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Obama, Republicans clash as new Congress convenes

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Some Democrats in energy-rich states, like Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, expressed disappointment that Obama would block Keystone and “not allow this Congress to turn over a new leaf” to ease gridlock.

Even though I voted for Obama, twice, I kinda share this sentiment. The government cannot be in grid-lock for two more years, so Obama has to be willing to find ways to compromise and get things moving again. He is way too aloof for his, and the country's good.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

The clash between Obama's narcissistic alternate reality and the new Congress will make Dems. run for cover as expected. It is the result of false image without substance that were successfully sold to public by liberal media outlets.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Bye-Bye Harry Reid you can't blame the Congress any longer for your sweeping progress under the rug!

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At least now Obama is forced to take a stand on issues that he and other Dem's have been dodging for so many years while Senator Reid was in charge and would not even allow votes on legislation. The vast majority of Americans support the Keystone project. Obama is a man of the far Left and always has been. He has finally revealed that he has chosen the environmental wacko's over the labor unions.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

The Republicans appear not to like it when the shoe is on the other foot.

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No, this will prove how incompetent Obama really is in negotiating and leading. As we have seen, he has a pen..... Obama will now struggle in his position for the remainder of his presidency. He may have all gray hair when he leaves office.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

" The government cannot be in grid-lock for two more years"

For the most part, gridlock is good. Its not like the Congress has the people first in their hearts, is it?

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Even though I voted for Obama, twice, I kinda SHARE this sentiment. The government cannot be in grid-lock for two more years, so Obama has to be willing to find ways to compromise and get things moving again. He is way too aloof for his, and the country's good.

Exactly and at the same time, the Republicans can't shout out and blame the president anymore as well, they NOW need to come up with viable solutions on ideas to make Obamacare better, bring back the 40 hour work week, increase better higher paying jobs in the private sector, tackle the massive debt. I think there is a lot that both can agree and work on, but this is the Republicans moment.

The Republicans appear not to like it when the shoe is on the other foot.

WT....

How so? Now the GOP controls both the House and the Senate as long as they do what they can do and if Obama is hardheaded and unreasonable to get anything done, bad on him and that'll just make him look like an obstructionist. It's up to him what he wants to do going on here forward. If Obama wants to further drag down his party, that'll be his choice, so he needs to think wisely from now on. At least Reid is gone, (thank God) so NOW there is a lot of hope that things will get cranking

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

If Obama vetoes the wishes of the Senate and the House, how much better is he than any third-world dictator? Or, as many on JT's comment threads bemoan, the leaders of China and Russia?

What's the US of A come to, other than the Super Bowl and bad Hollywood movies? Sad stuff, from the supposed leader of the free and democratic world.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

"New Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said Keystone was “a no-brainer.”

Have to say you can make up your own joke here.

Oil without Keystone is tanking at the moment due to a variety of reasons, part increased production and part increased efficiency and conservation, both of which will continue to improve over the long term. With oil demand decreasing in industrialized countries(which eventually will include China) the only markets left will be the third world. As someone remarked, petroleum is starting to look like whale oil. And Keystone will look like a dinosaur fossil.

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MarkG: "As we have seen, he has a pen..... "

And how many times, pres tel, has Obama used it as opposed to his predecessor GWB? How many vetos did the former use?

bass4funk: "WT? How so?"

Easy. You did, and STILL, vehemently oppose ANYTHING raised by Democrats, solely because it is raised by Democrats. You are a very vocal person in "the party of 'no'", and encouraged partisan politics to filibuster and go against everything Democrat, and literally the MINUTE after the GOP got control of both the House and the Senate in November you called for an end to partisan politics -- well, until you didn't get your way, of course. Hence, Strangerland's bang on: "The Republicans appear not to like it when the shoe is on the other foot."

It's got you and others extremely upset that the president simply won't kow-tow to your demands, and the speaker and other more moderate Republicans are cursing the radicals like the TP because you are showing a major rift that will benefit the Democrats later. So, you STILL continue to say 'no', but you just want to look like it's actually a 'yes'.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Putting a pipeline across the Ogallala aquifer?! - What could go wrong! Just that, if the pipeline should spring a leak where it touches the aquifer or even above it, oil could quickly seep into and through the porous, sandy soil and destroy the lives of millions. This might be a risk worth taking for something imperative to America, but to transverse Canadian oil for export to South America?

Some Dems support an amendment which would prohibit eminent domain from being used to seize land for the pipeline from unwilling landowners. Let's see how faithful Repubs are to "freedom" if they disallow this.

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Wolfpack: while Senator Reid was in charge and would not even allow votes on legislation

There's a difference between not bothering with votes that have no chance of passing (Reid) and refusing to hold votes that have a very good chance of passing (Boehner).

Kind of like when Beohner refused to hold a vote to reopen the government during the shutdown because he knew it would pass and it would make him a target for the Tea Party. Or the comprehensive bipartisan immigration bill that passed the Senate but couldn't be voted on in the House because.....get ready for it....it would have passed.

I guess in the Republican bubble you guys just look at what your leaders are doing, change the words around, and criticize Obama for doing it. Kind of like "the Obama shutdown" that makes everyone outside of the bubble chuckle. I know Republicans put party before country but in this case it's Boehner putting his job before country.

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But he [Boehner] quickly dismissed Obama as “hopelessly out of touch” for threatening a Keystone veto.

Threatening a veto: Obama is not threatening a veto.

This lie is Republican Talking Point Number One on this issue.

