Comments on: Obama’s #1 Priority Is Bipartisanship http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/ Firedoglake weblog Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:48:03 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Ian Welsh http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1783230 Ian Welsh Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:48:24 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1783230 <p>Those were oversimplifications. One day I should write an article about why I hate Economics 101. It’s simplified into being effectively incorrect.</p> Those were oversimplifications. One day I should write an article about why I hate Economics 101. It’s simplified into being effectively incorrect.

]]> By: Ian Welsh http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1783227 Ian Welsh Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:46:31 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1783227 <p>I defended Obama and Reid on Buriss. If they do things I agree on, I’ll say so and even defend them, against my own co-bloggers if it comes to it. Does anyone who regularly reads my writing think it would be possible for me to even slightly intellectually consistent with my prior writing and be for massive tax cuts at this time?</p> <p>Of course not. Anyone who reads my stuff regularly would expect me to be against them. Nor have I ever been a big believer in bipartisanship.</p> I defended Obama and Reid on Buriss. If they do things I agree on, I’ll say so and even defend them, against my own co-bloggers if it comes to it. Does anyone who regularly reads my writing think it would be possible for me to even slightly intellectually consistent with my prior writing and be for massive tax cuts at this time?

Of course not. Anyone who reads my stuff regularly would expect me to be against them. Nor have I ever been a big believer in bipartisanship.

]]> By: raven333 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1783165 raven333 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:19:09 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1783165 <p>My further thoughts on this <a href="http://adviceunasked.blogspot.com/2009/01/corruption-of-harry-reid-bipartisan.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Executive summary: Harry Reid is corrupt, there’s a bipartisan coalition which includes conservative Democrats and Republicans, so Obama has to move carefully.</p> My further thoughts on this here. Executive summary: Harry Reid is corrupt, there’s a bipartisan coalition which includes conservative Democrats and Republicans, so Obama has to move carefully.

]]> By: MarkH http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1783109 MarkH Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:33:44 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1783109 <blockquote><p> Well, at this point, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, and the rest of the Republicans on the Hill have shown absolutely no inclination to get along and play nice and work toward ‘consensus’ or ‘healing.’ </p></blockquote> <p>True, but it’s early in the year. As legislation arises and events occur there may be opportunities. Time will tell.</p> <p>Remember too, that any big Energy bill or Health Care reform will be like social programs that go on for decades and you want a lot of support for them. “Drill baby drill!” might sound idiotic, but if that’s required to get to a Green World, then maybe it’s worth it. What might be required to get some bipartisan support on the health care reform isn’t clear yet. I think they’re still early in discussions on the recent proposals.</p> <blockquote><p> So why should Obama allow them to set the agenda and the terms when the election was a total repudiation of their agenda? </p></blockquote> <p>Who said anything about letting them set the agenda. Heck, things are so out of whack that nobody really sets the agenda. They’ve all got to respond to the crises. Of course Obama and his team set the schedule for handling them and they largely cooperate with Congressional Dems to set up the range of things they’ll discuss.</p> <p>Except for a policy of trying to negate everything I don’t yet know what the Republicans might aim for. It would certainly be nice if the Republicans had more leadership around their table. I don’t think McConnell and Boehner can get it done without a broader national consensus of what the Republican electorate and politicans want.</p>

Well, at this point, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, and the rest of the Republicans on the Hill have shown absolutely no inclination to get along and play nice and work toward ‘consensus’ or ‘healing.’

True, but it’s early in the year. As legislation arises and events occur there may be opportunities. Time will tell.

Remember too, that any big Energy bill or Health Care reform will be like social programs that go on for decades and you want a lot of support for them. “Drill baby drill!” might sound idiotic, but if that’s required to get to a Green World, then maybe it’s worth it. What might be required to get some bipartisan support on the health care reform isn’t clear yet. I think they’re still early in discussions on the recent proposals.

So why should Obama allow them to set the agenda and the terms when the election was a total repudiation of their agenda?

Who said anything about letting them set the agenda. Heck, things are so out of whack that nobody really sets the agenda. They’ve all got to respond to the crises. Of course Obama and his team set the schedule for handling them and they largely cooperate with Congressional Dems to set up the range of things they’ll discuss.

Except for a policy of trying to negate everything I don’t yet know what the Republicans might aim for. It would certainly be nice if the Republicans had more leadership around their table. I don’t think McConnell and Boehner can get it done without a broader national consensus of what the Republican electorate and politicans want.

