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The Real History of the First Term

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John Manning

unread,
Aug 24, 2012, 7:48:10 PM8/24/12
to


"Rather than feeling any shame
for what they had done to the country,
the Republicans decided to oppose
everything the new president tried
to do to clean up their mess."

"It didn't matter whether they agreed
with the policy in the past. They
just wanted to be 'relevant'
and do whatever they could do
to undermine Barack Obama."


-- In December of 2008, congressional Republicans were in
an odd place. Their president was serving out the last days
of his failed presidency, but all the important decisions were
being made by people like Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

On January 9th, 2009, the Wall Street Journal reported
that 524,000 jobs had been lost in December, 2.6 million jobs
had been lost in 2008, and 1.9 million jobs had been lost in just
the last four months.

The Financial Services sector was in ruins.

Detroit was bankrupt.

The Dow Jones Industrial average had fallen from the 14,000's
in October 2007 to the 8,000's.

By March it would be in the 6,000's.

People's homes were being foreclosed on left and right, and
lives were being ruined and wealth destroyed at a devastating pace.

John McCain and Sarah Palin had suffered a resounding defeat,
as had the Republicans in Congress.

Suddenly, for the first time in many years, the Republicans
had no real leadership. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
and House Minority Leader John Boehner were on their own. But,
if they were suddenly liberated from the burden of walking Bush
and Cheney's party line, they also were responsible for the chaos
they saw all around them.

The Congressional Republicans had worked with Bill Clinton
to deregulate the banking industry. A Republican administration
and a (mostly) Republican-controlled Congress had neglected to
provide meaningful oversight of the derivatives markets or the
mortgage industry.

Republican tax cuts and unfunded wars and new entitlements had
depleted the treasury without providing the promised economic
growth. Now everything was in ruins.

Their ideology had failed in spectacular fashion,
and they had been forced to bite the bullet and vote for
an enormous bailout for the banks. A new Democratic president
was assembling his team during the transition, trying to figure
out how to stop the bleeding and prevent a second Great Depression.

It was in this context that Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, and
House Minority Whip Eric Cantor hatched a plan of total obstruction.

During meetings in December 2008 and early January 2009,
they decided that they would insist that their members provide
no cooperation and no votes for anything major that the
president wanted to do. It didn't matter what the president
suggested. Substance wasn't the point.

Here's an example of what I am talking about:

David Obey, then-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee,
met with his GOP counterpart, Jerry Lewis, to explain what
Democrats had in mind for the stimulus and ask what Republicans
wanted to include. "Jerry's response was: 'I'm sorry, but
leadership tells us we can�t play,'" Obey told me. "Exact quote:
'We can't play.' What they said right from the get-go was: It
doesn't matter what the hell you do, we ain�t going to help you.
We're going to stand on the sidelines and bitch."

To give this a little more flavor, let me add the following:

"We were in disarray," recalls Representative Pete Sessions of
Texas. "People were comparing us to cockroaches, saying we weren't
even relevant. We had to change the mind-set."

"We came in shellshocked," said Senator Lindsey Graham of South
Carolina. "There was sort of a feeling of 'every man for himself.'
Mitch early on in this session came up with a game plan to make us
relevant with 40 people. He said if we didn't stick together on big
things, we wouldn't be relevant."

Rather than feeling any shame for what they had done
to the country, the Republicans decided to oppose everything
the new president tried to do to clean up their mess. It didn't
matter whether they agreed with the policy in the past. They
just wanted to be "relevant" and do whatever they could do to
undermine Barack Obama.

Republicans recognized that after Obama's big promises about
bipartisanship, they could break those promises by refusing to
cooperate. In the words of Congressman Tom Cole, a deputy
Republican whip: "We wanted the talking point: 'The only thing
bipartisan was the opposition.'"

When you look back at the president's 2008 campaign about hope
and change, remember how the Republicans decided to strangle hope
and change in the crib, just because they could.

The president offered his hand and it was slapped away. It's
tragic that the American people never really understood what
happened and who was to blame for partisan gridlock. The
Republicans were richly rewarded in 2010 for their bad faith
and deeply un-American strategy.

We have to tell this story because the more people who
understand it, the fewer people will be fooled a second time.

