Yet many Republicans remain committed to opposing Obama regardless of policy. An orderly, serial succession of issues might enable them to consolidate their opposition, rallying less adamant colleagues to a united front. It could be more fruitful for the White House to pursue a multipronged agenda -- pushing gun safety, immigration reform and fiscal retrenchment simultaneously. That might allow individual Republicans to camouflage rare instances of heretical agreement with the White House amid a general trend of opposition.
I'm not optimistic about anything good getting through Congress, but backing away from the one big thing at a time mode might make something possible. When it's always one big thing the teabaggers know what to focus on.