Monday, August 01, 2011

A weary President Obama announces deficit agreement.



Like most liberals I am not even remotely happy that we seem to have bent over backwards for the good of the country while the Republicans have done nothing but act like anarchists determined to see America's reputation, and standing in the world, destroyed.

Especially since it appears that even this agreement (IF it actually gets passed) would still not ensure that our AAA credit rating would remain intact:

Stock markets around the world rallied on Monday, in relief that the world's largest economy would probably avoid running out of cash this week. But the agreement, which includes around $2.5 trillion of spending cuts over the next decade, has been criticised by some on both sides of the political divide, and will probably not save America's triple-A credit rating.

You know I once described to a friend that the problem with many relationships is that the person who cares the least about its survival, or the feelings of the other person, is the one in charge.  Since they have less invested in the relationship's survival they are free to act with impunity, while the person who is determined to "make it work" is frantically attempting to smooth things over and keep the relationship together.

Essentially that is what we are seeing in this situation between the President and the Democratic party, and the Republicans and their Teabagging Rottweilers.  A scorched earth approach does not seem to bother the Teabaggers because they either don't understand the repercussions, or simply don't give a shit.

But watch the video up above again.

Do you see how tired and saddened that man appears?

That is a man who felt the needs of the American people in his BONES.  In this relationship HE is the one who cares too much, and who will always do what he needs to do to save the relationship/country, and the people who will be devastated by its demise.

And that, despite whatever we may feel about this apparent capitulation, is WHY he deserves our support and our faith.  He did not give up on us, and by God we should not give up on him.

You can wear a thousand flag pins, and own NOTHING but red, white, and blue underwear, but if you cannot put the needs of the American people above your own ideology, than you are NOT a patriot! And you are not part of the solution, you ARE the problem!

96 comments:

  1. Gasman9:03 AM

    I have no trouble with compromise, BUT to yield at all to the imbecilic demands of the teabaggers is beyond absurd. These asshats haven't a clue what the implications of their position actually are. If the teabaggers actually got what they wanted, we are suddenly plunged in a free fall toward the Second Great Depression.

    The teabaggers need to be publicly called out BY THE PRESIDENT as the morons they are. THEY are the ones that created this artificial crisis and THEY are the ones who appear to be willing to destroy the nation if they don't EVERYTHING that they want. They are as dangerous as they are stupid.

    They themselves have openly declared that there can be no compromise with them, so don't even try. Isolate them, expose them, and crush them.

    Obama hasn't provided much in the way of leadership on this one. Again, I'm very disappointed in the flexibility of his spine. He should simply invoke the 14th Amendment claiming that the intransigence of the teabagger shitheads made such a move imperative. For all of the concessions he seems to be willing to yield to the GOP and the teabaggers, he really doesn't seem to have gotten much in return.

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  2. Anonymous9:11 AM

    I am not happy about this. I wish he had used the 14 amendment and gotten a clean debt ceiling. It is so racist that they put Obama through this political theater. The Teabaggers have no idea how to actually "govern."

    So many "progressives" are blaming the president. Blame yourselves, esp. if you sat out 2010. Is the current House liberal enough for you? No? Then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Work to elect progressives!!! It's not just the President who decides things. He needs help standing up to corporations who now rule our country. Yes, I mean the Koch Bros. and more.

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  3. Anonymous9:12 AM

    I felt the heaviness on his shoulders also.
    Your last statement is very very true.
    We have Joe the Plumber coming to town this week, the ""outside"" special interests here in Wisconsin (or Fitz-walk-astan as some call it) are making all of us WEARY. I have a feeling this recall election is FAR from over.... big sigh

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  4. wakeUpAmerica9:15 AM

    This wasn't compromise; it was capitulation. AGAIN! I'm pissed as hell, especially about continuing the tax breaks for the wealthiest who, BTW, keep sending our jobs over seas. Obama, Reid, and the rest of the Democrats need to find their damn spines, draw a line in the sand, and stick to it.

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  5. Anonymous9:16 AM

    Right on Griffin. But I too believe Obama needs to call out the crazy on these TP idiots.

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  6. johnie2xs9:20 AM

    [ He did not give up on us, and by God we should not give up on him.]

    But it is oh, so hard. I know that when the next election comes around,I will vote for Barack again. There is no other choice.But I am tired of voting on that basis. I've been voting since 1970, and have had to had many nose many times, and I'm tired of it. I think the President has kicked the can down the road in hopes of being able to augment any damage that may have been caused, but if people sit on their hands in the next general,it may be all a moot point.
    If the Rethugs get the Presidency, we're cooked. Barack should have made a strong stand, and I believe he would have been rewarded for it.
    Now, it's just a pitiful result.

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  7. Not a capitulation or cave or weak spine. Those saying this do not have all the facts.

    Here they are

    laid out in easy to read form.

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  8. I was the only one in my community with an Obama sign. I literally had to run off ignorant redneck neighbors who tried to snatch it out of my yard. I volunteered on Obama's campaign. Now I'm wondering why I even bothered. I didn't fight to get that man in office to see him cave to the crazies. I fought to get someone who would stand up to them until the end. As it turns out, Obama is not that man.

    The problem with being partisan or an ideologue is that we often take the view, "Well, we need to stand by him because he/she represents our party/philosophy." But what is party or ideology without the courage to back it up, Gryphen? It's empty, that's what.

    Obama has gone from a man of action to a man neutered by some strange need to make nice with people out to take our nation back to the Dark Ages.

    I am positively baffled and completely disappointed. What happened to the man who told us to hope? Does he think this is what he was hoping for? I no longer find him inspiring. In fact, after seeing him cave in as he has done, I can't even find him adequate. I'm sure Sean Hannity is a very happy man about now, and that is the last thing I'd hope to see Obama accomplish.

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  9. Anonymous9:28 AM

    You have a much higher opinion of Obama than I do.

    I think he is incredibly spineless and with no spine he is totally unable to fight for the hope and change he falsely promised. He is obsessed with "bipartisanship" to the point where he not only appeases Repuglicans at every turn, he does it before they even demand it. He protects the war criminals from the Bush administration and goes after
    government whistle blowers even harder than Bush did in order to protect government criminals.

    As a very liberal Democrat, I would never vote for a Repuglican. But I'm never voting for Obama again either. He has betrayed my trust too many times. AFAIC, having him in the Oval Office is very little different from having a Repuglican president.

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  10. Anonymous9:29 AM

    Well said, Gryph!

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  11. Anonymous9:35 AM

    and thanks a 'flippin' lot to you lu sara for hoisting THIS fraud of joe the plumber on us again and again. Another teabagging fake... just like you.
    more outside interests, keep the hell out of OUR great state of WISCONSIN.

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  12. Obama should have taken those dog training classes when they first got Bo because he knows NOTHING about discipline.

    He continues to reinforce bad behavior in the G NO P by caving in to their every demand. You don't discipline a spoiled brat by giving in to their tantrums. It gets you momentary peace until the next time they throw a hissy fit.

    He should have started saying NO long ago. But he has taught them that he doesn't like conflict and will do ANYTHING and sell out everyone all for bipartisanship and compromise. He did it when he had a supermajority so he'll certainly do it now. And that is exactly what he did.

    He didn't get ONE THING he wanted except for a bill before the deadline. And he'll sign it too.

