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Subscribe to RSSAfter a lengthy stalemate over automatic budget cuts - capped by a closed-door White House meeting with bipartisan leaders that yielded no deal - the president will head to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue next week to meet with his political rivals in the Senate.
President Barack Obama will meet with Senate Republicans at a Thursday luncheon on the Hill on March 14, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Wednesday.
Both Democrats and Republicans think President Barack Obama doesn't do a good job at reaching out to members of Congress, but the White House has plans to change its current level of engagement. The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd reports.
Obama has also requested a meeting with House Republicans, although the date has not yet been scheduled.
"Senate Republicans welcome the president to the Capitol. And I appreciate he took my recommendation to hear from all of my members," McConnell said in a statement.
McConnell added that Republicans plan to discuss government spending and the economy at the meeting.
Recommended: Boehner Wants Budget Deals 'Out in the Open'
The rare lunch get-together comes after Obama spoke to a handful of Republican senators by phone to address legislation on spending, immigration and gun control.
Win Mcnamee / Getty Images
President Barack Obama meets with his Cabinet at the White House March 4, 2013. Obama and Congress remain locked in stalled budget negotiations as the effect of the sequestration begin to impact the U.S. economy.
The New York Times first reported Tuesday that a group of Republicans have been invited to dinner with Obama this evening, although the heavy snow falling in Washington, D.C. could delay the effort to thaw political relationships until a night with improved weather conditions.
The Republican senators expected to attend the dinner at the Jefferson Hotel in Washington are: Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Dan Coats of Indiana, Ton Coburn of Oklahoma, Bob Corker of Tennessee, Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, John Hoeven of North Dakota, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, John McCain of Arizona and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
The president last attended a Senate GOP luncheon on May 25, 2010.
NBC's Kelly O'Donnell contributed to this report.
This story was originally published on Wed Mar 6, 2013 9:56 AM EST
Leave a Comment:
Obama the Great communicator tries to persuade senate Republicans?
But trying to persuade these Republicans is like 'playing fiddle to pigs.' If the President gets an 'oink' squeal from these Republicans, the President should be considered to have succeeded.
Very admirable on the part of the President who has aced in his job American voters get him into the White House to do. The DOW has broken all records yesterday since the DOW started in 1896.
The failure of Speaker Boehner to avoid the sequester shows that he is a failure.
The sequester will mean losses of 750,000 jobs. I remember Boehner promised to create jobs when he became the Speaker.
What an irony..what a Boner...there is no-brainer. He should resign...so incompetent.
if I were one of the invited republicans, I would bring a food taster with me first; they will have to turn the heat up in the dining room, it is going to be a very cold meeting; the house is firm, spending cuts first, entitlement reform second, that's all folks.
Very admirable on the part of the President who has aced in his job American voters get him into the White House to do.
Go paste some white wings on his back and polish his halo. He hasn't aced @!$%#.
The DOW has broken all records yesterday since the DOW started in 1896.
Yea, and you do realize that some of the richest investors are dumping their US investments right now? It's called another bubble and nothing good will come out of it. Stop being such an ass kissing ignorant liberal.
Maybe Obama will explain to these Senators why he is deliberately trying to make sequester as painful as possible. Or why Obama didn't want more flexibility to make smarter cuts. Or why the Senate Democrats haven't passed any bill to avert sequester. Or why Senate Democrats have never passed a budget. Or why we need more taxes when tax revenue will be at an all time record high of over 2.7 trillion this year even with the US mired in the worst recovery in history.
Here is a partially redacted copy of an Email that circulated Capitol Hill yesterday. It proves that the Obama administration is doing everything in their power to make sequester as painful as possible for no other reason then political gains by blaming Republicans. Apparently any means to an end is what liberals are all about. Pretty pathetic tactics for a president and the Obama administration. Yeah, Obama and Democrats need more tax revenue.
From: Brown, Charles S - APHIS
Sent: Monday, March 04, 2013 1:20 PM
To: [redacted]
Cc: [redacted]
Subject: FW: Aquaculture loss - sequestration
All,
During the Management team conference call this morning, I asked if there was any latitude in how the sequestration cuts related to aquaculture could be managed (e.g. spread across the Region).
The question was elevated to APHIS BPAS. The response back was, "We have gone on record with a
notification to Congress and whoever else that "APHIS would eliminate assistance to producers
in 24 States in managing wildlife damage to the aquaculture industry, unless they provide funding to cover the costs. "So, it is our opinion that however you manage that reduction, you need to make sure you are not contradicting what we said the impact would be." I have been asked to provide a plan by Friday that will outline the implement of the $263,000 aquaculture reduction. I will use the information you have already provided. If I need additional information, I will let you know.
Charlie
Charles S. Brown
Eastern Regional Director USDA - APHIS - Wildlife Services
920 Main Campus Drive
Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27606
919-855-7198 office
919-855-7215 fax
Of course the Obama administration is going to toss Brown under the bus over this Email. They will claim Brown misunderstood, or that was his interpretation not the administrations. Of course this happens all the time with the Obama administration, especially right after the truth leaks out.
That's because the word 'compromise' is not in the GOP vocabulary. A return to power and control are the Republican goals, no matter what damage they do in the process.
Ironically, the longer the GOP holds out, the worse they are viewed by the voting public. Vote them out and send people to Washington who are ready and willing to work for the country instead of for themselves.
The President won re-election with over 50% for the second time. It will be his way, and we get entitlement reform first, spending cuts second. Period!!!
However, there should not be any spending cuts for at least two more years.
Waste of Time
I don't know who the president is meeting with - the GOP of today - and for that matter, last year and 5 years ago - are surely not professional, responsible, intelligent or honest. They are a talking points machine and nothing else. So once again, President Obama has to do their job. A job Republicans have failed at for years and years.
I wish I could point to a dependable Republican leader, but I can't. They're all so in our face disingenuous and once again, we the citizens who can least afford it, will foot the bill. Unless President Obama stands up to them, which I hope he continues to do.
Listen to the pundits. They all wants cuts, cuts, cuts to programs vital to us all. How cruel they are with their huge million dollar paychecks.
Steve Benen:
There are, of course, two glaring problems here. The first is that President Obama has already cut spending by about $1.5 trillion, which is a heck of a lot more than Republican policymakers cut during the Bush/Cheney era when folks like Boehner simply put new expenses on the national charge card. Obama has also offered hundreds of billions of dollars in additional cuts, as part of a bipartisan compromise, which the GOP refuses to consider.
The second is that disagreements over spending are not much of an excuse -- Boehner's argument, in effect is, "We'll stop hurting Americans the moment the president gives us what we want." The fact that the House Speaker doesn't see the flaws in saying this out loud is disconcerting.
What's more, Boehner wants "the Senate to finally do their work," which is to say, Boehner's House is still not willing to do any work at all. As the Speaker probably knows by now -- he can struggle at times with substantive details, but I'm sure someone has probably explained this to him -- most of the Senate already supports a compromise fiscal plan. It would already be finished were it not for a Republican filibuster, which prevents passage.
Republicans are cutting their own throats with the American voters, but warming the cockles of the hearts of their billionaire donors. I've never seen a more nakedly corrupt House. They don't even bother trying to convince voters it's worth risking the economy to protect these tax loopholes; Republicans are just happy the billionaires keep writing them checks. Scary, really.
"Smoke and Mirrors" to make Mr. Obama look great in the public eye.
