Call Me GOP

The presidential office has grown since the founding of our country. It went from a much more modest role to one in which politicians make grandiose claims to revive “our nation’s soul,” rid the world of evil,” and “change the world.” However, as the Economist reports, these early commitments can actually have negative effects.

For example, a libertarian scholar named Gene Healy predicts that Obama’s over-promising will cause Americans to view his presidency as a failure, “possibly the least popular of the modern era” — a complete 360 from the beginning of his term.

But are we not used to this by now? I think most of us now dismiss man of these claims — from both parties — as mere rhetoric. If we know that all candidates over-promise in the beginning, when will we accept politicians’ limitations, and why do we keep setting these unrealistic expectations?

This Rasmussen report indicates that if the 2012 election were held today, Obama would face fierce competition from possible Republican nominee, Mitt Romney — followed closely by Sarah Palin. However, the president remains ahead. What does the G.O.P. have to do to beat the president if he seeks a second term?