All we have learned once again from this round of talks on something most important to the nation is that Obama is a superior politician but a lousy leader or negotiator.
I've heard this refrain before. So, I'm curious...
What makes a strong leader in your opinion? What exactly should the President have done during these debt limit negotiations?
Should he have come in and done exactly as Cantor and the Tea Partiers have done - issue ultimatums and not budge from his position, i.e., "it's my way or no way?"
Should he have dictated to everyone in the room?
Should he have stated his position, allowed all sides to outline theres, summarize the positions espoused by all in attendance to clarify where things stand then delegate?
Should he have high-balled his position then negotiate down in order to find a medium deal everyone can be pleased with?
Exactly what would you have had him do?
For everyone who keeps claiming the President isn't a leader, what exactly would you have had him do?
He submitted his
budget in February; Congress rejected it. Why? Because they said "it didn't go far enough in deficit reduction and it increased spending". (See NYTimes.com article
here.) Yet, there he is offerring an additional $2 trillion in spending cuts from his original budget proposal of only $1 trillion over ten years and still the GOP came back with their usually rhetoric, "not enough in spending cuts, no entitlement reforms, more tax increases". And keep in mind that according to the GOP's own
Pledge to America, they originally stipulated "cutting spending to pre-bailout, pre-stimulus levels saving atleast $1 billion in the first year (nevermind that their pledge never stipulated how long a duration the cuts would take place)" as their baseline. (See pages 5 and 11). The President's debt limit budget proposal would have given them $3 billion in spending cuts over TEN YEARS - way over and above their $1 billion annual rate - and they still weren't satisfied.
TWICE he offered far more in spending cuts than the GOP originally asked for and both times the GOP balked! So, when folks like you throw this "he's not being a leader" crap out there I say BULL****!!! The President's not even suppose to be part of debt and deficit discussions. NO PRESIDENT BEFORE HIM HAS EVER SAT DOWN AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE IN THE WHITE HOUSE TO DO THIS! NONE!!!!
Not Reagan, neither Bush nor Clinton. NONE!!!
Why? BECAUSE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS IS THE JOB OF CONGRESS, NOT THE PRESIDENT!
Process, ladies and gentlemen...
Those who continue claiming they've read or understand the Constitution, answer me this, where does it say that it's the President's job to authorize appropriations per legislation? If you can find such a clause, post it herein...bet you won't find it. But you will find:
Art 1, Sect 8, clauses 1, 2 and 5
Art 1, Sect 9, clause 6
16th Amendement
ALL deal with money, appropriations and taxation as
enumerated powers of Congress!!!
So, again I ask, "What would you have him do?"