And It is a lie.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Threatening a veto: Obama is not threatening a veto. This lie is Republican Talking Point Number One on this issue. And It is a lie."

You, apparently, haven't read the statement that the White House mouthpiece Earnest made very clearly.

However, from an economic perspective the pipeline itself is not viable, especially considering the current oil glut and falling oil prices.

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Easy. You did, and STILL, vehemently oppose ANYTHING raised by Democrats, solely because it is raised by Democrats.

IF it is good for the country, I would never oppose, but the sad truth is the Democrats have the absolute worst ideas when it comes to stimulating the economy. Show me ANY jobs that Obama created that are high paying

You are a very vocal person in "the party of 'no'", and encouraged partisan politics to filibuster and go against everything Democrat, and literally the MINUTE after the GOP got control of both the House and the Senate in November you called for an end to partisan politics -- well, until you didn't get your way, of COURSE. Hence, Strangerland's bang on: "The Republicans appear not to like it when the shoe is on the other foot."

I am vocal, but not partisan, because if were, I wouldn't recognize the past missteps and failures of the GOP, but I always point out their flaws and problems something that Dems would and usually never do. The party of so called NO is doing so with good reason, that is why they are in power again, because they were careful NOT to put their John Hancock on something that would have never got them the Senate, good on them.

It's got you and others extremely upset that the president simply won't kow-tow to your demands,

No, it actually delights me, because the more deviant he is, the more he is bringing his party down, so I want Obama to remain difficult, makes it easier for the GOP to look better, of course I don't like the direction he's taking the country and ruining it, but the GOP should do their job and if Obama wants to play hardball let him, just like with everything else, the Republicans should let him hang himself and stand back.

and the speaker and other more moderate Republicans are cursing the radicals like the TP because you are showing a major rift that will benefit the Democrats later. So, you STILL CONTINUE to say 'no', but you just want to look like it's actually a 'yes'.

Ahhh, the infighting. Just like the infighting that is slowly evolving in the Democratic party between the Moderate Established Dems and the Far Left Elizabeth Warren Progressives and that fighting will only intensify as the year goes on because the Dems have Hilary as their main nominee and that's it.

Putting a pipeline across the Ogallala aquifer?! - What could go wrong! Just that, if the pipeline should spring a leak where it touches the aquifer or even above it, oil could quickly seep into and through the porous, sandy soil and destroy the lives of millions. This might be a RISK worth taking for something imperative to America, but to transverse Canadian oil for export to South America?

Again, for liberals they would rather put the entire environment ahead of a family that wants to work to feed their kids. I do agree in time we need to find other fuel alternatives, but blocking the pipeline that can create Long sustaining HIGH PAYING jobs. This is a chance to ween ourselves of ALL mideast oil and if we don't get it, the Canadians or the Chinese would, further eroding the economy and the standing and productivity in the States. This is the best opportunity and Obama wants to piss it all away? The guy is a total jerk!

Some Dems support an amendment which would prohibit eminent domain from being used to seize land for the pipeline from unwilling landowners. Let's see how faithful Repubs are to "freedom" if they disallow this.

What do you think about how the Dems using eminent domain in California to move many farmers to protect the California Smelt and redirect their water irrigation that's ok or to build a Bullet train from Las Vegas to San Francisco was perfectly ok, but building an oil pipeline, eminent domain is not acceptable. And once again, liberal looney logic at its worst when it comes to selective politics.

http://www.cfact.org/2014/09/26/yes-to-the-atlantic-coast-pipeline-no-to-eminent-domain/

Kind of like when Beohner refused to hold a vote to reopen the government during the shutdown because he knew it would pass and it would make him a target for the Tea Party. Or the comprehensive bipartisan immigration BILL that passed the Senate but couldn't be voted on in the House because.....get ready for it....it would have passed.

A bill that will now be challenged and hopefully with some sense that they will put a halt to the mass exodus from these countries. Which made NO sense whatsoever.

I guess in the Republican bubble you guys just look at what your leaders are doing, change the words around, and criticize Obama for doing it. Kind of like "the Obama shutdown" that makes everyone outside of the bubble chuckle. I know Republicans put party before country but in this case it's Boehner putting his job before country.

Ahh, Obama put the ACA before the country, meaning, he was elected to bring up the economy and create, CREATE high paying jobs first and Obama could have tried to concentrate on the ACA in his 4th year OR 2nd term, but he didn't do that and again, what was the end result. You now have (Thank God) a Republican congress.

@JT

A lie?

How so? Obama is for the Keystone pipeline? That's news to me.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

@SuperLib

There's a difference between not bothering with votes that have no chance of passing (Reid) and refusing to hold votes that have a very good chance of passing (Boehner).

So explain why Reid refused a Keystone vote until a certain Democrat Senator from Louisiana asked for one in order to keep her seat in last Novembers election? Well, it's politics and Democrats play the game better than any. The fact that Reid used his power to control what bills could be voted on in the Senate had a purpose. That was to protect Obama from having to state outright that he opposed the jobs to build the pipeline that the Democrat unions - and the American people - want. Reid did this numerous times on many, many bills passed by the House. As a result, the Democrats lost 9 senate seats that they won six years ago.

The pipeline will pass the Senate next week and Obama will have to choose between two Left wing constituencies. What is best for the country is beside the point. The State Department has approved the project multiple times. The money from billionaire environmental is more important than the will of the people.

Things like this vote (and Reid's non-vote) on Keystone are clarifying in the debate. Yes, just like the Republican House's non-vote on immigration is.

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