When are you going to admit that Obama makes Jimmy Carter look like a statesman?
A blog that I read said it well: The House Republicans are taking responsible, if controversial, steps to prevent the coming national [debt] train wreck. President Obama and the Democrats are determined that the only solution is keep jacking up the debt limit . . . The painful House plan will work. The destructive Obama plan will not. It's time for America to make the difficult choice.
When are you going to admit that Obama makes Jimmy Carter look like a statesman?
A blog that I read said it well: The House Republicans are taking responsible, if controversial, steps to prevent the coming national [debt] train wreck. President Obama and the Democrats are determined that the only solution is keep jacking up the debt limit . . . The painful House plan will work. The destructive Obama plan will not. It's time for America to make the difficult choice.
Hey Kilarney,
Your Blog sucks.
Anyhow, if you paid any attention to the debt debate, you'll find that it's the republicans being a total d-bags about this. The Democrats have compromised their position so much and the republicans have not budged at all. It's the Republicans that look like assholes. Sorry Kilarney, I don't know what tea you've been drinking but it must be drugged more then any koolaid I've had lately.
The House Republicans are taking responsible, if controversial, steps to prevent the coming national [debt] train wreck. President Obama and the Democrats are determined that the only solution is keep jacking up the debt limit . . . The painful House plan will work. The destructive Obama plan will not. It's time for America to make the difficult choice.
Responsible? RESPONSIBLE? How the fuck do you call plodding out the same tax-cuts-for-'job-creators'-and-remove-all-social-saftey-nets idea THREE TIMES after they administration said 'we're not going to do that, it's stupid' responsible? The Republicans, the party of small government supposedly, even tried to pass a bill that would put all the power of the spending/debt issue in Obama's hands, JUST SO THEY COULD BLAME HIM LATER. They haven't made the tiniest effort to try and solve anything because they HAVE NO FUCKING CLUE what to do. Here's my impression of the debt debate: Republiteatards: We will never allow you to raise taxes on rich people ever. Obama: We need to let the tax cuts expire because we can't cut every social program as it would ruin the country. R: Well, poor people should do their part and stop leeching off social services. O: They're not leeching, and we still need a solution. Here's a bunch of things we'll cut if you agree to some tax increases. R: Nope-a-derpa-doo. Here, you can make all the decisions so we can blame you in 2012. O: That's not going to happen. If you guys don't do something soon, social security checks might not go out. Come up with something. R: TAX CUTS, NO SOCIAL SERVICES, DERP. O: FFS, I just told you we're not doing that. TWICE. *walks out* R: He doesn't care about Amuraka! O: *comes back* OK, here's another plan with more cuts and less tax increases. R: WARGARBLEDERPHURPADOOOOOOO! We can walk out too, stupid face!*walks out* O: Seriously? R: *comes back* Okay, we have this great plan this time. O: ... This just says "no taxes"...and it's written in crayon. R: HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! O: You do realize we're going to default in a week and it will crush out economy. R: *chanting and dancing around the table* It's all your fault! It's all your fault! O: You mean the economic crisis caused by the deregulation that you guys did back ten years ago that is exactly mimicking the bullshit from the 1980's when you guys deregulated everything? R: NAZICOMMIE!
Obama's only fault is that he's not wielding the power of the bully pulpit effectively. This makes him an ineffective president. There are so many things he can do to fuck the republicans into submission but he won't do those things. History will probably remember him as ineffective unfortunately, but not because he didn't know how to make policy, nor because he is a bad leader, mainly because he tries too hard to negotiate with people that just want to see him taken out. This puts him in a vulnerable political position that his enemies exploit again and again and again. Honestly he's too passive. He lets the Republicans walk all over him.
It's like going to a poker game with someone who has pulled a pistol out and demanded the pot despite losing. Why would you play poker with this person? At least make sure he checks his gun at the door before dealing...
When are you going to admit that Obama makes Jimmy Carter look like a statesman?
