Obama: '20 years of obstruction in one'

Where is the story about the Judd Gregg comments to Peter O at OMB yesterday. Our grandchildren's money is being stolen (kinda)

Obama has seized on a strong talking point and is sticking with it. Americans may be frustrated with the president, but they are equally fed up with Republicans failing to cooperate and work to actually pass legislation in Washington.

http://www.political-buzz.com/

HOW QUICKLY THE WORM TURNS . . .
Dems’ enthusiasm on healthcare wanes
The healthcare thrill is gone.
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A year ago, Democrats gushed with excitement about reforming the nation’s healthcare system. Now they talk about it like an unfinished chore.
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“I don’t think you’ll find much enthusiasm, but there are people who believe it has to be done, whether it’s with enthusiasm or not,” said Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.). “The debate has become so polarized and so divisive that people are saying, ‘We’ve got to revisit this, but it will be out of a sense of obligation.’ ”
Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), a centrist from a right-leaning state, issued a press statement in February 2009 hailing President Barack Obama’s address to Congress and saying he “shared the urgency” to address healthcare reform.
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Fatigued from a year of rancor, however, Pryor and other Democrats on Tuesday said they would revisit the issue only reluctantly.
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“We’ve spent a lot of time on this last year, and my sense is that most senators would like to move on to other subjects like jobs and the economy,” said Pryor. “But it depends on what form it comes back in.”

Did Obama's "I Hate Republicans" rant come before or after his call for bipartisanship?

Some day our grandchildren will ask us why anyone took Obama seriously.

What do you mean someday a lot of kids are asking. I also love how the mainstream media is not reporting about Obama's budget and the tax increase for all working Americans. Remember those tax cuts for the rich that Bush passed well at the end of the year I guess you find out you were rich all along. Got to love how liberals believe their own propaganda. And Obama offering easy loans to small businesses in one hand and in the other going to hit them with a few new taxes.

END THE REPUBLICAN'S ABUSE OF THE FILIBUSTER!

Republicans play games with the filibuster, deliberately gumming up the legislative process in their effort to gain political advantage, and it needs to stop.

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http://alternativetulsa.blogspot.com/2009/12/obstruction-gang-gop-abuses-filibuster.html
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It's refreshing to see the WH take notice of growing frustration and outright anger over the dawdling pace of badly needed reforms. Going forward, voters are angry, they're looking for those at fault. There's no need to erect scapegoats when the actual perps can serve. Here's just a few examples.

On important issues, force Republicans to filibuster, not on paper, on the floor. It's doable and the lack of healthcare or a decent job is a hell of a lot bigger pain in the butt for us lowly non Senators. Let people tune into CSPAN and see some Republican stooge shut down the government and thwart popular sentiment by droning on about evil Nazi democrats, and people will get sick of it. Pretty soon that obstructionist's support will run for cover like roaches in a laser beam.

Fire someone who has failed spectacularly. Pick a cabinet official or committee chairman or whatnot that's wrapped up in Wall Street or healthcare, and demote them or kick them to the curb. This sends a powerful message throughout the Beltway and beyond that in the WH or Congress, just like in any other job the rest of us have, failure is not lavishly rewarded.

When something works, don't stop doing it. Be they bankstas or healthcare insurance executives, they are at fault and No One Likes Them. Keep them on the public hotseat, drag their sorry butts before committee and grill them mercilessly. Alternate with words from ordinary Americans whose lives have been utterly destroyed by these robber barons. Time it right and they can be stammering on about their bonuses and summer homes on one news channel even as a whack-a-doodle Republican blabber-mouth defends them with a filibuster on another (C-Span).

Wash, rinse, repeat.

Speeches are great, but this is the time for action. And these are just three examples out of a number of actions that can be taken right now, no cooperation from Republicans or right wing sell out blue dogs required. Take action, and not only do prospects improve in November, We the People could benefit forever.

