OBAMA: “I’ve reached my limit. This may bring my presidency down, but I will not yield on this.”

[kpete]

WASHINGTON, July 13 | Wed Jul 13, 2011 7:37pm EDT



"I have reached the point where I say enough," Obama said, according to the aide. "Would Ronald Reagan be sitting here? I've reached my limit. This may bring my presidency down, but I will not yield on this."


http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/13/usa-debt-meeting-limit-idUSWEN537520110713
http://thinkprogress.org/special/2011/07/13/269010/ive-reached-my-limit-this-may-bring-my-presidency-down-but-i-will-not-yield-on-this/
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/58937.html
http://www.nationaljournal.com/cantor-obama-stormed-out-of-debt-ceiling-talks-20110713
JUST UPDATED HERE:
(snippet)
One Democrat familiar with what transpired took issue with Cantor's account, blaming him for obstinately continuing to press for a short-term extension after Obama has already rejected the idea, describing the scene as Cantor's back-of-the-plane moment, a reference to the incident when then-Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) bitterly complained about sitting in the back of Air Force One and later shutdown the government.
the rest:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/president-obama-gave-both-sides.php?ref=fpa




edited to add:



loving this....
The Hill reports that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi disputed Cantor's account of what occurred at the end of the meeting.

"Cantor's account of tonight's meeting is completely overblown," a House Democratic aide told HuffPost. "For someone who knows how to walk out of a meeting, you'd think he<'d> know it when he saw it. Cantor rudely interrupted the President three times to advocate for short-term debt ceiling increases while the President was wrapping the meeting. This is just more juvenile behavior from him and Boehner needs to rein him in, and let the grown-ups get to work."
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/171403-obama-warns-cantor-dont-call-my-bluff-in-debt-talks
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/13/obama-debt-ceiling-meeting_n_897815.html

[Scuba]

1. More Spine! More Spine!!

[russspeakeasy]

96. Some spine! Any spine!

[divvy]

167. Borrow a Spine! Improvise a Spine!

[SemperEadem]

190. use my spine, for god's sake!! Just get some spine!

[kenfrequed]

194. I won't fault him for standing up.

No matter how disappointed I have been, I support his standing up because I am against cuts and austerity economics that the Conservatives seem to be in love with.

[divvy]

217. Right ! It's all in the Spine ! Buy a Spine for Crying out Loud !

[RedCloud]

226. become a Spinosaurus and devour republicans...

Keep inviting them. Just say I'd like to have you over for a quick snack...

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinos/Spinosaurus.shtml

[DesertDiamond]

244. LOL!

[woo me with science]

198. Spine for what? He is protecting his "big deal" with spending cuts and "trimmed" benefits.

We are being fed drama and played like fools.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1485883

[grahamhgreen]

209. You may well be right. There is no deal on tax increases or defense cuts that he's standing up for.

[socialist_n_TN]

2. About time.........

My limit on "bipartisanship" was reached about 6 months into his term.

[TBF]

8. I lost it when he appointed his economic team the first week. nt

[socialist_n_TN]

32. It's that Zen calm of mine TBF..........

:)

[Tansy_Gold]

73. At least since 11/24/08

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=7922946#7922951

[JTFrog]

180. Yea, some never had any intentions of giving the man a chance. n/t

[JuniperLea]

239. Absofuckinglutely spot the freak effing on!

[TBF]

253. Give HIM a chance? He sold us out with his choice of advisors. nt

[disillusioned73]

184. Hey Tansy... haven't seen you posting much,

I always enjoyed (and agreed) with a lot of your takes when I first came to DU.

[Tansy_Gold]

218. I generally confine my posts to certain areas

where I'm least likely to be flamed for my sometime unorthodox views.

It's nice to know I've been missed!



TG

[txlibdem]

270. Can I ditto the other poster, please

PS, I get flamed all the time but I don't know how to stop telling the truth and trying to educate the fools, tools, and others who've been misled. When certain posters flame me that is my signal that I am 1. telling the truth, and 2. right on track with what the American people/world needs.

[cilla4progress]

79. I'm with you ...

sinking feeling in the gut. Know it well, by now.

[SusanaMontana41]

Hear hear, socialist_n_TN!

:hi:

[socialist_n_TN]

216. Hey Susana! Good to see your moniker again.

And a :hi: to you too.

[Phlem]

83. About Freakin F*cking time.

I reached my limit with "bipartisanship" during his presidential acceptance speech.

-p

[Hawkowl]

157. Ha! I HATED his keynote speech for Kerry

"No red states, no blue states....yada yada." Fuck the Rethuglicans till they beg for mercy and then fuck 'em again.

Maybe, just maybe, he is begining to understand the depth of contempt, hatred, and utter disdain Rethuglicans have for him.

I want Obama to force the Rethugs to cause a default and have their furious corporate masters beat them senseless.

[earcandle]

166. Hawkowl! That is mean.

[dionysus]

204. good to know your hatred goes back that far... really i'm shocked...

:rofl:

[JuniperLea]

241. My... how partisan of you...

I take it PBO's pragmatic nature really chaps your hide!

[Hawkowl]

243. Pragmatic = without principle

Without loyalty, without a moral compass. Or everything is for sale. Take your pick.

[JuniperLea]

245. So, do you believe that one party should be able to run the whole show...

Even though there are enough thought differences to fill three or four parties?

[Hawkowl]

247. A non-sequitir

I believe that Obama ACTS like there is only one party to run the show.

[JuniperLea]

248. So you refuse to answer the question...

That's fine... and telling.

[Hawkowl]

250. Ok

I'm not avoiding your question. It is just I glean your agenda from your multitude of posts and have no illusion about changing your non-ideological predisposition.

However, for the public record, no, I don't believe in a one party system. I believe in fierce advocacy of one's position in the court of public opinion. I don't believe in equivocation or false dichotomies or false equivalencies. However, this would require that one HAVE a point of view, not just being pragmatic or vacuous.

For example, Obama care is virtually identical to Romney care. His support for warrantless wiretaps and upholding the status quo in terms of Wall Street Banksters and oil companies is also virtually identical to Republican policies.

[JuniperLea]

251. Wow... you've read every single one of my posts!

I'm flattered... and confused:) Mainly because most people who know me know to never "expect" something in particular from me... I'm the consummate Gemini... who doesn't really believe in that stuff... but the list of personality traits really is spot on.

What would you have a president do within a two party system? If there should be more than one party ruling, who decides what issues from which party should be furthered? Should the president only be president for their own party?

A person can be pragmatic and still have a POV and a very strong ideology. Pragmatism doesn't automatically suck the will from a person. I think the president said it best when he said we need to eat our peas. When we try to find a middle ground or divvy up between Democratic and Republican ideals, there will be some on both sides who cringe... we tend to cringe when we eat our peas.

You can't have a two party system without having some from column A and some from column B... and you can damn well bet that everyone will find something to hate in that scenario.

