February 11, 2009
Congress Hamstrings Obama

That's a trend we may see more of in coming months. Intentional or not, the workings of an aggressive Democratic majority will not match the political brand of post-partisanship (or hope-n-change) for which Obama is known.

Multiple reports of Republicans shut out of stimulus negotiations sets a clear marker. Sure, one could argue their lack of support for House and Senate versions doesn't earn them a seat at the table. But, Obama pledged to work with people.

Surprise: Members of Congress won't vote for a partisan bill from the other side of the aisle over which they have no say.

A few Senators aside, DC Democrats have managed to unite the GOP mere weeks after the Inauguration of the One. That won't make passage of future agenda items such as healthcare or energy reform any easier.

Exit question: how many Blue Dog Democrats in the House bail on this legislation after a couple weeks of listening to their constituents in the wake of their first stimulus vote?

Posted by Eric Earling at February 11, 2009 10:16 AM | Email This
Comments
1. Eric.. let them spend.. (BIG TIME) and when the jobs don't happen. Look out 2010.

Posted by: Medic/Vet on February 11, 2009 10:32 AM
2. I don't think they'll be 'hamstringing' him for long. The way POTUS Obama seems to be able to 'communicate' with the American public it won't be long before Congress has to succumb to his charm. He is a 'masterful' communicator (surpassing even Reagan) and after former President Bush (who couldn't communicate and/or relate to ANYthing) until objectivity plays it's course and his decisions prove to be erroneous - he will prevail by being able to go over the heads of Congress - directly to their bosses....US! :)

Posted by: Duffman on February 11, 2009 10:37 AM
3. 100 to 1 phone calls against the stimulus is going over the head of Congress? Doesn't add up in my book.

He communicates as well, ah,ah er,er, Bush.

Posted by: swatter on February 11, 2009 10:45 AM
4. Yeah Duffie... he's so good. All we hear is doom & gloom if you don't pass it now. Reagan never said this trash.

Please duffie.
Dumb is not part of your charm. 0-:

Posted by: Medic/Vet on February 11, 2009 11:01 AM
5. Now M/V...be nice. Wouldn't you like POTUS Obama to single you out of the crowd, embrace you and give you a voucher for brand-spankin new diving equipment. :)

Posted by: Duffman on February 11, 2009 11:04 AM
6. No Duffie..
Everything I own. I paid for.

By the way... This woman just came out of NO where into a press area for this. Please!
And was given a house she can't pay for. Another Obama tax cheat?
I did get a laugh out of the 19 yr old who has been working at McD's since 15...Rightttttttttt.

Posted by: Medic/Vet on February 11, 2009 11:56 AM
7. Intentional or not, the workings of an aggressive Democratic majority will not match the political brand of post-partisanship (or hope-n-change) for which Obama is known.

"is known"??? Do you believe Obama's lawyerly parsings in his beautiful fluffy say-nothing platitudes? That political brand of post-partisanship was a finely wrought image projected on the clouds for the true believers, after His revival meetings had brought the mob mentality up to speed.

Though it's difficult to do, compare his public utterances with his deeds over the last couple of decades. Had the MSM bothered to do its due diligence, the discrepancies would have been blatant and worthy of great skepticism. The MSM didn't, and it's a little late to discover skepticism, though better late than never.

Posted by: Insufficiently Sensitive on February 11, 2009 11:56 AM
8. Must be a slow day in politics if this is all Eric has to complain about.

Posted by: Cato on February 11, 2009 12:10 PM
9. Must be EVEN slower if Cato is here. HAHAHAHA

Posted by: Medic/Vet on February 11, 2009 12:59 PM
10. Well Eric, Democrats always pledge to "work with people". As long as those people agree with the Democrats.

As long as I have observed the left from the other side of the fence certain things have become clear:

When leftists declare that they want to have a "dialogue" they really mean, "you will see things our way". When they talk about "bi-partisan support", they really mean, "we'll sucker a few of you into voting for our legislation".

Older readers will remember when leftists were all about "conciousness raising", which was simply a code phrase for leftist brainwashing.

Once you understand the left you can no longer be fooled by them.