    Our only hope would be if enough Democrats voted no. And they won't because they're afraid to default. Because, now, if that happens it's all the Democrats' fault. (Which it is anyway for being spineless.)

    I have had it. At every, single so called "win" or "look what he's accomplished" he's sold out the American people to some watered down shadow of what could have been.

    This is the last straw.

    I'll never vote Republican but I certainly am not voting Democrat come 2012 either.

    I'll be voting Green.

    No wonder my local representative is running for Mayor instead of another term in Congress. I think he's totally fed up with how things are running in D.C. and no longer wants to be a part of it.

    American Democracy is dead.

    We'll now have an unconstitutional SuperCongress that was NOT elected by the people and will NOT represent them. It is no longer a secret this country is controlled by the corporations and the Rich.

    We have crossed the line into fascism. It's only a matter of time before it becomes so blatant even the doubters will have to acknowledge it.

    The Corporate States of AmeriKoch.

    I retire in three years.

    Canada, Costa Rica or Belize?

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  13. Anonymous9:37 AM

    I say, take off the gloves, Mr. President. Release the secrets about Bush I and Reagan that W acted while president to keep sealed for another 25 years. Release the evidence that will result in W, Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al being tried as war criminals. Set the legal eagles after those who fiddled our last two elections. The Republicans are thugs, whereas the Democrats are always trying to play nice "for the good of the country." Well, the good of the country requires these crooks and liars to be thrown into prison. Time to get tough. They tried to impeach a president for playing with an intern; we let them get away with murder, treason, and genocide. Why????

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  14. "He did not give up on us, and by God we should not give up on him."

    Totally agree with you, Gryphen. And instead of siding with the traitorous Tea Baggers, we should help OUR President and elect people in 2012 who will help him instead of trying to "make him a one-term President," as Michele, Sarah and their minions have called for. The House of Representatives passed over 500 bills under Nancy Pelosi, and just 12 under Boehner, so what's the difference? Eh, Rethuglicans? "Agent Orange" is fronting for Tea Bag Nation and their tantrums. Let's give Boehner a scooter chair and send him back to Ohio where he can cry himself to sleep every night thinking of his dastardly deeds. I stand with the President. MY President.

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  15. Anonymous9:44 AM

    I so agree w/you Gryphen. President Obama looks tired, thin and hair is growing lighter by the day. Michelle must be so worried for him. Cannot imagine the disappointment he feels and he was so, so full of energy when he took office. They are beating him down slowly but surely. The Republicans in Congress have countered him every step of the way since he took office, trying to make him fail in his first term.

    I think they are horrible and I hope to god that Boehner (especially) and his gronnies are voted out next election cycle. We need to put in an entire set of new folks in Congress and set term limits. I cannot even stand looking at some of these assholes and have sworn off news AGAIN.

    Keep President Obama, Vice President Biden and their families in your good thoughts everyone.

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  16. Anonymous9:44 AM

    You cannot negotiate with suicide bombers because they WANT to blow themselves, and everything else around them, up. All you can do is try to stop them, mitigate the damage and try to prevent any more of them from having access to explosives.

    This situation reminds me of the stories I've read about how the military strategies used for centuries didn't work against the Japanese in WWII because they were all based on the premise of the enemy NOT wanting to die. If the enemy gains great honor in dying, it is much more difficult to find a successful strategy against them.

    The TP members of Congress WANTED this country to go into default so there was no effective way to negotiate for a better deal. They either willfully chose to believe that the country would not be really harmed by default, or they just didn't care what happened to the country and the American people as long as they got their way. And the less insane members of the Republican party are afraid of being primaried by the TP in the next election so they go along. How can you fight that?

    It's like saying to a child, "If you don't eat your lima beans, I'll force you to eat this nice big bowl of chocolate ice cream." Then, when they refuse, saying, "If you don't eat your lima beans AND brussel sprouts, I'll make you eat a nice big bowl of chocolate ice cream AND I'll put whipped cream and cherry on top. So there!"

    Don't get me wrong...I am extremely disappointed in the outcome of this situation and I've had a knot in my stomach for days about it. But I do realize that, as wimpy as the President has seemed in the past few weeks, he was limited by the reality of a radical group of people who WANTED this to fail. As angry as I am at the outcome, I am even more angry at the millions of people who were too lazy or pissy to bother voting in 2010 and gave the wing nuts the majority in the House.

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  17. Anonymous9:46 AM

    I really blame Americans that voted for the teabaggers last election cycle....they are to blame (I don't include myself in that category, because I didn't vote for any of them!).

    Vote them out next election and make sure Cantor, DeMint and Boehner are out of there too when they are up next for election. What jerks!!

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  18. I think if I watch it I'll cry. Maybe later. I just can't right now.

    I agree with DKey and also stand with MY PRESIDENT. Gasman is about as ignorant as the teabaggers to think Obama can work miracles in the face of all that hatred. We need a Congress that will back him up AND loyal people supporting him. I will never presume to know more than the president does about what he has to deal with.

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  19. Down in Seattle for my mom's 93rd birthday. Last night, at a gathering with her young grand-kids and a great-grand-kid, she told them Obama had not only been taken to the cleaners, but seemed to want this all along. She said "Calvin Coolidge showed more spine with congress."

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  20. Anonymous9:55 AM

    I just feel there is going to be more to this story, that the Dems are going to find a way to get more, in the second phase of this deal... That is, if this one even passes.

    Obama couldn't let them pin a default on him, which they would have LOVED. He needed to get this debt ceiling thing dealt with, so we could move forward.

    The GOP are nothing but extortionists. I don't know how they sleep at night.

    Btw, his leadership might not be apparent to us, but in private the guy worked tirelessly. Let's give him some credit for having a strategy.

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  21. Don't get mad--get even. We should be focusing on the next election to make sure that these teabaggers are totally defeated. Their cause is on the wane with the general public anyway--their recent attempts at rallies have all failed miserably. Let's start by getting rid of Joe Walsh, "Deadbeat Dad." A little opposition research on the others will be helpful.

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  22. Librul Redneck10:06 AM

    It is time to seriously running a primary opponent for the Democratic Parties nominee for the President of the United States of America.

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  23. Virginia Voter10:06 AM

    mliaiuppa...attitudes like yours are exactly how we ended up with the teabagging congress. Too many democrats gave up or didn't bother to vote in the midterms, and this was the result. Instead of flushing your vote down the toilet, do us all a favor and keep your ass home next November.

    Then kiss your retirement goodbye...those countries won't take old folks..,good luck with that .

    I for one will work to remove at least 50 teabaggers from Congress by whatever means necessary. Here in VA we have a Senate seat up for grabs , and a state to keep in the D column. I have kids that attend public schools, and Id like to see go to college. None of that will happen with a defeatist attitude like yours, So thanks for nothing.

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  24. Anonymous10:08 AM

    I am so very sorry that the guy I voted for, who is now President, was completely unwilling to see or understand the views and attitudes of his political opponents.
    His presidency will go down as an abject failure because he thought (or pretended) his political opponents would behave in an honest manner, despite all the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
    Obama has blown it and allowed the Republicans to destroy our nation.
    So very sorry, indeed.

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  25. Anonymous10:12 AM

    Gryph I think you got to the heart of the matter in a way I haven't seen anyone else do yet - and I agree with you one hundred percent.