[Phlem]

252. Hey Thanks for clearing that up.

"What would you have a president do within a two party system? If there should be more than one party ruling, who decides what issues from which party should be furthered?

The full constituent of the united States, not the "special few" in the body politic like we have now.


"I think the president said it best when he said we need to eat our peas. When we try to find a middle ground or divvy up between Democratic and Republican ideals, there will be some on both sides who cringe... we tend to cringe when we eat our peas."

yeah except for the "special few" who eat prime fucking rib everyday and shit out peas for us to eat.


"You can't have a two party system without having some from column A and some from column B... and you can damn well bet that everyone will find something to hate in that scenario."


Then why has the middle class been only allowed to take from column C, you know the empty column?

:eyes:

jeezuz h

-p

[JuniperLea]

257. Wow... sorry... I just have to say it...

That was a really moronic post!

We the People do elect the "special few" so get off your ass. Vote, call, fax, email...

It is the duty of those we elect to make these decisions... you can't put everything into a vote.

That column C crap was just a crappy cop out... a diversion... a deflection... a way to get away with NOT answering a direct question.

Seriously moronic.

[Phlem]

259. and the name calling comes

nice.

-p

[JuniperLea]

260. I called no one a name...

Please read with your best comprehension skilz.

[kenfrequed]

193. Sure...

But aren't you glad he's standing up? I mean I wish he had shown this kind of thing prior to 2010. If he had the Repukes probably never would have taken shit.

But again, I am not going to fault him for standing up, no matter how late in the game it seems.

[deutsey]

197. Same here n/t

[spanone]

3. i stand behind you 100% President Obama. stand firm.

[Maru Kitteh]

111. Amen! Beautiful words to hear.

Fuggem.

[Enrique]

4. Cantor left out the Ronald Reagan part

"I have reached the point where I say enough," Obama said, according to the aide. "Would Ronald Reagan be sitting here? I've reached my limit. This may bring my presidency down, but I will not yield on this."


Apparently SOMETHING happened and Cantor rushed out to spin it in a certain direction first.

[fascisthunter]

10. what a douche bag

he really did leave that out.

[arcane1]

5. "Would Ronald Reagan be sitting here? = excellent, this might make people curious...

and lead them to information about Reagan and the debt limit :evilgrin:

[Zorra]

63. Yeah, Reagan would be sitting there.

Snoring.

[Ken Burch]

90. Reagan might sit there, but it wouldn't matter much. He's pretty much down to the bones by now.

(Granted, it might freak a few people out that there was a skeleton in an old suit at the table).

[Mojorabbit]

148. That is some visual you paint there. LOL nt

[Major Hogwash]

129. No shit!! Ronnie slept through half of his first term in the White House.

He called those short periods of sleep "cat naps".
Everyone else called it his 1-2 after lunch nappy time.

Just like in kindergarten!

Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

[1StrongBlackMan]

82. Sadly ...

The only people that will take that step will be the ones that are already informed. The rest will do what they've always done ... wait for fox"news" to tell them what to think.

[fascisthunter]

No... you will win because you will prove you are on the People's side

[Blue Owl]

221. Bingo

How can 70%+ support bring him down? Who's he getting his #'s from?

[DesertDiamond]

246. He may know that the voting can be rigged. Which it has been. Which will happen again if we don't

pay attention to that critical issue of computerized voting. That should be our #1 issue. It could solve at least 50% of the problem, if not 100%. But we're not paying attention to it.

[Bonobo]

6. We LIKE spine. It might save your presidency! nt

[kpete]

56. yep

[midnight]

100. Never tire of the back bone cartoon...

[Beacool]

123. I hadn't seen this toon before.

:rofl:

[dionysus]

201. and just where have you been young lady? carousing about i am sure...

:hi:

[Beacool]

230. Ohhhhh, such a pretty banky.

I don't think that you ever gave me that one before.

Thank you!!!

:hug:

[laundry_queen]

224. Okay, I needed a warning before that. Now I need a new keyboard. nt

[colorado_ufo]

228. OMG!!!!! ROFLOL!!!!

Somehow I missed this, first time I've seen it. Mr. Fish, you summed it all up!

Super.

:rofl:

[gateley]

7. "I've reached my limit." Music to our ears! You go, O! nt

[JuniperLea]

242. He finally found that drumstick... now we can have...

[gateley]

249. Bwah! I LOVE it. My new wallpaper -- thanks!! nt

[Cali_Democrat]

9. FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:applause:

[TBF]

11. Now that is the first decent Obama quote I've seen in awhile. nt

[pnwmom]

12. Wow. I thought this was going to be a DUer telling the President

what he OUGHT to say.

:)

[Ruby the Liberal]

13. Hrm. Yield on what?

I wonder what point sent him over the edge?

[MsPithy]

69. YES! ??? Won't yield on what?

Why do I have this sick feeling Obama will insist on cutting the social safety net? I fervently hope I'm wrong.

[1StrongBlackMan]

88. Why ...

I suspect because you need something to feed your "Obama Bad" rage ... even if you have to build it in your own mind. (With the help of others with similar needs, of course.)

[MsPithy]

102. Why isn't President Obama jumping on McConnell deal?

This is from Jay Carney today.

""This is not a preferred option," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said of McConnell's proposal in his daily briefing.

McConnell's proposal for avoiding debt default -- to transfer full power to raise the debt ceiling to the White House for the remainder of Obama's current term, cutting Congress out of the process -- does nothing to address deficit reduction, Carney said. And Obama is set on making sizable cuts.

"The president is firmly committed to significant cuts in spending and to dealing with our deficit and debt problems in a balanced way," he said. "Bigger is better. ... It's an opportunity for a game-changer, to put the United States on much firmer ground as we really get into the 21st century and the economic competition that confronts us."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/13/white-house-says-mcconnell-debt-proposal-not-preferred-option_n_897616.html

If you can read this and not get a chill down your spine about cuts to the social safety net, ... well, I hope you're right.

[1StrongBlackMan]

115. I suspect because ...

"The president is firmly committed to significant cuts in spending and to dealing with our deficit and debt problems in a balanced way," he said. "Bigger is better. ... It's an opportunity for a game-changer, to put the United States on much firmer ground as we really get into the 21st century and the economic competition that confronts us."

It's time to get all he can. It is too early to go to a fall back position when he has the republicans on the ropes. As it is, he claims the position that he has tried to cut spending (for the independents) AND raised revenue (for America). If the deal goes through, he wins (and America wins) as a leader; if it doesn't, he still wins as the reasonable adult (though America doesn't).

[stuckinarut]

125. I missed the part where McConnell is on the ropes...

From my read of the situation, this "deal" amounts to nothing more than placing all the blame for all future debt/deficit arguments on the President.

Thats all this deal does.

[SharonAnn]

150. Absolutely! It puts it all on Obama, for several more times before the elections.

Bullsh-t!