Bottom line agenda: say he is working with the Republicans on issues, instruct his Progressive "team" to do anything they can to de-rail the issue, then BLAME the Republicans for it's FAILURE.
Yep, Mr. Obama will do anything for POLITICAL ADVANTAGE.
Good grief.....even my 6 year old great-grandson can figure out that political move.
The Progressive surrogates continue their march on the media and in the blog rooms for Mr. Obama. They all need to move back to Wisconsin (or maybe even Colorado).
Progressives and Unions are dinosaurs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Being bipartisan is not in Mr. Obama's vocabulary.
Fire all the Progressive Congressional Representatives then America might see something get done in D.C.
I imagine the meeting will be surprisingly cordial. The reason is that Senators like to spend money (they get most of their political donations from the corporations who get most of our tax dollars). We will see a quiet roll back of the sequester over the course of the year. The Tea Party got their excitement, but behind the scenes, the GOP politicians even more than the Democrats want to restore that spending. The House GOP has already introduced a bill to up defense spending by $7 billion. From the web:
House Republicans are proposing this week to restore upward of $7 billion to operations and maintenance accounts for the four military services hit hard by the automatic cuts that went into effect Friday night.
That’s the bottom line driving a hybrid spending bill to be unveiled Monday and intended to replace the stopgap continuing resolution or CR due to expire March 27.
StopWastingMyMoney
I agree absolutely! It sure is great that the Republican House wouldn't pass ANY unnecessary spending in the last 2 years. Since most spending originates in the House, it's a great thing that since 2010 our fiscal house has been closer and closer to coming to order under the great leadership of the Speaker John Boehner! After all, we all know Obama has the power to bypass the House and Senate and spend all the money he wants and write spending bills that need no approval! I love it that the House stands strong while the President can take all the power and responsibility of both the Legislative and Executive Branch! Go House Republicans!
*coughyeahrightcough*
The Rep.T.P./ refuse to negotiate and our P.O.T.U.S. tries to meet them half way,which means that they get more of their demands met.There is not much point trying to govern with those people's help.This mixture is never going to work. We have a dysfunctional Senate,with this Facist Right wing and until we can get rid of them our Government will continue to be so,unless our Pres. realises that we must find a way to neutralise the R.W.Rep. and govern the U.S.A. without them until we change the make-up of our Representatives into a truly U.S.Government.
People "blame" President Obama as if he was outmatched by some foreign leader.
He's dealing with United States politicians and they treat him and by extension, us - like crap.
That's the story. They are Senators and Congresspeople working for us, yet they treat us as if we're garbage.
There is nothing to trust with them. Our own Congress treat the president and the working, poor and middle classes like we're the enemy.
That's what is going on here. The wealthy are now VERY VERY WEALTHY, yet it just doesn't seem to be enough for them.
How pathetic they are.
If President Obama cuts SS I will be furious. We re-elected him to represent us, NOT the wealthy.
Job1......
No, Mr. Obama's top priority is to divide our Nation and he is doing a good job so far.
His two year agenda is to BLAME the Republicans for HIS FAILURES. Sad state of affairs when the President is using Politics in all areas just to try to gain control of the House instead of looking out for ALL Americans.
Yep, control the Senate entirely, then push ANYTHING through Congressional procedures without having to use Executive Orders or a Progressive Cabinet member RE-WRITE regulations. What a frigging way to run our Nation. Maybe we should 're-visit" Mr. Obama's remark about him not being a Dictator.
There are 49% of the American people who disagree with his policies and agenda. His approval rating is going down the toilet and will continue to do so with his narcissistic attitude.
StopWasting -- that wins the post for funniest. You do understand historic spending patterns, don't you? The biggest presidential spenders since WW2 were Reagan and George Bush. The smallest, in %increases/year, are Clinton and Obama. I don't really know how they fool the rightwing base into thinking Republicans don't spend more. Take a look at a map of states of federal funds as %stateGDP sometime. Because all the GOP guys are the biggest spenders, the red states have higher %stateGDP from federal funding than the blue states.
ldo - I don't think the president wants to blame Republicans for the record DJIA, or the highest job creation rate since Clinton, or the end of the recession, or our national debt falling as %GDP, or a host of other good things. However, the GOP has stated, their primary goal was to make Obama a one-termer. Thank God they failed.
Fun thing to muse over: supposed Romeny had won in November and we had the exact same job numbers and stock performance. Who here thinks that our conservatives would say Romney is the greatest ever? Conservatives do not seem to notice that they are fact-independent.
Rick-3416939......said:
Given a choice, do you suppose President Obama should direct the worst of the sequester against those who caused it (GOPeaParty) or at those who have spoken out and worked against it (Democrats)?
Just bite down harder on that bullet. It (the sequester) is "no big deal" anyway. Isn't that what your right-wing pundits are saying?
We have long needed to cut fat from the military-industrial-complex. We just never dreamed the GOPeaParty would make it so easy.
Let's cut somebody else's prize. Snip...snip...snip......there goes Xe. Snip...snip...snip....there goes Halliburton. Let's all just close our eyes and.....snip....snip....snip.....the military down to size.
I sure do wish the republicans would quit repeating the lies they have heard.
The same people who lied us to the Iraq war are still lying to you guys today. They are the ones dividing our country with hate, I mean just look at yours Ido.
For years the republicans have lied and presented a pretend President Obama for you all to hate. Polls show that more republicans today believe that President Obama wasn't born in the US than 4 years ago. That takes a lot of spewing of hate and lies to get those kind of results, and yet you want to blame the divisiveness on our president.
Just another republican, spews hate and lies and then tells you how you are the problem. Isn't that right? As you call our president a dictator.
If going to Capitol Hill to meet with republicans helps, then go for it President Obama. At least President Obama is trying to work with those who seem incapable of grasping "compromise" and unable to understand the finer points of governing for ALL the people, not just their party.
Rick, find yourself a straw to grasp? Wasn't putting that email up on FT for debate enough for you or did you just not like the answers given you on FT? FYI, I did some research and could not find a Charles S. Brown Regional Director in Raleigh NC listed for USDA APHIS-Wildlife Services, nor was there a Charles S. Brown shown on the Wildlife Services list of Directors as well as in the phone directory. That doesn't mean he's not real because there are dozens of various regional and state offices with specific branches for the many areas within the organization. Who knows how often the lists are revised but I was unable to find such a person listed on any of the sites nor could I locate him in the USDA directory.
Ian Emdee
Good one Ian. The president proposed sequester, and neither Obama or the Senate Democrats have passed any legislation to avert it. But no surprise you ignore those facts.
"No, Mr. Obama's top priority is to divide our Nation..."
Where were you when 12 republicon members of the house and senate met with other republicons to plot methods of obstruction in an attempt to foil all of Obama's proposals?
Where were you while the republicons filibustered everything (including mundane appointments), taking the filibuster to unprecendented use?
Where were you when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that their single most important accomplishment was to make Obama a one term president?
You sure have a twisted view of who is dividing the nation. But most Americans have not been fooled. A quick look at the polls regarding the republicon party will show who most Americans think is at fault.
Ian Emdee,
Xe changed their name again. It's now Academi.
noncoms, I'm not sure why you keep repeating false lines. The idea that Obama has spent less (as an increase in the budget) has been proven false time and time again.
Please remember it was Obama who signed the $410 BILLION increase in the 2008-2009 budget in April of 2009 not Bush... But you and the left keep blaming Bush for that.
