Facing Obstacles in Enacting his Agenda, Obama Blames Republicans*
Um, Mr. President, how can Republicans block progress when your party controls a majority in both House of Congress, when all you need is one Republican (once is was none) t0 break a filibuster. Yet, if we believe the chief executive’s rhetoric, that’s just what they’re doing.
Whenever Obama gets in trouble or faces obstacles to enacting his big-government agenda, he blames Republicans. This from the White House web-site on the Democrat’s weekly radio address:
The President calls on Republicans in Congress to put scoring political points aside, and instead to focus on solving the problems facing the nation. At the time of this address, the Republican leadership is blocking progress on a bill to boost the economy, retain jobs for teachers and cops, and help people buy their first home; another bill which would hold oil companies accountable for any disasters they cause by removing the current $75 million liability cap; and 136 highly qualified men and women who have been nominated to government positions.
So, he sees the efforts of the minority to oppose the president’s policies as “blocking progress” and defines his opposite in stark manichean terms. He needs to learn to respect their ideas and understand that Republican oppose his policies not to score political points, but because they think they won’t help improve the economy or create jobs. And anyway, with out national debt skyrocketing, we just can’t afford another federal expenditures.
And did, your predecessor, criticized by your allies in the mainstream media and your fellow partisans as practicing the politics of division, ever use his weekly radio address to engage in such blatant partisan posturing?
Via DRJ at Patterico who offers:
Both as a candidate and as President, Obama has had a special ability to speak in generalities that most of us agree with and that inspire people to believe in him. This is another in a long line of examples. But the time for inspiration is during a campaign and being President requires specific plans, policies, and positions — something I know President Obama has plenty of but he refuses to share with Americans.
Read the whole thing! Seems that whenever Obama faces obstacles to governing, he just trots out his party’s favorite hobbyhorse.
Guess we were right to question his commitment to a new kind of politics.
*(Once again)
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Will Obama go to war to defleck attention from
*unemployment
* his impotence in the gulf
* his boob Supreme Ct nominee
*home grown terror
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/138164
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — June 20, 2010 @ 3:16 pm - June 20, 2010
When’s he going to put scoring political points aside?
Comment by ThatGayConservative — June 20, 2010 @ 4:06 pm - June 20, 2010
Proof positive that Obama is a radical who simply REFUSES to compromise with even ONE Republican.
Comment by American Elephant — June 20, 2010 @ 4:56 pm - June 20, 2010
Dear Reader Demands: “Clap For Me, Peasants!”: While in Ohio, the Narcissist-in-Chief demanded applause from the Proletariat.
Unemployment in Ohio, by the way, has been above 10% for the last 14 months.
Comment by V the K — June 20, 2010 @ 5:13 pm - June 20, 2010
The leftist rhetoric spewing from his mouth is an abomination. Score political points? Health Care Reform was passed how many months ago and they’re STILL trying to sell it? CO2 emissions are down the past couple of years, and there is disagreement on its dangers in the scientific community, and he’s STILL trying to sell Cap & Trade?
This is the most arrogant, misdirected, self-righteous jerk of a man to ever inhabit the Oval Office.
Oh, for November 2012!
Comment by ChrisIsRIGHT — June 20, 2010 @ 6:08 pm - June 20, 2010
Why should they?
1) It’s what Democrats did for the entire Bush administration. And it worked (i.e. to bring Democrats to power).
2) Obama’s agenda is basically evil. It should be stopped. Argued against. Discredited.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 20, 2010 @ 7:04 pm - June 20, 2010
That part, I have no problem with.
1) It comes with the territory. It’s what Obama does.
2) Sometimes there really is good and evil, right and wrong. If it is true that Obama should listen to his opponents and give them credit on some general principle that giving everyone credit is more important than discerning right from wrong… then, if and when his opponents come to power, it will be equally true that they should listen to Obama and give his philosophy credit, on the same principle. And that, I disagree with.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 20, 2010 @ 7:11 pm - June 20, 2010
Sometimes I don’t understand commentary on this website. I love that Republicans are actively blocking his progress. Obama should rightly be blaming them. They’re doing their damn job!
Another thing I don’t understand is why no Republican will vote to lift the liability cap. BP should pay in full for whatever damages they are responsible for. Is there some pork in that bill that Democrats are trying to shove down our throats?
Comment by P — June 20, 2010 @ 7:23 pm - June 20, 2010
It’s a displacement behavior. You see that a lot in children.
Comment by Davep. — June 20, 2010 @ 8:34 pm - June 20, 2010
Sorry, it’s 17-months into Obama’s term….he owns what happens, what doesn’t happen…and what goes wrong. And his own party controls both houses on the Hill.
Comment by Ted B. (Charging Rhino) — June 20, 2010 @ 9:52 pm - June 20, 2010
If Obama cannot enact his progressive socialist agenda because Republicans who make up 40% of congress are stopping him, my response is GOOD!
Comment by LCRW — June 21, 2010 @ 1:13 am - June 21, 2010
LCRW,
Comment by B. Daniel Blatt — June 21, 2010 @ 4:37 am - June 21, 2010
#8 It is illegal to retroactively change a law concerning damages like this. If BP volunteers to pay up to 2 billion fine, but to change it retroactively, I believe is unconstitutional. Maybe someone knows the specific language.
It was like Clinton changing tax laws retroactively to Jan 1. That’s not suppose to be allowed. But Democrats rarely bow to the constitution.
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — June 21, 2010 @ 4:16 pm - June 21, 2010
I suppose it’s good practice to blame Republicans blocking his agenda now when they aren’t, so he’s very good at the message by the time they’ve taken back Congress and actually will be…
Comment by Tim — June 21, 2010 @ 5:31 pm - June 21, 2010
#13 Does the actual language of the bill say they want to change it retroactively? I don’t think that really matters. Its not like the damage has suddenly stopped.
Comment by P — June 21, 2010 @ 7:54 pm - June 21, 2010