For the next two years, President Barack Obama's political agenda will be tempered by opposition from a Republican Congress, but that doesn't mean the man who ran on "fundamentally transforming America" doesn't have big plans.
In a signed email sent to supporters of Organizing for Action at www.BarackObama.com, the president asserted the clock is "ticking down" on this, the "fourth quarter" of his presidency, and hinted at two major initiatives for his last two years in office.
"There's a lot left to do, and it's no secret that we'll have our work cut out for us in Congress," Obama states. "But I believe there's still so much good we can do for the American people. Millions of folks still need to get health coverage. And there are still big steps we need to take to combat climate change."
The president's approach to both agenda items – health care and climate change – has already proven controversial, through the hotly debated Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, and the Environmental Protection Agency's expanding regulations, including the recent Clean Power Plan, which Harvard environmental law pioneer professor Laurence Tribe warned is "unconstitutional" and "a remarkable example of executive overreach."
Yet Obama pledges in the support letter, "I'm going to do everything I can as president to make real progress."
Investigating Organizing for Action reveals, in fact, both agenda items are atop the group's website, with the headings, "Do your part for Obamacare," and, "These folks are why we can win on climate."
The email urges supporters to "recommit for 2015" by visiting BarackObama.com and registering their email address.