The last budget Bush passed was $3.085 Trillion... today we are at $3.53 Trillion. The facts and math aren't on your side (a common theme).
Pul-lease - Ido ignores all the Republicans' treasonous actions. She is so blinded by Fox News (?) she can't see or accept the truth.
Jody,
Excellent post back to Rick - I'm sure he'll be pasting his false little post on all threads all day. Ben-#s stated in his response on FT that he personally KNOWS Mr. Brown. Interesting how far so many will run down a road with a lie.
Best of luck, Mr. President in reaching across the aisle. According to posters here, you should have been doing this all along but not that you are, it will be interesting to read their thoughts on why this is now a bad idea.
SeekingSanity (a very ironic name), exactly what treasons are those and if they are, why hasn't Holder arrested anyone?
Keep on seeking, your miles away from sanity.
All I can say is it's about frickin time. I also hope these meetings will be for discussions, not lecturing and political posturing. I'm not holding my breath, but I will always hope. In my opinion, both parties are equally guilty of putting party over country.
If your leader were worth his salt maybe they wouldn't need to have such a 'rare' luncheon eh?
Americans have a government that now claims the power to execute its own citizens on its own soil without trial but that cannot find a way to afford public tours of government buildings. Did you hear the one about the agency that released 2,000 inmates citing the “sequester” while ordering $50 million in new uniforms?
Be serious, once the cameras are set up, this will be another one of those 7 minute meetings. Once the flashes stop, it will be "don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on the way out".
Oh, would y'all just ZIP IT about the bloody e-mail because nobody has even tried to give me an answer on how that e-mail translates to "Make The Cuts Hurt", okay?
I asked 4 times in First Thoughts this morning and no takers on trying to answer the question.
Da Noid - Easy peasy. 2% across the board meaning no negotiating who gets hurt more, who gets hurt less. This email shows that there is less money moving away from APHIS to ease its burden. So their burdern lets say is reduced to 1%, well someone will have to pay up 3% to cover. I am guessing it will be a service program that is visible to everyone and cause even more grief than originally planned.
TLDR: Obama's inflexibility on making smart cuts are indeed happening behind the curtain but in a way to emphasis the pain on the people rather than something less hurtful.
Everyone including Republicans already knows why Obama wants this meeting, it is to appear to be trying to compromise. But what Republicans will hear from Obama is that he will gladly cut spending 10 years from next Tuesday for more tax increases today. When Republicans say no, Obama will run to the podium to proclaim them as protecting tax breaks for the wealthy, or wanting to balance the budget on the backs of seniors, or wanting to take food out of mouths of children, and wanting dirtier air and water. Obama will claim to have offered a balanced approach, but you will never see anything specific in writing, and no legislation to back up his offer will pass the Democrat led Senate. Just more Obama slight of hand, smoke and mirrors, blame, excuses, and gross exaggerations. In other words, business as usual from Obama, who just wants to get the blame game working again.
Morgs74
Oh, so defense is getting a cut that we're in support of now? I'd still like "smarter" cuts, I think we all would.
Maybe I should learn to get behind this and.... nah.
I love the sequestration. The amount of people who had a hand in a screwup this big makes me think I'm looking at movie credits.
Repojam -
Only if the party of "No", meaning Dems get their way blocking new legislation coming from the house.
I personally love the sequestration as well. It was something that needed to be done because not a single person in all three branches of our government could make smart cuts. That says alot about the people we employee. Not one person could man up and make cuts. Even if it was career ending, tough decisions needed to be made.
transparency?
unconstitutional?
Not a dictator?
Give all the Republicans a Rope, problem solve - "Bonjour" !!!
Morgs74/ Of course the Democrats are blocking the attacks on the ordinary American Citizens that continue to to come from the House. The House T.P./Reps. are determined to wipe out all of the gains that we,the majority of citizens are advancing our U.S.A. They used to claim that they were for all citizens,but since R.Reagan they have been showing,with their Trickle Down, that their one aim is to send us back into the eighteenth century. The lackeys of theirs keep spewing these transparent excuses and outright lies Hoping-, under the right wing reasoning that if they can only convince a few of the more gullible they can obtain their objectives.
Rick-3416939.....you said:
Please, enlighten all of us why fabulously wealthy folks (i.e. Romney) should pay a lesser percentage of their income toward federal taxes than do the minimum (slave) wage earners who manicure their many estates.
Democrats demand our tax code be substantially reformed. We should start with the capital gains loophole and continue far beyond, i.e.:
BTW---You folks have a very difficult job defending your case. But, that's the price you pay when the case (you choose) is indefensible.
listoire - No dems are blocking because they can, same with the repubs. These folks are so focused on saving their own jobs they will not break out of line and do what is right for America as a whole. If one party sees the other gaining traction for something they will immediately jump on it.
Then of course we have tools on the extreme sides of each party who parrot and defend their ilk blindly. They would cut of their noses to spite their faces. That needs to stop. If you follow blindly 100% like many do on this thread you are part of the problem.
What are you thinking? Speaker Boehner and House Republicans passed the Budget Resolution almost a year ago and have passed most of the appropriations bills. What has Sen Reid and Senate Democrats accomplished? Nothing! No Budget Resolution and not a single appropriation bill has passed the senate. The lack of a budget and the sequestration are problems caused by the failure of the Senate Democrats and President Obama's failure to lead his party.
It's about time this President actually try and govern rather than continuously campaign.
That's a solid group of Senate Republicans. I wish Senator Tim Scott were added.
We HAVE to stop this sequester, otherwise "we're going to lose one hundred and seventy MILLION jobs" --Maxine "Bank Fraud" Waters (D-CA)
the very real and very dangerous problem with our government today is; the administration has not proposed one red cent is cutting spending, the senate has blocked all efforts at passing a budget, outlining cut-backs and are doing nothing to attempt to balance a totally out of control give-away programs(SS is not a entitlement it was very well funded, however it was raided to pay for the welfare state).
This deserves to be repeated....how to create a budget. Tell me who and where people are holding up this process? This has been going on with everything the House produces.
Step 1: President submits a budget request to Congress – 2/13/12
Step 2a: House of Representatives pass a budget resolution – H Res 597 passed on 3/28/12 (Republicans 236 Yeas-3 Nays, Democrats 5-181)
Step 2b: Senate passes a budget resolution – Not completed, Motion to proceed with Senate Concurrent Resolutions 37, 41, 42, and 44 were each rejected on 5/16/12 without a single Democratic Yea vote.
Step 3a: House Appropriations subcommittees “markup” appropriation bills: All appropriation bills have been marked up and passed.
Step 3b: Senate Appropriations subcommittees “markup” appropriation bills: Two appropriations bills were submitted by their subcommittees, but the remaining appropriations have not come out of committee.
Step 4a: House votes on appropriations bills: All appropriation bills were passed between 5/10/2012 and 7/16/2012
Step 4b: Senate votes on appropriations bills: No votes, no debate. Cannot be completed until Step 3b completed.
Step 4c: House and Senate reconcile differences: Cannot be completed until Senate votes on appropriations bills.
Step 5: President signs each appropriations bill and budget becomes law: Cannot be completed until Senate votes on appropriations bills and reconciliation is completed.
Jody,Iowa
Either you don't know how to use Google or you're a liar.
