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Subscribe to RSSThe New York Times sums up Obama’s tour across the Midwest this way: the welcome mat was out, but the mood wasn’t too cheerful. “Even here, in the state where he began his political career and makes his home, Mr. Obama got tough questions from people who said they were fearful about their future, frustrated by the paralyzed job market and fed up with a political culture in Washington that produced the debt-ceiling imbroglio.”
“A real estate agent told Mr. Obama that her phone had stopped ringing after the debt debate, setting back what had been a nascent recovery in housing prices. A corn and soybean farmer complained about new government regulations on noise and water pollution. A young man asked whether his grandmother’s Social Security check would be adjusted to account for rising prices. As he has at every stop, Mr. Obama did his best to sympathize.”
Don’t say Obama isn’t taking the fight to the GOP, says the Boston Globe: “[T]he president has taken a somewhat unusual strategy: Go directly to the voters and challenge House conservatives… By adopting the direct-appeal approach, Obama has largely tossed aside the traditional Rose Garden strategy of ignoring the opposition party’s primaries process by appearing presidential and letting lieutenants take on the battle out of the spotlight. Obama’s plan is reminiscent of the successful gambit of Democrat Harry Truman, who in 1948 vilified the Republican-controlled Congress as “do-nothing’’ and obstructionist to his policies. Truman won in a famous upset over Thomas Dewey.
The Boston Globe looks at the preparations on Martha’s Vineyard for the president’s vacation there.
A banner hanging up outside the Mansion House, the hotel serving as the media workspace for the president's Vineyard vacation, reads, per NBC’s Shawna Thomas: "Having achieved much against division and dysfunction. President Obama deserves a vineyard vacation and our thanks.”
According to one article, the Mansion House put up a banner last year that said: "Mansion House Inn Believes Anyone Who Has ... Passed health care reform, signed economic stimulus bills, recast America's global image, commands two war zones, won a Nobel Peace Prize, nominated 2 Supreme Court judges, overhauled financial regulations ... deserves a vacation!"
CBS reports: “So far, President Obama has taken 61 vacation days after 31 months in office. At this point in their presidencies, George W. Bush had spent 180 days at his ranch where his staff often joined him for meetings. And Ronald Reagan had taken 112 vacation days at his ranch. Among recent presidents, Bill Clinton took the least time off -- 28 days.”
Here’s a different count… Political Wire: “The Chicago Sun Times notes that this is Obama's ninth vacation since taking office and has spent all or part of 38 days on vacation away from the White House. He has also made 14 visits to Camp David spanning all or part of 32 days, for a total of 70 days. In contrast, former President George W. Bush, at this point in his first term, had made 14 visits to his Texas ranch spanning all or part of 102 days and also made 40 visits to Camp David spanning all or part of 123 days. His vacation total at this point in his presidency was all or part of 225 days away.”
The RNC is issuing “Obama getaway” postcards.
“Unlike Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, who also got grief for vacationing at the family estate in Kennebunkport, Maine, Obama doesn't own a vacation home,” the New York Daily News points out.
Leave a Comment:
"Don’t say Obama isn’t taking the fight to the GOP?"
OK. I won't say it then. He finally is getting some good advice, and following, even if half-heartedly.
But I will say that it's probably too late to stand up and fight. He has lost the message battle because he has let his opponents define and frame the debate. He has given them too much in return for too little. He has trained them to be bullies; they know he won't stand up to them in the end.
He promised to bring people together and change the way Washington works. It was naive to make the promise; it was also naive for us to think he could do it.
Washington is broken. He is taking the fight to the GOP, but the war is already lost.
In an era of unlimited, untraceable domestic and foreign corporate monies being poured into our elections for the first time in history, our voices are being drowned out.
GOP would like to turn government into a for-profit-business: For example, Ryan's 'pay-per-view' tarrif on WI constituents after 200 years of free access to US representatives.
Time to investigate and expose the link between Norquist, ALEC, Koch, Murdoch and the right wing elected officials who deliver on their agenda.
What are you talking about, those links have been well exposed and half the country doesn't care.
The supreme court got just what they wanted. The only ones who have a voice in our (aka corporate government) government are corporations and the rich. We the people don't count anymore, and that includes you tea people GOP also even through you don't realize it yet.
Plutocracy, here we come...
