Obama Hammers Congress: Do Your Job

Goshin said:

Is he shouting "do your job!"....

... or his he petulantly shrieking "give me what I want!"....

............ matter of perspective I suppose ............. to me, Congress saying "No" to yet more debt, or yet more Obama-isms, is not necessarily a bad thing.

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Since you are fine with not raising the debt ceiling, then what spending cuts do you want so essentially the budget balances as of August 2?

The thing I find amazing is I do not think the Republicans realize how much power over payments they will be giving President Obama if they choose to not raise the debt ceiling. If it is not raised, then the Treasury Secretary has discretion who will get paid and who does not.

Personally, I like David Frum's idea that President Obama ought to channel his best LBJ impression, and threaten to withhold federal funds from red states if Republicans do not choose to raise the debt ceiling. Maybe delay or stop sending out reimbursement payments for Medicare and Medicaid to doctors, Social Security payments to senior citizens, and payments to any other Republican constituencies. I am sure they won't whine if President Obama gave them what they want and removed all elements of the welfare state in their states.

The other theory I see political commentators and economists bring up with increasing frequency now is that due to the Section 4 of the 14th Amendment, President Obama will be obligated to do whatever he has to in order to ensure that the United States does not default. So if that means he orders the Treasury Secretary to ignore the debt ceiling and continue to sell whatever treasury bonds are required, then that what will be what is done.

Either way, watching the potential collapse of our nation's economy in slow motion has never been this fun.

Risky Thicket said:

Indeed, and how many people from Goldman have been indicted? One? And just recently. How many Goldman people have cushy jobs at the White House? More than a few. So, are you telling us that Goldman Sachs was rife with Democrats?

Tell me how the Obama Administration has clamped the lid down on Wall Street. Tell us about the draconian laws that Obama has forced upon Wall Street and how they are hobbled like never before.

Show us how the wars Obama refuses to end have made the middle and lower classes fat and happy. While you are at it tell us how the wars have been for Raytheon, Honeywell, GE, Big Oil and the mega corporations "supporting the troops" to the tune of billions in profit are barely hanging on because of Obama's treatment of them. Show me how the little mom and pop businesses are doing better under the Obama Administration. Tell us how well off people well under $250,000 a year have it.

Tell us all the promises he made to his supporters and tell us he hasn't shucked and jived them to hell and back.

Now, before you respond let me tell you that I am not an Obama fan. I am not a Democrat. I am not a Republican. You see, Republicans have and will shove it up your butt just as quickly and as far as the Democrats. All that Obama hate is going to do, if he is voted out, is get you and me screwed by Republicans.

I don't know this, but I assume you are old enough to have gotten lucky once or twice in your life by now. You may have discovered that there a many ways people can get screwed. Apply that to politics. Both parties and damn near all their elected officials are having us on and you want to argue over which guy you like better shoving it up your butt. :roll:

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So basically you're just here to tell us we're completely fubar, and mock anyone that you decide too for no other reason that you are "not on either side"

BDBoop said:

Seriously, what the ****.

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Why would they be moved by his words? It's, mostly, a bunch of hapless politicians not really doing their jobs, being told to be leaders by a president that lacks leadership.

Please Liberals tell the American Taxpayer you need more tax money while the Government literally burns hundreds of Billions of dollars in waste, fraud and abuse. Tell 'em of how you can't stop the fraud and it's easier to just charge US MORE tax instead of stopping the folks ripping us off.

Ikari said:

If government refuses to work, then it is our right and duty to dispose of it.

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By all means, fire the first shot. Just don't cry if the government we end up with is worse than the one we had.

Spaceman_Spiff said:

Since you are fine with not raising the debt ceiling, then what spending cuts do you want so essentially the budget balances as of August 2?

The thing I find amazing is I do not think the Republicans realize how much power over payments they will be giving President Obama if they choose to not raise the debt ceiling. If it is not raised, then the Treasury Secretary has discretion who will get paid and who does not.