Wildlife Services' Management Team
Deputy Administrator
William H. Clay
Washington, DC
Associate Deputy Administrator
Martin Mendoza
Washington, DC
Operational Support Staff Director
Joanne Garrett
Riverdale, MD
National Wildlife Research Center Director
Dr. Larry Clark
Fort Collins, CO
Eastern Regional Director
Charles Brown
Raleigh, NC
Western Regional Director
Jeffrey S. Green
Fort Collins, CO
Media Inquiries:
APHIS Legislative and Public Affairs
(301) 734-7799
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/contact_us.shtml
Morgs74 - What your really saying is the Senate has not been doing its job. In fact the Senate has not been doing it job for several years. Who controls the Senate? Oh yeah, the Democrats. The Democrats do not want America to see how the laws are made.
...but that still doesn't explain how this e-mail can be translated as "Make The Cuts Hurt". Sorry, I'm an adult and I no longer play "Connect The Dots".
Chip D - signing a pledge to Grover Norquist that supercedes their oath of office is treasonous. They should all be tried for treason - and that includes the 7 Democrats that signed the pledge too! I know exactly what I'm talking about. Maybe you should wake up to who the Republicans work for and the fact that they don't give a d*mned about this country!
News or propaganda - I'll give you a hint - your post is ALL propaganda!
It amazes me that Obama shut down White house visits to the public because of the sequester but he can have a luncheon with the senators. Must be because he is above us all??
Trying to persuade these GOP leaders is like 'playing fiddle to pigs.'
Hey, Pig, you are funny (referring to comment #1).
hahahahaha
oink.
P.S. (pig $hit): I mean..these Republicans have always played 'hard-to-get'.
Go take your medication
AlexM...
Have you overdosed? Pigotry will arrest you for BUI - blogging under the influence.
My advice to you is: Meditate, not Medicate...
I would like to point out to this blog just how unbalanced the policy making of the president has become.
First, he was the one that came up with the idea of sequester in the first place. Congress took his suggestion and wrote the sequester penalty into a Bill which went through the House and the Senate and the president signed it into law. It was his idea.
Next, he did nothing towards avoiding sequester for 16 months while he had time to vacation, golf, campaign, attack the second amendment, and golf some more.
Next, he refused the authority offered to him by Congress that would have allowed him to target the spending cuts under sequester instead of having those cuts be “across the board” so by his own decision, the cuts remained “across the board” and not targeted in some more logical manner.
Next, he campaigned again and again as to how dire the “across the board” cuts will be, and how “dumb” they are since they are not targeted.
Next, he had his minions, especially Janet Napolitano, get on TV and preach the doom and gloom and damage to come with the “across the board cuts” from sequester.
Next, Janet Napolitano ordered the illegal release of people in jail alleging the lack of funding from sequester made it necessary to do so. She also failed to notify local officials prior to doing this.
Now consider, with the above as the backdrop, the president and Janet Napolitano are spending nearly a billion dollars to give military grade armored vehicles (2500 of them in fact) that have never been used in this country before for civilian police work, to be used by the local police departments around the country. Let’s just stop the music and think about this for a moment.
The president is telling us that teachers and police, schools and universities, airport security and food inspectors, fire and other emergency responders, as well as the military and many others are going to have great harm done to them by sequester. Sequester was his idea, he signed it into law, and he refused to target the cuts. Sequester exists for the sole reason that we do not want to borrow more money.
Then the president spends nearly a billion dollars we do not have, increasing the borrowing sequester was supposed to reduce, for 2,500 armored vehicles that are not needed, that cost $250,000 to $300,000 each, so we can give them to local police units that did not ask for them, while at the same time we are cutting spending on necessary and vital services because we want to reduce the amount of money we are
borrowing. Yep. That about sums it up. Welcome to the real Obama in all his splendor.
All of this is being done under the president’s authority and approval. If you are gutting vital services to reduce spending and then spending on armored vehicles for the police no one needs, you are obviously unable to make logical decisions. Hence, Politics aside, I think the president is nuts.
Add to this presidential lunacy the fact that Homeland Security under Janet Napolitano, is buying and stockpiling five bullets for every American in the country, 1.6 billion bullets in total . Why? Homeland Security officially says they are buying ammunition in bulk to save money. If that is the case, then
why are you buying 2,500 armored vehicles? Janet has trouble connecting dots herself.
Obviously this is very deeply flawed leadership bordering on the very dangerous. If Obama really
believes that sequester is going to do the harm he and his minions said it would do, then why spend nearly a billion dollars we do not have, to provide armored vehicles to local police that are not needed, while cutting services you do need so you can save money?
Finally, "The president last attended a Senate GOP luncheon on May 25, 2010", simply ices the cake. He is a campaigner, a community organizer, trained to divide and conquor, to pit one faction against another. these are the skills he brought to the white house. He does not know how to get the job done, and much the worse for us all.
And yet, the DJIA broke the record this week. And we are on pace for greatest job creation year since Clinton. And manufacturing is expanding. And corporate profits are setting records. And the national debt growth is predicted to soon slow below GDP growth, shrinking our debt as %GDP.
I'll take this "flawed leadership" over the Republican alternative anyday.
And that is the ONLY reason the DOW is up. Profits are up therefore share values are up. Get ready for the big sell off. Heard an economist on the radio this morning that put it simply and made a lot of sense if you think about the ups and downs of stocks.
When the market is up it indicates there is still fear. When the market is down, it points to greed.
We are stagnant. Hiring should be going through the roof right now if history has any bearing. Most hiring historically takes place between February and May. After that, good luck.
Have you overdosed? Pigotry will arrest you for BUI - blogging under the influence.
My advice to you is: Meditate, not Medicate...
I can see that the mental laws in this country do need to be re-evaluated since people like you are still out on the streets.
Hey, AlexM-3929653
AlexM, is the M short for Mussolini? because your idea is fascist (extreme right-wing?) Fascists considered dissidents as mentally ill. But I thought America encourages free speech and tolerance.
.
So, AlexM, what world are you living in? Cuba? North Korea? 1920s Italy? 1930s Germany?
AlexM-3929653 - Wait until civilians are able to do their own background checks on each other. A lot of people on this thread will be discredited due to their mental status. It will be great. Wonder how they will stop people from posting this HIPPA protected info that they are pushing every private gun seller to collect?
I hope no one is against the evil database that hold the keys to all of your personal info because it is coming.
"And yet, the DJIA broke the record this week. And we are on pace for greatest job creation year since Clinton. And manufacturing is expanding. And corporate profits are setting records. And the national debt growth is predicted to soon slow below GDP growth, shrinking our debt as %GDP."
Yet middle class income is still lower than it has been in decade, home values are down.... it looks like Obama's rich Wall st backers are doing well. The rest of the country, not so much!
Glenn - you fail to mention one little point. Boehner came out of the sequester meeting and proclaimed he got 99% of what he wanted. Again, Republicans lie so much it is all their followers expect! How truly sad a once great party has become nothing but dirt!
And thank god. We have just saved the country $85 Billion dollars. Move those government jobs to the private sectors where they will pay taxes and get off the government dole. The private sector is "doing just fine" after all.
SS=Tool.
No worries obamapig, Obama is going to make the sequester as painful as possible for you and the rest of us.
@ Morgs
No way is Seeking Sanity even close to the greatness of the band Tool
ZappasUtopia - True statement. May the Undertow be gentle with him.