OR Obama/Biden - 2012!
The radical anti-woman, anti-family agenda to defund Planned Parenthood, NPR, and ACORN, in addition to those issues, earlier this year that T- republicans helped bring the government to brink of a shutdown over access to women’s health care and cancer screenings. T- republicans prove they are/were willing to gamble with the nation’s fiscal solvency to advance their self righteous out of touch, Draconian religious, radical partisan right wing agenda
Last night I watched videos of the President speaking in Wisconsin and Iowa on the White House channel on You Tube. Watching him speak, I can't imagine anyone not being impressed with President Obama's intelligence and good manners. The Republican nominees are so ungracious, narrow minded, and NEGATIVE, compared to the President. I can't imagine replacing one of the best leaders we have ever had, with one of those Republican demagogues.
Before Bev, the chicago organizer and feisty redwig throw out the race card in response to negative obama posts consider these thoughts from Mychal Massie, National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives in Wash. DC:'
Miked, great post and an interesting perspective of obama from Massie (a black man)... but I'm afraid it won't stop the liberals from continuing to spout their lies and accusations of racism against anyone opposed to the administration's failed policies!
Bev, anti-family...having an abortion is anti-family. Amy, holy crap, your in love with the President. You need therapy...
JFK-2112
I'm sorry there is no one on the Republican side you can admire. You know who else I like? Sen. Mark Warner. It's nice when there are at least some public officials who are likeable.
Agreed Amy B. -- Changing Washington meant that compromise is not a dirty word. Aside from not wanting to look like an "angry black man," the president did not give up trying. We The People have seen the olive branch and concessions made multiple times from only one side. Now the president can say that, and it will be received as a truth and not just slinging mud.
No one believes anything Obama says anymore, except for some of the left wing wackos at this site! America is fed up with him and is looking for real change now. Every new poll shows this trend. Even Acorn or whatever name they will use this time will be powerless to manipulate the voters!
But is it too late? The market is down 500 points already today. There is absolutetly no confidence in our vacation happy, neophyte President!
On his "listening tour" of the Midwest, President Obama can mainly listen to the sound of himself complaining about his "bad luck." In Iowa yesterday, Obama said "in the past six months, we've had a run of bad luck. He cited the Japan earthquake, the Arab Spring, and the European debt crisis. He also said, incredibly, that "we've reversed the recession, avoided a depression, and gotten the economy moving again."
Pessimism is the bodyguard of liberalism. Liberals are always saying that the consequences of their own bad decisions are just the inevitable result of factors beyond their control. Times are tough and will continue to be, they say, we had better get used to it. It will take years to undo the mess of this administration's blatant attempts to remold America into 'their' version of a liberal/socialist society!
And Republicans like Perry firmly believe that Tsunamis , riots, and foreign debt crisis are within their control because somehow GOD has chosen them to defend us all from ourselves. PLEASE. The right is seriously deluded with their own grandeur.
I see pride and Joy is cheering the economic bad news this morning about the Dow. Expect to see a lot of this cheering from the tea people GOP today, as long as the Dow is down. That's what their hoping for, is for the economy to go sour. They're just too stupid to realize how negatively it's going to effect them. I guess they think they're immune because their tea people GOP. NOT
Mo, quit with the liberal bulls__t! Pride and Joy, and many others are sick about what's happening in the country.... read the polls before you post your inane and stupid comments!
What happened to "You can't govern by polls?" When he's up that's what your ilk say. Now that he's down--even though he's flying high in the polls compared to ANY republican in the national spotlight, you say "No one believes what he says."
I have faith the American people will turn out when it's time and once and for all cast you right wing nut-jobs on the "ash heap of history," a phrase from someone whom you'll be tickled to see when you land there.
If you're sick of it Kelly, then why do you tea people GOP keep cheering when the economy's bad, and trying to keep it that way? Your deeds are more telling than your talk.
So all of you right wingers, tea-nuts, Norquist pledgers and Republicans don't like the situation America is in?
You promote "changing horses in mid-stream" and want voters to elect a Republican president?
Well let us get everything in proper perspective:
YOU have done everything possible to insure President Obama is not successful, admitedly, and overtly stated that you conceive your "job" as making Obama a one-term President. Such acts and antics have been harmful to my country, but you don't care about that; so long as it reflects badly upon America's head of state. We - the voters - see that and have heard you.