60 votes was never, is never, a guarantee for success in legislating, particularly when we have the " royal " opposition, that is now taking up space in our Congress!! The Republican-Libertarian gang, from the beginning, would not and did not, work with, nor support President Obama and Vice-President Biden and the Democratic majority. Instead, they spoke of Waterloos and death panels, communists and re-distributors of wealth, while our country slowly sank into the quagmire of the Bush&Cheney fringe. 7 Million jobs disappeared during Bush&Cheney's two terms and the best we get from these, less then stellar Americans, is blatant lies that it is all President Obama's fault. One year in the office of our President and the ridiculous Republican-Libertarians want America to accept their lies, again. Well, we didn't accept your lies and distortions, when you made the misstep of selecting an incompetent ticket of McCain and Palin and we will not, now. Why don't you just find reasonable solutions to our problems, other than tax cuts for the rich? I think, if you did find reasonable solutions, your favorable ratings would begin to climb higher than Bush&Cheney's numbers !! I hope you give my suggestions, some serious consideration. What have you to lose? You have already lost both Houses of our Congress and our White House. Maybe you should re-think your agenda, it seems to have totally failed you.

While there are certainly plenty of valid reasons to fear Big Government, it is often the beneficial aspects of what a powerful federal government can provide that sends the mainstream media’s cast of Fox super villains into a frenzy. Universal access to health care, social programs for distressed communities, rights to an education, environmental protection and even basic food and water standards have been discussed in somber tones by Glenn Beck as the stepping stones to a Socialist government hell bent on destroying the American Dream.

I watch in awe as Sean Hannity follows at least thirty mentions of the need for small government with the statement that we should not fetter our CIA and military with respect to battling terrorists. As the history of all Big Governments has illustrated in the starkest of terms, nothing feeds the power of the State more than perpetual war. Sean Hannity has absolute trust in the growing Big Government he fears when said government is blowing up towns via remote control airplanes, killing scores of innocents on nothing more than a hunch that a terrorist might have prayed in the local mosque. Sean Hannity sees no reason to mess about with such Pollyanna crap as trials or adherence to the Geneva Convention when fighting this amorphous war that was never formally declared.

The same government that is completely untrustworthy on Health Care is miraculously trustworthy on imprisoning those who mean to do us harm. Simply requesting a modicum of transparency on issues relating to the incarceration and murder of potential enemies of the State is tantamount to being weak on defense or even a traitor. Lucky for us, our government never arrests the wrong man or woman. If the government somehow kills a few thousand innocents along the way, that’s just the cost of freedom, the cost of making Big Government even bigger.

Bill O’Reilly gets flustered when the idea that we should not torture people comes up. He sighs heavily when there is a suggestion that there should be proof before we execute someone. He trusts our government unequivocally in such matters. It is only the big governance of Reid and Pelosi that he questions. There is more of a possibility that our government, which has listened in on our cell phone calls and will soon be looking at most of us naked before we board an airplane, would incarcerate and murder us for our opinions rather than carrying out the supposed Death Panels of the monstrous Health Care plans. While I am not a proponent of the crap insurance company giveaways of Harry Reid at least the Dems are devoting some energy into the concept that Big Government can accomplish more than murder.

Sarah Palin laughs at the suggestion of any sort of deliberation before we escalate our various wars. She trusts our lightning-fast precision government to make the decisions of life and death, your way, right away.

The right-wingers, who supported the repeal of McCain-Feingold, believe that corporations must be guaranteed the rights of the individual, as long as they are not Gay Corporations. Nothing threatens the sanctity of marriage more than a dreaded Gay Corporate Merger or George Soros with his hand on John McCain’s leg.

Republicans and Tea Baggers alike can sleep well knowing that Scott Brown also has absolute trust in our Big Government when it comes to imprisonment, torture and murder. Scott Brown’s drunken rambling victory speech last week drew big applause when he spoke of the fact that there is simply no need to protect the rights of terrorists. Again, the problem here is, as patently obvious as it should be, is that without giving suspects any rights, there is no mechanism to assess if they are guilty or innocent. This undermines all of our rights.