[PatrynXX]

143. That is one thing that corrected his medicare/SS fiasco

that he acknowledged he's paying a price to move the compromises way way over to the right and still the idiot Tea Party won't budge. Republicans are screwed. They vote they might get voted out in 2012, but then when the Dems bowl the extremists over. Won't be much tea bagging talking. (where's those nuts? hell Traci Lords did tea bagging. ) provided you understood french because it's legal everywhere but freedom of speech land. Maybe he finally figured out he's not playing with Republicans. They aren't pulling the strings anymore, it's these idiots way over in 1936 Germany doing the talking...

[julian09]

263. Won't pass Gop House

[Moosepoop]

110. Ahh... hahahaha!!!

Love it!! Thanks for that, and welcome to DU, 1StrongBlackMan!!! :hi:

[JDPriestly]

130. Yes. What is Obama not yielding on. That was my question too.

And I agree. Backbone over what?

I will not vote for anyone who agrees to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Our military is way extended.

And if we stopped agreeing to cost plus contracts, we could reign in our deficits.

Think about it. Cost-plus contracts. What a nutty idea when you are dealing with double-crossing right-wing oriented, greed-is-good defense contractors.

Close half of our overseas bases and end the cost-plus contracts. That would probably get us in the black in just a few years.

[MissDeeds]

172. +1

[Liberalynn]

185. +1

[Ruby the Liberal]

153. Welcome to DU

[joshcryer]

158. Taxes. It's their sacred cow.

[LaurenG]

14. This is the Obama I've been waiting for. Thank Goodness he's had enough

Thank goodness. Now I feel like working for him instead of just voting for him. :bounce:

[JuniperLea]

240. Yay!

[silverweb]

15. Yes, Mr. President!!

GObama!

[Zenlitened]

16. Source is a repuke aide. Pres. Obama needs to go prime-time and lay it on the line himself.

[theophilus]

17. That's more like it. I feel hope rekindling. Let's see what happens now. n/t

[boston bean]

18. Reached his limit with what? the repubs not agreeing to the 4T$ deal?

[CleanGreenFuture]

22. I'm confused too.

[grahamhgreen]

94. Rather meaningless, IMHO.

[drokhole]

19. Right the fuck on, Mr. President!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
:yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock:
:headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

[CleanGreenFuture]

20. Yield on what? What did I miss? Is there a proposal?

Is he talking about the $4 Trillion in cuts and revenues?

[pa28]

77. Yeah. That's what I was wondering about.

Is that idea he's holding firm to?

[rucky]

171. A short-term raise to the debt ceiling.

[grahamhgreen]

206. Which is pretty meaningless, IMHO.

[Agony]

21. Why would doing the right thing bring his presidency down?

If he does the right thing his support will only grow stronger.

[OnyxCollie]

133. A rigged election, perhaps?

We've seen what happens to people who do "the right thing," i.e., that which does not benefit big corporations or the Republican party.

They get fucked over.

So, if Obama does the right thing, he can expect to lose the Presidency through an onslaught of political ads (courtesy of Citizens United) and by a manipulation of election results (courtesy of ES&S.)

(There are worse things that can happen, but this venue is not suited for that discussion.)

Why do you think the Obama DoJ hasn't enforced their order for ES&S to diversify? It's been over a year now. Wouldn't breaking up a monopoly on vote-counting held by a highly partisan company that uses a secret, proprietary code to count votes (which always benefits Republicans whenever an anomaly occurs) be a priority?

I assume Democrats are rational actors. Why then take (in)actions that threaten their survivability?

Of course, that could be applied to many things (universal healthcare, ending the wars, taxing the rich, supporting unions, etc.) where doing the right thing would ensure the survivability of the Democratic party.

In all of those cases, the opportunity to do the right thing was either squandered or ignored completely.

When these failures to do the right thing become predictable, I look for an unseen explanatory variable. Trojan horse comes to mind.

The minders who frequent this board are quick to provide the points whenever these failed opportunities occur:

"He never said that during the campaign."

"It's only been n months, years, terms."

"He doesn't have a magic wand."

"He's playing chess."

"You have a special interest."

whatever they can throw at those who question the behavior of the President and the Democratic party in general.

Now, those tactics are effective when applied en masse. They tend to drown out the savvy DUers and reinforce the authority viewpoints, which are: that the right thing is not what you thought it was; the thing that you thought was right was only important to you (so you should be ashamed of yourself for bringing it up); and that the right thing could not be accomplished by any means known to man (so shut your mouth and be happy with this shitty compromise.)

Where does that leave us? Well, I expect the trend the President has been following to continue (with his reward being reelection, although he may just decide to take the money and run) and I expect those who provide excuses to follow suit.

[Broderick]

23. Why bring Reagan in

Obama is no Reagan. God help us, if there is even such a thing, if he thinks he is. We DON'T need a Reagan to destroy this country!

Stand TALL. Don't buckle.

[elocs]

35. Reagan raised taxes 11 times. His worshipers prefer to forget that. n/t

[Broderick]

36. Good point

[mzmolly]

59. The debt ceiling was also raised numerous times under Reagan.

Not to mention, Shrub.

[Springer9]

24. Wait a sec, "This may bring my presidency down"

Isn't that exactly what they want?

Now I'm even more confused than I usually am.

[Glimmer of Hope]

27. I don't get it either. Maybe someone besides dipshit Cantor can give us the full story.

[OnyxCollie]

137. See Reply #133.

That's my guess.

[Chan790]

50. I think it means...

"I'm done playing games with you Republicans and will abide no further, even if it means no deal gets made, we default and that default costs me a second term."

It won't cost him a second term. This is the guy I voted for...now if he responds by taking previously offered concessions off the table and telling them they should have bit while he was trying to meet them halfway, I'll dance in the streets. He's got them on the run, firing across their own lines and pissing all over their base* he might as well start reeling in slack and make them come to him. I've called Obama craven before, but but standing resolute here he seems to have broken the resolve of the GOP caucus in both houses of Congress. Good Job!

*-If you have not seen the RW twitterverse today, there are more than a few handful of viral retweets calling for Mitch Mcconnell's head and Cantor to bring a "no confidence" to remove Boehner from the Speakership. The GOP leadership is imploding.

[AlbertCat]

149. The GOP leadership is imploding.

It's the Teabaggers taking over!

And as we see in WI and other states, the general public hates teabagger ideas when in action.


MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[one_voice]

25. Hold steady Mr. President...

We got your back! Give 'em hell.

[ohheckyeah]

26. Well

hallelujah...it's about time.

[SoutherDem]

28. That is the Obama I voted for!!!

If he keeps it up and will stand strong he will win in a landslide in 2012!

[kestrel91316]

29. Now THAT is what I call spine. Assuming he applies it to fighting cuts in

SS and Medicare.

[spanone]

30. he should have added 'you motherfuckers' on the end!!!

