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JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Obama takes on big government: 'It has to change'

World Jan. 14, 2012 - 06:25AM JST ( 19 )

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19 Comments

2

LagunaJan. 14, 2012 - 08:14AM JST

Hee hee. Nice timing.
-3

unreconstructedJan. 14, 2012 - 08:32AM JST

Obama makes Nixon look like a boy scout.
-2

FamilienproblemeJan. 14, 2012 - 08:46AM JST

It would be up to lawmakers, therefore, to grant Obama this fast-track authority and then decide whether to approve any of his specific ideas.

The Republicans would sooner fast track his authority to start a war...any war. I predict they will repeat the word they know best, and that word is "no".

Yes Laguna, the timing is obvious. But this is how the power of the people manifests itself. We only make the politicians move in our favor when the threat of elections loom.
0

Patrick HattmanJan. 14, 2012 - 08:47AM JST

Getting rid of the Commerce Department is not a new idea. It had been discussed at various points by other administrations prior to Obama's.

This downsizing of the fed gov't idea by Obama is merely election-year hocus pocus aimed at defeating his Republican challenger by continually trying to put Congressional Republicans in a bad light.

Obama is a lover of big federal government. It provides disproportionate employment to so many of his supporters, especially minorities.

At the same time he's spouting off about making the fed gov't smaller, he has a newly christened Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in place, with a beginning annual budget of a half billion dollars, IIRC.
-2

unreconstructedJan. 14, 2012 - 08:50AM JST

Impeach.
-2

pamelotJan. 14, 2012 - 09:57AM JST

Obama takes on big government: 'It has to change'

Translation: Why do I need any of these schlemiels, I am king!
1

SerranoJan. 14, 2012 - 10:25AM JST

"The government we have is not the government we need"

For once I agree with Obama.
0

skipbeatJan. 14, 2012 - 11:13AM JST

Thought Obama was for job creation.
0

Patrick HattmanJan. 14, 2012 - 11:30AM JST

Politically, Obama is seeking advantage on the turf often owned by Republicans: Smaller government.

To be fair, I don't think most members of either side have been for smaller government for many years, and this includes the eight years of George W. Bush.

They want as much employment with the federal government as possible for employment numbers, especially for minorities. They even talk a lot about downsizing the military drastically, but we'll see how long that lasts.
1

Patrick HattmanJan. 14, 2012 - 11:36AM JST

He is attempting to directly counter Republican arguments that accuse him of presiding over the kind of regulation, spending and debt that can undermine the economy....

It's not a matter that the above "can" undermine the economy; rather it's that they have done so.

All sides are to be blamed for the messes exacerbated by poor leadership and decision-making by the last two presidents and Congress for over a decade.

Perhaps this talk of cutting the size of government to save some money is convenient for the Obama administration when it is preparing to ask for another $1,000,000,000,000+ raise in the debt ceiling.
0

RomeoRJan. 14, 2012 - 12:11PM JST

Obama now wants a leaner government? This the same guy who's asking us taxpayers to pony up another $ trillion for his giveaway scams. But, the Big Spender-in-Chief's followers will lap this up.

RR
3

globalwatcherJan. 14, 2012 - 01:08PM JST

unreconstructedJan. 14, 2012 - 08:50AM JST

Impeach.

Did Obama commit a crime?

Nonsense and crazy!.
0

FamilienproblemeJan. 14, 2012 - 01:53PM JST

To be fair, I don't think most members of either side have been for smaller government for many years, and this includes the eight years of George W. Bush.

That is a key point Patrick Hattman. I will go so far as to say that none of them are really serious and will only talk and make small cuts in to try and make it look good.

All of them except Ron Paul. I only believe Ron Paul is really serious about this. There is still the question of if he could convince Congress to make the cuts, but if Ron Paul were president it would sent Congress a message, and when those Congressmen are up for reelection, it will send another message if they are beaten by people serious about down-sizing the federal government.
0

noriyosan73Jan. 14, 2012 - 02:31PM JST

Prepare Japan. Military spending is going to change and the USA will limit its spending Japan. President Obama will look like a moderate if Paul is elected. Of course, that is impossible, but the influence is there. Yanks are coming home, finally.
0

SushiSake3Jan. 14, 2012 - 03:41PM JST

Why haven't the GOP/TP folks supported any of the president's job-creation proposals?

Don't they want to create jobs?

Oh sorry, the GOP/TP just want to make the rich richer and help pad the "job creators" offshore investment accounts.

RomeoR - "Obama now wants a leaner government? This the same guy who's asking us taxpayers to pony up another $ trillion for his giveaway scams.

Like fixing your roads, highways and investing in renewable energy. Yeah, that's pointless - why would Americans want their roads fixed? Why not just throw away another couple of trillion dollars of borrowed money on another foreign war like conservatives always seem to want to do?

Go Romeo - always "patriotic." :-)
-2

SushiSake3Jan. 14, 2012 - 04:05PM JST

I admire GOP/TP job creation strategies for their simplicity.

When the president and Democrats propose a job creation strategy, the GOP/TP simply say "N."

That's simple.

America needs more patriots like conservaties......
0

LagunaJan. 14, 2012 - 04:39PM JST

How the House Repubs twist this will be interesting. My guess is it will be something along the line of, "We want a smaller government, but not YOUR smaller government, so let's form a bipartisan commission to study what both of our parties obviously presently support - a study which will last until through November."
0

MolenirJan. 14, 2012 - 10:28PM JST

Like fixing your roads, highways and investing in renewable energy. Yeah, that's pointless - why would Americans want their roads fixed? Why not just throw away another couple of trillion dollars of borrowed money on another foreign war like conservatives always seem to want to do?

Oh, is that what he's saying he's going to spend it on this time? Wow and here I thought he was just going to flush it down the drain like he did the last 3 trillion he was given. Silly me. He's serious this time though right? I mean, the man responsible for the single biggest increase in federal spending, the largest expansion of the federal government. The man who claimed he would have the most transparent administration in history... Heh, maybe we should be hoping he will change? Or maybe we should simply hope for a change, by pressing the button for Anybody but Obama.

When the president and Democrats propose a job creation strategy, the GOP/TP simply say "N."

Heh, contrast this with the Dems mantra for every single thing passed by the house... Nonononononononononononononono (add fingers in their ears, and the obiligitory tantrum) nonononononononononononononono

The modern Democratic party everyone!
1

JeremiahWJan. 16, 2012 - 03:22PM JST

When the president and Democrats propose a job creation strategy, the GOP/TP simply say "N."

Canadian Prime Minister Harper is off to China to discuss selling the Chi Coms all that Canadian oil that Obama and his party don't want Americans to get from its largest trading partner. And with that oil there would have been a lot of jobs created. Jobs all over the country.

I don't think Obama is serious about jobs.

Frankly, I don't know what he is serious about, besides golf and parties.