A blog that I read said it well: The House Republicans are taking responsible, if controversial, steps to prevent the coming national [debt] train wreck. President Obama and the Democrats are determined that the only solution is keep jacking up the debt limit . . . The painful House plan will work. The destructive Obama plan will not. It's time for America to make the difficult choice.
Reading this thread and other political discussion on this forum, it paints a wired picture of USA's politics. It seems that The President has all the power and should make all the decisions except when monster called Party (republican or democrat) says "Nope" and then President can do nothing. Your politics are silly.
It seems that The President has all the power and should make all the decisions except when monster called Party (republican or democrat) says "Nope" and then President can do nothing. Your politics are silly.
So, the monster and the president have similar powers. The president has to convince the monster to make legislation happen, and if they don't wanna, *stompstompcry* is about all the president gets to do. He doesn't have all the power. On the flip side of the token, when the monster starts getting all monstery about legislation, the president can backhand it with the exact same "Nope."
It is a system of checks and balances, which lately, have caused a lockstep of everyone checking everyone else, thus nothing actually happening.
The President wields a good amount of power, but not as much power as you would think based on the degree to which we focus on the office. Generally, the Congress is how stuff gets changed.
I like Obama buts he's a terrible negotiator. He doesn't use the bully pulpit effectively. He has allowed the GOP to frame the debate for months and is now fighting on their turf instead of talking about jobs. I believe all these failings are due to his self-image as the great conciliator.
There's no way to use the bully pulpit with the people that need to hear it. If Obama comes out firing from the hip, the constituency that created this problem in the first place are going to just cling to their beliefs harder.
We're dealing with people who are actually willing to ruin things and risk a global depression just to get the current President ousted. How do you play a game with a person like that? You can't.
But Obama could use a little more passion. He's got plenty of reason, but I'd like to see a little bit more fire every now and then.
I like Obama buts he's a terrible negotiator. He doesn't use the bully pulpit effectively.
I personally value the negotiation techniques of people that don't resort to bullying. But I do see the point you're making here. My personal values are not those of congress and senate.
If Obama comes out firing from the hip, the constituency that created this problem in the first place are going to just cling to their beliefs harder.
I think this is true, but at the same time, I think the democratic process (of which Obama is actually doing a fantastic job, IMO) doesn't do anything. The only way things get done is through manipulation, back door deals, clout, etc. I wish it weren't so. I think the people who want Obama to swing from the hip are basically saying we need firepower now, not mutual understanding.
We're dealing with people who are actually willing to ruin things and risk a global depression just to get the current President ousted. How do you play a game with a person like that? You can't.
It's a prisoner's dilemma where the democrats will always pick cooperate no matter what. Of course, the republicans pick defect every time. There's no other choice! If you know the other guy is cooperating for certain, only a moron wouldn't defect.
The thing is, at this point picking cooperate still risks global depression! If Republicans get what they want, global depression! If nothing happens, global depression! The only choice, the one they don't have the balls to make, is to stop cooperating and compromising. Then it just comes down to whoever can hold out the longest without switching back to cooperate. If both teams hold out until the very end, then global depression, but that would have happened anyway. Better off with the slight chance that Republicans pussy out and start cooperating.
There seems to be this idea that you can only get things done politically by compromising. I think you can get in a fistfight once in awhile without causing a deadlock. The key is you just have to win the fistfight. If the other guy goes crying home to his mother, you get what you want.
Here is what I would do if I were Obama. Surprise interrupt all prime time television and say exactly this, with the bad words and all. It also doesn't matter if these are lies or half-truths.
"As you know, the US is in danger of defaulting on its debts. If that happens, it would be a worldwide economic disaster greater than the great depression. We already averted one economic disaster by giving a ton of your money to bail out wall street. We can avert another disaster by taking your money back from them. The Republicans want to take that money from social security, medicare, and schools. That is obviously absolutely unacceptable. Even if we agreed and let the Republicans have their way without compromises, never mind your smaller social security checks, lower medicare coverage, and crappier schools, the world's leading economists say that it will not avert economic disaster. The Republicans are asking us to choose between disaster and disaster.
