> Obama isn't able to beef up much with Congress voting on the laws first. That might prove difficult given the current makeup of Congress.

Policy change can be sudden and radical, but durable shifts in political priorities often start with legislative proposals, which build support for the idea in the public consciousness, which translate into pressure on elected politicians, which turn into policies -- maybe not this year, and maybe not until after several election cycles.

But if you never propose anything that won't pass today, you never move things in the direction you prefer.