Radical November

Barack Obama has carried out a thorough renovation of his cabinet with his eyes set on the elections of Nov. 2. Polls predict a severe defeat for the Democrats in Congress, which would be a major political setback for the president and more immediate and concrete cessation of pending legislative reforms.

Among the main reforms are those relating to immigration, energy, education and climate change — all of which form part of an ambitious package of initiatives with which Obama wished to characterize his presidency.

If the prognosis is fulfilled, the only targets achieved in the elapsed time would have been the sanitary reform and the law of financial control. These are reforms that, over time, can transform, respectively, the social and financial environment of the United States, though they have fallen short of original intentions. But in effort to move them forward, Obama has sent an image of a doubtful leader that could cost him heavily come November.

The conviction that the reform agenda should be postponed if the Republicans win a majority in Congress allows Obama to focus on re-election, concluding the most transformative period of his mandate. The departure of his Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, to run for mayor of Chicago is interpreted as the endpoint of the bipartisan strategy followed so far, and which had been one of the most inspiring. Obama’s change came in time to develop a political environment less concerned about seeking agreements with Republicans, which has proved difficult and uneconomical from the electoral point of view, and more focused on ensuring support from the Democratic electorate.

After the show of force at the Tea Party manifestation in Washington on Aug. 28, a few weeks ago Obama supporters gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial to encourage him to continue his agenda of reform. This is probably the most important reaction from Democratic sectors since the militant movement led by Sarah Palin decided to hold a constant political offensive against Obama, both in the media and on the streets. The difference between one rally and another is not limited to slogans and banners. The rallies also saw the return of two Americas: one that continues to see the arrival of Obama in the White House as an advance toward equality, and another that sees it as the origin of many current ills. The latter’s eerie motto is starkly significant: One Nation.

Those ghosts that were believed to have disappeared in the United States struggle once again to take center stage, driven by a political radicalization for which there seems to be no escape.