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[SoutherDem]

I posted on Facebook the "Republicans 2012; Keeping millions out of work to get one man out of a job"

A friend asked why I liked Obama.

I replied:
Although I do support President Obama the reason I posted the pic was less to show support for the President, but to show objection to the Republicans. I personally feel congress is acting more like spoiled brats rather than the elected officials of our country. I have seen opposition before but not like we are seeing now. Compromise has disappeared and yes I place this on the shoulders of the Republicans. Compromise is give and take, so far all I have see from most Republicans especially the Tea Party is all take and no give.
I described it to a friend like this; It is like two people want to get together for lunch but they live 100 miles apart. They each insist on the other making the full 100 mile journey. Compromise would be bartering back and forth and reaching a meeting point so each will travel around 50 miles. To the Republicans compromise is meeting 1 mile from their house while the Democrats travel 99 miles, then making it sound like they worked so hard to travel the 1 mile (and made the Democrats pay for the gas the 1 mile cost).
Yes, I feel President Obama is a good President, and can be great, but as long as Congress insists on reaching their number one goal of making him a one term President rather than looking after the needs of all Americans, except for the rich, we are doomed to fail.
One last thing, all of those who are running for the Republican nomination scares the living daylights out of me, with the exception of Romney, but I am not sure if the Republicans will nominate him because he is Mormon, also he has shown he is for whatever the group he is wanting their vote want. When he was governor of a liberal state he was for a health care law, now that he wants the conservative vote he is against it, but if he found in the general election it did have popular support he would be for it again. I like a politician who can say “I was wrong” but not one who flips positions based on the latest poll.



He replied:
Good points but I didn't see why you think Obama has been a good president. What has he done to be considered good? Why I think he's been a poor president...He has been anything but transparent. He campaigned on bringing hope and change and he's brought none of that. First instead of making our private sector one in which businesses what to invest, his policies have driven business away. Just two examples are Boeing who was blocked from opening a plant in South Carolina that would have brought hundreds of jobs to that area. A second example recently in the news is Gibson guitars was raided for having rosewood which our government says is illegal to import. Only Gibson guitars was raided but no other guitar makerwas and the justice dept says it was not for political reasons. Secondly, a health care bill was rammed down our throats when the majority didn't want it and much of it was negoiated by Demoocrats behind locked doors. All of that was during Obama's two years when he had a democratic senate and house which never passed a budget which also lead up to the negotiations you're were describing. The republicans held fast because Obama doesn't understand that at some point he has to stop spending us into oblivion. None of his stimulus plans and other ideas/experiments have worked for this economy. The proof is everywhere you look. Stores are closing right and left, businesses are afraid to hire because of the coming health care law and banks are unwilling to loan because they see little chance of getting a return on their investment. All of this is due to the economic climate that Obama's policies have created and the massive debt. I believe you spoke about "rich people". Stats show time and again that the top earners in this country pay far more than their share of taxes. So why is it that if someone has worked their butts off to achieve success that somehow the government is able to take more of their money to give it to someone who didn't work to earn it. One of our major problems in this country is no one wants to take personal responsibility for where they are in life or how they turned out due to the choices they made or didn't make. I'm by no means a rich person monetarily but if I were, the decision about giving/sharing should be up to me and not forced upon me by the government that time and time again proves it can not manage a single dime it receives. Now that I've said some things why I think Obama's been a poor leader, I will say that he's done some good with taking out terrorists who think of nothing more than finding new awful ways to kill americans. But, any president who is going to sue a state i.e. Arizona and Alabama for trying to protect itself against illegals is no president I could or would ever support. Just my .02 worth.

How would you all reply?

[monmouth]

1. Here ya go..

3 Chics Politico gives mad props to President Obama on his accomplishments since being in office. It’s pretty impressive!