They lie, they cheat, and their ideas and programs don't work. Their social programs have destroyed families. Their permissive educational ideas have resulted in unprecedented drop out rates. Watch these people in the next few months, they will move to outlaw barbecues, gas powered lawn mowers, washing your truck in your own driveway and lord knows what else. They will move to further regulate the salt content of food. They will attempt to silence talk radio. Locally Nickels will once again try to ban bonfires at Alki. If you don't think any of this is coming you don't know the left.

We cannot "work with" the left.

We can defeat them if we get over the ridiculous notion that we can do so by compromising with these truly horrid people.


Posted by: Bill Cruchon on February 11, 2009 01:58 PM
11. Bill C

They just took offshore drilling of the board.

Posted by: Medic/vet on February 11, 2009 02:14 PM
12. OFF TOPIC aside to duffie... I was wondering about your reaction to THIS
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is finding that her job description is dissolving under her feet, leaving her with only a vestige of the power she must have thought she acquired when she signed on to be President Obama's chief Cabinet officer.

Since her designation:... READ THE REST.
Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on February 11, 2009 02:18 PM
13. Colin Powell backswiped the President when he was a SoS (there are two ways to read the abbrev.) Clinton will find a way, too.

Obama has a four ring circus going with all his foreign policy advisors. And no one has his back, either (to bring it back to topic).

Posted by: swatter on February 11, 2009 02:35 PM
14. Exactly Medic/vet @#11,

You and I never believed for a second when Obama, during the campaign, said he might favor offshore drilling.

It was political convenience and he was simply lying. Leftists are liars.

If I have any advice to impart here it is to never, ever, trust these people.

It did not help our side that we fielded a candidate that was against oil exploration in our own country, specifically in ANWR. Even worse,he'd bought into the global warming scam. Nice work, moderates.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on February 11, 2009 03:24 PM
15. I wouldn't know what a "masterful" communicator Obama is since I haven't watched a single one of his speeches. Never have, never will.

Posted by: Crusader on February 11, 2009 03:35 PM
16. Here ya go Bill:
It was political convenience and he was simply lying. Politicians are liars.

Fixed it for ya.

"Responsible leadership sets a tone of civility and bipartisanship that gets things done. I am a uniter, not a divider and, as the governor of Texas, that is how I have led. It is how I will lead in the White House." - George W. Bush in 2000.

Posted by: Cato on February 11, 2009 04:02 PM
17. #12 Rags: Thanks, that was an 'interesting' link. First of all, I don't much trust in anything that the 'toe-sucker' says...never have liked the guy (or trusted him). Discounting that...it's interesting how different the 'chain-of-command' is becoming, I agree however I'd put (& I know I have before and lost but...) my money on Mrs Clinton. If she feels like she's getting shoved around or worse 'patronized' I believe she has equal or better 'pressure' she can exert. Just wait 'till she's a bit acclimated, it'll be a different ball game. :)

Posted by: Duffman on February 11, 2009 04:12 PM
18. "If she feels like she's getting shoved around or worse 'patronized' I believe she has equal or better 'pressure' she can exert.Just wait 'till she's [Hildebeast] a bit acclimated, it'll be a different ball game."

Come on Duffman, he'll just keep giving Hillary his best 4 year heisman pose and say "hold on one second,sweetie" like he did that reporter back on the campaign trail. I believe the basketball term is "boxed out".

Posted by: Rick D. on February 11, 2009 04:40 PM
19. She's wise to all political gimmicks Rick D...of ANY one within the belt-way - SHE is wise to all of it and knows how to deal with it. There are MANY who owe her big time...and she can collect any time she wants.

Posted by: Duffman on February 11, 2009 04:50 PM
20. You're right, Bill C. You can always tell when a Dimocrat is lying...their lips are moving. Just like the Swindle-us package the Obamanator is trying to sell us. It won't accomplish a thing except to pay off the votes he bought....while bankrupting the country.

Posted by: Saltherring on February 11, 2009 05:15 PM
21. Cato @ #16,

If there is a hall of fame for people who simply don't get it you have to be a charter member.

One of the biggest mistakes Bush made was trying to make nice to the left.