Links here: http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2012/8/24/101654/073




Dakota

unread,
Aug 24, 2012, 10:25:17 PM8/24/12
to
The voting public is beginning to catch on to the obstruction.

Truth and honesty

unread,
Aug 25, 2012, 5:57:55 AM8/25/12
to
On Fri, 24 Aug 2012 20:48:10 -0300, John Manning wrote:

> "Rather than feeling any shame
> for what they had done to the country,
> the Republicans decided to oppose
> everything the new president tried
> to do to clean up their mess."

Actually under George Bush people, had jobs.

John Manning

unread,
Aug 25, 2012, 9:50:55 AM8/25/12
to
>> leadership tells us we can’t play,'" Obey told me. "Exact quote:
>> 'We can't play.' What they said right from the get-go was: It
>> doesn't matter what the hell you do, we ain’t going to help you.
Here's more:

From the beginning, the plan was to relentlessly obstruct Obama,
regardless of whether that was good for the country.


"Top Republican lawmakers and strategists
held a meeting literally the same day
as Obama's inauguration.

"The guest list that night
(which was just over 15 people in total)
included Republican Reps. Eric Cantor (Va.),
Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), Paul Ryan (Wis.),
Pete Sessions (Texas), Jeb Hensarling (Texas),
Pete Hoekstra (Mich.) and Dan Lungren (Calif.),
along with Republican Sens. Jim DeMint (S.C.),
Jon Kyl (Ariz.), Tom Coburn (Okla.),
John Ensign (Nev.) and Bob Corker (Tenn.).

"They plotted out ways
to not just win back political power,
but to also put the brakes
on Obama's legislative platform.

"'We've gotta challenge them
on every single bill and
challenge them on
every single campaign.'

"From the beginning, the plan was
to relentlessly obstruct Obama,
regardless of whether that was
good for the country."


-- Looking back at Barack Obama's message from four years
ago, one of the more common messages he pushed was a deeply-held
desire to govern in a bipartisan way.

As a candidate, he spoke extensively about reaching
across the aisle, working in good faith, and bringing people
with different ideologies together in a spirit of shared values
and common purpose.

We now know those efforts fell far short, and I suspect
there will be some voters who are disappointed, hoping that Obama
would have had more success in at least narrowing the partisan divide.

But that's all the more reason to understand why bipartisanship
in the Obama era has proven to be impossible.

Obama made several moves early on that suggested he was sincere.

The president put Republicans in high-ranking administration
positions; he expressed a willingness to compromise; and he pursued
an agenda that was moderate and mainstream, embracing ideas on
health care, energy, and immigration that have traditionally
enjoyed bipartisan backing.

In November 2008, shortly after the election, the Weekly Standard
ran a piece with a list of steps Obama could take to prove that
he's serious about bipartisan governing. The president took most of
the steps on the list.

But what about congressional Republicans?

Robert Draper has a new book coming out, which shines a light
on a private meeting "top Republican lawmakers and strategists"
held, literally the same day as Obama's inauguration:

According to Draper, the guest list that night (which was just over
15 people in total) included Republican Reps. Eric Cantor (Va.),
Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), Paul Ryan (Wis.), Pete Sessions (Texas),
Jeb Hensarling (Texas), Pete Hoekstra (Mich.) and Dan Lungren
(Calif.), along with Republican Sens. Jim DeMint (S.C.), Jon Kyl
(Ariz.), Tom Coburn (Okla.), John Ensign (Nev.) and Bob Corker
(Tenn.). [...]

The book says they plotted out ways to not just win back political
power, but to also put the brakes on Obama's legislative platform.
"If you act like you're the minority, you're going to stay in the
minority," Draper quotes McCarthy as saying. "We've gotta challenge
them on every single bill and challenge them on every single
campaign."

Together, they sketched out a plan over the course
of four hours: attack Tim Geithner, show "unyielding opposition"
to every economic proposal, launch early attack ads
targeting vulnerable Democrats. The GOP leaders left their
meeting "almost giddily."

As Jamelle Bouie explained, "In other words, there
was nothing President Obama could have done to build common
ground with Republicans. From the beginning, the plan was
to relentlessly obstruct Obama, regardless of whether that was
good for the country. The GOP's high-minded rhetoric of compromise
and bipartisanship was bunk."