Personally, I like David Frum's idea that President Obama ought to channel his best LBJ impression, and threaten to withhold federal funds from red states if Republicans do not choose to raise the debt ceiling. Maybe delay or stop sending out reimbursement payments for Medicare and Medicaid to doctors, Social Security payments to senior citizens, and payments to any other Republican constituencies. I am sure they won't whine if President Obama gave them what they want and removed all elements of the welfare state in their states.

The other theory I see political commentators and economists bring up with increasing frequency now is that due to the Section 4 of the 14th Amendment, President Obama will be obligated to do whatever he has to in order to ensure that the United States does not default. So if that means he orders the Treasury Secretary to ignore the debt ceiling and continue to sell whatever treasury bonds are required, then that what will be what is done.

Either way, watching the potential collapse of our nation's economy in slow motion has never been this fun.

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I hope so. I do hope so. I'm so angry. I honestly hope that they remain in lockstep, and the President handles it from there, and it hurts.

BDBoop said:

And from Fox News.

"If we choose to keep those tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, if we choose to keep a tax break for corporate jet owners, if we choose to keep tax breaks for oil and gas companies that are making hundreds of billions of dollars, then that means we've got to cut some kids off from getting a college scholarship, that means we've got to stop funding certain grants for medical research, that means that food safety may be compromised, that means that Medicare has to bear a greater part of the burden," he said.

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Read more: Obama's Scolding of Republicans Inflames Debt Talks - FoxNews.com

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:lol: what I think I like even more about this than the fact that it's inaccurate, is that he later went on to say he wasn't going to use scare tactics

katiegrrl0 said:

Name any President that had meaningful legislation to reduce the debt.

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Warren G Harding.

Calvin Coolidge.

Harry Truman.

Andrew Jackson.

According to the Republican icon Reagan debt doesn't matter.

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you have "reagan" confused with "cheney".

BDBoop said:

I hope so. I do hope so. I'm so angry. I honestly hope that they remain in lockstep, and the President handles it from there, and it hurts.

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me too. they expanded the government from 20% of GDP to 25% of GDP, when taxes have historically hovered around 19% of GDP, and now they are demanding that taxes catch up :roll: when the top marginal tax rate was 91% we didn't collect 25% of GDP.

BDBoop said:

Obama hammers Congress: Do your job - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

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:lamo


"Pot Scolds Kettle, Points To Blackness"



accuse the Republicans of not making the hard decisions? hey Mr President, Republicans passed a budget that would fix this crap. You may have noticed you are building a reelection campaign centered around demagouging it?

Look, I was astonished at the willingness on their part to blatantly be the kid in the room when it came to taking responsibility for fiscal sobriety... but the gall of the man to stand there and pretend like he's been responsible about this is.... well, it is amazing.

cpwill said:

me too. they expanded the government from 20% of GDP to 25% of GDP, when taxes have historically hovered around 19% of GDP, and now they are demanding that taxes catch up :roll: when the top marginal tax rate was 91% we didn't collect 25% of GDP.

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And you adamantly refuse to address the fact that taxes didn't go up for the millionaires and billionaires, and if the republicans have anything to say about it, nor will they.

cpwill said:

:lamo


"Pot Scolds Kettle, Points To Blackness"



accuse the Republicans of not making the hard decisions? hey Mr President, Republicans passed a budget that would fix this crap. You may have noticed you are building a reelection campaign centered around demagouging it?

Look, I was astonished at the willingness on their part to blatantly be the kid in the room when it came to taking responsibility for fiscal sobriety... but the gall of the man to stand there and pretend like he's been responsible about this is.... well, it is amazing.

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Why are the wealthiest people of this country not being factored into this equation. It's BULL****.

This is class war Bull ****!!!!!! Obama more interested in shaving a couple of strokes off his game than actually dealing with this mess HE created! That's right HE created this mess.

j-mac

BDBoop said:

Why are the wealthiest people of this country not being factored into this equation. It's BULL****.

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You could take every penney they earn and not cover the deficit....Then what?

j-mac

j-mac said:

You could take every penney they earn and not cover the deficit....Then what?

j-mac

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Not the point, and I'd hate to believe you really think it is.

