Wow. NY Times reader comments are stunning

[MannyGoldstein]

http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/us/politics/07cong.html

Never seen anything remotely like this.

Samples:

The Republicans trickle down form of economics failed in the 1920s,
failed in the 1980s, and failed earlier this decade. Now the Republicans along with the White House want to try it again. Their greed BORDERS ON TREASON when we are fighting two wars, having to borrow more money from the Chinese, and those making over a million dollars a year don't want to pay and extra 3.6% in income tax after the first million! This isn't about stimulating the economy, it's about gutting government revenue so they can further cut social welfare programs that are the critical lifeline for millions of American families. Shame on them.

It will stop middle-class taxes from going up. It will spur our private sector to create millions of new jobs, and add momentum that our economy badly needs.”

Is this for real, Obama? Instead of telling people that their taxes were cut this year, you repeat the false Republican line that they were raised on the middle class. And then repeat a belief in trickle down economics. What a joke, you lost my vote.

So long, President Obama. Like the woman at the town hall, I'm tired of defending you. I don't even know you anymore. I'm done.

[abelenkpe]

1. Huh?

"It will stop middle-class taxes from going up. It will spur our private sector to create millions of new jobs, and add momentum that our economy badly needs.”


Did Obama actually say that?

[Parker CA]

2. +1. Is this for real?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

4. Has to be bullcrap. No way Obama said this.

[Skittles]

22. READ IT FOR YOURSELF AND WEEP

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/12/06/statement-president-tax-cuts-and-unemployment-benefits

[awoke_in_2003]

32. please do not post facts...

it makes baby Jesus cry.

[kath]

36. No way can I read all that bullshit - excuse me while I

:puke: :puke: :puke:

[donheld]

33. God help us

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Yes:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/12/06/statement-president-tax-cuts-and-unemployment-benefits

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[abelenkpe]

7. He believes in trickle down?

Bummer :P

[LittleBlue]

35. Shameful. He looks like a Republican thrall.

That's just him repeating the Rethug bullshit

[Mimosa]

20. McCain said it. n/t

[donheld]

34. Not here

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/12/06/statement-president-tax-cuts-and-unemployment-benefits

[Skittles]

23. dup

[FormerDittoHead]

42. This is where he loses me... I flat out disagree with him.

"As for now, I believe this bipartisan plan is the right thing to do. It’s the right thing to do for jobs. It’s the right thing to do for the middle class. It is the right thing to do for business. And it’s the right thing to do for our economy."

NO Mr. President. It maybe the right COMPROMISE, but you're spiking the ball on your own goal line.

How are we supposed to simply forget how much he TOLD US that the tax cuts were the WRONG thing to do?

[fiorello]

43. Out of context quote. It refers to the Obama tax cuts, not the Bu$h ones

Obama's statement (link in other messages) said it straight: in order to get what he wanted, he had to agree to tax cuts for the super-rich. He never defended tax cuts for the rich. He only said that the COMPROMISE would stop middle classes from going up, etc.

I'm not happy. I don't like it. But it's not as bad as some people are saying.

Quoting- to show the full context:

"And what is abundantly clear to everyone in this town is that Republicans will block a permanent tax cut for the middle class unless they also get a permanent tax cut for the wealthiest Americans, regardless of the cost or impact on the deficit.

In exchange for a temporary extension of the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, we will be able to protect key tax cuts for working families... unemployment insurance will also be extended for another 13 months... This agreement would also mean a 2 percent employee payroll tax cut for workers next year -- a tax cut that economists across the political spectrum agree is one of the most powerful things we can do to create jobs and boost economic growth.
...
It will stop middle-class taxes from going up. It will spur our private sector to create millions of new jobs, and add momentum that our economy badly needs."

Obama also signaled that he will campaign against tax cuts for the wealthy in 2012. That, at least, is something everyone can support!

And we can't repeat this often enough (for non-Dems): Obama cut taxes for working people. Republicans demanded tax cuts for the very wealthy.

Repeating the link:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/12/06/statement-president-tax-cuts-and-unemployment-benefits

[glitch]

6. Apparently American citizens are not quite as dumb as expected.

Perhaps they waited too long to reform education.

[ProudDad]

8. How to be a one term pResident...

Although no matter how much he pisses on anyone to the left of Barry Goldwater...

He's doing such a good job for his corporate capitalist masters that I expect them to make sure Palin is the republican nominee so he can get another term...

[glitch]

11. Poor Jeb, looks like he's going to have to wait until 2016.

By then the Bush brand will be freshly laundered and ready to roll in for the coup de grace.

[elehhhhna]

45. who needs jeb when we have

Jebama?

[Aramchek]

9. who selected these quotes? oh, wait, it was Manny. you see what you want to see.

[MannyGoldstein]

12. Pick 5 random quotes and post them

It will be no different.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

31. Check Post #19.

They're very different.

