Monday May 28, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Obama campaign adviser needles Republican field

World Jun. 20, 2011 - 06:50AM JST ( 12 )

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yaneeJun. 20, 2011 - 09:58AM JST

“It’s not unusual in politics for people who are ambitious to change their points of views on fundamental things to try and win an election,” Axelrod said in the broadcast interview. “But that’s not what people want in the president of the United States.”

Yet that's exactly what we have...the war in Afghanistan still rages...The military dies in Iraq every day...Gitmo is still open for torture...we have a private war killing who knows how many in Libya with no congressional approval...and out of control Government spending...

Yet Axelrod still has the audacity to state that Obama is “one of the most consistent people that I’ve ever met.”
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ihavegreatlegsJun. 20, 2011 - 02:12PM JST

Nader is the man to go with.
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Lieberman2012Jun. 20, 2011 - 08:30PM JST

'By contrast, he said, Obama is “one of the most consistent people that I’ve ever met.”'

Consistent in his serial lying, yes, that much is true. From financing his campaign to closing Gitmo to telling people they can keep their current healthcare plan this president is the most willfully deceitful "leader" we have ever had.
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SerranoJun. 20, 2011 - 09:25PM JST

"Romney, who sought his party's presidential nomination in 2008"

I have no doubt if George W. Bush had not ordered the liberation of Iraq, and the Republicans had nominated Romney instead of McCain, he'd be running for re-election.
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SuperLibJun. 21, 2011 - 01:15AM JST

What Obama does well is balance realpolitik and ideals. At the end of the day that's what an effective American president has to do.

Going too far in one direction is when you fail. Going too much in favor of realpolitik opens you up to criticism about hypocrisy and you lose credibility, and going too much in favor of idealism opens you up to slitting your own throat with counterproductive policies that sound good but ultimately fail. Obama seems to have an understanding of that and he can craft his messages accordingly. Egypt was a country was an opportunity to focus on the ideals of democracy, but a county like Yemen is a situation where idealism will mostly give Iran a foothold in the country which will make things worse. Like it or not, you don't want to be the "last honest man" who get screwed on everything, and on the other hand you don't want to be someone who can't promote the ideals of the West, which we all support. Sometimes you have to pick and choose the road you're going to take and it's full of landmines. An effective American president has to navigate through that minefield.

Republicans don't have any kind of unified response to that. They can talk about broken campaign promises but what it means is that Obama is actually doing the kinds of things Republicans want. So it's like they're saying, "Shame on you for saying one thing then doing what I wanted to do myself." It's just not a coherent message. Their only options are to focus on the economy (which the President has little control over) and healthcare (which is an emotional issue). In some ways Republicans end up speaking for the left when they say Obama broke promises and did what Republicans wanted to do. But it doesn't mean the left will shift to the right. Eroding confidence in Obama won't do much if you're selling the same policies that Obama is undertaking.

Republicans don't seem to know what they want to do. They switch back and forth between realipolick and idealism without a way to really sell it. They want to refuse to raise the debt ceiling which sounds great (idealism) but just isn't pragmatic (realipolitik). People can see through that. They want to cut government spending (idealism) but they don't seem to know how to do that while keeping realpolitick in mid. For the first time in my political life the sides have changed....the Republicans are reacting instead of leading. That used to be what the Democrats did. Republicans aren't used to being in that position and they haven't figured out a way around it.
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MolenirJun. 21, 2011 - 01:26AM JST

What Obama does well is balance realpolitik and ideals. At the end of the day that's what an effective American president has to do.

You are joking right? I mean, anyone who uses the word effective, in a sentence with Obama has to be. The man is the worst, most incompetent President in US History. One of the weakest as well. Heh, theres a reason why Russias President would like to see Obama re-elected, and its not because of his sparkling personality.

An effective American president has to navigate through that minefield.

Obamas response is to mismanage, waffle, dither, and then go with what Bush decided, wherever possible. Thats not a leader. When the Dems had control of congress, the biggest Dem complaint, that the President wasn't leading. Republicans are pushing Obama in areas he doesn't want to be pushed. Talking about the debt-ceiling, bringing up the health care issue, entitlements, and the massive overspending in Washington. That is leading, something Obama has failed miserably in doing.

Go ahead, keep trying to preach that Obama is an effective leader. Maybe you can fool a few people into believing you. The man is going to need all the help he can get, against whoever the Republicans choose. And thats reality.
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Taka313Jun. 21, 2011 - 02:42AM JST

Republicans don't seem to know what they want to do.

I don't know about that. Paul Ryan came up with a plan that they seem to like. Is it a matter of the republicans not knowing what they want to do or their policies being so soundly rejected when proposed?

They seem to know that they want to gut Medicare. Hopefully, the electorate isn't going to let that happen.

Taka
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MolenirJun. 21, 2011 - 09:21AM JST

They seem to know that they want to gut Medicare. Hopefully, the electorate isn't going to let that happen.

lol, depends on your definition of gut. For example, if you mean, make it so it lasts beyond 2020, then you would be correct. Contrast this with the Dem plan to do nothing, which is completely unsustainable, and which allows Medicare to really be gutted as it runs out of money very soon... Yeah. That sounds about right. Dems pushing hyperbole, hypocrisy, and hate, while Republicans push responsibility, feasibility, and workable sustainable solutions.
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Taka313Jun. 21, 2011 - 10:57AM JST

Privatizing Medicare is not responsible, feasible, nor a workable sustainable solution. You do realize that this is going to affect you some day, don't you? Or are you already drawing Medicare so you don't really care about the rest of us. I don't know your story but it doesn't really seem like you you're very big on long term planning.

Taka
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SuperLibJun. 21, 2011 - 12:33PM JST

Molenir: Republicans are pushing Obama in areas he doesn't want to be pushed. Talking about the debt-ceiling, bringing up the health care issue, entitlements, and the massive overspending in Washington. That is leading, something Obama has failed miserably in doing.

There's a difference between "pushing" and "being bat-shiat crazy." Republicans are using the debt ceiling to score political points, but they know, and you know, and I know, and even this glass sitting next to me knows that they have to raise the ceiling. That's not leading or pushing, that's just being careless to the point of being dangerous. You can address the debt problem without being completely stupid about it, unless you're a Republican leader, at which point you have to talk about counterproductive policies just to make sure you don't lose in the next election because of a certain radicalized segment of your base.

Republicans do serve a worthy purpose when they're more moderate. I like the fact that they are always talking about reducing the debt or government spending. I just think they know damn well what's possible and what's practical and they too often say things they know they can't do in order to placate their own members. Right now they're acting like a good opposition party. Just blast away when you don't have much power. The problem is what will happen if they actually do get power and their constituents "remind" them about things like not raising the debt ceiling. What happens then?
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Lieberman2012Jun. 21, 2011 - 05:06PM JST

The whole "medi-scare! Medi-scare!" couild easily backfire on Obama. He's Midas in Reverse so far.
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MolenirJun. 22, 2011 - 12:26AM JST

You do realize that this is going to affect you some day, don't you?

Exactly my point. The Dems do nothing plan so that Medicare runs out of cash will truly effect me. The Republicans efforts to save medicare will also effect me, but will mean it will be there when I'm ready to retire. Which do I support? The one that requires bankruptcy, or the one that keeps the program solvent, if managed differently? Think thats obvious, and it shouldn't be too hard to figure out which is better. Besides, why is it that privatization is always somehow bad? From my perspective, its almost always a good thing.