There is only one way to avoid catastrophe. We have written a bill that will raise the debt ceiling and also tax the ever living fuck out of those rich bastards we just bailed out. We will not compromise on even one cent, or even one word in this legislation. Republicans have until X day to either sign it, or cause a worldwide depression. They are the only ones to blame. If the ignorance and stubbornness of a few congress people dooms the entire world, let history remember their names. Here is all their personal contact information. Feel free to let them know what they should do. I'm going to hit the beach. You are welcome to join me. It's too hot out for this shit."
"As you know, the US is in danger of defaulting on its debts. If that happens, it would be a worldwide economic disaster greater than the great depression. We already averted one economic disaster by giving a ton of your money to bail out wall street. We can avert another disaster by taking your money back from them. The Republicans want to take that money from social security, medicare, and schools. That is obviously absolutely unacceptable. Even if we agreed and let the Republicans have their way without compromises, never mind your smaller social security checks, lower medicare coverage, and crappier schools, the world's leading economists say that it will not avert economic disaster. The Republicans are asking us to choose between disaster and disaster.
There is only one way to avoid catastrophe. We have written a bill that will raise the debt ceiling and also tax the ever living fuck out of those rich bastards we just bailed out. We will not compromise on even one cent, or even one word in this legislation. Republicans have until X day to either sign it, or cause a worldwide depression. They are the only ones to blame. If the ignorance and stubbornness of a few congress people dooms the entire world, let history remember their names. Here is all their personal contact information. Feel free to let them know what they should do. I'm going to hit the beach. You are welcome to join me. It's too hot out for this shit."
Agreed. Obama needs to stop thinking he's above using demagoguery and exaggeration to make his point.
Obama needs to be less Mandela and more Samuel Jackson in this debt ceiling fight.
(Admit it, you'd love to see Obama finally get pissed off and say 'motherfucker' on TV.)
The normal rule of "don't piss off the opposition too much with political maneuvering because they will fuck you up" doesn't really apply here anymore. The republicans are already doing everything they can to sabotage everything. The Democrats should play dirty and start airing everything to the public.
But on the opposite end, another thread showed that Al Franken was more than just a pretty face. I was pretty impressed and surprised by his reaction to some anti-gay marriage peeps.
But on the opposite end, another thread showed that Al Franken was more than just a pretty face. I was pretty impressed and surprised by his reaction to some anti-gay marriage peeps.
Not so impressed on his technology and intellectual property stances, but is there even one congressperson on our side on tech issues?
But on the opposite end, another thread showed that Al Franken was more than just a pretty face. I was pretty impressed and surprised by his reaction to some anti-gay marriage peeps.
Not so impressed on his technology and intellectual property stances, but is there even one congressperson on our side on tech issues?
I actually saw a number in the last election, but none made it through the primaries. The major political parties don't support the people who understand technology, because it's scary.
Comments
When are you going to admit that Obama makes Jimmy Carter look like a statesman?
A blog that I read said it well:
The House Republicans are taking responsible, if controversial, steps to prevent the coming national [debt] train wreck. President Obama and the Democrats are determined that the only solution is keep jacking up the debt limit . . . The painful House plan will work. The destructive Obama plan will not. It's time for America to make the difficult choice.
Your Blog sucks.
Anyhow, if you paid any attention to the debt debate, you'll find that it's the republicans being a total d-bags about this. The Democrats have compromised their position so much and the republicans have not budged at all. It's the Republicans that look like assholes. Sorry Kilarney, I don't know what tea you've been drinking but it must be drugged more then any koolaid I've had lately.
Here's my impression of the debt debate:
Republiteatards: We will never allow you to raise taxes on rich people ever.
Obama: We need to let the tax cuts expire because we can't cut every social program as it would ruin the country.
R: Well, poor people should do their part and stop leeching off social services.
O: They're not leeching, and we still need a solution. Here's a bunch of things we'll cut if you agree to some tax increases.