With this in mind, for all that is good and holy in this world,
can we please stop pretending that "both sides" are to blame for
the failure of the parties to cooperate in Washington?

Links here:
http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/27/11430573-bipartisanship-never-stood-a-chance







linuxgal

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Aug 25, 2012, 9:51:18 AM8/25/12
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Building houses for people who couldn't afford them, and SUVs for people
who paid for them with the "equity" in their unaffordable houses as
prices went up and up. China's next.

--
If the gun grabbin' Captain Planet watchin' NPR listenin' UTNE Reader
readin' red diaper doper baby union thug shoe fits, wear it!

Logan Sacket

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Aug 25, 2012, 10:41:50 AM8/25/12
to
On Fri, 24 Aug 2012 20:48:10 -0300, John Manning
<jrob...@terra.com.br> wrote:


>
>The president offered his hand and it was slapped away. It's
>tragic that the American people never really understood what
>happened and who was to blame for partisan gridlock. The
>Republicans were richly rewarded in 2010 for their bad faith
>and deeply un-American strategy.

Horse shit.

For the Democrats, it is my way or the highway. Do you remember the
health care plan? The only time it was even dicussed with the
Republicains was the show they put on at the Blair building, that's
where Ryan explained to Obama the faults in his own plan.

Logan Sacket

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Aug 25, 2012, 10:43:35 AM8/25/12
to
That's during the time when Manning kept hammering about the Bush
jobless recovery, yet the unemployment was under 5%.

What say now John?

Free Lunch

unread,
Aug 25, 2012, 10:53:46 AM8/25/12
to
On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 14:41:50 GMT, logan....@gmail.com (Logan Sacket)
wrote in alt.atheism:
They adopted the Republican health care plan. Why are the Republicans
whining?

Don Martin

unread,
Aug 25, 2012, 11:11:30 AM8/25/12
to
On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 19:57:55 +1000, Truth and honesty
<Tr...@honest.com> wrote:

The ones who had not lost them yet, sure.

--

aa #2278 Never mind "proof." Where is your evidence?
BAAWA Chief Assistant to the Assistant Chief Heckler
Fidei defensor (Hon. Antipodean)
The Squeeky Wheel: http://home.comcast.net/~drdonmartin/

John Manning

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Aug 25, 2012, 11:19:53 AM8/25/12
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GOP's Obstructionist Anti-Obama Campaign Planned Night Of Inauguration

Just Wondering

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Aug 25, 2012, 11:36:28 AM8/25/12
to
On 8/25/2012 7:50 AM, John Manning wrote:
>
> -- Looking back at Barack Obama's message from four years
> ago, one of the more common messages he pushed was a deeply-held
> desire to govern in a bipartisan way.
>
> As a candidate, he spoke extensively about reaching
> across the aisle, working in good faith, and bringing people
> with different ideologies together in a spirit of shared values
> and common purpose.
>

In practice, BO's "bipartisan" efforts often amount to "My way or the
highway."

CV

unread,
Aug 25, 2012, 11:36:24 AM8/25/12
to
leadership tells us we can’t play,'" Obey told me. "Exact quote:
'We can't play.' What they said right from the get-go was: It
doesn't matter what the hell you do, we ain’t going to help you.
We're going to stand on the sidelines and bitch."

To give this a little more flavor, let me add the following:

"We were in disarray," recalls Representative Pete Sessions of
Texas. "People were comparing us to cockroaches, saying we
weren't
even relevant. We had to change the mind-set."

"We came in shellshocked," said Senator Lindsey Graham of South
Carolina. "There was sort of a feeling of 'every man for
himself.'
Mitch early on in this session came up with a game plan to make
us
relevant with 40 people. He said if we didn't stick together on
big
things, we wouldn't be relevant."