It can't be done. Bush, a truly decent man, actually believed that people on the modern left were people you could reason with. He was sincere. The left kicked him in the nuts like the dirty fighters they are.

Get it now, Cato?

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on February 11, 2009 05:36 PM
22. exterminating republicans is not off the table, we wont need a vote on that. the gop is shit out of the toilet right now.

Posted by: bi_sexual_republican on February 11, 2009 07:33 PM
23. For once, I agree with All Facts! We do need protection from those who commit fraud, waste, and abuse, namely our current House of Representatives and Senate with their bogus stimulus package, more aptly named appropriations for the purpose of social engineering!

Posted by: katomar on February 11, 2009 07:59 PM
24. Best line yet explaining The Spendulus Sham:
So now, just weeks after the government gave the banks $700 billion (not all of which has even been given out yet), Obama proposes that the banks lend back $900 billion to the government.So now, just weeks after the government gave the banks $700 billion (not all of which has even been given out yet), Obama proposes that the banks lend back $900 billion to the government.

Uh huh.... remember all those now politically incorrect Polish jokes? Can we just substitute the adjective LIBERAL...??

http://www.redenvelopeproject.org/

Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on February 11, 2009 08:24 PM
25. Oh please spare us the indignation factless. Your team insults us, stabs us all in the back financiially, ignores us, then expects us to hold your hands and sing Kumbaya to celebrate twisting the knife.

NOT A CHANCE.

You are whining about money that was spent while advocating/defending sending MORE.

We had a WAR after our country was attacked. You laughed down your nose when Bush said to 'go shopping" and now bambi whines that no one is "shopping".

I am so sick and tired of the games you liars, liberals and syncophants play. This is now YOUR game: your team wrote it, your team passed it, your team lied about it, your team whined in favor of it: YOU OWN IT... and the consequences of it.

I (and I hope many others) will not participate. YOU want it, do it without us.

I read an article from the UK today... the opening line was a question: 'Is Obama's already a failed presidency?'

Hope and change dude, it's all yours.

We'll be here to pick up the pieces.

http://www.redenvelopeproject.org/

Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on February 11, 2009 08:45 PM
26. Rags, it was a failed presidency before he was even elected. Many of us said it was smoke and mirrors then, and so it seems now.

Posted by: katomar on February 11, 2009 09:11 PM
27. Facts: Don't twist my point, nitwit. I said "current" House of Reps and Senate. Smoke and mirrors, hiding behind the curtain. Been taking lessons?

Posted by: katomar on February 11, 2009 11:22 PM
28. BY THE WAY TRICKLE DOWN WAS A SCAM.

Unfortunately your trickle up POVERTY isn't.

You DO realize, "owner of 3 businesses" that if you make over a paltry $32000 you are one of the evil rich according to the bambi scam, don't you?

Welcome to hope and change where achievement is punished and failure is rewarded.

Tell you what. While we try to clean up the mess 99% of America knows the REPUBLICANS CAUSED

What color is the koolaid tonite?

How many economists shall I quote that refute that lie?

It was politicians, after all, who were determined to raise the home ownership rate from an already robust 64 percent--the highest in the developed world--to 69 percent or more (in retrospect, we probably would have been safe at 67 percent, given the current income distribution, but that extra 2 percent sent us over the proverbial edge). And it was government that pushed financial institutions to keep lending to ever riskier borrowers in order to achieve that goal.
Government created Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to "liquefy" the mortgage market--to buy mortgages and later to package them into securities. For decades, Fannie and Freddie limited their activity to prime mortgages. But at the behest of Congress and the administration, the two "government-sponsored enterprises" began buying subprime mortgages, to their ultimate regret. And now, to everyone's regret, the American taxpayer is on the hook for all of Fannie and Freddie's losses.

Oh now let me think... which inept lefty administration created the Community Reinvestment Act... and which other corrupt lefty administration expanded it... and which crooked lefty politicians benefited from it, defended it, protected it AND hired the crooks that made it fail? Remind us again after you put down your koolaid sippy cup, won't you?

And as far as whining and your BDS: you can't have it both ways: you want to blame Bush when he did something then blame him more when you feel he didn't.