To my friends in the corporate media, I am all for reducing the size of government, right after they arrest the lot of you on suspicion of being terrorists. Isn’t "Hannity" the Arabic word for clown?

Beth/Crash Davis, you can just leave a link to DailyKos. You don't have to copy and paste the entire article.

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If Obama is truly reaching out to the GOP, why all the backhanded comments in this speech? In the House GOP speech? In the SOTU? Do you want bi-partisanship or don't you? Set an example by dialing down your own polarizing rhetoric.

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Posted by: Herbie H. | February 3, 2010 3:40 PM
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Herbie,
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Thanks for saying what was on my mind. These bots keep pasting that DailyKos article everywhere.
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As for Obama’s statements, I think they are so polarizing that I doubt whether any conservative Republican or Democrat could ever embrace the Obamassiah again. Obama’s accusation of “obstructionism” assumes that Republicans and blue-dog Democrats are invariably wrong and his positions are correct (read: infallible). That makes “bipartisanship” require capitulation by conservative members in Congress, rather than conciliation and cooperation, as it had before. Obstruction, then, means failure to genuflect in Obama’s presence or meet his demands to the letter. John Adams had the same attitude, and it made him a one-termer.

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Beth/Crash Davis, you can just leave a link to DailyKos. You don't have to copy and paste the entire article.
Posted by: Herbie H. | February 3, 2010 3:40 PM
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And if you could actually refute them you wouldn't be crying about it all the time.

I don't want to hear a word out of right wing crybabies like you when Democrats return the "filibuster everything" favor to Republicans in the coming years.

Okay you loony liberals I'm about fed up with Obama's lies about the deficit when he took office. Let's look at the numbers that the government uses at the end of fiscal year 2008 the deficit stood at $585 billion. At the start of the fiscal crisis it was that $600 billion. When the fiscal crisis hit the Bush team passed the TARP program ($700 billion) the deficit went to jump to $1.3 trillion. Under federal budget rules a loan or a grant are treated the same and must be added to the deficit. But one thing that Obama keeps failing to report is that of the $700 billion, 500 billion has been repaid. Take that away that from the $1.3 trillion in reality Obama walked into a deficit of $800 billion.

Now let's look at the real numbers. After the payback of TRAP funds (200 billion is never coming back that was money that went to AIG, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac) the deficit from Bush was $800 billion. Now take the $300 billion of spending in Obama's stimulus package and the deficit moves to $1.1 trillion. Now add in the auto bailout, plus more money for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, plus other spending and the deficit moves to $1.4 trillion. So in one years time team Obama and the liberals in Congress added $600 billion to the deficit and tried to blame Bush. Now you loony Libs may have a hard time believing this but take the time and do a little research of your own over at the CBO's website. And you don't think this is not to be used for the midterm elections you got to be kidding yourself. These are real numbers and as Al Gore would say it's "the inconvenient truth". Like another loony Libs said the website is free and open for all to see.

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Posted by: sok | February 3, 2010 6:01 PM
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Most of the points in the cut-and-paste post are easily refutable. The fact is that article starts off with the mistaken assumptions that: (1) Progressivism is correct; and (2) all conservatives believe everything Glen Beck, Sean Hannity and Sarah Palin say. These, in themselves, are simply untrue.
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But going into detail to refute the article and its Progressive underpinnings is a total waste of time. You wouldn’t give any refutation a fair hearing, regardless of how just or accurate it turned out to be. You and the rest of the progressive bots would stand on your side of the chasm and say “Progressivism is right because the Obama says so.” (Cf. the followers of “Vaal” from “The Apple,” Star Trek, Season 2, Episode 9.) There is simply no arguing with such closed mindedness, in which case I will make no such attempt.
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And BTW - You can thank Harry Reid for protecting the Senate 60 vote cloture rule. It is the rule that kept the Democrats from sinking into obscurity during Bush’s first 6 years. Funny that y’all find it so burdensome now.

