Obama eats Republicans Alive

[punked]

House Republicans were fired up and ready to go for their conversation with President Obama at their annual retreat today. According to the New York Times, members of the conservative Republican House Conference said they were “itching to quiz the president and present their policy ideas rather than listen to another lofty presidential address.” Although such sessions generally occur behind closed doors, Republicans agreed to open it up after the White House said it was willing to do so. However, after Obama’s strong performance, some Republicans are now regretting that decision. As Luke Russert reported on MSNBC:

RUSSERT: Tom Cole — former head of the NRCC, congressman from Oklahoma — said, “He scored many points. He did really well.” Barack Obama, for an hour and a half, was able to refute every single Republican talking point used against him on the major issues of the day. In essence, it was almost like a debate where he was front and center for the majority of it. … One Republican said to me, off the record, behind closed doors: “It was a mistake that we allowed the cameras to roll like that. We should not have done that.”

Wow some Republicans must have cried themselves to sleep that night. LET'S WORK TOGETHER

[Bugs]

Wow some Republicans must have cried themselves to sleep that night. LET'S WORK TOGETHER

Why do you think the Democrats needed 60 votes in the Senate? It's to be able to over-ride their opposition, and limit their ability to speak on the issues. Why do you think it's all over, just because one seat changed hands? It's because they stuff they're passing is hugely unpopular with the American people, and the administration springs 1000+page Bills on the Senate, and want it passed 48 hours later. That's part of the scandal -- not even the Democrats can read the Bills they're voting on.

(Interestingly, they rushed three things through the Senate before Scott Brown got there -- Bernanke's appointment, raising the debt ceiling by another $trill and a half, and changed the bookkeeping rules so the deficit will appear smaller than it really is ... )

Don't believe all this nonsense about Obama's non-partisanship, rising above the shoddy grunt-work of law-making, to transcend politics as usual ... it's stuff meant to delude the idealistic ...

I read these events differently. I think Obama's bubble burst for yet another group of people, as a result of the State of the Nation speech. A lot fewer people believe him, after all of this, and the realization is growing (in the US) that the stimulus package hasn't worked.

I see a very dark next three years ahead for Mr. Obama.

[punked]

Why do you think the Democrats needed 60 votes in the Senate? It's to be able to over-ride their opposition, and limit their ability to speak on the issues. Why do you think it's all over, just because one seat changed hands? It's because they stuff they're passing is hugely unpopular with the American people, and the administration springs 1000+page Bills on the Senate, and want it passed 48 hours later. That's part of the scandal -- not even the Democrats can read the Bills they're voting on.

(Interestingly, they rushed three things through the Senate before Scott Brown got there -- Bernanke's appointment, raising the debt ceiling by another $trill and a half, and changed the bookkeeping rules so the deficit will appear smaller than it really is ... )

Don't believe all this nonsense about Obama's non-partisanship, rising above the shoddy grunt-work of law-making, to transcend politics as usual ... it's stuff meant to delude the idealistic ...

I read these events differently. I think Obama's bubble burst for yet another group of people, as a result of the State of the Nation speech. A lot fewer people believe him, after all of this, and the realization is growing (in the US) that the stimulus package hasn't worked.

I see a very dark next three years ahead for Mr. Obama.

If 60% of Americans wanting something is unpopular then the US system is really messed up. Obama ate them alive and spit them out.

Bernanke's appointment passed by 70-30 votes in the Senate you think Scott Brown was the tie breaker? Wow Republicans really do think no matter what the US says that whatever they vote for they are in the Majority. Go back to sleep I will wake you up in mid terms when you can claim you are in the majority some more.

[Bugs]

If 60% of Americans wanting something is unpopular then the US system is really messed up. Obama ate them alive and spit them out.

Bernanke's appointment passed by 70-30 votes in the Senate you think Scott Brown was the tie breaker? Wow Republicans really do think no matter what the US says that whatever they vote for they are in the Majority. Go back to sleep I will wake you up in mid terms when you can claim you are in the majority some more.