FLASH: Just because YOU state it, repeatedly, with LOTS of spin, half-truths and rationalizations DOES NOT MAKE IT FACT!!! Should we listen and believe what you say? Lets examine recent history:
1999 we HAD a balanced budget with a surplus; we then got a Republican president who unbalanced the budget and returned to deficit spending immediately upon taking office. Historical FACT!
Republicans did NOT want nor strive to maintain our balanced budget when they controlled the White House...Now you want to whine, holler and complaint that President Obama won't balance the budget (again, as we did under Clinton.) HIPOCRITICAL DOUBLE STANDARD and it is REALLY getting old and worn out!! If Republican/TeaParty truly wanted a balanced budget, you should have kept President Clinton's economic policies in place when we had it, instead of going as wild as a kid in a candy store when W got in.
It is over and done, and now we have to live with the results. Still, you lie, rationalize spin and try to re-write history to convince us to let you in the White House again... sorry: I don't think so.
Cheat me once, shame on you;
Cheat me twice, shame on ME!!
NO REPUBLICANS IN 2012!!!!!!
What an absolutely stupid thing to say. I mean, why do you want to insult your republican masters?!? If the president is appreciated only by left wing wackos at an approval rating of 39% then I would imagine only a complete retard would appreciate the Republican scum bags at their whopping 13%!
Oh wait! YOU still appreciate the republicans scum bags... My theory is proven completely true. I suppose we should go ahead and throw joanna smith and the rest of the hard core tards into that catagory as well.
M.Fisher, Shouldnt you put the country first? With all due respect, you seem to be an Obama supporter. Are you supportive of 9.2% unemployment, 2 wars , high gas prices, the Dow plunging, S&P downgrade and a President who made WORSE the devisive nature of the Congress by attacking/blaming Repubs for his own mistakes ?? I know he received a Nobel Peace Prize, but they kinda want it back.
What did you expect Boehner's "hostage" situation would result in if not this Leona? WE all knew what was hapening and that this would occur - but you wouldn't listen to what we said would you. Well, IMO you have forfieted the privilege of complaining about these results the House brought about - "We got 98% of what we wanted." Now live with it!
Not as stupid, Unfortunately for you Dems/Liberals, a sitting President always gets the blame for the country's health or turbulence. People like you criticized Bush for everything (and still do) but you give Obama a pass while "Rome is burning...." . Obama is a terrible leader and you know it. He needs to get out of the way and let Hillary run against a Republican and let the best man/woman win !
Beg to disagree...
After eight years of W. President Obama seems to be an inspired genius.
If you would disagree, I urge posting records side by side for comparison.
Maybe Obama is not your ideal president, maybe he has not accomplished all you would like him to, but please show us where he has been "a terrible leader" and contrast with the previous administration.
As far as your final sentence, I personally believe Bill Clinton would make a terrific First Gentleman (or whatever the proper term would be) and such a situation would be beneficial to our nation; afterall, he was the one who was able to balance the federal budget and create a surplus (regardless of the spin, rationalization and talking points those naysayers in denial spew out. Facts are facts, and history is history. It happened.) I think having him in a position of great influence would be very helpful to our current problems.
p.s.
It is difficult for you to blame the "sitting President" for the "downgrade" when McConnell and Boehner have admited, even gloated, about what they have done.
Pride and Joy
The only politicians I believe these days are the Tea Party folks, they have pledged to not allow any victories even at the peril of the country until they get Obama out of office. They are holding true to their word, our country is going down and they still do nothing.
And they're proud of it Robert. They even brag about how they're bring the economy down. We'll see how much they like it when they're on the unemployment line begging for government help. You're not immune tea people GOP.
Post the link saying they're proud of bring down the economy?
You don't need a link just go to Pride and Joy's post #3 and there's your proof!
Since Republicans seem to know so much about the bus the Secret Service had the President riding in this week, they must surely know that the Secret Service purchased not one but two of those buses.
They must also know that the second bus is scheduled to be used next year by the eventual Republican nominee for President. I wonder if they'll have a problem with that?
it will be important then, running around spewing hate and religion brings the crazies out...