Seriously?

Don’t make the economy worse - The Washington Post

Democrats are right that this is a terrible moment for spending cuts. Republicans are right that this is an awful moment for tax increases. The only reasonable thing to do is kick the can down the road — but in a purposeful, intelligent way.

As a practical matter, this means Republicans must swallow an increase in the debt ceiling, and Democrats must accept painful spending curbs that kick in when the economy is off its sickbed. It means conservatives have to be patient in bringing expenditures down and progressives have to be patient in returning tax rates — even for the wealthy — to what many of us consider appropriate levels.

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BDBoop said:

Why are the wealthiest people of this country not being factored into this equation. It's BULL****.

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Betty - the wealthiest people are already factored in.

The US has the Most Progressive Income Tax Structure In The Industrialized World



as for tax increases - you don't get more money. Over the past half century, top tax rates have varied wildly, but revenue has always generally hovered at around 19% of GDP.



you don't raise revenue by increasing nominal tax rates. you do it by increasing GDP and reducing the size of government relative to it.

And you adamantly refuse to address the fact that taxes didn't go up for the millionaires and billionaires, and if the republicans have anything to say about it, nor will they.

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I have no problem addressing this - and have done so (see above, for example) on numerous occasions. Not only will you not get any extra revenue, you will harm a weak economy and reduce anemic growth. "millionaires taxes" tend to skip right past the actual Millionaires and hurt average working stiffs instead. the failed "Luxury Tax" of the early 90's, for example, which seems mostly to have thrown blue-collar workers out of their jobs while reducing revenue.

My uncle is a millionaire - real American success story - built his business up from the ground by working himself to the bone; went from living in a trailer to living in a great house with a beautiful family, all without a college education. Most of his "millions" are in the business - land, the building, the machinery, etc. Built up his business to where he could employ 100 people. Since the recession, he's had to let several go, and he's burned through the business' savings trying to hold on to the rest. He's already done the math. if the EPA passes Cap and Tax, he has to walk in the next day and fire 20 people, just to keep the business above water and afloat. If Obamacare goes into full effect, he has to fire 11. If you raise his taxes, it depends on how much, but the effect is the same - the next day he walks in and has to watch some other family get put out on the street in world of high unemployment, just to keep the thing going. his tax rate is already 40% - but hey - even though it was the poor working stiff who lost his job, at least we stuck it to that rich guy, eh?

and the Millionares And Billionaires" bit is a misnomer, anywho - Obama is talking about anyone making $200,000 and up, or any couple making $250,000 and up.

BDBoop said:

Not the point, and I'd hate to believe you really think it is.

Seriously?

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It is to the point. the rich don't have enough money to cover the spending spree we are on.

IMO, this is not that big of a deal, but if things continue down that path, that could create problems. Senator McConnell's remarks and now President Obama's comments indicate that the nation's political leaders are in a "posturing mode," trying to demonstrate strength. They're trying to show that they pushed as far as they could go before cutting a deal that has to be made. Unfortunately, there is always the risk that such posturing gets out of hand and delays a timely agreement. One trigger for such an escalation would be a shift toward more personal attacks. Another might be a shift to basic values e.g., questions concerning the integrity of the persons involved. The best approach for dealing with sensitive issues is to minimize public comments during the negotiating process and to work aggressively behind the scenes. Political theatre carried out before the media can have unintended consequences.

DO YOUR JOB.......vote the way I want you to vote

I'm shocked, SHOCKED they didn't respond.

Funny...maybe my memory is a little hazy, but somehow, someway I don't remember last August, or September, or October, or November, or December when Barack Obama had a majority of his party controlling BOTH houses getting on his pedestal and telling congress to "DO YOUR JOB" when they failed and refused to actually pass a god damn budget that resulted in 2 months of dabilitating uncertainty for the government.