:applause: :rofl: :woohoo: :applause: :rofl:

[1StrongBlackMan]

91. And ...

Oh yeah. If this deal doesn't get done ... I'm gonna spend the rest of my presidency doing everything I can to personally fuck you up, Mr. Cantor.

[WheelWalker]

120. "Personally"

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[Cal33]

31. I sure hope he lives up to his words this time. By doing so, more

Dems. and Indeps. will vote for him. I'd say his chances of winning the presidency
would improve.

[scarletwoman]

33. Well, if he's going to invoke Reagan, he ought to mention that St. Ronnie RAISED taxes

11 times during his presidency.

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/04/133489113/Reagan-Legacy-Clouds-Tax-Record

February 4, 2011

<snip>

HORSLEY: Reagan famously did cut taxes, sharply, in his first year in office. But as former Senator Alan Simpson, who co-chaired the fiscal commission, was quick to remind Norquist, that's only half the story.

Former Senator ALAN SIMPSON (Republican, Wyoming): Ronald Reagan raised taxes 11 times in his administration. I was here. I was here. I knew him. Better than anybody in this room. He was a dear friend and a total realist as to politics.

HORSLEY: Simpson's recollection is spot on, says historian Douglas Brinkley, the editor of Reagan's diaries.

Professor DOUGLAS BRINKLEY (Rice University): Ronald Reagan was never afraid to raise taxes. He knew that it was necessary at times. And so there's a false mythology out there about Reagan as this conservative president who came in and just cut taxes and trimmed federal spending in a dramatic way. It didn't happen that way. It's false.

HORSLEY: Reagan's budget director, David Stockman, explains the 1981 tax cut blew a much bigger hole in the federal budget than expected. So over the next few years, Reagan agreed to raise taxes again and again, ultimately undoing about half the savings of the '81 cut.

Mr. DAVID STOCKMAN (Former Director, Office Management and Budget): He wasn't very happy about it. He did it reluctantly. But at the end of the day, the math was overwhelming.

FLINTOFF: That's because Reagan was never able to match his 1981 tax cuts with a comparable cut in federal spending. A modest reduction in domestic spending was dwarfed by Reagan's big buildup in the Pentagon budget. And, Stockman says, Reagan never made a serious effort to challenge middle class entitlement programs, after an early proposal to curtail Social Security benefits was shot down.

Mr. STOCKMAN: The White House and President Reagan himself retreated within three days when it became clear the enormous political resistance that would occur if you were going to cut entitlements.

FLINTOFF: And without big spending cuts, Reagan faced a choice between raising taxes and an even bigger federal debt. He chose the tax hikes. Today the federal debt's bigger than ever, and policymakers are again staring at painful choices. President Obama's fiscal commission says both deep spending cuts and tax increases will be needed to bring the budget under control. But ever since Reagan, presidents who've tried to raise taxes are confronted with the myth of their tax-cutting predecessor.

sw

[bbinacan]

42. Reagan tax cut and increases?

What was the net tax rate from beginning to end? After the initial cut, where did we end up after 11 tax increases?

[scarletwoman]

55. I'm sure you can research this if you want to. According to the piece I posted,

the Reagan tax increases undid "about half the savings of the '81 cut".

Which seems to me would mean that there was still a net loss in revenue.

The point is, Reagan didn't religiously stick to a "no tax increases" policy, like current Republicans are intent on enforcing.

sw

[bbinacan]

265. Thanks for the info. n/t

[joshcryer]

108. I have no doubt Obama is aware of that and it was precisely what he was getting at.

The Republicans aren't budging because they don't want the tax increase. Obama is forcing them to accept it.

[scarletwoman]

122. Well, if that's the case, perhaps Obama could say that straight out.

That would be useful, don't you think?

[joshcryer]

159. He has already said that tax loophole cutoffs are part of the deal. Period. End of question.

He has already said that Bush's tax cuts must expire.

In this particular instance it's politics, and he's not going to repeatedly say "taxes, taxes, taxes." They know what he's proposed. They're rejecting it. So he's not budging.

[JDPriestly]

132. Stockman also pointed out recently that the top 5% of the

population now have more wealth than was created from the beginning of the earth to 1980.

[scarletwoman]

134. It's rather inconceivable, isn't it?

The greed...

[JDPriestly]

162. It's foolish. They have killed the goose that laid the golden egg.

That's what greed does.

Avianus and Caxton tell different stories of a goose that lays a golden egg, where other versions have a hen<1>, as in Townsend: "A cottager and his wife had a Hen that laid a golden egg every day. They supposed that the Hen must contain a great lump of gold in its inside, and in order to get the gold they killed it. Having done so, they found to their surprise that the Hen differed in no respect from their other hens. The foolish pair, thus hoping to become rich all at once, deprived themselves of the gain of which they were assured day by day."<2>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Goose_That_Laid_the_Golden_Eggs

Another very elementary tale that comes to mind is the story of King Midas. He was so greedy that everything he touched turned to gold -- to a thing -- including his beloved daughter.

Midas rejoiced in his new power, which he hastened to put to the test. He touched an oak twig and a stone; both turned to gold. Overjoyed, as soon as he got home, he ordered the servants to set a feast on the table. "So Midas, king of Lydia, swelled at first with pride when he found he could transform everything he touched to gold; but when he beheld his food grow rigid and his drink harden into golden ice then he understood that this gift was a bane and in his loathing for gold, cursed his prayer" (Claudian, In Rufinem). In a version told by Nathaniel Hawthorne in A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys (1852), Midas found that when he touched his daughter, she turned into a statue as well.

Now, Midas hated the gift he had coveted. He prayed to Bacchus, begging to be delivered from starvation. Bacchus heard, and consented; he told Midas to wash in the river Pactolus.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midas

Fairy tales, but truer than true stories.

[scarletwoman]

268. Somewhere along the line, King Midas also acquired ass's ears.

Let us put that in our metaphor pipe and smoke it...

[avebury]

34. K&R

[Change Happens]

37. Please everyone email the WH saying we are behind you Mr. President!

[spanone]

41. i did. i encourage everyone to do the same

[Change Happens]

43. Can you start a new thread with this message and the link to the WH?

If you have it?

[YvonneCa]

45. Here's a link...

... http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

[ZombieHorde]

104. Done. Good idea. I hope all DUers who have been frustrated write to President Obama to

encourage him to fight for the poor.

[RandomKoolzip]

38. I'm confused...but I LIKE this side of Obama! More please!

[Avalux]

52. High five!!

That's good to hear. :hug:

[RandomKoolzip]

60. I like it when he fights. What can I say?

[Zorra]

61. +1

[JDPriestly]

136. What is he standing up for? Higher wages for working people?

Better benefits for Social Security recipients?

More money for schools?

I'm not behind my president if he can't defend the poor who have made all the sacrifices since 2008 while the rich have gotten much richer.

This whole deficit reduction thing is a farce.