Yesterday John Boehner told the country not to count on the House passing bills without a republican majority. The "Hastert" rule. Gwaddamn! Can anyone with half a functioning brain honestly consider this statement and not see its treasonous implications. I thought we had democrats, republicans, and independents running our House of Representatives, wielding their power from the will of the people who elected them. The republicans think otherwise. They believe themselves to be the only legitimate US Government for all, no matter whom elected which label. That's way beyond hubris. That's the epitome of "high treason. Never been anything sorrier than a gwaddamned republican, other than those who support and defend the sons-ah-bitches.
It's sad that the republicans have placed so many into a hostage situation.
Mac Forrester - I agree, but if you don't see the Dems playing the same game you are blind. Incumbents need to be ousted. These people are too ingrained in the way things are that we need a fresh start.
Yes Job, the most you repeat the same post, the more it becomes the truth.
Republicans will work with the Dem's, in a Pigs eye !!!
seaskip - As long as we keep weeding out douchebags like yourself we will continue to improve.
@Morgs74#2.18: Have to agree with you. My exception is though, the democrats are not nearly as tightly organized toward such a hijacking of the peoples rights as are these things who call themselves republicans. Some are, but many aren't. Regards
Is the purose of meeting with the Republicans another image attem by Obama, do nothing then be critical of them for not moving in his direction for spending?
Wait for the ever moving Obama target, then the vilification of the GOP.
Glenn! Obama has been elected twice because he does know how to get the job done in a democratic society (community).
And yes, Obama is a campaigner. As President of a nation that democratically elects its leadership Obama understands the importance of a well educated and informed electorate. Obama is going to the people that actually cast votes to deliver his message. On the other hand, Republicans go to the people that write checks to learn what message they are being paid to deliver.
And Glenn..... the bullets are being purchased per a contracted price that extends over 10 years; most are .40 or 9mm and not military rounds. The armoured vehicles are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and are being retrofitted for use by local law enforcement agencies. And anyone that has watched the news in the past 5 years knows that military armored style vehicles have been and are being used by police across the country.
Glenn, you and others like you are forever connecting dots in such a way as to make our elected government appear to be the enemy and to make you, the unelected and misinformed, appear to be our savior.
Hey, seaskip
At least pigs are worth something, then.
oink...we pigs are priceless. Those who refuse to work for the public good are worthless. Americans have viewed the DEMs as being for the public good.
campdog #2.24
So you do not dispute the facts. Good.
Would you now please explain why were are buying the armored vehicles while using sequester to cut spending. Please explain that. Stay focused on just that if you will. Please.
As to the 10 year supply of bullets, I don't dispute that. I never said otherwise. But then where is the logic to buy a 10 year supply of bullets today when most will not be needed for at least a year and the remainder need spread out over the rest of the 10 year period? This is not something government usually does. Why not buy a 10 year supply of tires, or jet fuel, or MRE's, etc. Reason? It makes no sense to do so.
Money is tight now and we are making cuts now. The only possible logical answer is we are buying bullets in bulk to save money which is exactly what I posted. So if that is the case, why are we trying to save a little money on bulk purchases of bullets while squandering thousands of times that savings on purchasing something we do not need? Please answer that as I am sure a lot of us reading these posts simply cannot see the logic in doing such as this.
One more thing. The cost of the armored vehicles to be reconditioned is still in the $250,000 - $300,000 each. the fact that they are being brought back from Iraq has nothing to do with that cost. Why is our government providing such vehicles to local police and building a fleet in Homeland security, and why are we wasting so much money doing this. Bring them back and give the to the national Guard is one thing. Civilian police is another matter. It is just more money wasted due toa total lack of leadership. Would you rather have food inspectors or armored vehicles at your local police, because that is the question being posed by president Obama by cutting one and spending on the other, all under his supervision, all under his authority to stop, therefore because of his actions. Again, I think the man is not able to make logical decisions.
@Glenn-no's#2.26: You wanna soil your drawers? Go look at the weaponry your state and local governments hold in their arsenals.
Mac @2.27,
I am far more aware of the weaponry than you may realize, but that is another matter for another day. However, my comments are not about anything other than wasteful spending because of flawed leadership.
I do not think cutting needed services and enduring the pain of those cuts and then offsetting the benefits of the pain endured from those cuts with just more stupid spending is not good for anyone. Not you, not me, not my state, not and any state, and certainly not good for my country, and especially not good for those to come after us. We are stealing from them to buy armored vehicles that no one needs. That is like stealing just for the sport of doing so.
It appears our president is totally willing to cut education or food inspection or air traffic controllers so he can buy armored police vehicles that carry 10 men over a mine field to be supplied to local police departments where there are no mine fields. Why do this?
People like campdog dutifully defend this insanity on party lines because they simply do not understand the real world negative consequences of what they are talking about. This is not a game. This is about the survivability of this country. We are dooming ourselves to an early death as a nation due to our uncontrolled spending which is resulting in debts that will smother opportunity for all.
Want to know why it is so hard to create jobs now? Because we have squandered untold billions of dollars of capital. Capital creates jobs when available capital meets demand. Waste capital and you decrease the capital available. Destroy demand (through high taxation tp pay for your debt) and there is no intersection of available capital and demand, which is very near where we are now.
This is Not a game. This is real. Personally, I don't like the Republican party and I don't like the Democratic party. George Washington warned us about the dangers of political parties and history has proved him to be 100% justified in doing so. You can't be loyal to two authorities, and we expect our politicians to be loyal to three, special interests that get them elected, then the party they belong to, and finally, if there is any loyalty remaining, to our country. Therefore little that is done in Washington is for the good of the country, which has to take a back seat to special interests and party affiliation. So we see things like buying unneeded armored vehicles that no one needs.
Both parties have taken a very prosperous country that had $1 trillion of debt and nearly zero unfunded obligations in 1982, and "managed" after just 30 years, to give us nearly 17 trillion in debt, and another 85 trillion in totally unfunded obligations, and steal everything out of the social security trust funds in the process (began with the Johnson administration) to keep from having even more debt. They replaced the trust fund monies with IOU's that are themselves worthless. Those IOU's only represent the future borrowings needed to fund those IOU's, but those IOU's avoided borrowing more so that is why we are now "only" approaching 17 trillion in debt.
Factor in the same insanity at the state level and the unfunded obligations lurking there, and we are looking at something that will cause multiple generations to suffer, if the union can even survive, which it may not. Only those that do not understand economics, accounting, finance, and the dangers of out of control debt, and the necessary guarantee of coming default due to out of control debt would support such stupid behavior. So I say Fire Them All. Never elect any incumbents. Then outlaw PAC's and prosecute bribery in Congress where they now commonly vote for legislation in return for large contributions from special interests. This is bribery folks, The funds have been laundered, but this is bribery none the less. The payoff er contribution funds are deposited neatly into the PAC's, and no one committed bribery because the PAC's launder the bribe money.
This is why we cannot fix anything. We have lost control of our government. Yeah, you get to "vote" for someone sponsored by the PAC with the deepest pockets, funded by special interests that want to own the man you are voting for in return for the funding for his campaign. Then they apply pressure or bribe him some more to get him to vote for their legislation after he is elected.
This is why political dynasties are so harmful because they are the most efficient way for special interests to remain in control. So Fire Them All and neuter the PAC's and stop such stupid spending as buying armored vehicles designed to survive a mine blast for local police use. This is just mind numbingly dumb.