I see noting wrong with a President taking vacations. They are people like the rest of us who take vacations. The difference is that a President is never truly on vacation. I applaud the President for taking time out to talk with the people. Shouldn't all of our elected people be doing this on a regular basis? When was the last time any of you saw your congressperson or senator that is supposed to be representing you? Probably when they were last campaigning. Far to many of those we have elected are out of touch with the daily problems that most people face.
I hope that President Obama recharges his "batteries" and continues his quest to recharge or economy with new jobs. As an independent I don't care if people have have a (D) or (R) by their name. I will support anyone who will help the country as a whole and so should everyone else.
There are reasons to believe that being this close to an election the republicans may not want to 'help' the president with a comprehensive jobs bill. But they have to remember that this isn't a war betwen (R) and (D). This is about individuals and families having a chance to eat, pay their bills and look to the future. The (R's) need to know that if they don't accept a jobs creation bill this close to an election people won't have time to forget. Pass legislation and if it doesn't work, you'll probably get elected and then you make changes to the legislation.
Obama has been trying to govern by the polls for three years. the only thing he has succeeded in is making himself into a doormat. I stepped in something on the way across the lawn....mind if I scrape it off on your back?
But you won't... you will just sling it during dialogues with progressives...
Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again. Democrats had it all. Super majority. Then they lost 60 house seats and something like 6 Senate. How can they lose like that and not have something wrong them?
Is that the Republicans fault? Is that the Tea Party fault?
That is a pretty strong indictment. Did they get the message? Next election will tell.
It maybe doable but very likely to make that up.
If I were them, I look to see what is wrong and fix it. Other wise they'll never win an election.
Fixing it will give me another option.
Oooops, my bad. Should read: It may be doable but not very likely to make that up.
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Lie, cheat, steal and blame the other guy...the game of racial politics
Mike, you sound like a person with deep rooted issues. Shame on you and just so you know I will be praying for you as I campaign for President Obama along with millions and millions of others. Eat your heart out Mike.
Let me be very clear, if you vote for the TEA PARTY that is just what you are going to get ice, warm, or hot their way. You will lose everything you value. Don't be foolish for you have had eight years of Bush and two and one half year of his extreme left over of Bush and more to come. Just so you know I will be voting for Obama and not TEA PARTY Congress or bad boy deep, deep Texas Perry. There are no choices America it is so cut and dry read my email no REPUBLICAN anything. If you have a problem with this just ask Wisconsin, Florida, and Ohio. No REPUBLICAN anything. Obama as for me and my house we will be supporting you.
Uhhh-Ronnie--"Let me be clear, blah,blah, blah,.........will lose everything........." You just made that up.
Of those two and one half years, two, (the last two) was a totally Democrat controlled Congress, the 111th that was a dismal failure. Having and unchallanged majority, they could have, should have and had the responsibility to set us on a fiscal policy that could have avoided a lot of what is going on now.
Yet they neglected their duties.
Ask Florida what? So you're better now than 2 years ago?
Liberals, how long can you defend Obama? He's a inexperienced, incompetent, joke. You told us he was brilliant but I have yet to see his published papers from Columbia. I graduated from Columbia and am proud to show my transcripts and published papers.
You'll never see Obama's papers from Columbia because back in the day he was spending time with people like Bill Ayers ( who just so happened to blow up the Pentagon). What do you think his papers espouse? Let's face it, the media helped him "bury the dirt." The so called "journalists" ( LIBERALS) are complicit.
Leona:
That post has so many misstatements, inaccuracies and bold faced lies that it is laughable. But hey...I'll bite.
Give me links to facts that prove that:
a) Barack Obama knew Bill Ayers while he attended Columbia
b) The media helped him "bury the dirt."
c) "Journalists (LIBERALS)" are "complicit" in any way (provide the names of the guilty "journalists" and the actions they took that make them "guilty."
Good luck with that. I'll wait patiently for your supporting facts.
a. I said people "like" Bill Ayers.
b. ok. Where are his college papers if the so called "journalists" are doing their jobs ?!
c. "journalists" ARE COMPLICIT because they did little to no digging on Obama and if they did, they must have buried it.
BTW, Not saying he didnt have one but why did it take 2 years for Obama to release a birth certificate? Would "journalists" let anyone else get away with that ?!
