http://projects.washingtonpost.com/obama-speeches/speech/173/
I find this pretty reasonable stuff. It's nice to see politicians talking about the issues directly than through soundbites through the press.
The problem I see is that Republicans will take it as a sign of weakness, or not take it to heart at all. They don't seem to be in the mood to find ways to better work together at governing the country, they're just bent on crushing the Democrats politically come November.
Quotethey're just bent on crushing the Democrats
A worthy cause.
Quote from: Jacob on January 29, 2010, 05:24:59 PM
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/obama-speeches/speech/173/
I find this pretty reasonable stuff. It's nice to see politicians talking about the issues directly than through soundbites through the press.
Yup, caught a little bit of it live. I'm sure you'll want to scurry to the OT thread and read my fascinating comments.
I would, if I knew what thread you were talking about.
Off Topic Thread.
Quote from: DGuller on January 29, 2010, 05:37:59 PM
The problem I see is that Republicans will take it as a sign of weakness, or not take it to heart at all. They don't seem to be in the mood to find ways to better work together at governing the country, they're just bent on crushing the Democrats politically come November.
I'm beginning to wonder if Republicans believe in Bipartisanship. I'm starting to suspect that Republicans view foreign enemies and domestic opponents the same way you just don't talk to them.
Quote from: DGuller on January 29, 2010, 05:37:59 PM
The problem I see is that Republicans will take it as a sign of weakness,
It
is a sign of weakness. Obama wasn't meeting with Republicans a year ago. Nevermind that his appearance was booked before the catastrophic Democratic defeat in Massatchusetts.
Quote from: Neil on January 29, 2010, 09:13:49 PM
Quote from: DGuller on January 29, 2010, 05:37:59 PM
The problem I see is that Republicans will take it as a sign of weakness,
It is a sign of weakness. Obama wasn't meeting with Republicans a year ago. Nevermind that his appearance was booked before the catastrophic Democratic defeat in Massatchusetts.
Actually, didn't he have this kind of meeting a year ago?
Quote from: DGuller on January 29, 2010, 09:59:21 PM
Quote from: Neil on January 29, 2010, 09:13:49 PM
Quote from: DGuller on January 29, 2010, 05:37:59 PM
The problem I see is that Republicans will take it as a sign of weakness,
It is a sign of weakness. Obama wasn't meeting with Republicans a year ago. Nevermind that his appearance was booked before the catastrophic Democratic defeat in Massatchusetts.
Actually, didn't he have this kind of meeting a year ago?
I believe so, and George W. had at least one that I can remember, they just weren't televised.
Quote from: DGuller on January 29, 2010, 05:37:59 PM
The problem I see is that Republicans will take it as a sign of weakness, or not take it to heart at all. They don't seem to be in the mood to find ways to better work together at governing the country, they're just bent on crushing the Democrats politically come November.
It's not a sign of weakness, and I'm sure the Republicans aren't taking it that way. It's another chance for Obama to get in front of cameras, and I think he's trying to raise the stakes for Republicans being "obstructionist". I didn't watch the whole thing, but I'm sure his plan was to pretend to listen to GOP proposals, look good on camera, and go back to business as usual.
Quote from: Razgovory on January 29, 2010, 08:19:17 PM
Quote from: DGuller on January 29, 2010, 05:37:59 PM
The problem I see is that Republicans will take it as a sign of weakness, or not take it to heart at all. They don't seem to be in the mood to find ways to better work together at governing the country, they're just bent on crushing the Democrats politically come November.
I'm beginning to wonder if Republicans believe in Bipartisanship. I'm starting to suspect that Republicans view foreign enemies and domestic opponents the same way you just don't talk to them.
Funny, it has been the Democrats that have refused to talk to the Republicans, locking them outside the meetings for a year and demanding that they vote for bills without even getting an opportunity to read them. And it has been Obama who has been attacking everybody that dare not march in lockstep with him, from Rush Limbaugh to Foxnews to the Chamber of Commerce to Gallup to Tea Party protesters to the US Supreme Court.
You're engaging in projection, wake up to reality.
Quote from: Hansmeister on January 29, 2010, 10:51:34 PM
Funny, it has been the Democrats that have refused to talk to the Republicans, locking them outside the meetings for a year and demanding that they vote for bills without even getting an opportunity to read them. And it has been Obama who has been attacking everybody that dare not march in lockstep with him, from Rush Limbaugh to Foxnews to the Chamber of Commerce to Gallup to Tea Party protesters to the US Supreme Court.
You're engaging in projection, wake up to reality.
You are the one that first gave me this idea due to some of the things you said during the last administration. How the idea of politics was to keep your base energized and never compromise. You just keep pushing till the best idea wins out.