I think its funny that he's questioning congresses leadership for not wanting to raise the debt ceiling. That its a sign of their failure to leadership. This the man who said that the fact that we are debating the raising of the debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. A man who said that leadership means "the buck stops here" and that we shouldn't be placing more debt onto the backs of our children. The man who suggested doing that is a sign of failed leadership. And yet, the man who wants to place more debt on the backs of our children, the man scolding people for not raising the debt limit, the man whose not making the buck stop with him....is questioning OTHER peoples leadership?

Excuse me if I'm not moved by your hollow pathetic procolimation that I'm sure your king kong sized ego thinks is fiat from on high. You're doing nothing but playing politics with this bull****, empty statement layered with Hypocrisy. Are the Republicans in congress simply playing politics as well? Absolutely. But why in the world should I applaud and be moved and inspired by your attempts to play politics and yet be appalled and aghast at theirs.

He sat idly by, for MONTHS while he his party had complete controll of the government and did jack **** with regards to the budget...during a time when, if he TRULY wanted cuts and fiscal responsability and "the buck stopping" and not using the wealth of our children and not endangering a possible government shut down, he could've easily pushed and got stuff passed. And now he has the gall to demand people "Do their jobs" when he and his people didn't, and is doing so as nothing but a political stunt, and we're supposed to fawn and swoon as if he's so different than those he's bitching about.

Yeah, sorry...no thanks.

BDBoop said:

And you adamantly refuse to address the fact that taxes didn't go up for the millionaires and billionaires, and if the republicans have anything to say about it, nor will they.

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You're correct, taxes didn't go up for millionaires and billionaires

taxes also didn't go up for hundred thousandaires, fifty thousandairs, twenty-five thousandairs, or ten thousandairs.

What a load of pure bovine scatology. I saw Obama claiming he's been the working.

He must really work up a sweat watching the SEALS take out OBL.

Quick get him a towel.

Then he was really busting his ass play golf for, what was it the 69th and 70th timein office in the last couple of weeks.

And under no circumstances forget all the exhausting illegal fundraisers including illegal at the White House.

Mean while those lazy Republicans have sat through endless meeting on the budget with Biden since May, the bums.

It must be hell for Obama to work so hard. I understand he interrupted his campaigning once last week to go to the Oval office. Damn that's got to be tough on the guy to have to work so hard. And physically demanding because you sometimes have to pick someones baby for a photo op.

To be fair he really did give up all this hard work to give the people who were really on the job a ration and in the process lied his ass off.

BDBoop said:

Why are the wealthiest people of this country not being factored into this equation. It's BULL****.

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How are they being factored into it significantly less than any other income group?

Did I miss the point where Republicans apparently said "Raise Taxes on the bottom 90% of tax payers!"

donsutherland1 said:

IMO, this is not that big of a deal, but if things continue down that path, that could create problems. Senator McConnell's remarks and now President Obama's comments indicate that the nation's political leaders are in a "posturing mode," trying to demonstrate strength. They're trying to show that they pushed as far as they could go before cutting a deal that has to be made. Unfortunately, there is always the risk that such posturing gets out of hand and delays a timely agreement. One trigger for such an escalation would be a shift toward more personal attacks. Another might be a shift to basic values e.g., questions concerning the integrity of the persons involved. The best approach for dealing with sensitive issues is to minimize public comments during the negotiating process and to work aggressively behind the scenes. Political theatre carried out before the media can have unintended consequences.

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EXACTLY.

The Republican "we don't want to raise the debt ceiling" is nothing but political posturing and strategy.

Simiarly, Barack Obama's "DO YOUR JOB" is the exact same thing.

Its not leadership, its not honest dialog, its not caring...its pure partisan politics and strategy in trying to paint the enemy as the ones causing issues to try and force pressure for your side to get more. Nothing more, nothing different, nothing new.

This will come down, similar to the budget debate, to the last moments and something rather unsatisfying to both sides will be passed. Nothing signiifcant either way is going to get done on this issue till 2012.

BDBoop said:

Why are the wealthiest people of this country not being factored into this equation. It's BULL****.

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you mean the people who make 22 percent of the income yet pay 40% of the income taxes and all the death taxes?