It's all on your team now and we will hold you/him/them accountable, we will expose his duplicity and ridicule YOUR hypocrisy... and enjoy every single moment of it.

And THAT is what scares the pants off you the most: that your team IS "in charge" (such as it is /snicker) and there IS no one to cry about except THEM. The buck stops with bambi...too damned bad "PRESENT" won't cut it anymore.

Minutes after the Geithner "plan" was announced, the Dow Jones industrial average plunged. It finished the day down 381.99 points, or 4.6 percent. The Standard and Poor's 500-stock index fell 4.9 percent. And Obama's response is that Wall Street was expecting an easy solution. No, actually what Wall Street was expecting was a competent plan. It got neither.

The Europeans (you know those folks across that ocean that you liberals slobber over) are laughing at and mocking bambi with some regularity. Pull your face out of Huff/Koz and take a gander sometime. Russia, Venezuela and Iran are making threats and bambi is whining about prospect of right-wing gov't in Israel. But hey, "Bush couldn't speak well" and you're getting your whopping $13/week! You do get that the "speak well" joke is on YOU don't you? GWB may have said what he had to say ineptly, but you knew exactly what you were getting. bambi tells you NOTHING with very pretty words, lovely platitudes and a smarmy voice...as long as the teleprompter works. Oh, remind me again...what president before 44 ever took his teleprompter to a PRESS CONFERENCE? Gosh, you know, I wonder if Berlin is STILL impressed? LMAO. (Hint: they aren't... big oopsie for bambi)


AND, we'll be here to pick up the pieces.


http://www.redenvelopeproject.org/

Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on February 11, 2009 11:47 PM
29. Remember Politics is composed of 2 words -
Poli (form of poly) meaning MANY
Tics (form of ticks) - a blood-sucking insect

Thus Many blood-sucking insects!

Posted by: Aldomeir on February 12, 2009 03:51 AM
30. How on earth can one have a political discourse with people who pull phrases such as "The Bush Crime Family" out of their hats?

It simply isn't possible.

I know it is wasted effort, but I'd love to see "Facts" and other lefties actually try to live their lives without the benefits evil capitalism has bestowed upon them.

They simply haven't a clue.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on February 12, 2009 08:32 AM
31. Factless dribbled out:

Putting lobbyists in place to regulate EVERY INDUSTRY

William Lynn, lobbyist for Raytheon, now Deputy SecDef.

William Corr, lobbyist for the tobacco industry, now Deputy Sec HHS.

Mark Patterson, Chief of Staff for SecTreas, was for YEARS a lobbyist of TARP-baby Goldman Sachs.

Eric Holder, lobbyist for bankrupt and defunct Global Crossing (Adelphia-lite, anyone?) is now Attorney General.

Tom Vilsack, Sec Agriculture, lobbyist for NEA.

David Hayes, deputy interior secretary nominee, lobbyist for San Diego Gas & Electric.

And the list goes on and on with dozens more... Seems President Obama has NO PROBLEM with putting lobbyists in charge of the industries they represented for years.

Not to mention actually putting an admitted TAX CHEAT in place as the top tax man!

You want to look like you actually give a damn about what's happening other than being a simple, ignorant, partisan hate-monger?

CONDEMN THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION FOR DOING THE EXACT SAME THING YOU CONDEMNED THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION FOR DOING.

Come on, you can do it. Write out "I condemn the Obama Crime Family for putting lobbyists in place to regulate EVERY industry and for putting an admitted TAX CHEAT in charge of the IRS".

I know you won't do that. Meaning your own hypocritical partisanship is just laid bare once again, for all to see...

Posted by: Shanghai Dan on February 12, 2009 09:17 AM
32. "Facts" can you support any of the positions you have taken above?

Of course you can't, it's just leftist blather.

The "facts" are that the US economy enjoyed low unemployment and growth throughout the Bush Administration. That prosperity was in spite of the horrific disastor of 911.

The "facts" you choose to ignore lie in the seeds you leftists planted by enacting laws that forced lending institutions to make loans to people that didn't have the means to repay them. This phoney scheme caused housing prices to inflate beyond reason...yet another unintended consequence of dimbulb liberal thinking. When the Bush Administration and Alan Greenspan attempted to stop this insane practice Democrats in Congress blocked it. Those are the "facts".