    Obama is no corporatist - look at how he financed his campaign. He is a realist. You can argue that he capitulates too much and compromises too readily. But has also shown balls of steel at times. It appears to me he is assessing each battle, each issue, and doing his best.

    It is clear to me after this debacle that the GOP in NO way deserves the presidency back. If you think Obama is spineless, what about Mittens waiting until the deal is done and aligning with the tea partiers? What a nightmare for us if Mitt (who I once thought more than capable) gets into office and gives the far right whatever it wants. Because he WILL.

    A vote for anyone other than Obama is a wasted vote. Green Party? Give me a fucking break. That could be riding your high horse right over a cliff.

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  26. Anonymous10:12 AM

    Amen brother Amen

    GoL

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  27. Anonymous10:14 AM

    Amen to that...

    :"}

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  28. Anonymous10:15 AM

    You need to go to the DailyKos and actually read the bill. He did not give in. There are no cuts made to entitlements nor will they be, they call come from the Defense side. Also, tax cuts expire next year and also the commission has to come up with cuts across the board equally or the trigger is 40% defense cuts. You can't even trust MSNBC to tellt he truth anymore.

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  29. imnofred10:18 AM

    I have my doubts that this will get through the House. If it does, there are a couple of Republican Senators that say they will filibuster.

    Even if it does eventually pass, I am disappointed with Obama because he lacks a set of balls.

    That being said, I will vote for him again because any Republican in office would be a disaster as the middle class would be destroyed.

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  30. Anonymous10:19 AM

    I am angry with the comments here that are doing exactly what the Tea Bagging GOP want: make us give up on our President.

    They said this was their goal, and by saying you will never vote for Obama again, YOU are giving them the final victory. Congratulations, for falling into their trap. Hope you enjoy voting Green or not voting at all - because that stupidity got us where we are now when others like you threw away the chance to give Obama a solid backing in the House in 2010.

    So, when the going get tough, your response is simply to throw up your hands and give up or throw away your vote to people who have no chance in hell to win? Good grief, the Tea Baggers and right-wing GOP must be giddy with joy upon hearing or reading of your attitudes.

    I think everyone needs to reread the accomplishments of this administration. They are more numerous and more profound than most people think. It's just that the Dems and media have not done their job in discussing those accomplishments.

    Give President Obama a Democratic House and Senate with real progressives and moderates (no Blue Dog Dems, thank you very much), and you will see those hopes come to fruition. No President can change things single-handed. You have to make sure he has the votes in Congress to achieve what you voted him to do.

    Get off your high-and-mighty, oh-so-disappointed or offended arses, and vote for progressives and moderate Democrats and independents! You are responsible for making change happen too. You just can't sit back and criticize. You actually have to work and keep working until your goals are achieved.

    The Tea Baggers have that fire-in-the-belly drive. It's past time for us to get it and keep it going.

    Voice your displeasure, your disappointment - to the President and the DNC. He does listen, they will care. You have the opportunity to put steel into his spine by putting pressure on him and the party --- if you yourself have what it takes to fight the good fight with your own side.

    Giving up? Well, you are just making the Tea Baggers' wet dreams come true.

    Giving up? Well, then you are no better than Sarah Palin.

    Tucking your tail and running? Perhaps it is best. We need strong people in this fight against the GOP and TP. If you aren't up to it. then you didn't really care about the things you say you do - you just went along with the glory.

    Think about it and come back when you have your own spine in order.

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  31. http://conservativesarecommunistss.blogspot.com/2011/07/president-obamas-accomplishments.html

    Lest we forget the MANY accomplishments of our President. And NONE of these were 'clearing away brush.'

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  32. Pat in MA10:25 AM

    Elections have consequences.The midterm / Tea Party wins were a disaster as we're seeing now, because they don't know how to GOVERN. We'll get nothing accomplished without a Democratic majority in the house and Senate, and best if we get more than 60 Dem Senators because the Republican's filibuster crap won't be as successful.

    As far as this deal goes, I'm glad to stop worrying a bit about my kid's college fund, and our 401ks and my Dad's federal pension. Jeez, what a disgraceful embarrassment the past few weeks have been.

    Use of the 14th amendment isn't so clear cut. He could only have used it if there was no deal at all and default was imminent. And even at that, the baggers would be screamin' all about his abuse of the Constitution blah, blah...

    The extremes of both sides aren't happy, so there was compromise. Let the Bush tax cuts expire and we'll get a significant revenue increase.

    Obama MUST be reelected and the House has to go back to the Dems!!

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  33. Anonymous10:27 AM

    anon 9:28 - the President has to work with the CONGRESS, he DOES NOT MAKE THE LAWS! Yes wouldn't it be great if he were king, but he's not.

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  34. Anonymous10:37 AM

    Don't get me wrong, I will vote for Obama again, he is my President. But this consideration, this moving mountains to placate a heinous percentage of the population, is getting ridiculous.

    You can't reason with babies, treat them like it with firm leadership.

    Bush shoved three unnecessary tax cuts down our throats and left us the bill, as well as two wars that cost an ungodly amount per minute - why don't you usher in some serious taxes to make these 1% American's earn their keep?

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  35. Anonymous10:38 AM

    The President hinted about the racism of this charade when he wondered if Ronald Reagan had to go through such a debacle when he raised the debt ceiling twice as fast as Pres. Obama did.

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  36. Anonymous10:39 AM

    I understand what the implications of a default would have meant to me personally as a medium size business owner and a few of the things are as follows...

    --Our rotating credit line would have been slashed. ALL businesses use a rotating credit line--you bill for services but may not get paid until 30 to 90 days after, so it is a necessity

    --Our 3 ongoing government contracts at border crossings ( North and South) would have ended immediately, causing me to layoff 47 employees(yes I was prepared to do just that if a default had or does happen) and another 340 to 350 subcontractor employees that we use would have felt the same layoff from job loss.

    We would have lost over a third of our business with a default, and still could. Our longterm plan in case of a default is to MOVE our business to Canada ( I have dual citizenship and to hire Canadian employees to work our contracts in the US ( saving us $$$$ by not having to supply healthcare benefits). I certainly never want to do so and it will be a last resort other than selling out, but if we are cornered by the economy , we may not have a choice.
    This is how a default would affect ME, just one american citizen, and the effects would be dire and far reaching. So I do understand that President Obama did what he needed to do. BTW how can you negotiate with the GOP when they can't even agree within their own ranks.
    Not happy with the deal? Neither am I , but what else can be done?

    But we CAN change the future and help get rid of these anti-american republicans in 2012. We cannot expect the President to do it alone, it is also the duty of every real american to help get our country on track, our congress and senate on track.

    OBAMA 2012

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  37. It makes me so sad when I hear or read that people are not going to vote for Obama again, and vote for some 3rd party alternative. You might as well not vote, and we all see what happens when people don't turn out to vote!

    In Florida, in 2000, Ralph Nader got 95,000 votes. A waste of a vote, and bigger picture, it is because of those people, that our country is in the terrible shape it is in. It is because of those people who didn't show up to vote in 2010 due to apathy, or liberal "disappointment", or whatever other silly excuse. Elections have consequences people! And because of what happened in my own state legislature, I am now unemployed!

    I will be working in the 2012 election again, as I did for the first time in my life in 2008.