Video gone viral that illustrates the wealth inequality in this country;
http://mashable.com/2013/03/02/wealth-inequality/
J. Willard Marriott: Why do so many of the poorest people fight; and if you are not careful I mean that physically; to protect the top 1%? What do these mostly younger people have against Social Security, Medicare, and so on?
It is almost like they have been brainwashed.
Ha!
McConnell has been DEMANDING since last Friday that the President invite McConnell to Camp David, which is meant to be a "Presidential Retreat" NOT a "Congressional Retreat".
I can see old Mitch right now, trying to sit himself in the President's Chair, trying to give orders to the President of the United States.
Mitch, you gotta either be President of the United States, or an invited guest to make it to Camp David.
AG, as usual, you have subtle racial undertones to all your posts. Sad.
It's sad that the republicans have placed so many into a hostage situation.
TO: Chip D-2844144 who wrote:
Maybe you're tuned into "racial undertones" because you're a racist.
Just to let you know how little I respect your continuous attacks on the President of the United States, I'm gonna block your posts so that I don't have to bother any longer with your hate-filled quibble!
Job, and adding $6 trillion in debt in 4 years isn't creating hostages out of my generation and the one younger than mine?
Keep up the hyperbole and let the adults have the conversations.
To try to blame Obama for the $6 trillion debt added is a right wing myth that has been debunked over and over again.
Actually the truth be told 94% of the national debt belongs to just 4 people, Reagan, Bush and Bush-Cheney
Obama has been pretty stingy about creating any new debt, and Obama needs to create some debt, in order to match these guys. FACTS!!!
http://reaganbushdebt.org/CalculationDetails.aspx
The Senators had better prepare themselves. I am sure after the meeting is over the President and Jay Carney will be out campaigning try to persuade everyone that those evil republicans won't compromise which means do everything the President says!
I can't shake the feeling Republicans are willing to risk sending the economy back into recession, in order to preserve the tax loopholes of their moneyed donors. Maybe because they agreed to across the board cuts that the CBO says will cost the nation at least 700,000 jobs and hurt our GDP, and refuse to agree to close loopholes to stop those cuts.
80sdog...sorry to remind you that majority of Americans are with the President on this...and voted for him twice! Reality chick?
Risk losing 700,000 jobs? They are drooling over killing 700,000 jobs. They would love to destroy the US Post Office which is the 2nd largest employer in the country. They will never forgive Obama for diverting the Bush depression. But, if Obama is willing to talk to the leaders in Iran, why not meet with republicans.
JimS
Maybe the President should secretly tape his dinners with the Republicans, so the nation can hear them tell him they are willing to hurt the recovery and damage national security, all in the name of preserving loopholes for corporate jets. It would make the tape of Romney saying 47% of voters are dysfunctional losers and he wasn't going to try and win their votes, sound like a great campaign ad to show to seniors waiting in line at the Medicare office.
amy -- again with the loophole talking point. previously you were able to identify one loophole, available to hedge fund managers, that will result in additional tax collection of around $18B in the next 10 years.
i agreed that this is good, but there must be others you have in mind as $18B won't accomplish much, please offer other ideas because the when the president signed the fiscal cliff bill in he allowed another one costing $18B over 10 for biofuels and other renewable energy.
so we would no benefit to most Americans while some get penalized and others get rewarded. the picking of winners and losers by the government is a slippery slope i believe we should avoid at all costs.
billybob
You bring up a good point. Why is no one talking about the nature of the tax loopholes Republicans find so important to save, they are willing to cut jobs and weaken our defenses to protect them?
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-03-05/news/ct-oped-0305-byrne-20130305_1_tax-loophole-college-education-corporate-jet-owners
Amy,
The reason why the GOP is "saving" the loopholes is because without them they're will be no reason for Obama to persue Tax Reform. It's amazing how little Liberals understand abuot the 70,000+ page tax code. It is the most racist and discrimintory law the US still has on the books. It favors white educated males... but the Dem's dont' want to touch it. Doing so would force them to take yet ANOTHER Romney idea. Eliminate all the deducations (besides the person exemptions) and lower the rates.
chip -- spot on
TO: dogs80 who wrote:
We know Republicans won't compromise, Republicans can't even negotiate in good faith.
It's all about Republicans and it being "their way or the highway".
President Obama doesn't need to try to convince anyone that Republicans are "evil", we hear the Republican hate machine all day long, every day.
Oh I see, no more deductions for home mortgages or student loans. Republicans won't agree to closing loopholes for carried interest, which lowered Romney's tax rate to 14%, unless the middle class give up their deductions. You want me to believe that's "only fair." Can you even pretend the Republican Party isn't anything more than a lobbying firm for the wealthiest Americans?
Amy, obviously have no idea what you are talking about, every "rich" person get the mortgage deduction too...
And no they aren't a lobbying firm for the wealthiest... because the majority of the wealthy are liberals... Screw facts when you can just cry about nonsense huh?
TO: Chip D-2844144 who wrote:
Sometimes you have to take the deal you can get, put politics aside and negotiate in good faith for the good of the country.
Arm twisting rarely works.
And I don't believe for minute that Republicans are "saving tax loopholes" as a bargaining chip. It's the DUTY of Republicans to close tax loopholes for those who are intentionally trying to evade paying taxes.
What is it that Republicans don't understand about "tax evasion"? Isn't that illegal? I believe it is.
TO: Chip D-2844144
Oh please, only Republicans play like they are deaf, dumb and blind.
The rest of the country can speak, hear, and see very clearly that Republicans ONLY protect and defend the wealthiest Americans.
How many times do you think Republicans can call us "lazy 47%ers" and all of these other named and we aren't supposed to hear that?
Chip---as a person who prepares taxes for a living, I can tell you that for wealthy people, the mortgage interest deduction is a question of cash flow and investments---they choose whether or not to carry a mortgage on their first, second or third homes. For folks in the middle class, home ownership wouldn't be possible without paying mortgage interest and the deduction helps them to afford it.
I can see the party hate machines daily, right here. If it has a D or R you can bet your a$$e$ there is a good degree of hate
Steeler Fan, as a tax perparer, then you should know that the AMT wipes out the Mortgage interest deducation on none primary homes for those making $500K+.
I'm sorry, but if you can't afford your house WITHOUT a $1000 deducation a year, maybe you bought to much of a house. Not to mention after 10 years of owning a home that deducation is nothing since you pay almost 1/2 of your interest in the first 10 years.
Anyone who thinks you need to spend $1 to save $.25 failed high school math.
"How many times do you think Republicans can call us "lazy 47%ers" and all of these other named and we aren't supposed to hear that?"
About as often as you call anyone who doesn't agree with Obama 100% a racist?
steeler -- "For folks in the middle class, home ownership wouldn't be possible without paying mortgage interest and the deduction helps them to afford it."
so we often talk of canada to see similarities to the US. canada does not provide a deduction for home mortgages yet i suspect many middle class folks own homes there.
i think the deduction for mortgage, which i have used on multiple mortgages over the years, should be removed over time, say 10 - 15 years. that gives new buyers guidance and allows existing users of the deduction time to adjust.
i would enjoy reading your thoughts on this.
I have no idea how the demographics break down, but I do know that Republican policies favor the super rich, so if many billionaires are liberals, than they are the type who believe in growing the economy from the middle out, not through trickle down economics. A healthy middle class is the foundation of a successul nation, and Obama's policies focus on growing that.