]]> By: Bluetoe2 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1783013 Bluetoe2 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:36:14 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1783013 <p>Get ready for a rough ride. Obama is going to bend over backwards to appease the Republicans. In that sense he will not be the transformational president many had hoped for but rather a transitional president. He will merely put his finger in the dike while things continue to deteriorate for the working and middle classes. Of course now that he is the leader of the oligarchy he will do all in his power to protect his own. He’ll be transitional as was Kerensky before the ultimate revolution.</p> Get ready for a rough ride. Obama is going to bend over backwards to appease the Republicans. In that sense he will not be the transformational president many had hoped for but rather a transitional president. He will merely put his finger in the dike while things continue to deteriorate for the working and middle classes. Of course now that he is the leader of the oligarchy he will do all in his power to protect his own. He’ll be transitional as was Kerensky before the ultimate revolution.

]]> By: bigbrother http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1782955 bigbrother Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:10:02 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1782955 <p>What Obama promised regarding taxes:<br /> A cut for 90+% of the peoplw with higher taxes on those earning over $250,000.00 in a debate with McInsane in Warren’s Church on national TV.</p> What Obama promised regarding taxes:
A cut for 90+% of the peoplw with higher taxes on those earning over $250,000.00 in a debate with McInsane in Warren’s Church on national TV.

]]> By: SouthernLiberal http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1782937 SouthernLiberal Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:58:25 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1782937 <p>I absolutely hate the idea of capitulating and basically “bending over” for the Republicans. We have control of both the House and the Senate as well as having the White House. It’s about time to get some things done that benefit the 90% rather than everything benefiting the 2%.</p> I absolutely hate the idea of capitulating and basically “bending over” for the Republicans. We have control of both the House and the Senate as well as having the White House. It’s about time to get some things done that benefit the 90% rather than everything benefiting the 2%.

]]> By: selise http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1782912 selise Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:45:55 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1782912 <blockquote><p>Barack Obama said many times during his campaign that he wanted tax cuts/breaks for the middle class in this country. Now that he’s proposing it, you’re going nuts over it!</p></blockquote> <p>i don’t thats the case. obama’s campaign tax plan was revenue neutral - tax breaks for the middle class but taxes were raised on the wealthy. what we’re hearing about now is something like $300 billion in tax cuts - money that could be used for an effective stimulus. as eCAHN explains above (@66), that’s just nuts.</p>

Barack Obama said many times during his campaign that he wanted tax cuts/breaks for the middle class in this country. Now that he’s proposing it, you’re going nuts over it!

i don’t thats the case. obama’s campaign tax plan was revenue neutral – tax breaks for the middle class but taxes were raised on the wealthy. what we’re hearing about now is something like $300 billion in tax cuts – money that could be used for an effective stimulus. as eCAHN explains above (@66), that’s just nuts.

]]> By: raven333 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1782886 raven333 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:29:28 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1782886 <p>Like his hero Lincoln, right? Who tried and tried to find common ground with the Southerners and keep the Union together without offending the reactionaries. I can only wonder if the conservatives will respond as the Southerners of Lincoln’s day–by starting a revolution.</p> Like his hero Lincoln, right? Who tried and tried to find common ground with the Southerners and keep the Union together without offending the reactionaries. I can only wonder if the conservatives will respond as the Southerners of Lincoln’s day–by starting a revolution.

]]> By: KayInMaine http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1782871 KayInMaine Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:24:09 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/05/obamas-1-priority-is-bipartisanship/#comment-1782871 <p>Barack Obama said many times during his campaign that he wanted tax cuts/breaks for the middle class in this country. Now that he’s proposing it, you’re going nuts over it! </p> <p>THE BOTTOM LINE: the republicans will hate the idea of tax cuts/breaks for the middle class, because THEY LOVE TAX CUTS/BREAKS FOR THE UBER WEALTHY IN THIS COUNTRY. </p> <p>Trust me. The republicans will do what they always do:</p> <p><strong>THEY’LL DRAG THEIR ASSES ON THE GROUND LIKE A DOG WITH WORMS IN REACTION TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WHO NEED THE MONEY/BREAK!</strong></p> <p>Yep. They’ll act like the sick dogs they are. The End.</p> Barack Obama said many times during his campaign that he wanted tax cuts/breaks for the middle class in this country. Now that he’s proposing it, you’re going nuts over it!

THE BOTTOM LINE: the republicans will hate the idea of tax cuts/breaks for the middle class, because THEY LOVE TAX CUTS/BREAKS FOR THE UBER WEALTHY IN THIS COUNTRY.

Trust me. The republicans will do what they always do:

THEY’LL DRAG THEIR ASSES ON THE GROUND LIKE A DOG WITH WORMS IN REACTION TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WHO NEED THE MONEY/BREAK!

Yep. They’ll act like the sick dogs they are. The End.

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