R: Nope-a-derpa-doo. Here, you can make all the decisions so we can blame you in 2012.
O: That's not going to happen. If you guys don't do something soon, social security checks might not go out. Come up with something.
R: TAX CUTS, NO SOCIAL SERVICES, DERP.
O: FFS, I just told you we're not doing that. TWICE. *walks out*
R: He doesn't care about Amuraka!
O: *comes back* OK, here's another plan with more cuts and less tax increases.
R: WARGARBLEDERPHURPADOOOOOOO! We can walk out too, stupid face!*walks out*
O: Seriously?
R: *comes back* Okay, we have this great plan this time.
O: ... This just says "no taxes"...and it's written in crayon.
R: HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
O: You do realize we're going to default in a week and it will crush out economy.
R: *chanting and dancing around the table* It's all your fault! It's all your fault!
O: You mean the economic crisis caused by the deregulation that you guys did back ten years ago that is exactly mimicking the bullshit from the 1980's when you guys deregulated everything?
R: NAZICOMMIE!
Oh, in addition, Andrew Malcolm, your bloggie, has no clue how to read a poll.
It's like going to a poker game with someone who has pulled a pistol out and demanded the pot despite losing. Why would you play poker with this person? At least make sure he checks his gun at the door before dealing...
It is a system of checks and balances, which lately, have caused a lockstep of everyone checking everyone else, thus nothing actually happening.
We're dealing with people who are actually willing to ruin things and risk a global depression just to get the current President ousted. How do you play a game with a person like that? You can't.
But Obama could use a little more passion. He's got plenty of reason, but I'd like to see a little bit more fire every now and then.
The thing is, at this point picking cooperate still risks global depression! If Republicans get what they want, global depression! If nothing happens, global depression! The only choice, the one they don't have the balls to make, is to stop cooperating and compromising. Then it just comes down to whoever can hold out the longest without switching back to cooperate. If both teams hold out until the very end, then global depression, but that would have happened anyway. Better off with the slight chance that Republicans pussy out and start cooperating.
There seems to be this idea that you can only get things done politically by compromising. I think you can get in a fistfight once in awhile without causing a deadlock. The key is you just have to win the fistfight. If the other guy goes crying home to his mother, you get what you want.
Here is what I would do if I were Obama. Surprise interrupt all prime time television and say exactly this, with the bad words and all. It also doesn't matter if these are lies or half-truths.
"As you know, the US is in danger of defaulting on its debts. If that happens, it would be a worldwide economic disaster greater than the great depression. We already averted one economic disaster by giving a ton of your money to bail out wall street. We can avert another disaster by taking your money back from them. The Republicans want to take that money from social security, medicare, and schools. That is obviously absolutely unacceptable. Even if we agreed and let the Republicans have their way without compromises, never mind your smaller social security checks, lower medicare coverage, and crappier schools, the world's leading economists say that it will not avert economic disaster. The Republicans are asking us to choose between disaster and disaster.
There is only one way to avoid catastrophe. We have written a bill that will raise the debt ceiling and also tax the ever living fuck out of those rich bastards we just bailed out. We will not compromise on even one cent, or even one word in this legislation. Republicans have until X day to either sign it, or cause a worldwide depression. They are the only ones to blame. If the ignorance and stubbornness of a few congress people dooms the entire world, let history remember their names. Here is all their personal contact information. Feel free to let them know what they should do. I'm going to hit the beach. You are welcome to join me. It's too hot out for this shit."
Obama needs to be less Mandela and more Samuel Jackson in this debt ceiling fight.
(Admit it, you'd love to see Obama finally get pissed off and say 'motherfucker' on TV.)
But on the opposite end, another thread showed that Al Franken was more than just a pretty face. I was pretty impressed and surprised by his reaction to some anti-gay marriage peeps.
I wrote in those candidates.
Waka Waka :-p
What's Shakira got to do with it?
Mmmm Shakira. Proving there is more to Colombia than drugs.