Perhaps you are being intentionally obtuse ... the significance of the 60th seat, for the Democrats, is that they control the procedure, and they have used that control to rush through huge pieces of legislation without the normal rights of all members to examine legislation at a pace that allows for reflection, and reactions from their home states. In this case, they control the timing of the vote.

The Democrats don't want to open up the re-nomination of Bernanke. Nor do they want a lot of noisy publicity that would only get people upset about them raising the debt ceiling ...

Bernanke's appointment might not have been in doubt, but there might have been some other gnawing questions about where the money went that just might come up ... questions about auditing the Fed ... that kind of thing.

[punked]

Perhaps you are being intentionally obtuse ... the significance of the 60th seat, for the Democrats, is that they control the procedure, and they have used that control to rush through huge pieces of legislation without the normal rights of all members to examine legislation at a pace that allows for reflection, and reactions from their home states. In this case, they control the timing of the vote.

The Democrats don't want to open up the re-nomination of Bernanke. Nor do they want a lot of noisy publicity that would only get people upset about them raising the debt ceiling ...

Bernanke's appointment might not have been in doubt, but there might have been some other gnawing questions about where the money went that just might come up ... questions about auditing the Fed ... that kind of thing.

You make another thread to talk about Bernanke I will follow you there. This one is talking about Obama walking onto Republicans home turf telling them they can ask him anything then eating their lunch.

[sharkman]

Yes sir, punked, you really are Obama's number one fan in this forum, starting thread after thread to champion your cause. I don't think you even missed a step after the Brown win, and you are a fine example for democrats everywhere. Seriously, someone should contact the party and inform them of your work, I bet they'd make you a charter member or something.

Obama's numbers are now below 50% and deep down you must be worried and there are rough waters ahead in the mid-terms, but the best advice for someone like you is to ignore any bad news and just keep plugging away.

[BubberMiley]

To Sharkman, starting multiple threads championing one's causes is only acceptable if he agrees with the causes. Otherwise, it's just pathetic.

Last I checked, starting a thread was the only way to keep this forum active. Keep going, Shady and Punked! Don't let Sharkman's hypocrisy get you down.

Speaking of hypocrisy, I love how FoxNews cut away from the Q&A early when they realized how bad the Republicans were looking.

Edited January 31, 2010 by BubberMiley

[Shady]

Speaking of hypocrisy, I love how FoxNews cut away from the Q&A early when they realized how bad the Republicans were looking.

They didn't cut away early. The event lasted 85 minutes. They cut away with 20 minutes left. They televised over an hour of it.

Anyways, overall, I thought it was a good discussion. Maybe something that should happen more often. I don't doubt that Obama would like to be more bi-partisan, but unfortunately his cronies in the house and senate don't feel the same way. But my favourite moments where when Obama claimed he wasn't an ideologue, followed by snickering in the audience. And when he said that Republicans think my plan is some bolshevik plot, followed by clapping in agreement!

[punked]

They didn't cut away early. The event lasted 85 minutes. They cut away with 20 minutes left. They televised over an hour of it.

Anyways, overall, I thought it was a good discussion. Maybe something that should happen more often. I don't doubt that Obama would like to be more bi-partisan, but unfortunately his cronies in the house and senate don't feel the same way. But my favourite moments where when Obama claimed he wasn't an ideologue, followed by snickering in the audience. And when he said that Republicans think my plan is some bolshevik plot, followed by clapping in agreement!

How about when the Republicans told him to incorporate their ideas into healthcare so he flipped open the book they gave and read word for word what their plan was and it was 3 sentences long? Thought that was pretty good calling them on their Bullshit.

Edited January 31, 2010 by punked

[BubberMiley]

They didn't cut away early. They cut away with 20 minutes left.

I also love your spin. It doesn't even make any sense.

[Shady]

How about when the Republicans told him to incorporate their ideas into healthcare so he flipped open the book they gave and read word for word what their plan was and it was 3 sentences long? Thought that was pretty good calling them on their Bullshit.

