Obama comes out fighting --This is what you've been waiting for

[CreekDog]

"Now, if that's the standard by which we are measuring success or core principles, then let's face it, we will never get anything done. People will have the satisfaction of having a purist position, and no victories for the American people. And we will be able to feel good about ourselves, and sanctimonious about how pure our intentions are and how tough we are. And in the meantime the American people are still seeing themselves not able to get health insurance because of a pre-existing condition, or not being able to pay their bills because their unemployment insurance ran out. That can't be the measure of how we think about our public service. That can't be the measure of what it means to be a Democrat."


But at least he gave Republicans as hard a time for holding unemployment insurance hostage to tax cuts saying in no uncertain terms:

"And to my Republican friends, I would suggest, I think this is a good agreement, because I know they're swallowing some things that they don't like as well, and I'm looking forward to seeing them on the field of competition over the next two years."


---------------

sigh.

[hlthe2b]

1. He identified the "enemy" and came out swinging...

Sadly, it appears he found the enemy to be us.

[Name removed]

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[MrsCorleone]

10. No, you have consistently spun this. nt

[hlthe2b]

15. Throwing out unfounded accusations like this is disruptive

which I strongly suspect may be your intent. It is really ugly behavior. I will not be accused of such from someone who appears to just want to disrupt.

[SheilaT]

3. It certainly does not feel to me as if he fought

for anything.

Let's start with health care. At the very beginning he pulled single payer off the table. Why, in god's name? Why take away what could at the very least be a negotiating point?

He promised to end the obscene tax breaks for the wealthy. I tell you, I would much rather my own taxes go up (as they no doubt will eventually) than for any of those fuckers who are making millions to continue being handed money the way they have been.

I personally can recall very clearly ten years ago when the tax breaks were enacted, and every single sensible person out there said, this is a train wreck in the making.

Everything is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. Especially for those of us who are not millionaires.

[Homer12]

4. you are wrong

He betrayed a campaign promise at the drop of the hat.

He stabbed us in the back, instead of fighting against the Republicans, twisting arms, etc... To keep his promise.

[phleshdef]

5. He promised not to raise middle class income taxes on the campaign as well.

Now tell me how he gets this done without breaking one promise or the other?

[CakeGrrl]

7. What don't you get about this?

They ran a trial vote in the Senate to extend UI benefits.

The vote FAILED. The Republicans killed it.

So UI benefits would have been allowed to expire. No more, done.

So, rather than have that happen, the tax cut deal was cut to keep the asshat obstructionist Republicans from screwing over people who rely on UI benefits. Why? Because there is no appeal to decency for these Republicans.

So their precious tax cuts were offered against that for TWO YEARS, which makes it a political football for 2012. The President made clear that he's never wanted these and will continue to oppose them.

And the President tied them directly to making that necessary because the Republicans would just not be reasonable about extending UI benefits (translation: they're insane obstructionist assholes).

But all people around here see in that is that "Obama caved". "Obama broke a promise".

Sorry, but some of you would not last a day in Washington with this narrow thinking. You wouldn't know where to begin.

[zalinda]

11. Please tell me why he couldn't let the tax cuts expire?

I really want to know. From what I understand, the "middle class tax cuts" amount to no more than a few dollars a week in their paycheck. A TV reporter went to our flea market and made a big deal about what he could by for his $6.50 extra that he would be receiving in his paycheck each week.

So you let the tax cuts expire. Then you start with UI benefits and how the Repubs are holding the unemployed hostage so millionaires can get tax breaks. How these tax breaks for millionaires would put the country more in debt. Let people get angry, AT THE REPUBS. Believe me, after talking to a teabagger, I know that one of their BIG issues is our debt. They would be calling their reps big time.

Would some people suffer? Yes, but they are suffering right now. Emptying a bucket is worthless when a dam is about to break.

zalinda

[CakeGrrl]

16. And how much time would pass while you let tax cuts expire and

have people figure out what's going on?

There are people living UI paycheck to UI paycheck NOW. Those are gone at the end of this month.

How long would they have to wait until people get angry? And more so, until something HAPPENS?

WHEN would you see Republicans doing something in the face of tax cut backlash?