Why is Obama insisting on having it decided now that the Republicans are in charge of the House?

Why not make the Republicans run on cutting Social Security and refusing to tax the rich?

[Liberalynn]

187. +1

[derby378]

39. If only he said that about the public option...

...we might not have a teabagger-controlled House.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

178. He actually did! You just don't remember the many *televised*

fights that he had with the Repukes over the health care reform bill! You don't remember how he took them to the shed and the American people saw it.

We have a "Teabagger House" because people like you don't use common sense. You blame Obama for everything and when the economy falters, you blame him, again, too!

You don't blame the Republicans, which I find fascinating! You punish Pelosi by pointing at the WRONG person. You should have asked yourself why the Republicans blocked nearly every piece of legislation that came out of the House.

[derby378]

269. 60-vote caucus in the Senate - solid Dem majority in the House

I rest my case.

You want to blame someone for the teabagger-controlled House, blame the ones who sat on their asses in November 2010, not people like me who complained yet stood up for the Democrats when push came to shove. Jesus.

[YvonneCa]

40. Finally. The GOP has NEVER wanted to work with...

...this administration. Never.

[leeroysphitz]

44. Again with the Reagan...

[Renew Deal]

48. I think he's giving them something to relate to.

:shrug:

[Parker CA]

49. It's an apt comparison considering the debt limit was raised 11 times during his presidency. nt.

[Klietzlander]

46. I am glad he cast his +5 spine buff...

Nerd humor FTW

[JTFrog]

177. I'm glad the mods cast their +5 haste buff...

Speedy pizza FTW!

[Renew Deal]

47. Obama has been putting up with their BS for too long

And I mean BS. I'm glad he told them to buzz off.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

51. YEEEAH!

Stop worrying about getting reelected and work! That's what I've been screaming at these bastards for years now. Come on Obama. I want 2008 Obama back. Could he be?
Duckie

[Amerigo Vespucci]

53. Should have allowed his presidency to be "brought down" by killing the Bush Tax Cuts.

I tend to keep my opinions to myself on DU when it comes to Obama.

We have the "We love you, Obama, oh yes we do" crowd that would follow him off a cliff, no questions asked.

Then we have the people who have already written him off.

But I did not vote for him to keep us in Iraq and Afghanistan and keep the free money flowing to the "Have Mores."

I'd never vote for a Republican, under any circumstances.

But I have a hard time seeing how Obama is the man I voted for.

The Republicans DO NOT UNDERSTAND "compromise."

They understand surrender and capitulation.

And on that level, they should have NO complaints with President Obama. He is ready, willing and able to please them.

So far, there is not a GOP candidate charismatic enough (or mentally stable enough) to win the White House.

If that changes, the second term of Barack Obama is NOT a "done deal," and he will NOT have lost because he fought for the principles of the people who voted for him.

If he is "brought down" at all, it will be for kissing far too many Republican asses.

But hey...he's an adult. Play the martyr, say you were "brought down" for sticking to your guns.

REPUBLICAN guns.

[Scurrilous]

54. K & R

:thumbsup:

[spanone]

57. that picture is great. mcconnell looks resigned to the fact that eric's gonna get an ass whoopping

the weasel is trying to look invisible

[kiranon]

89. Cantor isn't going to back down. He is on a mission. The Republicans

need to fish or cut bait. That is to say, the Republicans who are not crazy need to join the Democrats and raise the debt ceiling and get on with the governance of this country and leave the crazy wing of the Republican party outside of the Congressional power structure. It's time for the Republicans in Congress to show Rep. Cantor what real power is and how to use it effectively. Ignore Cantor and the no nothings he fronts for. Run someone else against Cantor in his district - someone who can articulate all the reasons why Cantor needs to grow up.

[KoKo]

58. The Kabuki Theater...goes on.... Thanks for the post.

[graywarrior]

62. I knew he had it in him.

[Kokonoe]

64. "I will not yield on this." Translation

Give me what I want for Social Security & Medicare reductions.

:cry:

[Maru Kitteh]

144. To borrow a line - Your shtick is about as fresh as a Foghat concert.

Doesn't matter what he does for people like you. You might as well be Eric Cantor.

[Major Hogwash]

160. Hahaha!! A Foghat reference! OMG!! That's too funny.

We need more cow bell!!

LoL

[txlibdem]

205. I've got a fever - and the only prescription is more cow bell!

Love you, Christopher Walken!

[QC]

65. Bravo!

K&R

[Danger Mouse]

66. This batch of republicans are some of the most juvenile, purile, idiotic cretins in existence.

How President Obama can even stomach being in the same room with them I'll never know.

[CleanGreenFuture]

67. I'll ask again... What is it he's not yielding on? Please.

[Joe the Revelator]

70. A short term extension.

Cantor kept bringing it up and Obama kept saying no. It's in the article.

[CleanGreenFuture]

92. Thank you sir =)

[KoKo]

74. He wants the Omnibus Bill...that will raise taxes on some of the wealthy, "trim" SS/Medicare/Medicai

and that's the trade off. Also, he doesn't want any of the pain to kick in until 2013. So, it's a delayed Omnibus Bill that raises taxes on some portion of the wealthy (so far undeclared the wealth limit and pain for the "Entitlement" recipients). That way (he said in his Presser this week), he can have a clear path ahead (in his new term) for programs he wants to implement for job growth. The Debt will be fixed far in the future and he won't have to deal with any more squabbling and fuss about it.

[CleanGreenFuture]

76. Thanks for the details, koko. Sounds like something I could support although

I'd like to see taxes increase before 2013.

[StarsInHerHair]

68. so....does anyone here recall my small thread about Obama being a 1 term

but getting VERY Lefty?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1423337

I found it. I hope he does even better, more FDR-style moves.

[JTFrog]

179. All your hoping in the world isn't going to make him a 1 term President.

But thanks for sharing.

:eyes:

[BlueCheese]

71. I have to echo what some other people asked...

What are we talking about? What is Obama not yielding on? What does Ronald Reagan have to do with this?

Also, what's so terrible about a short-term increase in the debt ceiling. We do it all the time with budget negotiations...

This whole thing has me confused. Yesterday McConnell appeared to signal that he'd be willing to let the debt ceiling increase with no real strings attached. People were saying that this meant the GOP caved. Today we have Obama saying that bigger is better in terms of the size of a deficit agreement. I really don't understand what either side's position is anymore.

[KoKo]

72. Theatrics...Lobbyists run Congress...it's a "show for the masses."

If it turns out better than we think...good...but it won't be long before we lose the gains we think we made. It will go on until it stops. And, until it all can't be spun anymore to the people.

Of course we aren't supposed to understand until "THE DEAL IS DONE." Most of the Faux News folks aren't engaged...they won't make a decision until it threatens them and their kin in the pocketbook.

So far...those folks are being kept okay with what's been done by Obama...but, they won't see it that way. But, they will when they have to see how all of this goes down in the next two years.