    I'm disappointed too, that the administration, congress, and other people can't seem to get their message out, and make the HUGE number of people who really don't pay much attention CARE about what is happening. Why wasn't it shouted from the rooftops that the debt ceiling was raised 7 times during Bush's 8 years (without so much as a mention)? And 18 times during Saint Ronnie's administration?

    I agree that the President should call those ignorant bastard TPs out. And where are the jobs bills that all the Republicans and the TPs said was their number one priority (until they introduced an anti-abortion bill as their first piece of legislation)?

    But we have to remember, the government is made up of 3 parts-two of whom are working against our President. We can have an impact on one of those parts-Congress-to help and support our President.

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  38. lostinthemidwest10:45 AM

    Well said Gryphen.

    I'm ashamed of all of you who are 'so disappointed' with this President.

    What? You thought this was going to be a fricking walk in the park? Have you not been paying attention?

    Stop whining and HELP the man for God's sake. I'm sorry but I'm sick to death of this whining that he is not performing miracles.

    You bitch about $carah in one breath and undermine the President in the next.

    Thank you Gryphen for sticking up for him. I still believe he has a plan and the Teabaggers/republicans just walked right into it.

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  39. Anonymous10:46 AM

    The Far Left is carping about the deal without realizing our president's limitations or what the alternative would have caused had we defaulted. In many ways they are no better than the tea baggers that are currently holding the republican party hostage. Dems sat on their butts in November and still have not accepted how sweeping the electoral losses were and how those losses changed the direction of the agenda and the tone of the debate. Thank you for your thoughtful comments. I too will continue to support our wonderful president. The good news is that the far left loonies are small in number although they are quite vocal just like the tea baggers.

    Katie Taylor

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  40. Anonymous10:50 AM

    For those commenters who are disappointed in Obama's performance I suggest they seek out the list of accomplishments put together by Rachel Maddow. He has accomplished so much in 2 1/2 years but it's never enough. I never thought we would get health care reform and NO the public option was never gonna fly because the votes were not there. DADT is another change that is personal to me and I still marvel that he and the Dems managed to get that done.

    katie taylor

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  41. Anonymous10:56 AM

    No matter where you, as a normal working class schmo, stand on this, only the rich have taken away a victory.

    It would have been better to invoke the 14th amendment and let it play out in court. Oh wait, the court is stacked with "common sense conservatives" aka talibangelicals.

    Can we all just say "We're screwed"?

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  42. Anonymous10:59 AM

    Look, if you sat on your ass in 2010 and didn't vote to "punish" Obama for not getting a public option, you are reaping what you've sewn. Wake up! He never had a super majority as long as blue dog asswipes like Kent Conrad, etc. are in office being DINO's. Get over it! ELECT BETTER DEMOCRATS.
    Get involved and flush these turds from Congress!

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  43. Anonymous11:01 AM

    OK, jut how does Obama become the focus for all this blame, and not the goons who elected these Teabaggers to Congress in the first place?

    What exactly is the plan for ridding Congress of these parasites?

    Hello? Hello? Anybody still there?

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  44. Anonymous11:07 AM

    The freshmen Republicans tried to torpedo the American economy.

    It is time to stick it to them.

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  45. carolfromminnesota11:26 AM

    The reason that Obama had this "stand to save us from default" is because the progressives were unhappy that they did not get everything they wanted in the 1st 2 years so they sat on their hands and did not vote, thinking they were sending Obama a message. Well they got sh.t on because they made it impossible for Obama to do much of anything except save us from total catastrophe. Not voting for him next time will give the Tea party more power and rally scr.w us, but good. Are only hope is to give Obama some feed back that we are not happy, support him and vote for him next time.

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  46. Totally agree, 11:07! They should "Be afraid. Be very afraid." We need a "list" of these traitors. And instead of putting crosshairs on them, let's put a picture of Benedict Arnold standing next to them. As Gandhi said "we just want them to leave."

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  47. laprofesora11:33 AM

    The one thing I'm certain of is that the President maintains the long view, while the rest of us are caught up in the petty politics and win/lose argument. I think he's setting things up so that he can do exactly what he wants in his second term, as long as we the voters deliver the House to him. The President is a very smart man. He knows real change takes time, and we have to be smart enough to believe in him and follow his lead. I don't see any of us "know-it-alls" running for POTUS, do you?

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  48. Anonymous11:38 AM

    This deficit reduction agreement will not touch Medicare, Student Loans, Research Grants, Social Security, Food Stamps, etc.... Most of the cuts will be at the Pentagon.

    Remember, the House Republicans make no secret about wanting a massive dismantling of Medicare and other social services. I could not stand to be in the same room with these ¨patriots,¨ and I´m a Republican. I can´t imagine having to work with them.

    Neither side seems to like this compromise, yet I am impressed with what President Obama managed to accomplish.

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  49. The two questions I’ve been asking myself since this debt-ceiling nonsense began a few months ago are. 1. How did this once-great country get to where it is now and 2. How do we get back on track?


    In 2008, Democrats of all stripe – from conservative Blue Dogs to progressives - joined together to elect Barack Obama as our president and overwhelming Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate. The 111th Congress, with Obama, began a job of cleaning up the mess left by eight miserable years of the Bush/Cheney Administration.

    But there were people who were dissatisfied with the good work being done by our President and Congress. They banded together in groups, calling themselves the “Tea Party”, and proceeded to tell the American public what they would do if they gained power. Hell, they shouted it from the rooftops! There was no excuse for any voter not to know what they were getting if they voted Tea Party candidates into office. In November, 2010, they captured 70-odd House seats and the Republican House caucus was ruled by the Tea Party. And the country has been held hostage ever since by the whims and the rules of that large majority. The reason they gained power when they did was they wanted it more than the Democrats and worked a whole hell of a lot harder getting their voters to the polls. We sat back…were we thinking the job was done in 2008?...and the result was the Tea Party taking seats away from Democrats.

    We were so close… then we gave it away in November. And the “consequences” of that election are what we have watched being played out in Washington DC the last month.

    You cannot blame Obama and Congressional Democrats. They were placed – along with the rest of the country – in untenable positions by the Tea Party majority. The TP’ers were willing to let the country go to hell, just to make sure their policies were put to work. (And, what is it with these elderly Tea Partiers who are so willing to see their old-age security being swept away by their own irresponsible actions? Why do they continue to vote against their own self-interests?)

    I hope that we, as responsible members of society, can get our acts together and take back the House from the Tea Party in November, 2012. We need to give up the traditional Democratic in-fighting. The Progressives who are “disappointed in Obama” because he’s not “progressive” enough are going to have to realise he’s trying to run the country from the center – which really is where most Americans are. He’s doing a damn good job as president and we have to return him to office next November. As well as regaining the House.

    We have to WANT the election in November 2012 as much as we wanted it in 2008. We have to make the Summer of 2011 the “high water mark” of the Tea Party reign of terror.

    What can we do? We can return to square one. We need to get informed and try to inform others about the political options in the upcoming election. Go over to www.actblue.org and see who's running. That site lists all the Democratic candidates from President on down to state and local elections. (They're just getting up to speed now as more Democrats announce their plans). Pick a couple of House and Senate races you find interesting and follow them. (They don't have to be your own district or state; it's important to see what's going on around the country. Because the Tea Party and conservative Republican politicians affect not only their own constituencies with their votes, but the country as a whole). Throw some coin to good candidates, while you still have it.

