in dealing with many issues on the international and national levels.
The first sign of the overall shift in the balance of power is that the republican majority decided to pass a three-month extension of the U.S. debt limit, and according to the Financial Times, this “reflect[s] mounting concern about bearing the blame for any brush with default for the U.S. economy.” This is a signal that the Republican Party cannot afford any longer to confront the president headlong on an ongoing basis. There has been a painful reassessment of their obstructions in the past few days. This does not mean that Obama will have a free hand on the economy, but at least he enters the second term with the definite and clear support of a majority of the American people. This popularity is further enhanced by the bold confrontation his new administration is taking with the National Rifle Association and the growing popularity that he enjoys on this issue.