[mochajava666]

75. Bravo! Keep it up!

[neoralme]

78. I'm behind Obama on this one. I just hope this is not a show.

[Shagbark Hickory]

80. Why all the excitement. What is this all about? Was his limit reached after he agreed to end SS?

Lot of short memories here.

[NCarolinawoman]

97. Agree...I think he's adamant about doing the 4 trillion dollar deal..

but I am afraid that would still include those changes he wants in social security and medicare.

Although I love seeing him standing up to Republicans, there is just not enough transparency in all this for me to feel reassured right now....

[Liberalynn]

186. +1

[dionysus]

203. ROFL... when desperate, just start making shit up.

:rofl:

[madamesilverspurs]

81. Cantor

needs to be seated on a little chair facing the corner. And he needs to STFU for the duration of his stay there. Nasty little puke.


-

[Jim_Shorts]

84. All it takes is a little common sense

Imagine how much pressure is going to reign down on the repugs from the real owners of this country if they mess with their precious stock markets.

Obama is holding a royal flush - all he has to do is sit tight and not sell us out. The repugs WILL cave.

[applegrove]

85. Democrats have a new 'Big Dawg'!!!

[Jakes Progress]

213. Not even close.

A moment of theater doesn't a progressive leader make.

[on point]

86. He has it backwards. Growing spine may SAVE his presidency!

[greiner3]

87. Napoleonic complexl

[grahamhgreen]

93. Will not yield on what? A short term debt hike? Or raising taxes on the hoarding class?

[Lordquinton]

95. I'm reminded of this scene

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcmv1OVOaJs

[russspeakeasy]

98. Stop the god damned professional wrestling and get to work.!

[Jakes Progress]

99. Why is everyone cheering?

This isn't supposed to be a football game. Half on here are cheering that the president "lit him up", but we don't know what for. I have no doubt Cantor should have been lit up, and should have been lit up months ago. But we all seem to be happy just that the president yelled at a republican. Cool. Yell some more. But from what I see here the president is still pushing for trillions of dollars of cuts to programs that Democrats shouldn't cut and that will make things harder for those who are paying for the tax cuts for the rich and the record profits for pharma and for the joblessness that the "recovery" hasn't helped.

I read the links and I didn't see where the president is demanding anything yet other than "by damn, we will cut services and structure".

The Politico link said Thursday was the talk about revenue. Let's see if he yells about the tax cuts for the rich and the welfare for corporations. I don't want to see any 2% cuts in the tax on yachts and private jets. I want to see a return the the tax structures that made this country work for the working class.

I'mr ready to cheer. I just want to know I'm not just a fan cheering for no real reason.

[NCarolinawoman]

109. Exactly...

What is in those 4 trillion dollar cuts?

[Enthusiast]

174. It will certainly include raising the medicare eligibility age to 67.

This is not change I can believe in.

[Major Hogwash]

126. Because Obama just spanked Cantor in front of every one at that meeting!

Cantor was acting like he was the GOP chief negotiator, and as it turns out, he wasn't!!

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

[Jakes Progress]

211. A nice distraction.

But you can't be a progressive president just because you finally, at long last, slap around the republican assholes. If you put on that enjoyable little show and then cut services to the poor, unemployed, and elderly, then it was just more kabuki.

[JDPriestly]

140. It's theater.

This was Obama's playing to his masses. Who knows what is really going on? Maybe not even Obama.

This is just a game of chicken. They are trying to dramatize what is going. It's a magician's trick. Distract everyone while you pull a pig out of your hat. And I'm afraid that is what this deal is going to be -- one fat, stinking pig.

[woo me with science]

154. You have identified the correct answer.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1485883

[xiamiam]

155. admittedly jaded, but its threatrics to me at this point..nt

[Liberalynn]

188. Well said

[Strelnikov_]

101. “Obama lit him up. Cantor sat in stunned silence,” said an official in the meeting.

Obama lit him up. Cantor sat in stunned silence,” said an official in the meeting. “It was incredible. If the public saw Obama he would win in a landslide.

[Maru Kitteh]

112. Oh that just makes my heart all smiley inside.

:loveya:

[KurtNYC]

192. After seeing him light up Trump and Paul Ryan

I believe it.

Paul Ryan rip:
http://abcnews.go.com/us/video/levi-aron-arrested-in-leiby-kletzky-killing-14063618?tab=9482931§ion=4765066

[donheld]

103. Mr President, Your spine is showing.

And it isn't yellow.

[ZombieHorde]

105. Recommended. nt

[Lifelong Protester]

106. We've ALL had enough of their crap, Mr. President. KEEP THIS UP

Show them your tough side!! I can get behind this.

[krispos42]

107. Sweet Jesus! What is it?

[Major Hogwash]

113. Yup, I knew it would happen! They pissed away all the good will Obama was showing to them.

Now it's "talk to the hand" time.
Those dumb fucking Republicans don't know what a golden opportunity they just pissed away to save this country from financial destruction!!!

ALL FOR A DEAD PARTY!!

THE GOP IS DEAD, D-E-A-D DEAD!!!

[Swampguana]

114. I don't think it'll hurt your presidency

I think it'll save it, as long as you continue on this path.

[upi402]

116. yet another "About F#@KING TIME!" post.. k/r n/t

[whatchamacallit]

117. Like hearing him standing up, but wtf with the Reagan invocations?

are there no democratic presidents worth channeling? :puke:

[ClarkUSA]

124. Stow the outrage. It's a reference to the fact Reagan raised taxes 11 times.

[whatchamacallit]

141. Don't tell me what to do

Clark. :eyes:

[ClarkUSA]

255. I just did, because it was uncalled for. Hope you learned something.

[Mimosa]

118. How do we know he said it?

Why doesn't he speak to the PEOPLE, like FDR did? It's odd to not talk to US. :(

[Lone_Star_Dem]

119. Wow. What a wild ride the past week has been.

I don't know what's come over the President all of a sudden, but I'm hoping whatever it is, it's not going to disappear as suddenly as it manifested.

[BlueDemKev]

131. Hopefully he's finally realized.....

....that the Republicans have never had any interest in working with him. Their exclusive goal since he gave his famous Grant Park victory speech has been to destroy his presidency in any way possible using any means necessary. You can't work with people like that. The only thing you can do is FIGHT BACK TWICE AS HARD.

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[butterfly77]

121. The pic..

lol :rofl: Cantor is one silly ass,childish,ignorant,juvenile,giggling bastard!

[creeksneakers2]

127. Obama should call the GOP bluff

The House Republicans don't want anything specific, except for Obama to take all the heat for their dirty work. Cantor and Boehner both admit they don't have the votes to pass their plans through the House. Its all a big bluff. I wish Obama would start to rub it in their faces. The GOP is willing to cause a national disaster for an idea even they don't support. Obama should demand that the GOP pass a bill and start the legislative process rolling before its too late. If the Republicans can't, then Obama should demand that they should vote for a clean bill and quit threating America.

