After the War: Condemned to Cooperate

Barack Obama managed an impressive victory. To see this, all you have to do is look to Europe. Almost all leaders that were in charge during the peak of the financial crisis in 2008 were beaten in recent elections. Obama is, along with Angela Merkel, one of the rare few that were re-elected. Also, he and Bill Clinton are the only Democrats to have secured a second term since 1945. Even if Tuesday’s winning margin was not as sizeable as it was in 2008, it was clear and decisive nonetheless.

Between Mitt Romney’s indecisiveness and Barack Obama’s seriousness – a byproduct of his brilliance – Americans did not hesitate. They confirmed their renewed faith in the first black president in the history of the United States.

They chose the man of the center. The one who, without any ideological blinders, handled a difficult economic situation to the best of his ability. The one who conducted foreign policy pragmatically and prudently. In other words, Mr. Obama fully deserved his standing ovation on Tuesday night in Chicago, to the soundtrack of Aretha Franklin’s aptly named track “Respect.” Let him take advantage of it. His near future is laden with obstacles.

His upcoming foreign diplomatic missions will not be easy: Syria and Iran are some notable examples. Not to mention the state of disgruntlement on his home front. Unemployment is steadily high at 8 percent (20 percent among young adults), and recovery is fragile. Also, the makeup of Washington has not changed: the House of Representatives remains Republican, and the Democrats have a small majority in the Senate.

This will not make Mr. Obama’s job any easier. His number one priority is the budget – the reduction of a deficit that, cumulatively, totals to a debt worth over 100 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. Before December 31, he urgently needs to come to an agreement with the Republicans.

If the 44th president does not find a solution to the “fiscal cliff,” there will be serious consequences: automatic cuts in federal spending and a tax hike of $600 billion. Suffice to say that, if this is the case, the stimulus and everything that comes with it will be compromised: job creation, confidence in the market, investors… and the country’s morale, which is not at its highest. Can he count on the Republicans to find a “grand compromise” that will resolve America’s debt crisis frenzy? Mr. Romney’s defeat should at least entice them to do so. His defeat was one for the books: with such high unemployment, the Republican had a paved way to the entrance of the White House.

Mr. Romney only gained points when he moved back to the center. The politician that voters rejected was the one who had allied himself with the extreme-right Tea Party. They condemned this fundamentalist branch of the Republican Party whose obstructionism in the House only had one goal: to make it impossible for Obama to govern. They failed.

The results of Tuesday must encourage them to cooperate with the president. He must, in turn, foster a constructive professional relationship with Congress. If so, then everyone will be able to listen to the great Aretha.