    But, most of all, GET INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS. Get involved with a campaign and - most important of all - reach out to minority and young voters who first voted in 2008. Get THEM involved. And get them to the polls in November. If we all work together, we can bring this great country back on the path toward greatness.

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  50. Anonymous11:47 AM

    I stand with the President too! Relax people, his hands were pretty much tied on this one. When he wins 2nd term in 2012 and dems control both houses again, then the gloves are off.

    He will basically be able to do whatever he wants, because he won't have to worry about getting rr-elected again. The Bush tax cuts will be history; and the big "O" will be able to push through everything he wants, and everything America needs. OLEAN, ny

    YES WE CAN! !!

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  51. Anonymous11:50 AM

    Gryphen,
    I so appreciated your very correct words about Obama, they made me come back from anger to reality, and I don't believe for a minute that he dumped us. He has been confronted to the most nasty and evil group of people (T-baggers) with not much room to negotiate unless he was willing to let the country default. I went to bed last night pissed off, but reading you very simple and true words made me feel much better. Thanks for that reasonable mind of yours.

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  52. K in Seattle11:53 AM

    Thank you very much, Gryphen.

    I don't think it's a coincidence that our first African-American President has to face a Republican Congress whose primary goal seems to be to destroy his presidency, even if it means taking down the economy with him.

    Although disappointed with this deficit debacle, I continue to support Pres. Obama and will vote for him again in 2012.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Anonymous11:58 AM

    I am not giving up on President Obama. Given the climate in Washington, I think he needs all of our support and prayers. The newly elected idiots are the result of people wanting change, however, not the kind these asshats are doing. Think twice before you vote...and don't listen to ignorant remarks by palin and her ilk!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Beldar Conehead12:08 PM

    Powerful post, Gryphen.

    Where does it go from here?

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  55. Before anyone complains about the President's deal with the Repugs, please read the details of the deal. Barack Obama ate John Boehner's lunch, and then he turned Boehner out to go preach to his conservative colleagues that this eating of the lunch by Obama is actually politically good for them.

    The details 

    > $900B in initial cuts (below CBO's baseline) through capping discretionary spending (meaning that nothing is being cut right now). Both parties had largely agreed to these cuts during the debt talks. This is really only about $750 billion of actual cuts; the other $150 billion comes from saving on interest payments on the national debt. This also raises the debt ceiling by $900 billion.

    > Initial cuts do not include Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or programs for the poor. It actually INCREASES Pell grants - even in Boehner's bill.

    >$350 billion (almost half of these cuts) in cuts in the BASE defense budget. These are NOT simply the savings coming from winding down the wars---> this actually cuts the base defense budget.

    > Specifically protects the President's historic investment in Pell Grants.

    > Sets up a bipartisan "supercommittee" of Congress (half and half Democrats and Republicans) to achieve $1.5 trillion in additional deficit reductions with both tax reform and entitlement reform on the table. They must achieve at least $1.2 trillion in reduction or automatic cuts set in of that amount, spread equally between security (Defense and Homeland Security, mainly) and domestic spending set in. Social Security, Medicaid, low-income assistance programs and Medicare benefits are EXEMPT. ( These are the so-called "triggers." Either way, the debt limit goes increases additionally by a commensurate amount to the cuts (at least $1.2 trillion, at most $1.5 trillion).
    > A balanced budget amendment is guaranteed a vote, but not passage. But Congress can avoid both the supercommittee requirement and the alternate automatic cuts if it sends a balanced budget amendment to the states (which. will. never. happen. - because Republicans won't agree to anything balanced in terms of the balanced budget amendment.).

    Remember that the President can still veto anything coming out of this committee and Congress (in which case the triggers go into effect).
     [...]

    To learn more, here's the link to a great article.

    http://www.thepeoplesview.net/2011/08/paul-krugman-is-political-rookie-or-how.html

    I am proud of our President and applaud the job he did in averting a crisis.

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  56. Anonymous12:11 PM

    It's pretty clear that the posters who are bashing President Obama don't really know what they are talking about on the debt compromise. Their ignorance is understandable since it's a complex issue, but, at the same time, it's discouraging because they are beginning to sound like the one-trick ponies of the rancid Right in their emotionalism and shallowness. A TPM poster lays out the situation very well:

    "Let me get this straight. The President kept revenues on the table, did not touch the sunset provisions in the Bush tax cuts, ensured that military cuts keep the GOP honest, protected Medicare by adding in only provider cuts in the trigger, made the reduction apparently enough to stave off a debt downgrade, got the debt ceiling raised, wounded Boehner by demonstrating to the world that he is controlled by the Tea Party caucus, took out the requirement that a BBA be passed and sent to the states and got the extension through 2012? What exactly is wrong with this deal?

    The fact that there are cuts? If people don't like that, why in God's name didn't they turn out to vote and bring back our Congressional majority? Once these nut jobs were in there, it was inevitable that this crap was going to happen. Whether or not it is advisable to cut spending, what exactly was going to stop this from happening? My experience is that the primary factor in all negotiations are the facts on the ground. The complaints center on a ridiculous notion that if the President had only said "no" harder, that these guys would have caved in. This isn't negotiating over who gets the side of the bed near the A/C. This is a complex matter involving 3,000 members and staffers. Negotiations in these situations don't work like this. That's why I'm irked by the constant parade of people comparing the negotiations to movies and card games. These comparisons obscure more than they reveal."

    Read the remainder at: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/08/another_take_5.php?ref=fpblg

    Good work, Mr. President, and stay strong. Gird your loins for the next battle against the childish nihilists on the Right....and the Left.

    ReplyDelete
  57. stick to palin.
    you dont have a clue about politics.

    obama is the most out and out evil person to ever occupy the white house.

    HE ALONE saw to it that SS and MEDICARE were gutted and if reelected he will totally destroy both programs for his rich wall street friends.

    stop being part of the problem and educate youself a bit.
    he is destroying the working class and the poor.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Anonymous12:18 PM

    I'm not happy but I will vote Dem all the way down the ticket and I will not miss a vote. President Obama has been wrung through the coals and I may not like the result but the alternatives are much much much worse. Do you want a President Perry? Or a President Romney? Do you have any idea what will happen then? No, I will vote Democratic all the way.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Anonymous12:24 PM

    at 11:07 AM, Anonymous said...

    The freshmen Republicans tried to torpedo the American economy.

    It is time to stick it to them.

    Too bad it won't happen. Even when the Democrats had a majority of _both_ houses, they were incompetent, probably intentionally so.

    Democrats won't "stick it to" anyone, other than their own constituency.

    http://www.opednews.com/articles/If-the-Republic-Had-Not-Di-by-Chris-Floyd-110731-857.html

    Too late now, most likely.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Anonymous12:29 PM

    Gryph & the rest of you have to read this; http://www.thepeoplesview.net/2011/08/paul-krugman-is-political-rookie-or-how.html
    Thanks to Likala @9:21.
    Read it and then start closing your pie holes long enough to digest it.
    Makes perfect sense.

    ReplyDelete
  61. Anonymous12:30 PM

    All I can say is if you whiny babies won't vote for Obama, who will you vote for? A republican? Some third party candidate that can't win? Or maybe you'll just stay home and pout. That is one of the reasons these asshat tea party people were elected. I'm not so happy with this deal either, but the 14th amendment thing would have caused more division still, and they would have wasted the rest of his term trying to impeach him. That would have made it impossible for anybody to govern. The president isn't a dictator, he has to deal with a congress that is totally dysfunctional. Stop whining and get your asses out there and elect democrats. That's the only chance we have. Sorry for the rant, but I am so mad that people expect this man to do the impossible.