[BlueDemKev]

128. Stand strong against these assholes, Mr. President.....

....we are behind you 100%. :yourock:

One thing I've learned over the last 2 1/2 years....it is not possible to work with people who do NOT want to work with you (i.e.--the Rethugs). Their game is to play nasty and it's time we Democrats did the same.

[BlueCheese]

135. Still don't know what the "this" refers to...

... in "will not yield on this."

It sounds like there was a bit of a spat at the end of the meeting. But did anything get settled policywise?

[emilyg]

138. "This may bring my presidency down, but I will not yield on this."

Let's hope it doesn't bring the Country down.

[glinda]

139. Cantor looks like a weasel.

[Major Hogwash]

161. And smells like a skunk.

Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

[Bozita]

142. This may be a problem: GOPers don't know how to respond to Dems with cajones.

They're not accustomed to this kind of stuff.

[Firebrand Gary]

145. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

.

[Kaleva]

146. An example of why I voted for Obama in 2008 and will do so again in 2012. Rec'd

[ddeclue]

147. apparently he found Hillary's balls in the desk drawer and screwed them on.

:rofl:

[JTFrog]

181. It didn't take balls to

hand everything to Bush on a silver platter.

Or to run from sniper fire. :eyes:

In fact it doesn't take balls to do anything... but maybe she should have screwed them on when was on the Senate floor. :shrug:

[RegieRocker]

151. Go Obama Go. Pull out all stops and make CHANGE!

[Bobbie Jo]

152. K&R

:kick:

[deacon]

156. cantor needs shock treatments.

[PBass]

163. Boehner can't control his caucus...

Lets see how this plays out in the end, but I am encouraged.

God forbid there is a default, but if there is, the REPUBLICANS will be blamed, and they will have hell to pay. ULTRA RICH people will probably be the ones who get hurt the most - "their base" as Dumbya called them... The people who make their money by shifting other peoples' money around. They will be PISSED. I think default will mean a GOP minority for an entire generation.

[Denver Progressive]

164. Now that's what I like to see!

I'm very proud of the president for not backing down, and I hope this tougher side of him sticks around for a while! :woohoo: :woohoo:

[pam4water]

165. Now if he only meant it. Why would they believe him at this point? n/t

[divvy]

168. It sounds like the "multi-dimmensional chess" theorists were wrong

President Obama was more than willing to destroy Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to appease the republicans.

[Liberalynn]

189. +1

[FlaGranny]

169. For all those who asked

- I really, really hate to say this but put 2 and 2 together. The reason Obama said that about his presidency is the fact that he is trying to give them what they want on SS and Medicare which will piss off Democrats. Seems he's just mad because now the Republicons are still saying no, just like they do to everything - saying "no" just because Obama agrees to something, even if it is something they want. The Republicons have "2-year-old syndrome." The thing that Obama is so adamant about is the fact that he won't accept short-term solutions, which is what Cantor keeps needling for.

Yeah, Obama is showing some backbone, but not for what we'd like.

Geez, I am getting more pessimistic by the day.

One thing on the bright side: My SO has a customer who is a lifelong Republican and she hates every single one of the Republican candidates. If she feels that way, then many others probably do too.

[bowens43]

170. so where does he finally draw line?

at insisting on cuts to medicare......

[Ganja Ninja]

173. Finally.

Enough of the bullshit. The debt was never a problem under Bush. It's time to face down these assholes and make them blink.

[inna]

175. you have got to be fucking kidding. ODS, anyone?

:wtf:

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

176. I love how DUers continue to suggest that Obama as no "spine"

then post pics of LBJ towering over members of Congress. (Well, he was TALL after all, DUH!!)

And now this picture:



and who could ever forget him backing LIEberman into a corner:

uring a Senate vote Wednesday, Obama dragged Lieberman by the hand to a far corner of the Senate chamber and engaged in what appeared to reporters in the gallery as an intense, three-minute conversation.

While it was unclear what the two were discussing, the body language suggested that Obama was trying to convince Lieberman of something and his stance appeared slightly intimidating.

Using forceful, but not angry, hand gestures, Obama literally backed up Lieberman against the wall, leaned in very close at times, and appeared to be trying to dominate the conversation, as the two talked over each other in a few instances.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15766.html

[grahamhgreen]

207. What is he standing up for?

[JTFrog]

182. K&R!

[WinkyDink]

183. Cantor's clenched jaw looks like he knows he's been chastised, and he does NOT like it.

This time it's personal.

[SHRED]

191. Wow...where was this guy re: Public Option??

[dotymed]

195. I don't know who his telling him...

"This may bring down your Presidency." IMO, it is just the opposite.

Voters WANT to have a President take up for them, be strong and decisive. Unfortunately, President Obama did not get that message in 2010. That is what cost us the house.

[N7Shepard]

196. It's not going to bring his presidency down.

[reformist2]

199. Obama needs to say WE ARE NOT BROKE. It's the Big Lie.

[Fire1]

214. But we DO have to pay our bills. n/t

[deutsey]

200. Would FDR be sitting there?

http://www.austincc.edu/lpatrick/his2341/fdr36acceptancespeech.htm

And so it was to win freedom from the tyranny of political autocracy that the American Revolution was fought. That victory gave the business of governing into the hands of the average man, who won the right with his neighbors to make and order his own destiny through his own government. Political tyranny was wiped out at Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.

Since that struggle, however, man's inventive genius released new forces in our land which reordered the lives of our people. The age of machinery, of railroads; of steam and electricity; the telegraph and the radio; mass production, mass distribution - all of these combined to bring forward a new civilization and with it a new problem for those who sought to remain free.

For out of this modern civilization economic royalists carved new dynasties. New kingdoms were built upon concentration of control over material things. Through new uses of corporations, banks and securities, new machinery of industry and agriculture, of labor and capital - all undreamed of by the Fathers - the whole structure of modern life was impressed into this royal service.

There was no place among this royalty for our many thousands of small-businessmen and merchants who sought to make a worthy use of the American system of initiative and profit. They were no more free than the worker or the farmer. Even honest and progressive-minded men of wealth, aware of their obligation to their generation, could never know just where they fitted into this dynastic scheme of things.

It was natural and perhaps human that the privileged princes of these new economic dynasties, thirsting for power, reached out for control over government itself. They created a new despotism and wrapped it in the robes of legal sanction. In its service new mercenaries sought to regiment the people, their labor, and their property. And as a result the average man once more confronts the problem that faced the Minute Man.

The hours men and women worked, the wages they received, the conditions of their labor - these had passed beyond the control of the people, and were imposed by this new industrial dictatorship. The savings of the average family, the capital of the small-businessmen, the investments set aside for old age - other people's money - these were tools which the new economic royalty used to dig itself in.