And, bilweeler.......in case you forgot.........." Obama took Rezko's money even after the businessman was sued by the city of Chicago for failing to heat his low-income apartments, and even after Rezko was caught using a black business partner to obtain a minority set-aside for a fast-food franchise at O'Hare Airport.Now Rezko is wearing an orange jumpsuit. And Obama may spend the rest of the presidential campaign wearing the jacket for his friendship with the fixer."
Obama is NO squeaky clean politician but does the liberal media care? He's direct out of the cesspool called Chicago politics.
Leona:
1. And who, exactly, are people "like Bill Ayers?" Names, please, and provide the links to Obama and Columbia. Also, evidence that they are "like" Bill Ayers.
2. Provide links for your claim that journalists did "little to no digging on Obama." It's not true just because you say it is. So show me your facts.
3. Oh. You're a birther. That explains a lot.
4. And he's from Chicago. Obviously, everybody in Chicago is crooked...no proof required. And where, may I ask, are you from? Hopefully, it's a place of no corruption and no crime. Of course, we both know there is NO SUCH PLACE. So stop picking on the good people of Chicago.
You know what I'd like even better than evidence from you? I'd really like it if you would STOP MAKING STUFF UP. It's unbecoming, and it's a waste of your time and mine.
Bilweeler, If you'd put down the Obama-kool-aid and sober up, your head would clear and you'd feel better. Please ANSWER my questions: 1. Where are his college papers? 2. Why didn't he show his birth cert. for 2 years? 3. What was the Rezko stuff really all about? ( another "criminal" type Obama just happens to be friends with/share property with, perhaps?)
Leona:
Sorry. I don't do YOUR work for you. If you want to know something, look it up.
If you don't know something, and refuse to look it up, DON'T POST IT AS FACT.
Your post #14.1 says that Obama was spending time with "people like Bill Ayers" at Columbia. I asked you for proof, but you do NOT have any. Therefore, that statement is FALSE.
Your post #14.1 said that the media has "buried" negative information about Obama. I asked you for proof, but you do NOT have any. Therefore, that statement is FALSE.
By the way, if you read post #1 on this page, you will see I'm NOT drinking any "Obama-kool-aid." I criticized him for the things I don't like about how he's handling his office. But I did NOT make stuff up to do so. There's no need to make stuff up. There's plenty of legitimate reasons to criticize Obama.
So, I have to wonder why you insist on making stuff up when you really don't need to.
Making stuff up? Like you said, "no need" for me to do that. Let's agree on that since it's the only thing we do agree on. There's "plenty of legitimate reasons to criticize Obama." I just hope we don't end up with another 4 years of stuff to criticize!
What is Obama to do with such lies being perpetrated:
Getting the truth out in the open is more important:
We have to get rid of every single politician in congress and the sitting president. And we have to get rid of the radical Tea Partiers who will default this country just to get what they want even when 84% of the voters don’t want it .These people ran in elections saying they knew how to govern our country and they lied. They are responsible for the condition of the country. We the people MUST take back our country and put in people who will abide by the voters wishes.
This is recap of where we are:
Spending:
$220 Billion for Medicare and Medicad
$130 Billion for Social Security
$139 Billion for defense and all other
Receipts:
$137 Billion from Personal Income Taxes
$132 Billion from Social Security
$ 39 Billion from Corporate taxes
$$32 Billion from other Taxes
The difference is $221 Billion not paid for but borrowed .
Highly successful people offer these comments that are ignored:
Even when the most notable CEO says: Corporations need to be taxed.; even when a very rich investor says the rich need to be taxed, the radicals say we will not allow the rich or corporation pay more taxes ..the world looks on in utter disgust and withdraw much of their money invested in our country. Hence the stock market goes down.
The people we have elected over the last 50 years have not year by year looked at the numbers, anticipated the needs of the country, are not intelligent, more concerned about getting reelected and pork barreling the economy to favor their constituents instead of looking out for the country as a whole!
We need a complete overhaul of the whole system. In Congress, “partisan breakdown” has become routine, and its effect is real and debilitating. As Congress descends into “noisy impotence”, the US needs real action on immigration ,education, the tax system, and health care.
What do we get: childish bickering that is destroying us.
All of this hate that oozes from the voters is showing the world who we are..
then look back to the Kennedy years
I blame Boehner for starting the trend toward "partisan breakdown"! Is that leadership????