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Obama looks past Republicans in promoting his 2015 agenda

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By JOSH LEDERMAN and NEDRA PICKLER

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I Am, will imprison myself for democracy...i excelsior will premier to voted jokier... listen to my words?.....

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Interesting point made in Vox today: across the 2010, 2012, and 2014 elections, the 46 Democrats in the Senate garnered a total of 20,000,000 more votes (read: Americans who support them) than did the 54 Republicans who now control the chamber. This is due to states like Wyoming (population: less than Kumamoto City) having the same number of senators as states like California (with over 20 percent of the American population).

Of course, that's just the way it is; still, anyone who claims Obama is "ignoring the will of the electorate" by pushing for the priorities of the majority of the American people who elected him and against the minority of Americans who now control the Senate just don't get it - and if the GOP pushes too hard, they are digging their own presidential grave in 2016. (The Electoral College remains slightly more democratic than the Senate.)

http://www.vox.com/2015/1/3/7482635/senate-small-states/in/5654656

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@laguna

It's the other way around, the Dems lost the last election, look at the map, look at the sea of red, that speaks volumes, if anything, if Obama doesn't want a fight and really cares about his party (lol) then he needs to meet the Republicans halfway. This is the second time that the Dems lost. First the House and now the Senate, keep it up and watch 2016 slowly seep out of the Dems hands as well. Personally, I hope Obama makes it easy for the Repubs to win because he is that kind of selfish guy that only cares about the NEXT election.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Ah, that "sea of red"! In addition to the 20 million vote deficit the GOP enjoys in the Senate, Republicans only won about 52 percent of votes in House races but ended up with 57 percent of seats thanks to their old friend, Gerrymandering. (I know both sides do it, but the Repubs - as the results show - are particularly egregious.)

And "meeting halfway" - ha! Point, please, to a single example of the previous Congress (or the one before that) that met Obama halfway on any piece of important legislation that didn't involve apocalyptic economic scenerios created by the GOP themselves. (In those cases they caved but blamed the president anyway.)

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Ah, that "sea of red"! In addition to the 20 million vote deficit the GOP enjoys in the Senate, Republicans only won about 52 percent of votes in House races but ended up with 57 percent of seats thanks to their old friend, Gerrymandering. (I know both sides do it, but the Repubs - as the results show - are particularly egregious.)

As you said, BOTH sides do it, regardless of which side does it. But in the words of Obama: "elections have consequences, I won, you lost"

And "meeting halfway" - ha! Point, please, to a single example of the previous Congress (or the one before that) that met Obama halfway on any piece of important legislation that didn't involve apocalyptic economic scenerios created by the GOP themselves. (In those cases they caved but blamed the president anyway.)

Laguna, why would the Republicans meet and go with the president on anything if they know it's destructive for the country, Yes, the want to work out a compromise, but this president is always my way or the highway and you think they want to have their signatures on anything that could cause their party damage in future elections and with their constituents? They are right to NOT go along and shouldn't. That is why they were elected and put in that position to stop this guy or at least make it very difficult for him to further his radical progressive agenda.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

They are right to NOT go along and shouldn't.

Ah, I see - "meeting halfway" is only something Democrats should do. That's become clear over the last six years, particularly as the GOP has moved the fifty yardline to the liberal's forty.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Ah, I see - "meeting halfway" is only something Democrats should do. That's become clear over the last six years, particularly as the GOP has moved the fifty yardline to the liberal's forty.

No, it should not be an Democrat thing and what libs don't understand, Obama has a very bad track record of ANY president in history when it comes to working with Congress. Again, there is NO reason the Repubs should give Obama whatever he wants especially when the 2 years the Dems controlled all 3 branches of government and what was the first thing that they did? Job creation when that is exactly what the people wanted. NO! They tried to ram the ACA through as fast as they could, knowing exactly that the entire thing was built on lies (see Jonathan Gruber) and didn't pass with A single Republican signature. I understand if Obama tried his 2nd term, but he didn't and so we have a clear pattern of how this president works. He is above the law, he believes he doesn't have to work with the legislative branch or follow any laws. He acts exactly like a Monarch and the last 6 years the Republicans know exactly how this guy operates, so there is no reason to second guess him or trust him. Even Chuck Shumer (D-NY) said the same thing that Dems squandered a great opportunity to do good things and that's why they are NOT in power anymore. Good luck to the president, he's going to need a lot of it.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Obama has a very bad track record of ANY president in history when it comes to working with Congress.

According to bass, this is a fact. What is a fact is that the current Congress is the most detested in recent history.

They tried to ram the ACA through as fast as they could, knowing exactly that the entire thing was built on lies (see Jonathan Gruber) and didn't pass with A single Republican signature.

Let's break that into its constituent idiotic elements:

The ACA was thoroughly debated and had a long history of consideration from various groups that contributed to its genesis, including the conservative Heritage Foundation and the Mitt Romney governorship in Massachusetts.

The entire thing was built on lies because Gruber thinks the American electorate are stupid and need to be convinced in easy-to-digest pieces? As you've said before, that's politics. The power of persuasion over people who are too dumb to chew their own food.

Didn't pass with a single Republican signature. Yeah, really surprising. Name a single significant piece of legislature the Republicans have agreed to work with Dems on. Yeah, I know, this far left radical Muslim Keynsian Communist fascist egotistical elitist educated articulate nuanced president blah blah blah ...

He acts exactly like a Monarch

He even wears a crown! And says, "Off with their heads!" How does he get away with such scandal in a great democracy like America? One's head spins.

Good luck to the president, he's going to need a lot of it.

That's the one comment of yours I agree with.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Dems controlled all 3 branches of government

Really?! All three?! Which would those be?