Rather than feeling any shame for what they had done
to the country, the Republicans decided to oppose everything

u4z

unread,
Aug 25, 2012, 12:29:10 PM8/25/12
to
Don Martin <drdon...@comcast.net> wrote:
> The ones who had not lost them yet, sure.
>
> --
>
> aa #2278 Never mind "proof." Where is your evidence?
> BAAWA Chief Assistant to the Assistant Chief Heckler
> Fidei defensor (Hon. Antipodean)
> The Squeeky Wheel: http://home.comcast.net/~drdonmartin/

What happens to the faith healer and the shaman when any poor citizen
can see the full effect of drugs or surgeries, administered without
ceremonies or mystifications? Roughly the same thing as happens to the
rainmaker when the climatologist turns up, or to the diviner from the
heavens when schoolteachers get hold of elementary telescopes.

duke

unread,
Aug 25, 2012, 12:51:22 PM8/25/12
to
On Fri, 24 Aug 2012 20:48:10 -0300, John Manning <jrob...@terra.com.br> wrote:

Massive promises, massive failures to provide.

The dukester, American - American
********************************************
A vote for obama is a vote for the end of
democracy in America as we know it. Let the
rolling thunder guide your decision at the
ballot box to put an end to Imperial Obama.
May God bless America.
********************************************

MarkA

unread,
Aug 25, 2012, 3:48:20 PM8/25/12
to
> "Jerry's response was: 'I'm sorry, but leadership tells us we can’t
> play,'" Obey told me. "Exact quote: 'We can't play.' What they said
> right from the get-go was: It doesn't matter what the hell you do, we
> ain’t going to help you. We're going to stand on the sidelines and
Nice post, John. Thank you.

As a former Republican who was turned into a Democrat by GW and his fellow
GOPpers in both the House and Senate, it amazes me that anybody with brain
tissue above their medulla oblongata could vote for any Republican under
any circumstances, unless they are already extremely wealthy and see the
GOP as representing their interests.

When Mitch McConnell went on the news and said that the only thing he
cared about was denying Obama a second term, he should have been
immediately arrested and executed for treason and sedition. The job of a
Senator or Representative is NOT to try to put the President out of a job;
it is to run the country, regardless of who is in the White House.

It is just one of many examples of how the GOP doesn't give a damn about
the country, or the unemployed. Yet people continue to support them. Go
figure.

--
MarkA

If you can read this, you can stop reading now.


Logan Sacket

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Aug 25, 2012, 6:23:17 PM8/25/12
to
On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 15:48:20 -0400, MarkA <som...@somewhere.invalid>
wrote:
The job of the Congress is to uphold the constitution. If that is
getting a president out of office that has no interest in helping the
people but only gaining glory for himself, then I'm glad they are
there.

Syd_M

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Aug 25, 2012, 9:31:36 PM8/25/12
to
duke wrote:

> On Fri, 24 Aug 2012 20:48:10 -0300, John Manning <jrob...@terra.com.br> wrote:
>
> Massive promises, massive failures to provide.
>
>

Massive obstructions from your heroes, the TEABAGGERs...

--

PDW, an unbeliever

My comic blogs:

http://www.blogger.com/profile/09349466797640627506

Syd_M

unread,
Aug 25, 2012, 9:33:11 PM8/25/12
to
>>> "Jerry's response was: 'I'm sorry, but leadership tells us we can’t
>>> play,'" Obey told me. "Exact quote: 'We can't play.' What they said
>>> right from the get-go was: It doesn't matter what the hell you do, we
>>> ain’t going to help you. We're going to stand on the sidelines and
So, you aprove of the job the bigots are doing.
Thanks for proving how evil you assholes are.

sully

unread,
Aug 26, 2012, 9:26:45 AM8/26/12
to
http://www.economist.com/node/1772963

even the Economist called it a jobless recovery.

BTW, I read the Economist all the time, it's amazing the
contrast in thinking between a conservative magazine
and right wingers.


sully

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Aug 26, 2012, 9:29:24 AM8/26/12
to
On Aug 25, 3:23 pm, logan.sac...@gmail.com (Logan Sacket) wrote:
> On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 15:48:20 -0400, MarkA <some...@somewhere.invalid>
what a bald lie Logan. The repub congress
caucused on this long before Obama tried
to fix the problems the right
wing caused this country.

Lydig Avenue Kibbitzer

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Aug 26, 2012, 11:53:38 AM8/26/12
to
In article <eaebf0ea-8708-4653...@rq1g2000pbb.googlegroups.com>,
sully says...
from this 2003 article:

"A long-awaited study by the administration's
number-crunchers is rumoured to show that one-third
of these new jobs would come from eliminating
dividend taxation, while many of the rest would
come from accelerating cuts in marginal income-tax rates."