Republicans have claimed not to be allowed in to all these meetings but what proof do they have to back it up. Last year on the budget the republicans claimed their ideas weren't getting any attention. When called to provide their budget they didn't actually have one. The produced a document that didn't have any numbers in it.
QuoteRush Limbaugh to Foxnews to the Chamber of Commerce to Gallup to Tea Party protesters to the US Supreme Court
That's pretty funny. It's like saying from across this great country! From Dallas to Fort Worth from Austin to Houston.
Quote from: Hansmeister on January 29, 2010, 10:51:34 PM
Funny, it has been the Democrats that have refused to talk to the Republicans, locking them outside the meetings for a year and demanding that they vote for bills without even getting an opportunity to read them. And it has been Obama who has been attacking everybody that dare not march in lockstep with him, from Rush Limbaugh to Foxnews to the Chamber of Commerce to Gallup to Tea Party protesters to the US Supreme Court.
You're engaging in projection, wake up to reality.
Ooh, nice. Now could you try rephrasing that with examples who had some integrity in the first place? Limbaugh? None. Fox? None.
Tea Party? Gimme a fucking break, Hans. You can do better than that.
The Chamber of Commerce aren't exactly the most honest bunch in the world when you get right down to it.
There was a massive amount of time invested by the administration in attempting to gain the vote of Snowe, Collins, and Grassley on health care. Hans is talking out of his ass (again).
Quote from: Fate on January 30, 2010, 02:04:00 AM
There was a massive amount of time invested by the administration in attempting to gain the vote of Snowe, Collins, and Grassley on health care. Hans is talking out of his ass (again).
He isn't. I have seen it mentioned time and again on CNN and other such news outlets about the Democrats having closed door meetings without their Republican counterparts.
Will he also meet the Democratic Fig?
Quote from: Ed Anger on January 29, 2010, 05:46:51 PM
Quotethey're just bent on crushing the Democrats
A worthy cause.
Awww, breeder losers. The Republican most faithful supporters. :hug:
Quote from: Strix on January 30, 2010, 04:58:06 AM
Quote from: Fate on January 30, 2010, 02:04:00 AM
There was a massive amount of time invested by the administration in attempting to gain the vote of Snowe, Collins, and Grassley on health care. Hans is talking out of his ass (again).
He isn't. I have seen it mentioned time and again on CNN and other such news outlets about the Democrats having closed door meetings without their Republican counterparts.
What sort of meetings?
Quote from: Razgovory on January 30, 2010, 06:33:33 AM
What sort of meetings?
Meetings to reconcile the Senate versions of health care, meetings to reconcile the Senate and House versions.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 30, 2010, 07:11:01 AM
Quote from: Razgovory on January 30, 2010, 06:33:33 AM
What sort of meetings?
Meetings to reconcile the Senate versions of health care, meetings to reconcile the Senate and House versions.
Surely having Republicans there would just let them try and play the wrecker - given that all of them with the exception of Cao oppose the bill in either form. Let Cao in, of course.
Quote from: Sheilbh on January 30, 2010, 08:42:25 AM
Surely having Republicans there would just let them try and play the wrecker - given that all of them with the exception of Cao oppose the bill in either form. Let Cao in, of course.
A not unreasonable assumption. Of course if you shut the other party out before they have a chance to wreck it it's less clear which side will get blamed by swing voters as being more partisan. That's one of the reasons I thought Obama's gambit at the GOP retreat was so interesting. He in effect offered to throw Pelosi under the bus and split the difference on partisan guilt in exchange for some GOP help.
Who's Cao?
Quote from: Martinus on January 30, 2010, 06:19:22 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on January 29, 2010, 05:46:51 PM
Quotethey're just bent on crushing the Democrats
A worthy cause.
Awww, breeder losers. The Republican most faithful supporters. :hug:
You are still a Polack. I win. :hug:
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 30, 2010, 10:19:30 AM
A not unreasonable assumption. Of course if you shut the other party out before they have a chance to wreck it it's less clear which side will get blamed by swing voters as being more partisan. That's one of the reasons I thought Obama's gambit at the GOP retreat was so interesting. He in effect offered to throw Pelosi under the bus and split the difference on partisan guilt in exchange for some GOP help.
What would Republicans add to a conference about a bill they, with one exception, entirely oppose?
QuoteWho's Cao?
Joseph Cao. He was the Republican who won William Jefferson's seat.
Quote from: Sheilbh on January 30, 2010, 11:06:39 AM
What would Republicans add to a conference about a bill they, with one exception, entirely oppose?
What does France add to a conference about Iraq?
Quote from: Sheilbh on January 30, 2010, 11:06:39 AM
Joseph Cao. He was the Republican who won William Jefferson's seat.
