> I would argue that the obstructionism during the first two years
After the 2008 election and until the 2010 election, it was a Democrat House with a Democrat Senate with a Democrat President. It wasn't filibuster-proof (not like they do them anymore anyway) but the Democrats were in charge.
They actually did have a filibuster-proof majority for something like a few months, in between the fight over the Minnesota recount and Senator Kennedy's death. It's pretty much the only time during Obama's Presidency that Congress has been able to get shit done.
He had the cap on executive bonuses removed while Chuck Grassley was on the floor of the Senate calling for AIG employees to commit suicide before the American people. Pretty remarkable achievement for a President capable of accomplishing very little else save for a pharmaceutical-industry supported healthcare bill.
After the 2008 election and until the 2010 election, it was a Democrat House with a Democrat Senate with a Democrat President. It wasn't filibuster-proof (not like they do them anymore anyway) but the Democrats were in charge.