A fascinating theory of where jobs come from.
Still the GOP party line.

Am I supposed to imagine all these finally-adequately-rewarded
investors and CEOs investing in businesses in America?

Or will they continue the globalization, outsourcing,
invest-overseas trend that was practically old hat back in 2003?

There's a reason that skyscrapers -- no, *forests*
of skyscrapers -- are sprouting in countries America
once considered "third world".

The investor class has followed the Pied Pipers
of globalization and the business pitches of "partnering"
with job creators outside America -- business magazines
have been touting and chronicling this prevalent business
trend on every other page for over 20 years.

Job creation in the USA will *never* be spurred
significantly by giving sop after sop to the investor
class -- especially when merely doing so causes severe
deterioration of the situation of the lower and middle classes.
That *has* been the effect -- who's insane enough to
imagine it will not be again? What is it they say about
expecting different results from the same action?

MarkA

unread,
Aug 26, 2012, 12:10:10 PM8/26/12
to
On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 22:23:17 +0000, Logan Sacket wrote:


>>It is just one of many examples of how the GOP doesn't give a damn about
>>the country, or the unemployed. Yet people continue to support them. Go
>>figure.
>
> The job of the Congress is to uphold the constitution. If that is getting
> a president out of office that has no interest in helping the people but
> only gaining glory for himself, then I'm glad they are there.

You don't read very well, do you?

Syd_M

unread,
Aug 26, 2012, 9:55:30 PM8/26/12
to
MarkA wrote:

> On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 22:23:17 +0000, Logan Sacket wrote:
>
>
>>>It is just one of many examples of how the GOP doesn't give a damn about
>>>the country, or the unemployed. Yet people continue to support them. Go
>>>figure.
>>
>> The job of the Congress is to uphold the constitution. If that is getting
>> a president out of office that has no interest in helping the people but
>> only gaining glory for himself, then I'm glad they are there.
>
> You don't read very well, do you?
>

No, he most likely reads very well.
The problem is, he only reads what he wants to hear.

John H. Gohde

unread,
Aug 28, 2012, 7:03:00 AM8/28/12
to
It's funny how readily you choose to make a fool of yourself by
spouting forth on things you know nothing about.

Just Wondering

unread,
Aug 28, 2012, 4:04:26 PM8/28/12
to
It's sad how readily you choose to engage in behavior that shames your
mother.

