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OrwellwasRight

(5,310 posts)

53. He does not need Congress to

Sun May 6, 2012, 09:17 PM

May 2012

-approve a new OSHA rule on silica dust
-finalize the SEC rule on corporations publishing the CEO to average worker pay ratio
-stop Cass Sunstein from his latest bullshit anti-regulatory initiative
-go after China's currency manipulation at the WTO
-pull troops out of Afghanistan now

Nothing was ever about his impotence. The "Obama is powerless over Congress" meme was always an excuse to keep up the illusion that he is more progressive than he actually is. So that the lefties he and Rahm Emanuel hate so much don't stay home at election time. He needs us, and instead of just folding and complying, we need to play politics as smart as he does -- and get something in return for our support. Politics is an art, and instead of simply saying "I'll vote for the lesser of two evils," the left needs to get more skilled in the art if we are to ever get what we want.

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"Obama is powerless" is not a right wing meme.. But it's not a left wing meme either.. [View all] Fumesucker May 2012 OP

It comes from the New Dem/DLC/third wayers trying to dodge accountability for advocating RW policy. Edweird May 2012 #1

Obama isn't powerless. But he also isn't a dictator, so he couldn't overcome the filibuster pnwmom May 2012 #5

So he had essentially the same majority as FDR when he passed most of the New Deal. Edweird May 2012 #15

FDR had the House. You need the House to pass anything. msanthrope May 2012 #17

Please explain, in your mind, 'how' and 'why' Nancy Pelosi was speaker of the house. Edweird May 2012 #22

Because the members of the House elected her. n/t pnwmom May 2012 #31

The poster I was replying to stated that Obama did not have a Dem controlled House. Edweird May 2012 #38

We don't have one now. pnwmom May 2012 #43

The poster I was replying to - which is not you - stated that Obama did not have a Dem majority Edweird May 2012 #44

He didn't have to deal with the current iteration annabanana May 2012 #23

So you believe FDR had it easier than Obama? Edweird May 2012 #35

Not essentially the same majority. The critical number is 60. pnwmom May 2012 #32

So you believe FDR had it easier than Obama? Edweird May 2012 #36

Yes. It was a more obvious crisis, even to those not directly hit. pnwmom May 2012 #45

So when he said "I welcome their hatred" he was just beingt melodramatic, huh? Edweird May 2012 #47

Of the statements I made to back up my conclusion, which weren't true? pnwmom May 2012 #49

Stating that Obama has it harder than FDR did is clearly untrue. Edweird May 2012 #50

I gave you the reasons why I drew that conclusion. pnwmom May 2012 #51

I, for one, see violent military overthrow as much, much worse than political obstruction. Edweird May 2012 #61

FDR experienced "violent military overthrow," did he? When in his 12 years of office pnwmom May 2012 #65

Really? There was collusion between military leadership and corporate interests in a planned coup Edweird May 2012 #66

In the end, there was no proof of such a thing with respect to FDR. pnwmom May 2012 #67

I see. Edweird May 2012 #68

First reply out of the gate nails it. Good work. K&R Egalitarian Thug May 2012 #40

Not sure its a meme The Traveler May 2012 #2

I was reading this OP that way.. Fumesucker May 2012 #3

It's not the criticism, but rather the way that it is posed as being entirely the result of Obama patrice May 2012 #4

Even fair criticism from the left is hated.. Fumesucker May 2012 #9

not only attacked, the heritage foundation was quinnox May 2012 #10

Got a link to the post that applauds the heritage foundation? emulatorloo May 2012 #20

that isnt true Enrique May 2012 #11

I totally agree that the left shouldn't keep quiet, and that that form of pressure should be applied pnwmom May 2012 #7

People are comparing Obama to the Republicans of ten or fifteen years ago for the most part.. Fumesucker May 2012 #28

My political memories go back a long way, but we're living in 2012. pnwmom May 2012 #33

you mean the fdr opposition that tried to organize a military coup and possibly an assassination? HiPointDem May 2012 #12

OK. So please explain the 2006 legislature. n/t Egalitarian Thug May 2012 #42

Usually I see that meme coming from certain hard core Obama people quinnox May 2012 #6

He isn't powerless, and he isn't the dictator that some apparently would prefer. pnwmom May 2012 #8

Sorry, doesn't come from Obama supporters, comes from anti-Obama faction emulatorloo May 2012 #16

I gave an example in the OP that does not require legislation, a purely executive function.. Fumesucker May 2012 #29

You asked where the meme came from, I answered your question. emulatorloo May 2012 #52

Actually you gave me two opposite answers.. Fumesucker May 2012 #57

Let's clarify. "Obama is weak" is a right wing meme. emulatorloo May 2012 #58

I posted a specific power that Obama has, the power to reschedule drugs.. Fumesucker May 2012 #60

President Obama isn't powerless. MineralMan May 2012 #13

He does not need Congress to OrwellwasRight May 2012 #53

It is a DU meme used to bludgeon DU'ers who understand that there are three branches of emulatorloo May 2012 #14

Here's what I was responding to in a recent OP.. Fumesucker May 2012 #25

Hmm. Appears poster is thinking of "Obama is weak" meme. emulatorloo May 2012 #54

I can only read the words on my screen.. Fumesucker May 2012 #55

See my reply 58 above emulatorloo May 2012 #59

his press aides deploy it frequently...it's picked up from there. nt nashville_brook May 2012 #18

Link to quotes wher press aides say "Obama is Powerless?" emulatorloo May 2012 #21

Caricatures to the left, caricatures to the right ... sharing one commonality ... JoePhilly May 2012 #19

You think you know my opinion of Obama? Fumesucker May 2012 #24

Re-read your OP ... at the end you asked a question. JoePhilly May 2012 #34

I put an example in the OP of something Obama could do if he wished to.. Fumesucker May 2012 #41

So Obama needs to do that to prove he is not powerless? JoePhilly May 2012 #46

And yet you complained of my caricatures, eh? Fumesucker May 2012 #48

You know, we all spent 8 years basically getting a Ph.D in getting fucked over by... Poll_Blind May 2012 #26

Conservative Democrats and party loyalists, for the most part. Marr May 2012 #27

He isn't "powerless". He's an ambitious centrist politician whose goal is reelection. Tierra_y_Libertad May 2012 #30

Straw man treestar May 2012 #37

+1 emulatorloo May 2012 #56

I should have put this in the OP.. Fumesucker May 2012 #62

+1 great white snark May 2012 #64

That must mean it's a Centrist meme kenny blankenship May 2012 #39

+1 Edweird May 2012 #63

Here's another example of the "Obama is powerless" argument being used.. Fumesucker May 2012 #69