When the housing market collapsed as a result of all these bad loans Democrats tried to blame everyone but themselves. They still are.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on February 12, 2009 09:30 AM
33. Yes, Bill, you are absolutely right. It was a government sponsored ponzi scheme. Madoff is a dilletante compared to the likes of the liberal con artists who passed that particular legislation, and then covered up the pending crisis despite repeated warnings.

Posted by: katomar on February 12, 2009 09:35 AM
34. Now there's a credible source. Maybe you didn't happen to notice "facts" but the Washington Post article you linked to was written by...are you ready folks...Eliot Spitzer.

Next time you decide to rant and rage about Limbaugh and Hannity you might check your own sources.

Thanks for giving me the best laugh I've had all week.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on February 12, 2009 03:01 PM
35. We see you for the transparent and hypocritical partisan FOOL you are, Factless. You refuse to condemn President Obama for the EXACT SAME ACTIONS you condemned President Bush for.

So you're a liar (I didn't say hundreds, I said dozens), and you're a pathological hypocrite.

And you don't own 3 businesses.

HOPE AND CHANGE!

Posted by: Shanghai Dan on February 12, 2009 03:14 PM
36. This is what you ought to read, "facts"

:http://www.openmarket.org/2008/08/05/affordable-housing-diversity-mandates-caused-mortgage-crisis/

Ill-considered liberal do-goodism caused this economic mess. It stemmed from Democrats and their "Community Reinvestment Act" which forced banks to make loans which were likely to never be repaid.

Understand the gist of this, "facts". The government FORCED banks to make these loans.

Hannity and Limbaugh didn't make it up. Liberals did.

When Bush and Greenspan tried to put a halt to this insanity Chris Dodd, Barney Frank and the Democrats were the ones who blocked reforms.

And while you are whining about us evil right-wingers you better start figuring out how you are going to support Social Security, Medicare, and the trillion dollar "stimulus" you are about to pass.

And oh yes, I don't believe you own 3-businesses either. Doesn't matter to you of course, leftists think nothing of lying.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on February 12, 2009 03:29 PM
37. "facts" won't read this because his mind has long been closed.

However, here is one of the best articles I've read explaining how liberals unwittingly engineered the collapse of the economy.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02052008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/the_real_scandal_243911.htm

Liberals get overwhelmed with do-goodism. I guess it makes them feel better. They rarely seem to forsee the consequences. More cynically perhaps they believed that they could simply blame evil capitalists if things went wrong. I don't think they looked that far ahead. But naturally they blame capitalists when their ideas turn out to be poorly considered. What a nice bunch.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on February 12, 2009 03:50 PM
38. Facts: "stopped them from redlining minorities", not quite. They stopped banks from redlining mortgage seekers who were patently unable to make the mortgage payments. And the end result of that is that thousands of people are losing their homes. That sure helped them, didn't it?

Posted by: katomr on February 12, 2009 04:24 PM
39. To all those liberals who are always complaining about "right wing" Bush supporters...
Bush is not was not never claimed to be Conservative. He is, was Moderate. Many many Conservatives... of many parties.... have complained about Bush for a long long time.

The Republican Party as a whole has become this "moderate" party. Conservatives are not currently represented by any major party.

Posted by: ljm on February 13, 2009 08:07 AM
40. Factless wrote:

So President Obama hired a horse judge to run FEMA?

No, he hired an admitted TAX CHEAT to run the IRS!

Posted by: Shanghai Dan on February 13, 2009 08:33 AM
41. Getting a "journalism lesson" from a someone who uses Eliot Spitzer as a credible news source is like getting a lecture on sports ethics from Alex Rodriguez.

You just have to wonder what news outlets "facts" considers to be credible.

Hmmm, let me guess. The New York Times, NBC, the Associated Press, CNN,. I don't think I need go on.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on February 13, 2009 12:13 PM
42. Do you think the economoc crisis has increased the amount of payday loans

Posted by: Easy to Get Payday Loans on February 18, 2009 12:15 PM
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