Logan Sacket

unread,
Aug 28, 2012, 11:44:29 PM8/28/12
to
On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 06:29:24 -0700 (PDT), sully <suls...@yahoo.com>
wrote:
>> >> á á áDavid Obey, then-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, met
>> >> á á áwith his GOP counterpart, Jerry Lewis, to explain what Democrats had
>> >> á á áin mind for the stimulus and ask what Republicans wanted to include.
>> >> á á á"Jerry's response was: 'I'm sorry, but leadership tells us we canĺt
>> >> á á áplay,'" Obey told me. "Exact quote: 'We can't play.' What they said
>> >> á á áright from the get-go was: It doesn't matter what the hell you do, we
>> >> á á áainĺt going to help you. We're going to stand on the sidelines and
>> >> á á ábitch."
>>
>> >> To give this a little more flavor, let me add the following:
>>
>> >> á á á"We were in disarray," recalls Representative Pete Sessions of Texas.
>> >> á á á"People were comparing us to cockroaches, saying we weren't even
>> >> á á árelevant. We had to change the mind-set."
>>
>> >> á á á"We came in shellshocked," said Senator Lindsey Graham of South
>> >> á á áCarolina. "There was sort of a feeling of 'every man for himself.'
>> >> á á áMitch early on in this session came up with a game plan to make us
>> >> á á árelevant with 40 people. He said if we didn't stick together on big
>> >> á á áthings, we wouldn't be relevant."
>>
>> >> Rather than feeling any shame for what they had done to the country, the
>> >> Republicans decided to oppose everything the new president tried to do to
>> >> clean up their mess. It didn't matter whether they agreed with the policy
>> >> in the past. They just wanted to be "relevant" and do whatever they could
>> >> do to undermine Barack Obama.
>>
>> >> á á áRepublicans recognized that after Obama's big promises about
>> >> á á ábipartisanship, they could break those promises by refusing to
>> >> á á ácooperate. In the words of Congressman Tom Cole, a deputy Republican
>> >> á á áwhip: "We wanted the talking point: 'The only thing bipartisan was
>> >> á á áthe opposition.'"
>>
>> >> When you look back at the president's 2008 campaign about hope and change,
>> >> remember how the Republicans decided to strangle hope and change in the
>> >> crib, just because they could.
>>
>> >> The president offered his hand and it was slapped away. It's tragic that
>> >> the American people never really understood what happened and who was to
>> >> blame for partisan gridlock. The Republicans were richly rewarded in 2010
>> >> for their bad faith and deeply un-American strategy.
>>
>> >> We have to tell this story because the more people who understand it, the
>> >> fewer people will be fooled a second time.
>>
>> >> Links here:http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2012/8/24/101654/073
>>
>> >Nice post, John. áThank you.
>>
>> >As a former Republican who was turned into a Democrat by GW and his fellow
>> >GOPpers in both the House and Senate, it amazes me that anybody with brain
>> >tissue above their medulla oblongata could vote for any Republican under
>> >any circumstances, unless they are already extremely wealthy and see the
>> >GOP as representing their interests.
>>
>> >When Mitch McConnell went on the news and said that the only thing he
>> >cared about was denying Obama a second term, he should have been
>> >immediately arrested and executed for treason and sedition. áThe job of a
>> >Senator or Representative is NOT to try to put the President out of a job;
>> >it is to run the country, regardless of who is in the White House.
>>
>> >It is just one of many examples of how the GOP doesn't give a damn about
>> >the country, or the unemployed. áYet people continue to support them. áGo
>> >figure.
>>
>> The job of the Congress is to uphold the constitution. áIf that is
>> getting a president out of office that has no interest in helping the
>> people but only gaining glory for himself, then I'm glad they are
>> there.
>
>what a bald lie Logan. The repub congress
>caucused on this long before Obama tried
> to fix the problems the right
>wing caused this country.

Obama got everything he wanted in the first term. Instead of
concentrating like a laser on jobs, he pushed through stimulus, health
care and gave the auto manufacturers to the Unions.