    Sue in Kansas

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  62. Anonymous12:37 PM

    There will be a concerted effort by the Repubs/Teabaggers to blame President Obama for this friggin' mess we've watched via the media (think they were part of the trouble too!)for the past month.

    Just watch them in the upcoming election...we need to vote the bastards out of office every chance we get. They created the stress and nervousness in the nation.

    Americans need to pay attention for whom they vote. Republicans OUT!!! Especially their leaders in the House. What a group of bullshitters and jerks.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Anonymous12:45 PM

    I agree with Gryphen. Obama is doing all he can with the little support he gets from the Senate and absolutely no support from the House. We all need to dedicate ourselves to the 2012 election to make sure the tea party congressmen are serving their first and last term. Otherwise, this country is doomed.

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  64. You know, you are really losing a lot of credibility. Did it ever occur to you that Obama got the deficit deal he wanted? He occupies the most powerful office in the world. There are any number of things he could have done to get a better deal for the American people. He did none of them.

    Who wants to bet that Wall Street gives more money to Obama than to his Republican opponent in 2012? They don't reward incompetence. They reward politicans for doing what is expected of them. Wake up!

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  65. Gasman12:49 PM

    Lynne, there are many criticisms you could level toward me, but ignorance is not one of them. I do not expect Obama to work miracles with the teabaggers, quite the opposite. I view them as being incapable of reason and compromise which is specifically why I stated that the president should CRUSH them.

    If you think that this president - or any other - deserves unquestioning fealty for any reason, you are mistaken.

    I find the teabaggers to be a genuine threat to our country. They are ignorant and naive, and they are racist to the core. ANY debate with these clowns is pointless and dangerous. It also lends them an air of legitimacy that they do not deserve.

    What does it mean to "support" a president? If it means lockstep servility, then I guess I don't support him - nor would I support anybody. My support is more like Dr. Cornel West's, who said of President Obama, that we should "Respect, Protect, and Correct" him when necessary.

    President Obama is extremely risk averse and not inclined to great acts of leadership. His behavior in this debt ceiling crisis is not much different than it was during the healthcare debate: he expected Congress and the Senate to do all of the heavy lifting and at the end of the day he appeared to give the GOP a better deal than they deserved or was required. I haven't seen much inspirational leadership from the man. He is brilliant and he is capable of inspiring, it's just that he is mighty parsimonious about when he chooses to do it.

    Reflexively "standing with MY PRESIDENT" when he does less than praiseworthy work is nothing to boast about. If he falters or does not provide the kind of leadership which is required or that he is clearly capable of, why should he be absolved from criticism? I've got news for you: he isn't YOUR president, he is the NATION'S president.

    And why am I labeled "ignorant" by you simply because I disagree with you? That sounds about as reasonable as the teabaggers. Disagreement is an inextricable part of American Democracy. If you expect everyone to agree with you, you will be eternally disappointed. It is also quite possible to be frustrated with the president without being "against" him. I can criticize without calling for impeachment or primary challengers. I did not say the president was stupid, or hopelessly inept, quite the contrary. I acknowledge his strengths, I just wish he'd have the courage to use them more often.

    When he swings for the fences, more often than not he hits it out of the park. He single handedly bested the ENTIRE GOP House caucus. THAT is how he should treat Boehner, McConnell and the teabaggers. Instead, he seems to be intimidated by decidedly inferior GOP/teabagger pitching and is taking far too many easy pitches.

    I am but one of many who have been hoping for more audacity from the president. I want President Obama to look more like Candidate Obama. I want THAT guy in the White House. Why is that a problem?

    ReplyDelete
  66. Anonymous12:49 PM

    Last November, people in my district were mad that the Democratic congressman who they had elected to congress was not being as progressive as they would like. Many decided not to vote for him. A smarmy sleeze bag former Republican congressman turned tea bagger got re-elected to Congress AGAIN after being ousted two years previously by the Democratic Congressman. People hated the Republican, but he got re-elected because the Democrats were so stupid and apparently had no foresight. With a knee jerk reaction, they decided to not vote. Now we are stuck with this worm again, and people are angry at him (again). I hope some of the people disillusioned with Obama will take some time off from the 24 hour news cycle and get a grip. He is a GOOD president trying to do whats right in an impossible situation. The citizens of the US need to realize that we have an extremely divided political entity now, and it's truly a wonder anything gets done. We all need to work even harder and get these horribly brainwashed tea baggers OUT OF CONGRESS. They are ruining our country. The time for unity among Progressives is even more important now.

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  67. Anonymous12:50 PM

    Hey, let's just get President Obama in for 2012, the tax break for the wealthy ends in 2014 or sometime in his second term. It's up to us to get the right people into Congress. He can't do this alone folks.

    Some of us may think the 14th amendment is what our president should have done, but I trust his intelligence on this matter. You do know that the Repubs are trying to find something to have him impeached? This is a monumental chess game. Time to rally not cry!! and whine!!

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  68. Amen to that G!

    To all of you who will not vote or will vote for an alternative party in 2012: Thanks fr nothing. People like you are the reason W became president in the first place and people like you are the reason we've got a congress that have been trying to sabotage our economy since they got elected. They will do anything to be sure that Obama is a one term president and YOU ARE HELPING THEM.

    Obama's spine is fine, where's yours?

    http://www.thepeoplesview.net/2011/08/paul-krugman-is-political-rookie-or-how.html

    ReplyDelete
  69. LoveAndKnishesFromBrooklyn1:06 PM

    My gut is telling me "14th Amendment" over and over to the point that I really think this will happen. Then we can trash this hostage-taking bill and start clean.

    Mitch McChinless is now saying that the Senate will vote on the bill tomorrow--tomorrow? Uh, isn't that after the economy is set to crash to the ground in flames?

    Let's see how this plays out--I'm sticking with Obama. I noticed that the RWNJ and Teahadist trolls are out in cheerful, paid droves this morning, trying to discourage the Dems and Progressives. This could pave the way to the seventh mountain for the wingnuts, religious fanatics, loonies and of course, Sarah™, who is in a league of electroshock-worthy insanity all her own.

    BUT ONLY IF WE LET IT HAPPEN!

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  70. Anonymous1:07 PM

    Gasman: "These asshats haven't a clue what the implications of their position actually are. If the teabaggers actually got what they wanted, we are suddenly plunged in a free fall toward the Second Great Depression."

    Yes, and exhibit A to support your statement is the fact that as government spending has continued to decline since the GOP took over the House, the economy has worsened. You cannot eliminate as many government jobs on the federal, state, county, and municipality levels as they have insisted on without taking out a shitload of money from the economy. And yet, they keep blaming it on Obama, ever ignoring that once again, their policies strangle progress and the economy.

    ReplyDelete
  71. laprofesora1:07 PM

    Hey, JADEZ:

    Channeling Paylin today? Go to hell.

    La Profesora

    ReplyDelete
  72. Anonymous1:15 PM

    I can't give a full-throated opinion on this until I understand what exactly is in the deal. I've heard that there are massive defense spending cuts, which would be a good thing. I've also heard there are massive Medicare cuts, which, if it means even less payments back to doctors who accept Medicare patients, is not such a good thing. Most people probably don't realize how little doctors make now compared to the hours they put and the overhead they have.