If your food and rent depended on a UI paycheck, how long would you be able to watch this play out until you were out on the street?

[ProudDad]

14. What don't YOU get about the fact that the cowardly Dems

pretended to pass it at the end of a lame duck session...

Instead of a year ago when there would have been time to build grassroots support to lean on the fucking blue-dogs and GET IT PASSED THEN!

Don't blame the republicans for democrat sloth and impotence -- the republicans are being the scorpions they are...

THE FUCKING DEMS had the huge majorities (on paper) and the ability to CHANGE THE RULES OF THE SENATE to get things DONE...

But both right-wings of the Corporate War Party are in the business of preserving the Status Quo for their Corporate Capitalist Masters...

So, I'm not surprised... :shrug:

You don't still think the Dems are SERIOUS about "Change" do you? :eyes:

[CakeGrrl]

17. And what do you think should be DONE about that TODAY?

What's the remedy?

As of today, less than a month from the absolute expiration of UI benefits, we have what we have.

You can't simply zap Congress out of existence.

You can rail about it here, but how does the rage at what didn't happen a year ago translate into corrective action now?

[ProudDad]

20. The Dems PASS a bill in the house to extend UI

Then bring it to the floor of the Senate...TOMORROW

Then change the rules in the Senate (only 51 votes are needed for that) and MAKE the repugs in the Senate filibuster THE OLD FASHIONED WAY by having to control the floor on their hind legs...

The EVERY Democrat should FLOOD the airwaves 24/7 with the fact that the republicans are holding working people hostage to pay back their rich friends with HUGE tax breaks; mention some amounts like Rush Limbaugh's $1.5 MILLION subsidy -- Call it that "Republican Subsidies for Millionaires and Billionaires"

C'mon, this is George Lakoff 101...framing...

And FDR 101, fighting back against the forces of Evil...

[ProudDad]

25. Hmm... (n/t)

[BlueIris]

6. Too bad he's not fighting for anything valid.

Mr. President, I hate to post it, but I am not going to miss you.

[CakeGrrl]

9. Sorry you don't consider UI benefits "valid"

I'll bet those who are relying on them for food and rent see it differently than you.

[ProudDad]

13. I'm so happy the muggers

let the good cop talk them into letting "us" keep $2 while we hand over the rest of our cash...

Nice muggers...

[shellgame26]

24. Thank you

All those screaming against this extension are obviously doing ok.

[Milo_Bloom]

8. At least I know who the enemy is now.

[ProudDad]

12. Crock of shit!

If the dems really wanted to accomplish anything they would have brought this up at least 9 months ago...

Or even better last year...

But, no, they do this at the last possible moment when it's easy for the repubs to blackmail them into submission with no time for them to wriggle out of it...

Now HOW THE FUCK IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM A pRESIDENT MCSHAME???

[Bodhi BloodWave]

23. Obama wanted this taken care of before the midterms

Pelosi didn't want to make a bill until the senate had made one(unless i remember wrongly)

The senate didn't make one because they were worried it might hurt them in the midterms.

So when we have obama going on and on before the midterm about needing to have the tax cuts et al dealt with and congress unwilling to do it for one reason or another, what is he supposed to do?

He obviously has to deal with the hand that was dealt him yes?

[ProudDad]

26. Thanks for the rational response...

He could have listened to George Lakoff in 2008...

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[jeanpalmer]

21. He doesn't get it

The Repugs have run over us for 8 years, more like 30, taking our country down the shitter in so many ways. We needed to reverse the trend, expose their lines of bullshit, start winning the war of ideas. We needed someone who would challenge them and take the battle to them. Instead, he is adopting their phony ideas and kissing their asses. It keeps us going down the path to ruin. We really did need change. But he doesn't have the stomach for it.

[dubyadiprecession]

22. He needs our help....

The president has been under continuous fire for two years. the repubs have been yelling, screaming (throwing a tantrum down the cereal isle) at him and we on the left sit there silently like we don't even exist. It is the sqeaky wheel that gets the grease and it is time for us to flood republican office holders with demands for what we want.

[polichick]

27. At least it's getting easier to see who he thinks his enemies are. nt

[cherokeeprogressive]

28. Comes out fighting? More like goes down swinging. Or better yet...

strikes out looking.