It was definitely pretty good propaganda. I'm not exactly sure what he was reading, maybe the table of contents, but this is the Republican healhcare proposal.

PDF

I also love your spin. It doesn't even make any sense.

The entire Q&A was 85 minutes long. Fox News covered the first hour. They cut away, and didn't show the last 20 or so minutes. So your claim that they "cut away early" is completely false. I hope that makes more sense for you. But don't let facts get in the way of your talking points.

[BubberMiley]

They cut away, and didn't show the last 20 or so minutes. So your claim that they "cut away early" is completely false.

Reread your post over and over and let it resonate. Notice how it is self-contradictory. Isn't that funny?

The not-letting-facts-get-in-the-way-of-talking-points line must be your motto.

[Shady]

Reread your post over and over and let it resonate. Notice how it is self-contradictory. Isn't that funny?

The not-letting-facts-get-in-the-way-of-talking-points line must be your motto.

So you're saying it took them over an hour to realize that the Republicans were so-called looking bad? Come'on, that's ridiculous and you know it. Let's try to have a substantive discussion.

[punked]

It was definitely pretty good propaganda. I'm not exactly sure what he was reading, maybe the table of contents, but this is the Republican healhcare proposal.

PDF

The entire Q&A was 85 minutes long. Fox News covered the first hour. They cut away, and didn't show the last 20 or so minutes. So your claim that they "cut away early" is completely false. I hope that makes more sense for you. But don't let facts get in the way of your talking points.

Yah Obama addressed that health proposal too in his QA when it was brought up.

"Specifically, it's got to work," Obama told Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), who pressed the president during a question-and-answer session Friday at the House Republican Conference. "There's got to be a mechanism in these plans that I can go to an independent hcare expert and say, 'Is this something that will actually work?' Or is this boiler plate?'"

http://www.thedougjonesexperience.com/toothfairy~3.htm

If it was that easy to do health care with out raising taxes, cutting benefits, regulating insurance, or adding too the debt it wouldn't be this hard too do Shady. Bush would have done it long ago, or Clinton, or Reagan.

The Republican bill has been tour apart for a while now. No one thinks it will address any of the problems in the system.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/opinion/06fri1.html

Edited January 31, 2010 by punked

[Shady]

Yah Obama addressed that health proposal too in his QA when it was brought up.

http://www.thedougjonesexperience.com/toothfairy~3.htm

If it was that easy to do health care with out raising taxes, cutting benefits, regulating insurance, or adding too the debt it wouldn't be this hard too do Shady. Bush would have done it long ago, or Clinton, or Reagan.

The Republican bill has been tour apart for a while now. No one thinks it will address any of the problems in the system.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/opinion/06fri1.html

So you admit that Obama lied when he claimed that their healthcare plan was 3 sentences? And that you lied too?

[punked]

So you admit that Obama lied when he claimed that their healthcare plan was 3 sentences? And that you lied too?

You really didn't watch it did you? He read the three sentences said they agreed on those things, then he told to come back to him when they had a plan that was doable and not crazy.

Here is the transcript of that question. He ignored the plan because everyone who has looked at the plan has said it wouldn't do anything for healthcare. It wont cover more people, it wont make healthcare affordable. I would ignore it too, you haven't herd the Republicans say boo about it because it was torn to shreds by every independent source.

Obama said about it

But if you say that we can offer coverage for all Americans and it won't cost a penny, that's just not true. You can't structure a bill where suddenly 30 million people have coverage and it costs nothing.....

You know, if I'm told, for example, that the solution to dealing with health care costs is tort reform, something that I've said I am willing to work with you on, but the CBO or other experts say to me, you know, "At best, this could reduce health care costs relative to where they're growing by a couple of percentage points or save $5 billion a year, that's what we can score it at, and it will not bend the cost curve long term or reduce premiums significantly," then you can't make the claim that that's the only thing that we have to do.