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  73. Anonymous1:20 PM

    H-ll no! I knew he would cave he always does. I'm done with him. Anytime you got a guy in your adminastration who didn't pay his social security taxes there is no one there that cares. The Pres put Social Security and Medicare on the table before anyone asked him too. I'm not voting for him it's that simple he's not weven trying to help the poor workers in Wis Ohio or Mich with these out of control Governors. Taking away ppl's rights unions and he's really is a republican ( and has too many in his adminstration to thi nk clearly) we need a good democrate to go against him unfortunately there is none except old Berny Sanders I'm ready to spit nails. I knew 6 months ago it would come down to this and at the last moment the Pres would say there was nothing I could do.

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  74. Anonymous1:22 PM

    Invoking the 14th would have tied us up in impeachment proceedings for the remainder of Obama's term. DO we really think that would have been a better outcome? Additionally, legal and financial analysts have commented that the 14th avenue would be interpreted as illegitimate by some and therefore may not have accomplished the desired outcome to protect our debt rating and be accepted by our debtors.

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  75. Anonymous1:33 PM

    I believe that President Obama will go down in history as one of the most effective presidents ever. He does so much quietly behind the scenes and he does not ask for personal validation of his work. He just keeps on keeping on and passing great legislation for all Americans of all kinds, shapes, and colors.

    It is up to US to ensure that we have the correct people to represent us in Congress and the House. Thus, we need to get out and vote and GET OUT THE VOTE in 2012 to ensure that the progressives, the liberals, the thinking persons are voted in to support our President and to defeat the teabaggers and Party of NO.

    We can do it - if we are willing to work for it. I am committed to this goal.

    1smartcanerican

    ReplyDelete
  76. Anonymous1:35 PM

    @Gasman- I don't think this president needs blind devotion or that is what some of us supporters are doing! I do know that there is some huge things we will never be privy to, that it is almost humanly impossible to accomplish with the stuff that goes on in governmental powers. Not exactly like - "do this and that, or we will break your kids legs" - but something similar. In the late seventies, a friend's father was part of some big time corporate loop (hmmm, he had an Italian last name, come to think of it..) This friend showed me documents/articles regarding President Carter and how his hands were tied due to background "power". In my opinion, there is SOO much more than we will ever know, and I imagine that is why President Obama looks extremely tired. My hope is that he still WANTS to be president for a second term!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  77. Anonymous1:42 PM

    I hope that people will wake up to the fact that Teabaggers and Kochprations are destroying civility and what is right for the ordinary people.They are cutting out their noses to spite their faces.

    But we have seen their ugliness and hopefully the next election the teabaggers will get their arses kicked out as we work harder.

    We all know this is all about race and we should call them out loud and clear .

    ReplyDelete
  78. Anonymous1:55 PM

    He's not perfect. He's not doing and saying all the things I wanted him to start doing and saying the minute he took office. But I can't think of any other American I would rather have as my president right now, and in the immediate future, than Barack Obama. i trust his sanity. I trust his decency. I wish he were more ruthless in going after the things a lot of us wanted of him, but in any kind of crisis I feel genuinely secure having him in the White House. All we can do is inform ourselves, communicate our thoughts to our elected officials, support the candidates we believe in, and never, never miss an opportunity to vote.

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  79. I am sorry, I respect everyone's right to their own viewpoint, but I cannot agree with the idea that the president is some sort of ineffectual wuss that can't get the job done. The facts just don't support it:

    http://tinyurl.com/4ycr6qp
    or
    http://obamaachievements.org/list#

    He's not a blowhard and a braggart. He just keeps on working away, a little bit here, a bigger bit there. With everything going on about the debt ceiling negotiations, he kept on going with the day-to-day job; signing the bill for the new energy standards, for one.

    After reading all the rantings, I read some other more thoughtful articles. Then I found this:

    "A Compilation Of Sane Responses To The Resolution Of The Debt Hostage Drama!": http://tinyurl.com/3b5l5uq

    And regardless of what anyone thinks of the deal, here is a next step to not let up on:

    "The Next Step"
    http://tinyurl.com/43ajuy2

    I support the President, but not blindly. I do believe the teabaggers must be voted out. They brought this country to the edge of catastrophe.

    As for the 14th amendment solution, it had a nice give 'em hell feel to it, and I believe with no bill to sign the President might well invoke it. However, the House will immediately waste enormous amounts of taxpayers' time and millions of dollars of taxpayers' money to impeach the president. The remainder of his term will be wasted on those proceedings.

    ReplyDelete
  80. FEDUP!!!2:11 PM

    Mlaiuppa: I am so totally with you. We are also, too waiting for the time when hubby retires in 3 years. Definitely will be going to a warmer country and not up to Canada. In Belize/Panama/Costa Rica you can actually live comfortably on your retirement $$, and don't need to worry about health care costs (I believe $500/year covers insurance premiums all over the world - except US and Canada. Imagine THAT: $FIVE HUNDRED ... for the whole YEAR!)


    As to President Obama... It is getting more and more difficult to imagine that I actually voted for him, contributed $$ to him, volunteered for him. TIn my view, he has turned totally around, like a wolf in sheep clothing. He is nothing but an outlet for the Koch Brothers and Big Corporations. He is bush-lite, and potentially is even WORSE than bush: gwb TRIED to undo Social Sec, and Obama probably will actually succeed in doing that! He also will succeed in dismantling/diminishing medicare/medicaid. A Rethug could not have done this w/o the whole country howling. Now, we have a 'Democrat' who does their will for them. :(

    I don't know what it will take for President Obama to lend an ear to the average American Citizen that has been BEGGING him to stand up and get a spine. He MUST HAVE seen the polls of 80% or more people NOT wanting Social Sec touch, of 80$ or more people wanting the taxes RAISED on the top 1%. :(

    ReplyDelete
  81. JADEZ said...

    HE ALONE saw to it that SS and MEDICARE were gutted and if reelected he will totally destroy both programs for his rich wall street friends.

    12:16 PM
    ----------------------------
    This is an outright lie. Period.

    If you are going to be angry about something, be angry about something that is fact.

    ReplyDelete
  82. I personally will wait for Jon Stewart to explain it, tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  83. Anonymous2:38 PM

    Lets remember all that was at issue was the debt cap.

    But what a wonderful excuse to stampede noxious legislation through with out allowing proper public vetting and public comment.

    Politics at its ugliest with the WH aiding abetting and encouraging the stampede.

    And the bastards have set up a pseudo unelected Pseudo Congress (I call the Carrion Eaters Chamber because they will rob SS and Medicare, churn the bodies of SS and Medicare recipients and the jobless in to pork sausages to fatten themselves on it.)
    And done so in a manner that denies the public and even congress own members an opportunity to examine and discuss what has just been taken away from them - their voices and their votes.

    ReplyDelete
  84. If you believe any of this crap that both parties are spewing right now you should watch the Jon Stewart clip regarding the Dodd/Frank legislation that was enacted in July of 2010. One year on, it's basically a joke, but hey, the public forgets, right? Just like we'll forget what terms were agreed to on this latest joke brought to us by the Congress and our President.