Those who tilled the soil no longer reaped the rewards which were their right. The small measure of their gains was decreed by men in distant cities.

Throughout the nation, opportunity was limited by monopoly. Individual initiative was crushed in the cogs of a great machine. The field open for free business was more and more restricted. Private enterprise, indeed, became too private. It became privileged enterprise, not free enterprise.

An old English judge once said: "Necessitous men are not free men." Liberty requires opportunity to make a living - a living decent according to the standard of the time, a living which gives man not only enough to live by, but something to live for.

For too many of us the political equality we once had won was meaningless in the face of economic inequality. A small group had concentrated into their own hands an almost complete control over other people's property, other people's money, other people's labor - other people's lives. For too many of us life was no longer free; liberty no longer real; men could no longer follow the pursuit of happiness.

Against economic tyranny such as this, the American citizen could appeal only to the organized power of government. The collapse of 1929 showed up the despotism for what it was. The election of 1932 was the people's mandate to end it. Under that mandate it is being ended.

The royalists of the economic order have conceded that political freedom was the business of the government, but they have maintained that economic slavery was nobody's business. They granted that the government could protect the citizen in his right to vote, but they denied that the government could do anything to protect the citizen in his right to work and his right to live.

Today we stand committed to the proposition that freedom is no half-and-half affair. If the average citizen is guaranteed equal opportunity in the polling place, he must have equal opportunity in the market place.

These economic royalists complain that we seek to overthrow the institutions of America. What they really complain of is that we seek to take away their power. Our allegiance to American institutions requires the overthrow of this kind of power. In vain they seek to hide behind the flag and the Constitution. In their blindness they forget what the flag and the Constitution stand for. Now, as always, they stand for democracy, not tyranny; for freedom, not subjection; and against a dictatorship by mob rule and the over-privileged alike.

The brave and clear platform adopted by this convention, to which I heartily subscribe, sets forth that government in a modern civilization has certain inescapable obligations to its citizens, among which are protection of the family and the home, the establishment of a democracy of opportunity, and aid to those overtaken by disaster.

[Fire1]

212. Wrong place. Sorry. n/t

[Beavker]

202. Regardless of the policy talks, I like the force

behind Obama's voice. I know he was to be bi-partisan, but he's being mocked, ridiculed, back stabbed, and targeted with racist remarks from these scum buckets. Kick 'em in the nuts. Tell all to the American People and let them decide. The truth scares these a-holes.

[YankeyMCC]

208. Profile in Courage nt

[INdemo]

210. With all this smoke and haze I'm wondering where was this Obama

when he was dealing with the Bush tax cuts,the banking reform package,the Wall St reform,unemployment benifits
,the healthcare bill??.... and the list goes on

[bertman]

215. POSTURING. For everyone who thinks the President is finally "standing up", this is what's known as

POSTURING.

President Obama is "standing up" for an obscene deal that will put into motion the demise of Social Security and other critical social programs. This is a wet dream for the Republican leadership.

[Fire1]

223. Are you ever waaaay off base. n/t

[Blue Owl]

219. K&R

:kick:

[ej510]

220. I am confused to, what has he reached his limit on?

I need to know what he's standing on?

[Fire1]

222. I think he's tired of going round and round with fuckers about

the debt ceiling.

[Cherchez la Femme]

225. Reagan?! :facepalm:

For god's sake Obama, just admit you're Republican.

[Marr]

227. Someone help me out here. If I understand this comment, Obama is saying that

he demands a "grand bargain" on this issue, not a short term political face-saver. But his most fervent supporters here were recently acknowledging that the GOP threat was empty, and that their big business masters would never actually let them crash the economy. The point was, if I understood it, Obama was brilliant for calling their bluff. I agree that the threat is fake, and have from the beginning. What I don't understand is this:

If you agree that the Republican threat is ultimately an empty one, why would you cheer at the prospect of Obama demanding a big compromise? I can understand supporting him in a hard line refusal to give so much as an inch in exchange for Congress performing it's regular housekeeping duties, but this? I don't understand the cheering.

It seems more like our political establishment has meticulously set up political cover for it's key players, so they can make cuts to entitlements while spreading the public anger around fairly evenly (see Obama's proud statement that he's prepared to take heat from his own party and a hundred similar statements over the last two years), and parts of the GOP are getting cold feet at zero hour, or trying to negotiate a better deal. Or maybe it's just part of the theater-- I don't know.

What I don't get is why people would cheer for a president demanding a grand compromise in response to a phony threat.

[bvar22]

229. Will not yield on WHAT?

Obama has declared that he is willing to slash Spending during a recession and Jobs Crisis.

He has also stated that he is willing to bargain with cuts to "Entitlements".

I pray to gawd that he will not stand firm on THOSE propositions.

[Enthusiast]

231. Uh........me too.

I mean.........WTF?

[julian09]

262. Hey dummy cuts to take effect in 2013

don't worry you will still get your emergency room health care til you are 67, that we will pay for.

[LiberalLovinLug]

232. we'll see

[Doctor_J]

233. So is he going to cut Medicare and SS or not?

put some of the burden of the budget on the hyper-rich, or not?

[Marr]

234. It sounds to me like he's *demanding* to.

So I really don't understand the cheering.

[fascisthunter]

236. exactly...

[julian09]

264. He wants to reduce deficit and get that issue off table

then campaign against tax cuts for rich for 2012.

[Veracious]

235. FIGHT BARACK FIGHT!!!

I know he has a good heart. I know he is a smart guy!

[Buns_of_Fire]

237. "That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more!"

It's good to see that the spinach Ms. O planted in the White House garden is being put to good use.

[JuniperLea]

238. Finally! More cowbell!

My hope is that this is the moment I've been waiting for... the fed up with the bullshit moment that makes him talk a lot more about whats going down these days.

My chief complaint has been not hearing from him enough.

[politicasista]

254. Come on Pres. O.

We are still rooting for you. :applause: :patriot:

[SlavesandBulldozers]

256. we'll see what happens

it'd be good if he'd, in the future, show some emotion and draw some lines in the sand before going through the whole "omg I'm so surprised Republicans are being obstructionist purists" thing.

[TNLib]

258. Hmm very interesting

It will be interesting see how all this plays out. I'm thinking tax increases will be in the mix before the end of this.

[pheobees]

261. We have reached our limit

I'm not sure I understand what is being cheered here. The fact that the President wants to raise the debt limit and borrow more money from a corrupt Federal Reserve who continues to steal the countries wealth in the form of interest and send our tax dollars to European banks. It seems to me that if this was the previous administration who had put SS and medicare on the table in order to fund the bombing and rebuilding of 6 different countries, this whole forum would be up in arms and ready for a revolt. The real question should be, what happened to the backbone of the Democrats?

[SlavesandBulldozers]

266. do you know what happens without a raised debt limit?

Do you see how this might not be the time for a Ron Paul fiat currency circlejerk?

[BrklynLiberal]

267. applause...