If we're going to do multi-state insurance so that people can go across state lines, I've got to be able to go to an independent health care expert, Republican or Democrat, who can tell me that this won't result in cherry-picking of the healthiest going to some and the least healthy being worse off.....

I mean, the easiest thing for me to do on the health care debate would have been to tell people that, "What you're going to get is guaranteed health insurance, lower your costs, all the insurance reforms, we're going to lower the cost of Medicare and Medicaid, and it won't cost anybody anything." That's great politics. It's just not true.

So there's got to be some test of realism in any of these proposals, mine included. I've got to hold myself accountable, and I guarantee the American people will hold themselves -- will hold me accountable if what I'm selling doesn't actually deliver....

If there's uniform opposition because the Republican caucus doesn't get 100 percent or 80 percent of what you want, then it's going to be hard to get a deal done. That's because that's not how democracy works....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/29/AR2010012902774_2.html?sid=ST2010012902909

Maybe someday Shady you will actually watch something for yourself and not just repeat what you hear from second and third hand sources. Obama is right Republicans aren't offering real ideas they are offering hollow promises to get themselves elected you can't just cover 30 million people for nothing. It will take something to do that.

[Shady]

How about when the Republicans told him to incorporate their ideas into healthcare so he flipped open the book they gave and read word for word what their plan was and it was 3 sentences long?

So you admit that the Republican plan is much more than 3 sentences long, right? Why did you say that it was only 3 sentences? These are your exact words. "He read word for word what their plan was, and it was 3 sentences long." Those are your words, word for word. Why did you lie?

Edited February 1, 2010 by Shady

[punked]

So you admit that the Republican plan is much more than 3 sentences long, right? Why did you say that it was only 3 sentences? These are your exact words. "He read word for word what their plan was, and it was 3 sentences long." Those are your words, word for word. Why did you lie?

And it was great. He addressed the Republican "bill" after it was brought up, but everyone and their mom thought the Republicans threw that out after all independent analysis ripped it apart. I wouldn't address a dead idea either, because as Obama says "you can't insure 30 million people with out actually doing something". Sorry Shady that dog wont walk, the Bill was stupid Republicans tired to bury it then brought it up to make it look like they have something.

You might have not noticed this but the Republicans keep yelling "START OVER" not "USE OUR BILL". Wonder why?

Might be because the CBO said it would do nothing at all.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/republican-health-insurance-reform-bill-insures-almost-nobody.php

Edited February 1, 2010 by punked

[Shady]

And it was great. He addressed the Republican "bill" after it was brought up, but everyone and their mom thought the Republicans threw that out after all independent analysis ripped it apart. I wouldn't address a dead idea either, because as Obama says "you can't insure 30 million people with out actually doing something". Sorry Shady that dog wont walk, the Bill was stupid Republicans tired to bury it then brought it up to make it look like they have something.

You might have not noticed this but the Republicans keep yelling "START OVER" not "USE OUR BILL". Wonder why?

Might be because the CBO said it would do nothing at all.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/republican-health-insurance-reform-bill-insures-almost-nobody.php

You didn't answer my question. Why did you state that the Republican healthcare proposal was only 3 sentences. You can disagree with the legislation, that's perfectly acceptable. But why did you say it was only 3 sentences? Answer the question.

[punked]

You didn't answer my question. Why did you state that the Republican healthcare proposal was only 3 sentences. You can disagree with the legislation, that's perfectly acceptable. But why did you say it was only 3 sentences? Answer the question.

Because it is. They aren't pushing this other bill they keep saying start again. They just wanted to point out that they did something and the President tour that something to shreds. They wrote a bill that stunk then started yelling "START OVER". You want me to quote all the Republicans saying start again shady? There is your plan Shady. Start over less then three sentences.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/01/republicans-urge-democrats-to.html

Edited February 1, 2010 by punked

[DrGreenthumb]

They didn't cut away early they just left 20 minutes early!?? WTF? LOL

[eyeball]

I see a very dark next three years ahead for Mr. Obama.

That's just the foreshadow of the black hole that will follow his departure.