Lil Johnny W,
If we were to listen to far right wing Teabaggers like you this country would turn into a lawless mess where the rich would have peace and prosperity and everyone else would have to hide in their shacks 24/7 with their AK 47's - protecting their last few gold nuggets from the roving pillaging gangs of Ron Paulites, who are demanding that everyone recite the Constitution word for word or be punished by giving up their remaining gold and guns.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QDv4sYwjO0

I don't think the Founding Fathers would appove of your R team repeatedly abusing the filibuster and blocking the will of the elected majority.

Matt,

That point that the GOP is obstructionist just doesn't play because the facts don't support it. He had all the votes he needed within his party, nothing a president has not had in decades, and he failed to accomplish his legislation with the exception of the Spendulus. The majority of Americans are glad the GOP is the Party of NO.

And if you could actually refute them you wouldn't be crying about it all the time.

Posted by: sok | February 3, 2010 6:01 PM

"sok", how did you know I was crying? I think that was just a lucky guess. And my problem with the DailyKos copy and paste jobs is not that they are air-tight arguments. The problem is that I have never had much success debating a parrot. I did trick one once into saying "I'm stupid". Of course, I had to say it first . . . .anyway, I'm still counting that as a win. If you have some tips for how to argue with a drone who can't think for himself and has to sponge off the writings/intellect of others to even enter a conversation, I would love to hear them. Until then, I will just ignore the copy and paste jobs like everyone else does.

I'm so glad the President pulled that statistic up and put it on the national screen.

It does lay the foundation for changing the Senate rules, doesn't it?

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Posted by: huh? | February 3, 2010 8:17 PM
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JohnEEEE-boy,
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I happen to understand why your support for progressivism is wrongheaded, and why progressivism, itself, is EVIL. That you don’t understand these things is proof that you are one of the closed-minded, progressive bots of which I wrote earlier in response to sok. The fact that your only effective reply is to misrepresent my political views and attack me personally is further proof that the public schools system is a dismal failure. In which case, you are still a waste of gravity.

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Posted by: huh? | February 3, 2010 8:17 PM
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PS, JohnEEE-boy,
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I am not a Republican. I’m a Libertarian in case you forgot.
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And furthermore, you have no place to speak of the Founding Fathers. Progressivism (also known popularly as Liberalism practiced by Democrats) is based on the notion that the Constitution is obsolete, and that social progress is best furthered by a big government employed to micromanage everything. The Founding Fathers vehemently opposed these views. Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin would disown today’s Democrats.

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The problem is that I have never had much success debating a parrot. I did trick one once into saying "I'm stupid". Of course, I had to say it first . . . .anyway, I'm still counting that as a win.
Posted by: Herbie H. | February 3, 2010 9:32 PM
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If you can't out debate a parrot then why do you keep whining about it?

Terri,
The Dems have NEVER had a real 60 votes with RepublaDems like Lieberman, Lincoln, Nelson etc and you know it. I can't wait to hear you sing a different tune when Dems return the favor in the coming years, and believe me, it will happen.

I didn't believe in the filibuster when the Repubs were the majority and I don't believe in it now. The elected majority should be able to implement the agenda that they ran on and got elected with - it's called DEMOCRACY.

REPUBLICANS SET RECORD FOR MOST FILIBUSTERS EVER.
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http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/31/republican-filibusters-skyrocket/
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http://www.cwa-legislative.org/news/republicans-break-all-time-filibusters-record.html
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Hmm. I'd wager that some posters protesting today's filibustering were all in favor of the unprecedented filibuster campaign the minority party waged against 10 judicial nominees to the nation's circuit courts of appeal when W was in office. Or were you against that, too?

I have to agree with Obumma on one point, he is leading us out of recession...Straight to depression.

"sok", I appreciate the responses. At least you are thinking for yourself now. This is a big step for you. Your analysis of my whining and crying is excellent. The next step is to apply your own thinking/analysis to something that is actually relevant to the blog. Baby steps. We'll get there.

TrickledOnJohnE,

They had sixty democratic senators - it's Harry's and BO's fault that they can't caucus the 60 senators and get their votes. However, it is nice to hear little girls like you whine.