A leaked email from an Agriculture Department field officer adds fuel to claims President Obama's political strategy is to make the billions in recent federal budget cuts as painful as possible to win the public opinion battle against Republicans.
The email, circulated around Capitol Hill, was sent Monday by Charles Brown, a director at the agency’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service office in Raleigh, N.C. He appears to tell his regional team about a response to his recent question on the amount of latitude he has in making cuts.
There is no doubt he is up to something. His Chicago style thugs do nothing unless there is a gain for them!
Funny...,
I mentioned t his on this very thread and my response has.. disappeared.
Shame on you NBC! Your communist censorship of anything that is remotely bad for Obama or the Democrat party is cause for shame. You trample on others 1st amendment rights while screaming for your own. Shame...
Well Dan, this Internet thing is a little complicated for some people. Maybe you can get some help from the kids in your neighborhood.
Sounds like the same hooker paid to lie about Senator Menendez is spinning this email thing into something its not.
I did not have sex with that woman. Sorry, couldn't help myself.
No need for republicans to meet with comrade obama,
we are well aware of comrade obama's agenda and his efforts to turn America into amerikka!!!!
It's more apparent that wealthy Republicans consider themselves immune to the effects of the cuts - they don't live in the same world the rest of us do. My nieces and nephews are only just getting their careers going and their families built, after struggling through the recession. It's unconscionable the Republicans would actually risk sending us backward.
Just what does comrade obama propose to give them, that will make their lives better???
The sharing of our wealth???
What union do you belong to???
Are you an idiot or brain dead. You are back in the days of the cold war. Wake up! Don't blame Obama that the d-nothing hasn't done anything in 4 years. Their approval ratings says it all. Don't you understand that man.
amy -- have you concluded that the wealthy are only republicans? is that the point of many of your posts?
billybob-6210632
No, of course not. There are many wealthy Americans who are Democrats, or Independents who support the President.
But two of the wealthiest Americans, oil tycoons who single-handly funded the climate-change deniying mis-information campaign, are the Koch Brothers, and they are hell-bent on buying legislative power to further their business interests, at the expense of America as a whole.
TO: Gary K-2697770 who wrote:
Oh please, if you had any "wealth" you wouldn't be trolling the Internet all day, every day.
Besides, anyone can tell Republicans are both morally and mentally bankrupt.
Don't worry, no one wants to share your rocking chair or your chewing tobacco.
@ amy
Kind of like Bloomberg, huh?
Except that Bloomberg doesn't personally profit through his drive to stop gun violence. Get the difference?
Sure I call, BBBuuuLLshLt.
Lets see 4 plus years of ridiclious leadership, doesn't change overnight.
O has been Leading(Stretch term)) for 4 plus years, We recognize and understand your agenda.
I for one don't want to go there.
It is sickening that a leaked email from the Agricultural Department has added fuel to the notion that this presidents sequester strategy is to make it hurt. I suppose it's for the good of the people. Eh, liberals? This president is an un-American person that needs to go and run for office in Venezuela where his state run media is already in place and the citizens are already accustomed to wanna be dictators.
Boehner failed...people suffered
2/3 of our legislative branch has also failed. Our president and our senate. It amazes that everything bad that happened under Bush was his fault and not the Democratic controlled congress. But now everything is the fault of 1/3 of our legislative branch. If only our state run media would inform our misinformed and our uninformed populace. Our Republic won't be able to survive with the type of media that we have in place.
No, the leaked email says that it's against the law for the administration to pick and choose where to make cuts - they have to be across the board. That was the point of the sequester - it was supposed to be so horrible both sides would be forced to compromise to avoid them. President Obama doesn't want to hurt the economy, what kind of legacy would that be to leave the country in? Republicans hope to hurt the economy - gives them a platform to run on next time. Like Democrats were able to run against the Bush record in 2008.
amy -- so is your point that the law clearly spelled out how many people should be released from prison, how many air traffic controllers and tsa people should be affected...?
this administration is trying its best to make these very small reductions as obvious and painful as possible.
why do you suppose the democrats in the senate and the president were not willing to accept the proposal from the republicans that would have given more discretion on these cuts to the executive branch?
Give the President the authority to close whatever tax loopholes he wishes, and we have a deal.
Choke you buzzards.
let me make it easy for the greatest generation to understand...we baby boomers are sick and tired of paying for your welfare...you are spending our money for your SS, medicare, medicaid while telling us we are socialists for demanding the same thing....teabggers are the worst of the lot
The only uncontroversial socialism is corporate welfare and corporate socialism...when the banksters misbehaved, caused the worst recession since the Great Depression, then got bailed out on the backs of the poor and middle class...by taking hard-earned money from them, from social security and medicare.
Paul Ryan wanted to cut medicare, voucherizing it, promising to cut only the benefits from those under 55 - but Ryan just changed mind in the last couple of days, wanting to cut medicare for those under 56 now.
It's a breaking news update.
nway & yawn.........
Senate voted for increases . . . so . .. cut their wages and retirement by $200.00 per month they won't notice it!
beats me, I haven't voted for a national level Republican since Gerald Ford.
Senate voted for the increases . . . so . . . cut their wages and RETIREMENT that's only fair! The government will save millions!
Question for you candy asses on here?
How will the deficit affect any of you,now or then?How many of you,are getting Govt pensions,SS,Medicare,Military Pensions ect?
Or is it in your nature to,just complain,about something that will not effect you dopes?
Pigotry or Seeking Sanity-trying to figure out who is the dumbest. OK it is a tie!
me
I am a pig.
- dogs80
You probably voted for Rom-nuts and you lost. So who the dumbest. You are so dumb, you can't understand that the GOP do-nothing are going to screw you too! But your hatred and stupidity blinds you to that fact.
Rburn, typical little keyboard pushing liberal. You make brave talk when you can't be seen!
dogs80 - we have a winner for dumbest of all- it is definitely dogs80. Hands down!! Take a bow! Easy there - don't fall on your head - yet again!
- SeekingSanity
Isn't funny how Neo-Cons act when they hear the truth. BTW proud to be a keyboard pushing liberal.
Talking to a GOP simpleton is like talking to a dead guy,,why bother?
Bulletman357.......you said:
Because, bit by inch, we (liberals) are changing their (conservatives) minds.
That's how slaves were freed by liberal Lincoln. That's the genesis of women's suffrage. It's how a brown man came to be President of the United States. It's how non-traditional partners are now gaining the same rights and benefits as the rest of us.
The progress of society occurs in fits and starts. There are times when a back-slide occurs. But, steady as a mountain thrusting upwards, we (progressives) are moving (some by dragging) humankind toward a better world.
Look at America of 200 years ago. Look at America today. Is it not more liberal? We did that.
Ian Emdee, you're wonderful!
We are lucky to be liberals American Girl-724855......especially so, considering the alternative. Thanks.
2/3 of our legislative branch has also failed. Our president and our senate. It amazes me that everything that was bad that happened under Bush was his fault and not the Democratic controlled congress. But now everything is the fault of 1/3 of our legislative branch. If only our state run media would inform our misinformed and our uninformed populace. Our Republic won't be able to survive with the type of media that we have in place.
What do you think the Democratic Congress did, during Bush's last two years?
President George Bush has been in office for 7 1/2 years. The first six the economy was fine.
1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%
4) The DOW JONES hit a record high--14,000
5) Americans were buying new cars, taking cruises, vacations overseas, living large!