    Watch and weep:

    http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/07/29/im_just_a_law.html

    ReplyDelete
  85. Anonymous2:49 PM

    ADEZ said...

    stick to palin.
    you dont have a clue about politics.

    obama is the most out and out evil person to ever occupy the white house.

    HE ALONE saw to it that SS and MEDICARE were gutted and if reelected he will totally destroy both programs for his rich wall street friends.

    stop being part of the problem and educate youself a bit.
    he is destroying the working class
    ----------------------------------
    President Obama has done everything he can do to SAVE SS and Medicare since the GOP's prime job since it's inception has been to ed it. You may not agree with Gryphen or me, but out and out lies need to be confronted. If you truly believe what you just stated than turn off Faux news and educate yourself. My goodness, the cuts to medicare will be done by streamlining data by computerizing records, and by cutting admin fat. Get a clue, it's the teabagger congressman that have wanted to end SS

    ReplyDelete
  86. Gasman2:49 PM

    Anon @ 1:35,
    I would actually like to see Obama in a second term, but I'd also like to see him flex his muscles a bit more. His lack of leadership during healthcare allowed the GOP/teabagger narrative to have FAR more traction than it should have reasonably had. Likewise he has allowed the teabagger bullshit narrative to get far more resonance than it should. He needs to be more aggressive at swatting the teabaggers down.

    No matter how conciliatory President Obama is toward the GOP/teabaggers, they will NEVER show him any goodwill or any compromise. It hasn't worked up until now, why would anybody think they will be magically changed and become intelligent and reasonable?

    If they are going to criticize him and fight him anyway, why not hit them hard enough to knock them into next week? I'd like him to try it at least once. I think it would be more effective than trying to compromise with them.

    ReplyDelete
  87. Anonymous3:18 PM

    Amen to that, brother.

    ReplyDelete
  88. Anonymous3:18 PM

    @JADEZ - YOU LIE

    ReplyDelete
  89. Obama is surely unhappy. The cat food commission was his and he was the one who put Social Security on the table - not the Republicans. Talk about Manchurian candidates, geeze. I intend to work as hard to see his ass back in Chicago as I did to see him in the WH. Quisling.

    He had to work hard to be worse than Bush.

    ReplyDelete
  90. Anonymous7:15 PM

    I stand behind President Obama 100% If you believe anyone else would be more successful than he has with the current status of our house and senate - then I believe you are a dreamer. Name one person who could get both sides to vote for anything.

    I appreciate President Obama's strong and steady hand - with his ordering the seals taking out the priates in the beginning of his administration to his taking out Bin Laden in Pakistan.

    People want to fault him for an imperfect health care reform - but he got it through. Nixon didn't (although he wanted it) because Kennedy wanted it perfect, Clinton tried but couldn't get it through. Are you suggesting nothing is better than something?

    Obama ended DADT - something that President Clinton put in place. People were grumbling against Obama for not moving fast enough, but never once attacked Clinton for passing it in the first place.

    ReplyDelete
  91. Gasman10:06 PM

    Anon @ 7:15,
    What is your definition of success? Rolling over and playing dead for the teabaggers? How the hell can you call that success? When has Obama smacked down the GOP or the teabaggers during this recent debate or during healthcare?

    I have no allusions about necessarily getting everything I would want, but I sure as hell don't want Obama to effectively hand everything to Boehner and teh 'baggers on a silver platter. NO FUCKING revenue AT ALL!? How can you spin this as anything than a humiliating defeat for Obama, the Dems, and the entire country?

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  92. I had an acquaintance who voted for Ralph Nader to make a "statement", and guess who bitched and whined the loudest over everything that happened in the Bush era?

    Sounds like we have a few whiny, spoiled brats in this bunch too. Get off your asses and help give Obama a Congress that will support him instead of try to destroy him.

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  93. Beldar Truthsayer Conehead8:35 AM

    How come politics is the only realm where the painfully obvious principle of "the lesser of two evils" doesnt always prevail?

    Violating that simple concept gave us Shrub in 2000 and 2004 (with some help from a crooked Supreme Court and GOP black ops poll officials)

    Try to imagine 2011 WITHOUT the 8 year destruction wrought by that moron! It's going to take some time to unwind the disasters he got us into and success is not assured.

    But one thing is nearly certain: especially with early predictions of a 2012 GOP Senate takeover, the only ELECTABLE force standing between this country and utter destruction will be the re-election of President Obama.

    Obama2012

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  94. Gasman10:01 AM

    Lynne,
    Bullshit. I voted for Obama in the primary and in the general election. I was one of his earliest supporters, long before most people even gave him a chance. So, because I voted for him I am prohibited from criticizing him - in perpetuity? Because he is president, he is absolved from all criticism, no matter what his performance? My president, right or wrong? That sounds about as rational as the teabagger bullshit that demands lockstep fealty from everybody.

    Please provide us with your detailed exegesis about when it is acceptable to criticize the president without having charges of being whiny or spoiled being hurled.

    I object to Obama not showing ANY spine when it comes to confronting the imbecilic lying tribe of cousin humping buffoons that are the teabaggers. If you disagree, fine, but being critical of lackluster performance hardly makes one a whiny or spoiled. He has been bested by the dumbest clods in American History and it is simply because he lacked the will to deliver a smackdown. He is brilliant but so risk averse that he seems to be frozen by the tactics of the GOP. He got played by Boehner and the country recognizes it.

    Just how much would Obama have to give away to the GOP before you would complain? Our nation has been wounded by this entire exercise in bullying by the GOP and we have been handed a big shit sandwich for our troubles. On top of all that, President Obama seems to be saying "We'll have more turds please." How do you spin this steaming pile as a win for anybody but John Boehner?

    When the president does a good job, I'll be the first to sing his praises. However, when screws up or seems to not even try, I will not cheer him on because he "deserves" our unquestioning support. NOBODY deserves unquestioning support. When he chokes, he should get called out just like everybody else.

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  95. Anonymous2:03 PM

    All of you are making very. very, good comments well worth reading. But this comment, "I'll never vote Republican but I certainly am not voting Democrat come 2012 either."

    Isn't that how we got here> The Tea Baggers got in and misread the Tea Leaves, thinking that the American people wanted all this by any means necessary.

    Obama believed he had gotten a "Shellacking"

    When it was neither. People got disillusioned with hope and change and did not vote.

    Now you guys say you're going to do it again.

    I say aggravate the Republicans and vote the baby Obama in again.

    When we get tired of immaturity aboung experienced politicians, we have voted for inexperienced Obama and inexperienced tea party freshmen. Let's put Obama in again,
    if nothing else but to drive Boehner on a drinking binge and to give Mcconnell something to do.

    The way these things work is this: Nothing will get done by the Republicans either, because the dems cant wait until they seize upon a Republican president.

    So vote Obama and do not allow the nut baggers to get in by default!

    Thank you guys so much!!

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  96. Anonymous8:29 PM

    Thank you, thank you Gryphen, for defending President Obama and recognizing what actually was gained and also what he was dealing with in this totally *insane* debt-ceiling debate.

    I am weary of the ugliness hurled continuously, from both sides--left and right, at this good man and statesman. I scanned the comments but could not do more than that. I truly believe that both the so-called progressives on the left and teabag brigade on the right would see our country collapse as long as it meant that they could keep screaming and be assured of their "rightness." There is no reasoning with self-righteousness.

    Anne in CO

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