sully

unread,
Aug 29, 2012, 1:58:48 AM8/29/12
to
On Aug 28, 8:44 pm, logan.sac...@gmail.com (Logan Sacket) wrote:
> On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 06:29:24 -0700 (PDT), sully <sulsn...@yahoo.com>
> >> >>      David Obey, then-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, met
> >> >>      with his GOP counterpart, Jerry Lewis, to explain what Democrats had
> >> >>      in mind for the stimulus and ask what Republicans wanted to include.
> >> >>      "Jerry's response was: 'I'm sorry, but leadership tells us we can’t
> >> >>      play,'" Obey told me. "Exact quote: 'We can't play.' What they said
> >> >>      right from the get-go was: It doesn't matter what the hell you do, we
> >> >>      ain’t going to help you. We're going to stand on the sidelines and
> >> >>      bitch."
>
> >> >> To give this a little more flavor, let me add the following:
>
> >> >>      "We were in disarray," recalls Representative Pete Sessions of Texas.
> >> >>      "People were comparing us to cockroaches, saying we weren't even
> >> >>      relevant. We had to change the mind-set."
>
> >> >>      "We came in shellshocked," said Senator Lindsey Graham of South
> >> >>      Carolina. "There was sort of a feeling of 'every man for himself.'
> >> >>      Mitch early on in this session came up with a game plan to make us
> >> >>      relevant with 40 people. He said if we didn't stick together on big
> >> >>      things, we wouldn't be relevant."
>
> >> >> Rather than feeling any shame for what they had done to the country, the
> >> >> Republicans decided to oppose everything the new president tried to do to
> >> >> clean up their mess. It didn't matter whether they agreed with the policy
> >> >> in the past. They just wanted to be "relevant" and do whatever they could
> >> >> do to undermine Barack Obama.
>
> >> >>      Republicans recognized that after Obama's big promises about
> >> >>      bipartisanship, they could break those promises by refusing to
> >> >>      cooperate. In the words of Congressman Tom Cole, a deputy Republican
> >> >>      whip: "We wanted the talking point: 'The only thing bipartisan was
> >> >>      the opposition.'"
>
> >> >> When you look back at the president's 2008 campaign about hope and change,
> >> >> remember how the Republicans decided to strangle hope and change in the
> >> >> crib, just because they could.
>
> >> >> The president offered his hand and it was slapped away. It's tragic that
> >> >> the American people never really understood what happened and who was to
> >> >> blame for partisan gridlock. The Republicans were richly rewarded in 2010
> >> >> for their bad faith and deeply un-American strategy.
>
> >> >> We have to tell this story because the more people who understand it, the
> >> >> fewer people will be fooled a second time.
>
> >> >> Links here:http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2012/8/24/101654/073
>
> >> >Nice post, John.  Thank you.
>
> >> >As a former Republican who was turned into a Democrat by GW and his fellow
> >> >GOPpers in both the House and Senate, it amazes me that anybody with brain
> >> >tissue above their medulla oblongata could vote for any Republican under
> >> >any circumstances, unless they are already extremely wealthy and see the
> >> >GOP as representing their interests.
>
> >> >When Mitch McConnell went on the news and said that the only thing he
> >> >cared about was denying Obama a second term, he should have been
> >> >immediately arrested and executed for treason and sedition.  The job of a
> >> >Senator or Representative is NOT to try to put the President out of a job;
> >> >it is to run the country, regardless of who is in the White House.
>
> >> >It is just one of many examples of how the GOP doesn't give a damn about
> >> >the country, or the unemployed.  Yet people continue to support them.  Go
> >> >figure.
>
> >> The job of the Congress is to uphold the constitution.  If that is
> >> getting a president out of office that has no interest in helping the
> >> people but only gaining glory for himself, then I'm glad they are
> >> there.
>
> >what a bald lie Logan.   The repub congress
> >caucused on this long before Obama tried
> > to fix the problems the right
> >wing caused this country.
>
> Obama got everything he wanted in the first term.  Instead of
> concentrating like a laser on jobs, he pushed through stimulus, health
> care and gave the auto manufacturers to the Unions.

Patent nonsense. His stimulus was
largely tax cuts to make sure the republicans
wouldn't filibuster.

Back on point, the republicans declared
themselves to obstruct Obama on everything
they could long before Obama tried to do
anything, so your comment about defending
the constitution was a typical bald faced right
wing lie.

Logan Sacket

unread,
Aug 29, 2012, 6:17:58 PM8/29/12
to
On Tue, 28 Aug 2012 22:58:48 -0700 (PDT), sully <suls...@yahoo.com>
wrote:
No it isn't. Obama has ignored the constitution by using executive
orders to allow illegal aliens to stay in the country. He refused to
hand over incriminating documents in the fast and furious
investigation, He actually brings lawsuits against states that are
upholding the law. He has dictated that Catholic enterprises provide
health care including contraceptives, and he is refusing to support
the defense of marriage act.

Jason

unread,
Aug 30, 2012, 1:29:18 AM8/30/12
to
In article <5044933f....@news.eternal-september.org>,
I second that emotion. You are 100% correct. Thanks.


hypatiab7

unread,
Aug 30, 2012, 2:40:38 AM8/30/12
to
On Saturday, August 25, 2012 5:57:55 AM UTC-4, Truth and honesty wrote:
> On Fri, 24 Aug 2012 20:48:10 -0300, John Manning wrote:
>
> > "Rather than feeling any shame
>
> > for what they had done to the country,
>
> > the Republicans decided to oppose
>
> > everything the new president tried
>
> > to do to clean up their mess."

>
> Actually under George Bush people, had jobs.

Actually, they started out with jobs when he started out as President. By the time his second term ended, people were losing jobs left and right, jobs were being sent out of the country
and CEOs were starting to get to get huge bonuses.
In spite of the Republicans blocking everything Obama has tried to do to improve things, Obama has
dtill managed to stop a depression, drag us out of a recession and get several bills passed. Some
improvement he managed to do in spite of the Republicans, and they hate that. The Republicans would rather let this coutry fall apart, sell us to the Chinese and live off the proceeds. The
Republicn Party is a Party of traitors. They don't
care at all about their constituents. All they care about is money and electing Rmoney.
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