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Subscribe to RSSConservative columnist David Brooks -- who often vacillates between praising President Obama and criticizing him -- takes the president to task today for his deficit-reduction plan, which includes taxing the wealthy.
Brooks writes:
The White House has decided to wage the campaign as fighting liberals. I guess I understand the choice, but I still believe in the governing style Obama talked about in 2008. I may be the last one. I’m a sap.
But the Washington Monthly's Steve Benen argues that Obama's decision only came after Republicans walked away from his "grand bargain" on deficit reduction. As Benen puts it, Brooks "believes Charlie Brown has an obligation to keep trying to kick the ball, even if he knows Lucy will pull it away."
Love the president or hate him, he’s done what he said he would do. Obama has reached out to Republicans, even when he didn’t have to; he embraced Republican ideas as much as he could; he’s given plenty of administration posts to Republicans officials; and he’s demonstrated, to a fault, a willingness to compromise with his opponents.
And how did Republicans respond to a conciliatory president’s outstretched hand? By slapping it away. GOP officials have rejected every idea the president has ever suggested, even occasionally rejecting their own ideas after Obama accepted them. Republicans have not only forcefully abandoned the very idea of compromise, over the summer, they pushed the nation to the brink of an economic catastrophe, on purpose, rather than work in good faith with the White House.
As it turns out, Brooks criticized conservatives when they walked away from the grand bargain the first time -- but that was back in mid-July.
All of these groups share the same mentality. They do not see politics as the art of the possible. They do not believe in seizing opportunities to make steady, messy progress toward conservative goals. They believe that politics is a cataclysmic struggle. They believe that if they can remain pure in their faith then someday their party will win a total and permanent victory over its foes. They believe they are Gods of the New Dawn.
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Well, well it's about time that President Obama and the democratic party realize that while they're trying to do what's best for the country. Their counterparts the repubs are steady boot-licking and flunkying to the ubber-rich, big oil, corporations and the insurance companies. Without giving a single drop of concern for the welfare of this counrty and it's people in need. Just look at what they ran on for the 2010 election cycle. And how many jobs bills have they produced since dupping the nation into letting them back in control of the House of Representatives. Zero, nada, nil and zilch. They even held the nation hostage with these Tea-party zealots steady screaming "Let the Nation go Bankrupt", when it came to the debt ceilling vote. Leaving a bad taste in everyones mouth and a burning distain for the T-Pers in the process. So it's no wonder that President Obama dosn't want to play ball with them anymore. They can take their ball and shove it where the sun doesn't shine. Yet even now they stand shamelessly in front of the American people. Blocking and retarding any type of progress that we as Amrican people need from our government on down to the private sector in order to help us out of this economic downturn. That leads me to say... Go America and God bless any and every leader that wants to help us out, republican or democrat alike. So now all you defenders of these paid for brided out republican politicians, spew your rhetoric and try to justify their do-nothing for the people attitude.
And remember to vote come election time and vote for what's best for all Americans. Not just one certain party or group.
Alex: "Well, well it's about time that President Obama and the democratic party realize that while they're trying to do what's best for the country....."
hey Alex, Is 9.2+% unemployment, $4 trillion in Obama spending, open borders, s&p downgrade, 2-3 wars, and $780 billion "stimulus that went to Unions and failed green companies "what's best for the country" ??!! You have a warped vision of "what's best" for this country.
"And how many jobs bills have they produced since dupping the nation into letting them back in control of the House of Representatives. Zero, nada, nil and zilch."
The House has, in fact, passed a number of budgetary bills and other bills aimed at improving the economy by cutting bureaucratic red tape, etc. Too bad that The Dim Bulb From Searchlight - that would be Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, of Searchlight, Nev. - has seen fit to just leave all of them in his "inbox" or, in some cases, consign them to the round file, ensuring that NOTHING gets done - but allowing Obama to play his little political games, crying that he is a "victim" and blaming a "do-nothing Congress", when "do-nothing Senate" is much closer to the truth.
Question !... Who's better off ? A factory worker worker making $40,000/ yr and paying 15% taxes. or a millionaire making $10 million and paying even 90% taxes in income Tax... You do the math !
I doubt Obama's strong stand will last long, based on his wobbly legged history.
It needs to though.
He needs to fight, and not be beguiled into surrendering to the enemies of the American working class.
If he does fight, the Republicans.... sensing they are losing ground will begin offering up fake compromises to see if Charlie Brown will go for it....AGAIN.
it's about time Brooks recognized that the emperor has no clothes.
This marxist, lying demagogue has done more to destroy this country than all the marxist Democrats before him and that takes some doing.
This is for you Larry Robinson - the American Spirit http://www.road2resilience.com/video-boatlift-a-911-tale-of-resilience/
Most of what we're complaining about is our own fault, we're the ones who sat by while the people we elected to take care of our business for us ,were coopted by big money interests! We continued to send the same people back to congress even when they were caught doing wrong. we're the ones who sit by and listen to both parties talking about spending over a BILLION dollars for the next election! When not to long ago Jimmy Carter and Reagan only used the 2$ per person check off on their income taxes to run for office. And now we whine because we're being ignored! We still have the power we just refuse to get together to use it(the ballot box). But we'd better hurry cause all over the country states with Rep governors and legislatures are quietly trying to sneak thru rule changes and laws which will make our votes a moot point!!
I believe what the conservatives have said.. their number one goal is to defeat Obama who they attack in every possible way..
If you know what their goal is why debate the finer points of what their proposals are?
They dont even bother to disguise their hate and contempt and willingness to spread lies and fear in order to ride the resulting chaos back to power.. its what always happens when the richest few feel threatened and wrap themselves in a flag and talk about "winning back America!"
I simply cannot believe that there is still such a high proportion of people willing to be diverted and sidetracked from what government is actually doing to each and every American, by continued mud slinging..."Big Business this, and Big Business that" Must be that when we all realized that the Boogey Monster didn't live under our bed or in our closet, we had to have something to replace it-a repository for all our fears, a place to vent our anger for not making different choices, or for a life path that didn't go as we anticipated. And when blaming big business isn't in itself sufficient to vent our spleen, we drag the conservative thinkers into it, and by default all those who happen to believe in God. Lots of "What would Jesus Do?" comments from people who do not regularly study the Bible to understand Jesus message....Yes, he was about kindness and sharing, and treating others as you would wish to be treated, but that did not come at the expense of each of us having a personal responsibility for our own well being. He never once stated that Ceasar and Rome had any responsibility for charity to others.....that was a commission given to individuals in how they dealt with their family and neighbors. In fact, Jesus said very little about the responsibility of government to the citizens...rather than using that as a license for broad interpretation, perhaps the omission was more of a case that government should not be a nanny seeing to the needs of each individual, but rather creating, preserving and nurturing an environment where individuals can strive to do for themselves. Hand outs and freebies do not seem to foster independence or a sense of responsibility.
Back in the day jews and black people got along real well because white people hated jews so we stuck together jews taught at HBU'S because they could'nt get a job at the white collages but along the way jews became white and went main stream and didnt want to be seen with black people so i say let them eat cake and not 6 to 12 bil a year fund your on hate of people of color...