[MannyGoldstein]

39. Are we reading the same #19?

Here's what I see:

19. I'm afraid that President Obama has gone to the dark side. He's quite obviously a republican now, and this most outrageous deal just seals it. He promised to end these tax breaks for the wealthiest during the campaign and afterward. But apparently he has no back-bone. And so the banana republic is here... the richest 2% of the population control everything while the rest of us who used to be middle class are eking out livings trying to make ends meet (if we're lucky enough to have a job). What is it the late George Carlin used to say -- "It's called the American Dream because you'd have to be asleep to believe it!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

44. Nice try -- Post #19 in *this* thread.

[ClarkUSA]

10. All those gold-plated NYT readers don't give a damn about the unemployed and their families.

Who cares whether the unemployed start begging in the streets? What counts is that millionaires have less pocket money.

And here I thought Republicans were the only ones who cared more about the rich than the poor.

:sarcasm:

[frylock]

13. kickeroo

"It will stop middle-class taxes from going up. It will spur our private sector to create millions of new jobs, and add momentum that our economy badly needs.”

[CakeGrrl]

14. I haven't seen anything like this since

I refreshed the GD and GD: P threads a minute ago!

"I'm done." Where, oh WHERE have I seen that today...???

"You've lost my vote." Hmmm...again, where have I seen that one???

[Pisces]

16. Same bullshit peddled by same people, different day.

[Skittles]

21. why is it that such "BS" is so damned easy to find?

yes INDEED

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

28. LOL! Me neither! It was still shocking! Shocking I tell you!

"I'm done" should be a drinking game.

[zulchzulu]

15. So will these parlor talking purists stay away from us as we work to stop the Repigs in 2012?

I surely hope they stay the fuck away from me. The last thing America needs in these times are whining cowards who haven't a clue how the World works.

Please tell these people to stay far away from any Democratic campaign headquarters in their community. We in the trenches don't want wobbly losers. They can join in the ranks of hapless third party asshats who will get 2-5% of the vote and waste their time following failure and sophmoric torpor.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

17. Sounds like something you would write.

Though you got the jump on those readers by a few years.

[MannyGoldstein]

18. Maybe I'll change my name to Cassandra. nt

[zulchzulu]

19. A sampling of the more politically sane comments the OP didn't post

This is the first thing Obama has done in 6 months that I support. Slowly, he's winning back my vote.

To try and make it sound like Mr. Obama is falling short in his efforts to help the country isn't true.

Republicans have focused on one item, TO BE A ROADBLOCK to him or any positive efforts from Democrats. If we had a functioning government we might be headed in a good direction. I can't believe that people are still voting for republicans.

I'm disappointed, but it's so obvious that this administration has been held hostage by the GOP - it's not the decision a scrapper would have made, but President Obama is a pragmatist. If the price for extending unemployment insurance and middle class tax cuts is to pander to the billionaires, it's a choice that was necessary. Let's not focus our outrage on Obama, but on the 1% who refuse to pay fair taxes.

Sometimes compromise is necessary. I don't care about what the rich get; I am happy that the unemployed will continue to get benefits for 13 more months.

Keep on keepin' on, Mr. President. I'm still in your corner.

Obama is playing poker now that the Republicans have some power too and must play the game, and I have faith that in 2012 he will win out for all of us- and will beat the super rich who have no concern for the middle class 'us' anyway.

I support the President's decision, and I will never vote again for any member of Congress or any Senator who doesn't support President Obama on this matter.

Don't blame Obama, blame the republicans. Keep the pressure up to make sure the tax cuts for the millionaires actually expire in 2012.

[CakeGrrl]

24. Amazing what full context can do

Why can't people make their point honestly rather than cherry-picking to pad their argument?

The OP would have you believe the vast majority of the NYT readership has abandoned the President the way he did a long time ago.

Nice to see some other opinions.

[Skittles]

25. those are saps

[Lasher]

37. I think I know who posted one of the favorable NYT replies

Check this out and see who you think it is:

Way to go Mr President, you have my full support.

Your tax policy will put money back into the pockets of the people who earn it. I think that's vital to avoiding an even deeper recession. I think it's crucial, as well, to getting the recovery underway.

Deficits don't matter. This is our due.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

27. Interesting -- thanks for this.

[MannyGoldstein]

40. There's 5-10 the other way for each of those

As I wrote earlier - pick 5 random quotes and see which way they go.

[Milo_Bloom]

26. It's gone beyond sad.

[Whisp]

29. stunning how you picked out only particular comments.

that support your particular view. well not really.

its not like you are one of those angry ones who just decided today they won't have anything to do with Obama because he made their wife cry or something.

[tonekat]

30. I saw those comments, the sort posted by the OP way, way

...outnumber the ones of a different nature posted down the thread.

[jeanpalmer]

38. "it's about gutting government revenue

so they can further cut social welfare programs...." Exactly. Obama acts like he hasn't caught on yet, but he knows full well what they're doing. Bargaining with these disingenuous criminals, acting like it's being done in good faith -- what a fooler he is. He's helping to gut the safety net.

[Ikonoklast]

41. I've seen lots of stuff like that. You post it here every day.

Nice to see the minority still has a voice, though.

Unrec.