Obama’s New Year's Resolution: Forget Congress

Out with the old, in with the new plan.

After a year of policy fights in Washington that have left all sides bloodied, the Associated Press reports that President Obama’s New Year’s resolution is to push on without Congress. The president will instead use his reach on the campaign trail to advocate for his policies, and use his executive powers in Washington to try and boost the economy without the approval of capitol hill.

Part of the strategy choice is the fact that few large policy fights sit on the agenda for Congress in the New Year. But it also may come from the belief among some advisors that a bad record of accomplishment from the legislative body in 2012 may actually improve the president’s approval numbers in an important year.

One battle still looms in January: a yearlong extension of a cut in the payroll tax rate. But with lawmakers' approval ratings at an all time low, and the president's approval ratings taking a jump, many advisors saw a victory in the fight over a short extension at the end of December for Obama, and believe he has the upper hand in crafting a more permanent extension.

From AP:

“Once that debate is over, the White House says, Obama's political fate will no longer be tied to Washington.

‘Now that he's sort of free from having to put out these fires, the president will have a larger playing field. If that includes Congress, all the better,’ said Josh Earnest, White House deputy press secretary. But, he added, ‘that's no longer a requirement.’

Aides say the president will not turn his back on Congress completely in the new year. He is expected to once again push lawmakers to pass elements of his jobs bill that were blocked by Republicans last fall.

If those efforts fail, the White House says, Obama's re-election year will focus almost exclusively on executive action.”