...didn't pass with A single Republican signature

Thanks for proving my point. The Dems negotiated in good faith, allowing a possible single-payer plan to be eliminated, and the Repubs ended up in total opposition (though they declined to filibuster - that is how much control the Dems had). Speaking of the ACA, I'm looking forward to the Supremes ruling on whether states which have not set up their own exchanges are eligible for federal reimbursement. While some say such a ruling might be the death knell of the ACA, I'd bet that people in, say, any state contiguous with Arkansas might wonder why Arkansans get affordable insurance but they don't. (Perhaps Gov. Brownback of Kansas can help them out; turns out job growth north of the Kansas-Missouri line was four times that of the south last quarter. No cause for concern; it'll trickle down sooner or later.)

3 ( +4 / -1 )

"During his vacation with his wife and daughters, Obama spent long afternoons on the beach with his girls"

This president knows how to relax.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

bass: Obama needs to meet the Republicans halfway

and then

bass: why would the Republicans meet and go with the president on anything if they know it's destructive for the country

So all we have to do is put our complete trust in Republicans knowing what's best for the country, then have Obama meet them halfway on it. I suppose that also means that having Republicans meet Obama halfway on one of his issues is impossible because Republicans need to save us all. Probably because of freedom or trickle-down economics, take your pick.

Now if you could, please cut and paste my words and respond with a completely different topic.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

hello

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@plastic

What is a fact is that the current Congress is the most detested in recent history.

This is very true, NO doubt about it, the people are tired of the constant gridlock, I agree and people are tired of both parties, however having said that, you seem to (as pretty much all libs) overlook the fact that because of the unwillingness of the Dems to meet the Republicans on many of the key issues, the Dems got replaced. What happens here on now is anyone's guess.

Let's break that into its constituent idiotic elements:

Please do so that all the libs may truly understand what's at stake.

The ACA was thoroughly debated and had a long history of consideration from various groups that contributed to its genesis, including the conservative Heritage Foundation and the Mitt Romney governorship in Massachusetts.

Mass. is NOT the entire Continental US of A. Also, you failed to mention that Ted. Kennedy used allocated Slush funds to feed the ACA, so there was enough money for Romney to spend in that State, something the entire US doesn't have.

The entire thing was built on lies because Gruber thinks the American electorate are stupid and need to be convinced in easy-to-digest pieces?

So lying and force feeding people and overturning the entire healthcare system for the entire American people was in their best interest? Gruber, Emanuel as smart as they claims to be just like the Sainted anointed one couldn't have used their so called intellect fix the 11 million that were uninsured, I and most Americans wouldn't have had a problem with that, but these weasels took it upon themselves to think for every American citizen what's good for them. No wonder they lost big, serves them right.

As you've said before, that's politics. The power of persuasion over people who are too dumb to chew their own food.

True that, No the Dems are out of a job and while they are waiting for another, hope they and Reid (now he will need his Obamacare...oh, he's got a different healthcare plan altogether, why would he take something so inferior when Congress gets THE best healthcare on the planet, well, he will definitely need it.

Didn't pass with a single Republican signature. Yeah, really surprising. Name a single significant piece of legislature the Republicans have agreed to work with Dems on.

Because for the most part, it unreasonable and totally bad legislator, had they went along with the Dems, they would probably still retain the Senate. Seriously, take your pick...from Immigration, to Cuba to Foreign policy etc. it's all convoluted muddled garbage. You are looking at some serious gridlock on the horizon.

Yeah, I know, this far left radical Muslim Keynsian Communist fascist egotistical elitist educated articulate nuanced president blah blah blah ...

Hey, you said it, NOT me.

He even wears a crown! And says, "Off with their heads!" How does he get away with such scandal in a great democracy like America? One's head spins.

As you said, politics, the power of political persuasion and add some Chicago thuggery backdoor politics and there is your answer.

@Super

So all we have to do is put our complete trust in Republicans knowing what's best for the country, then have Obama meet them halfway on it.

Hey, we tried for the last 6 years to put the trust in Obama and this administration. Mind you, 2 years we put our trust in a Democratic Congress and president and we all know how that turned out in 2010 and 2014. Got slapped once, punched the second time, third time, I'm coming for you with a vengeance.

I suppose that also means that having Republicans meet Obama halfway on one of his issues is impossible because Republicans need to save us all. Probably because of freedom or trickle-down economics, take your pick.

Ahh, the old, "give him a fish everyday of his live vs. teach the boy how to fish so that he can eat all his life." Boehner, Graham and Mcconnell clearly stated, they are going to work with the president, but they will pay attention to their constituents and unlike the president, they know NOW FINALLY that they put there by the people for the people, what happens next is anyone's guess.

Hope that helped.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Since the November election setback, the key question has been whether Obama will lean in or away from compromise with Republicans in his final two years.

Obama doesn't do compromise. He only leans Left and is averse to bipartisan compromise. He showed this tendency when his party controlled both houses of Congress. He later showed this when his party lost the House and he is showing his imperial tendencies now that the American public has given the GOP complete control of the legislative branch. Bill Clinton was able to make deals with Newt Gingrich and Obama cannot find ant common ground with a pussycat like John Boehner? That fact defies common sense unless one accepts the fact that Obama is a Left wing ideologue. That uncompromising worldview is how he can make dozens of public statements explaining that he does not have the power to unilaterally change immigration policy then turn around on a dime and do just that.

Expect Obama to refrain from doing any big legacy building compromises like Clinton did with welfare reform. He has no ability to negotiate with those he disagrees with. That is why he is so anxious to make deals with the mullahs in Iran and the communists in Cuba but calls Republican Americans the enemy.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

calls Republican Americans the enemy.

You are seriously twisted.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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