New Orleans? So he's probably going to be booted next round regardless.
I honestly don't know who Hans is fooling. He's been spouting the same lies and horseshit since, what, 2004? Does anyone seriously care about what he says?
Quote from: Fireblade on January 30, 2010, 01:13:48 PM
I honestly don't know who Hans is fooling. He's been spouting the same lies and horseshit since, what, 2004? Does anyone seriously care about what he says?
Himself? Maybe?
Is Hans less credible than people like Spellus, his cross-aisle equivalent? I don't really see it.
Quote from: Neil on January 30, 2010, 09:06:35 PM
Is Hans less credible than people like Spellus, his cross-aisle equivalent? I don't really see it.
:hmm:
When did I become a knee-jerk liberal? I supported the Afghan and Iraq surges.
Quote from: Queequeg on January 30, 2010, 10:48:42 PM
Quote from: Neil on January 30, 2010, 09:06:35 PM
Is Hans less credible than people like Spellus, his cross-aisle equivalent? I don't really see it.
:hmm:
When did I become a knee-jerk liberal? I supported the Afghan and Iraq surges.
Don't feed the troll
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 30, 2010, 01:04:15 PM
What does France add to a conference about Iraq?
I agree. There's no point in inviting France to the Azores meeting - if it's a conference where you're trying to get post-war aid then of course they should be there.
Quote from: Queequeg on January 30, 2010, 10:48:42 PM
Quote from: Neil on January 30, 2010, 09:06:35 PM
Is Hans less credible than people like Spellus, his cross-aisle equivalent? I don't really see it.
:hmm:
When did I become a knee-jerk liberal? I supported the Afghan and Iraq surges.
About the same time you started using 'conservative' as a pejorative, the way Hans does with 'liberal'.
Quote from: Sheilbh on January 31, 2010, 09:25:15 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 30, 2010, 01:04:15 PM
What does France add to a conference about Iraq?
I agree. There's no point in inviting France to the Azores meeting - if it's a conference where you're trying to get post-war aid then of course they should be there.
Maybe. After all, they'll probably want to loot the country.
Well that era of good feeling didn't last long:
QuotePresident lashes out at GOP
Obama's sharper tone could alienate voters tired of division
Darlene Superville and Jennifer Loven / Associated Press
Nashua, N.H. -- President Barack Obama branded Republicans on Tuesday as electoral opportunists more concerned about their own interests, taking a political risk by escalating criticism of the very lawmakers he's urging to work with him.
The newly combative approach is a double-edged sword for Obama.
Fearful of losses in the November congressional and gubernatorial elections, Democrats have been urging Obama to throw tougher punches at Republicans. Those calls grew louder after the Democrats' loss two weeks ago of a Senate seat in Massachusetts.
The president complied on Tuesday, choosing to do so in a state where two House seats and a Senate seat are in play this fall.
Citing examples, he took Republicans to task for switching positions on important issues just to score points with voters.
"You're out of patience with this kind of business as usual," he told his 1,600-member audience here at a town hall meeting. "You want us to start worrying less about our jobs and more about your jobs."
But even if Obama notches some rhetorical wins, he risks alienating people.
What's more, Obama's sharper tone comes at a time of deepening voter ire about Washington's politics of division and inability to solve pressing problems.
Sensing opportunity, Republicans have taken note. Countering Obama's portrayal of himself as above the political fray, the Republican National Committee sent out video of what it called the president's "perpetual campaigning" of late.
It was jobs -- or the lack of jobs -- that brought Obama to New Hampshire.
The president talked about his proposal to take $30 billion from the bank bailout program to funnel it to community banks for lending to small businesses.
Some Republicans criticized the plan because under current law repaid bailout loan money is supposed to repay public debt.
"It's not for a piggy bank because you're concerned about lending to small businesses and you want to get a political event when you go out and make a speech in Nashua, N.H.," Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., told the White House budget director in Washington. "That's not what this money's for. This money is to reduce the debt of our children."
Go get 'em Barack. Rar!
Quote from: Savonarola on February 03, 2010, 12:56:09 PM
Well that era of good feeling didn't last long:
Playing good cop, bad cop just doesn't work when you play both.
Quote from: DGuller on January 29, 2010, 05:37:59 PM
They don't seem to be in the mood to find ways to better work together at governing the country, they're just bent on crushing the Democrats politically come November.
That sort of reminds me of another political party a couple years ago...
Quote from: Valmy on February 03, 2010, 01:07:33 PM
That sort of reminds me of another political party a couple years ago...
I agree. At the minute twice as many people think Obama's being bipartisan as think Republicans are. Those figures are good for him and the Democrats. That's something he should try to keep high.
However that only comes into play when the economy starts recovering.