Hat-tip: Political Carnival

1. Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending
2. Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and practices
3. Instituted enforcement for equal pay for women
4. Beginning the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq
5. Families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB
6 Ended media blackout on war casualties; reporting full information
7. Ended media blackout on covering the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB; the media is now permitted to do so pending adherence to respectful rules and approval of fallen soldier’s family
8. The White House and federal government are respecting the Freedom of Information Act
9. Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible
10. Limits on lobbyist’s access to the White House
11. Limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration
12. Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date
13. Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren’t even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan
14. Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research
15. Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research
16. New federal funding for science and research labs
17. States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards
18. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect
19. Funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools
20. New funds for school construction
21 The prison at Guantanamo Bay is being phased out
22. US Auto industry rescue plan
23. Housing rescue plan
24. $789 billion economic stimulus plan
25. The public can meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (the new plan can be completed in one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying
26. US financial and banking rescue plan
27. The secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere are being closed
28. Ended the previous policy; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with theGeneva Convention standards
29. Better body armor is now being provided to our troops
30. The missile defense program is being cut by $1.4 billion in 2010
31. Restarted the nuclear nonproliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols
32. Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic
33. Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions
34. Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office
35. Successful release of US captain held bySomali pirates; authorized the SEALS to do their job
36. US Navy increasing patrols off Somali coast
37. Attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles
38. Cash for clunkers program offers vouchers to trade in fuel inefficient, polluting old cars for new cars; stimulated auto sales
39. Announced plans to purchase fuel efficient American-made fleet for the federal government
40. Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children
41. Signed national service legislation; expandednational youth service program
42. Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return home to visit loved ones
43. Ended the previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions
44. Expanding vaccination programs
45. Immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters
46. Closed offshore tax safe havens
47. Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals
48. Ended the previous policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs; the new policy is to promote in-sourcing to bring jobs back
49.. Ended the previous practice of protecting credit card companies; in place of it are new consumer protections from credit card industry’s predatory practices
50. Energy producing plants must begin preparing to produce 15% of their energy from renewable sources
51. Lower drug costs for seniors
52. Ended the previous practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug manufacturers for cheaper drugs; the federal government is now realizing hundreds of millions in savings
53. Increasing pay and benefits for military personnel
54. Improved housing for military personnel
55. Initiating a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses
56. Improved conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other military hospitals
57 Increasing student loans
58. Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program
59. Sent envoys to Middle East and other parts of the world that had been neglected for years; reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy
60. Established a new cyber security office
61. Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military 20 years after the Cold War to a more modern fighting force; this includes new procurement policies, increasing size of military, new technology and cyber units and operations, etc.
62. Ended previous policy of awarding no-bid defense contracts
63. Ordered a review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness
64. Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient
65. Students struggling to make college loan payments can have their loans refinanced
66. Improving benefits for veterans
67. Many more press conferences and town halls and much more media access than previous administration
68. Instituted a new focus on mortgage fraud
69. The FDA is now regulating tobacco
70. Ended previous policy of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules
71. Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations, and reports
72. Authorized discussions with North Korea and private mission by Pres. Bill Clinton to secure the release of two Americans held in prisons
73. Authorized discussions with Myanmar and mission by Sen. Jim Web to secure the release of an American held captive
74. Making more loans available to small businesses
75. Established independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare
76. Appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court
77. Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans
78. Limited salaries of senior White House aides; cut to $100,000
79. Renewed loan guarantees for Israel
80. Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan
81. Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan
82. New Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans
83. Announced the long-term development of a national energy grid with renewable sources and cleaner, efficient energy production
84. Returned money authorized for refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters
85. Paid for redecoration of White House living quarters out of his own pocket
86. Held first Seder in White House
87. Attempting to reform the nation’s healthcare system which is the most expensive in the world yet leaves almost 50 million without health insurance and millions more under insured
88. Has put the ball in play for comprehensive immigration reform
89. Has announced his intention to push for energy reform
90. Has announced his intention to push for education reform

Oh, and he built a swing set for the girls outside the Oval Office.

Did I mention he passed health care reform ?

[gateley]

3. Yeah, but WHO PAID FOR THE SWING SET?!?!?!?!

:evilgrin:

Great list, monmouth!

[monmouth]

6. It came out of grandma's (Mrs. Robinson) pin money....LOL...n/t

[gateley]

2. The "stats show time and again that the top earners in this

country pay far more than their share of taxes." bothers me. I'd ask to see those stats.

Do We The People have access to income tax information of corporation CEO's?

Someone posted a chart with an illustration of workers -- a laborer, teacher, physician, CEO (or something like those representations) and showed the amount of taxes each group paid. I'll go see if I can find it, or maybe somebody can post it again.

I have to agree about the transparency, sadly, but I attribute that to a relative DC novice not really understanding how the game is played once you're in office, not that that's an argument to present to this person, but I've often felt incoming Presidents know what they WANT to do and BELIEVE they can do, but then get schooled in the ways of the DC world. :shrug:

[0rganism]

4. The rich DO contribute more in tax revenues, because of the income disparity

You'll often see conservatives engaged in complaining about oppressive tax burdens jump out with some stat like "oh the upper 5% pays 50% of the nation's total income tax." There are two huge problems with this line of thinking.

1) Last I checked, the top 5% earns well over 50% of the available AGI. By that alone, they would pay well over 50% even if we had a no-loopholes flat tax.

2) It totally ignores how flat surtaxes on purchases and other services disproportionately impact those with low incomes. Hell, a $200 traffic fine can prevent a poor person from paying his/her rent on time, but can go practically unnoticed by a wealthy person. And income over $105000 isn't subject to the FICA payroll tax, either.

Point is, the wealthy should carry a helluva lot more tax burden than the poor, even though there are fewer of them. And their tax rates should be a helluva lot higher than they are now.

[gateley]

8. 25% of $500K leaves a lot more left over for necessities than

25% of $30K.

I agree with you, and the argument they present -- as they present it -- doesn't tell the whole story like you just did.

[BlueJazz]

5. I have to say: Lately, He's starting to act like the Man I voted for.

I believe he FINALLY learned that Repugs are selfish, inconsiderate, "Me First" money Lovers and nothing else matters.

I'm very glad to see it.

[monmouth]

7. I think he's been saving it up, has been taking all he can from these

ijits and is now letting loose. The POTUS has been through a lot and I think he's at the point of thinking he now has nothing to lose. If he loses the election so be it as far as he's concerned. He attempted to do the right thing as much as he could and has no guilty conscience. Just my guess.

[gateley]

10. You know something, monmouth? I think you just might have

hit it -- feels as though he has nothing to lose.

Although I DO believe he's afraid of what will happen to this country (never mind his political career) if the Republicans get a stranglehold. What can he do? :(

[gateley]

9. I really feel for him -- what can I do if I need to pass something

for the good of ALL people, but you say NO! I have to give you this, maybe that, whatever I have to do to at least get SOME of the good stuff started.

I have you mad at me for not giving up enough, my guys mad at me for giving you too much. The only other option I can see is get NOTHING accomplished.

I may be being too simplistic, but I think that's a fair representation of what he's been up against.

I, like many, think at times he's given too much, but then I don't know what any of us could do in his situation.

I have no doubt he has LONG known what selfish, inconsiderate dicks the Republicans are -- probably far better than we do -- but he has to do what he can for the entire country and has to play the game publicly.

I still don't know what he can do that's different. He's called them out before, but the bottom line is if they don't give him the votes, nothing gets done.
:(

Sigh.