But Americans wanted 'CHANGE'! So, in 2006 we voted in a Democratic Congress and yes--we got 'CHANGE' all right. In the FIRST YEAR:
1) Consumer confidence has plummeted
2) Gasoline was over $4 a gallon just a month ago
3) Unemployment is up to 6.1% (a 35.5% increase!)
4) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $12 TRILLION DOLLARS (and prices are still dropping)
5) 2% of American homes are in foreclosure.
6) THE DOW is probing new lows every other session....
$3.5 TRILLION DOLLARS HAS EVAPORATED FROM STOCKS, BONDS & MUTUAL FUNDS INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS!
The President has no control over any of these issues, only Congress. And, what has Congress done in the last two years of Bush's term? Absolutely nothing to prevent it. Why? Because Democrats love misery, and they love to spread it around.
On October 31, 2006, a CBS/New York Times poll showed that Congress had a 29% Approval Rating*
On October 13, 2008, a CBS/New York Times poll showed that Congress had a 12% Approval Rating*...and this is a Congress that is 100% CONTROLLED By Democrats.
*(Source: Congress: Job Ratings)
TO: MPotter-7733201 who wrote:
It is Republicans who "failed" and continue to "fail" because they don't have any positve agenda, and even though Republicans dragged the United States and the American People into the 2nd Great Depression Republicans insist on continuing with the same failed policies that took us there in the first place.
Everything bad that happened under Bush was at Bush's behest, and that's why it's all his fault.
TO: MPotter-7733201 who wrote:
It is Republicans who "failed" and continue to "fail" because they don't have any positve agenda, and even though Republicans dragged the United States and the American People into the 2nd Great Depression Republicans insist on continuing with the same failed policies that took us there in the first place.
Everything bad that happened under Bush was at Bush's behest, and that's why it's all his fault.
Bush was warned by many experts that he was taking the wrong path, and when Bush could no longer justify his outrageous policies, he said he just "felt it in is Gut" that all the wrong crap he did would all turn out alright.
As we can see Bush was not only wrong, but he was pittifully wrong, so he gets the blame for his poor decisions.
By the way, what planet were you on when all of this was coming down, or did you say something about "amnesia"?
A meeting of political morons. Get a jobs bill out there and start getting people back to work. This should be the number one priority. More defense cuts definitely needed. Quit mfg those freakin M-1 Tanks and storing them near Reno (2000 already in storage) and get programs like to F-35 JSF under control (millions maybe billions wasted). Also take a hard look at Missile Defense (billions wasted on something that comes nowhere near 100% successful). In other words do your freakin jobs.
"share the wealth", "fair", "forward" Staight out of marx's "communist manifesto"
comrade obama is simply a puppet of soros, piven, van jones and jarrett!!!
Think Soros is a communist?
I know soros believes in personal wealth and that he is an anti-American!!!!
Did the Russian stockmarket hit historic highs under Marx as well? DId Russian automakers become profitable again after nearly collapsing under the Tsar? Did the wealthiest 1% get wealthier under communist rule? Just wondering. Cause they have during Obama's administration.
To fix this great country, we need a political revolution. We need to be able to add provisions to the laws of elections that allows "we the people" to vote officials out of office. I am tired of Boner, and the rest of the republican'ts.
I agree. Can I have a side of term limits?!?!! What is the consequence for these people when they don't do their job? Working for lobbyists while they collect a tax paid pension...nice. Who are the true takers of this country?
why are we still sending 250mm to egypt? also, my ss which i have received for the last 15 years on the same day except when the day follows on a weekend, has still not come. good ole obama holding it. he has no clue????????? we got what we deserve when we voted him back in. i made a major mistake by voting for this idiot.
guido - I applaud you for admitting your voting mistake. Most, if not all people would never admit this. Kudos to you.
Amy Maine- the point of the leaked email was the administration telling everyone to follow all administration talking points or else. "The sky is falling" is the main talking point.
I've read the email. Have you? It says no such thing. It's a shame Republicans have to resort to spin to try influence public opinion. Most people won't read the email, but they will hear the spin. Question is, would they really believe Obama would actually damage the environment to "hurt" Republicans? I can see Obama making Congressmen call their constituents to tell them the White House tour is cancelled, just to bug Republicans, but not protecting air and water? Doesn't sound like O to me.
I see the TEA GARBAGE PAID CORPS. are out in force today. Filthy comments, name calling, out right lies, half truths, made up bull pucky, anger and pure hatred, these are the trade marks of the low intelligent peoples ( ? ) . Yup, Pigotry is wound up today but who wouldn't be. Trying to have an decent exchange of Ideas with the TEA GARBAGE GOOSE SETTING TROOPS, is like trying to swim up stream in a full sewer pipe. Why don't you people ( ? ) clean up your act? You would make far stronger and more intelligent arguments if you would just clean up your comments. LACK OF INTELLIGENCE AND KNOWLEDGE LEADS TO FILTHY, STUPID NAME CALLING STATEMENTS. Yes, I do use the name TEA GARBAGE because I have to. It is the only way to communicate on your low life level.
Just like obama's paid Marxists and takers our ALWAYS out in force.
Do you know the meaning of the word Marxists or do you just get paid to throw it around ? I doubt you do know it's true meaning. Maybe you could look it up, but real and honest knowledge is against your party contract isn't it.
Do you suppose Mr. Obama spikes the ball when Tiger flips him a "gimme"?
If you tried to spike a golf ball, it would just dig into the ground or roll away, so no, I don't think the President spikes his golf ball. He does enjoy his golf, though, just like Speaker Boehner.
See my comment just before your's and thank you for proving my point beyond any doubt.
Not much on political euphemism.... ?
Congratulations, you made an excellent use of the word " euphemism ". There may be hope for you yet.
My my...
Somebody peeled a scab and got a little salt rubbed in it....
The GOP should tell Obama that the US knows about how his administration is planning to make sequester really hard on the poor and middle class based on the emails released. The GOP should tell Obama that Articles of Impeachment will be drafted unless he publicly apologizes for his incompetence and hate mongering ways. Obama must take a diversity course and learn how to treat people as people. It is time to take the HATE out of Obama!
Do you have ANY proof, evidence, or facts of what you are stating. I thought NOT. You must get paid pretty well to just blow your mouth off while not posting any kind of prove-able statements.
Wow, you certainly live on a special planet. Republicans caused our economic problems then intentionally exacerbated them. Now they are doing their utmost to cause more damage to the economy to protect their wealthy patrons.
Over the last 40 years Republican economic policies have caused a trickle up of money from the middle class to the wealthiest 1%. They are proposing the exact policies that caused the Second Great Republican Depression, and only a moron would vote for them.
Part of caused the recession is the pressure that the Democratic Congress put on Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac to allow people to get loans for houses they couldn't afford. It funny that we all have selective memories and only remember what we need to prove a point.
Here's a Fact the Legislative Branch in Washington is disfunctional. Just because you are Republican doesn't make you a Racist. I don't care for President Obama and didn't vote for him. In my opinion, he wasn't qualified (experienced) to serve in that office. That doesn't make me a racist. One thing I am is an American and the government in Washington turns my stomach. We do need to be able to make some changes to how Congress receives their pay raises, retirement and exempts themselves from laws they pass on the rest of America.
Obama: Well, I told them this would be painful, so now I will show them just how much it will hurt the American people for not doing what I tell them to do. Maybe next time they will listen to me, THE ONE!
You like emails so much here's one you should read: