kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Nov 8, 2010 20:06:34 GMT -5
What should they do? Really tackle the long-term debt problem through large spending cuts across the board and small tax increases. How are spending cuts and shrinking government exclusive? I'm confused. |
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Buckets
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Post by Buckets on Nov 8, 2010 21:44:19 GMT -5
I agree with Ed that Republicans may be missing the point. There has been far too much focus from the Republicans I've heard speak on de-funding healthcare reform, when they should have learned that people don't care about healthcare reform in a down economy.
If Republicans are to tackle the deficit, it will need to be across the board. DeMint on Meet the Press this Sunday effectively said Medicare was untouchable. I also am glad Ed has admitted that tax increases are going to be part of the solution, as the current Congressional standard bearer for fiscal responsibility has us running deficits and making interest payments around 3.7% of GDP until 2063.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Nov 8, 2010 22:36:29 GMT -5
If Medicare is untouchable, then spending cuts have to come from Social Security and defense spending. Everything else is just gravy on top of those Big 3.
Any serious attempt to get rid of the deficit is going to hit seniors hard. Given how seniors are more likely to vote than any other group, it follows that any serious attempt to get rid of the deficit is going to be political suicide for the party that does it. That's why it's not going away.
I should note that it's not seniors' fault that other age groups don't vote in as big of numbers as they do. If younger people voted in greater numbers, then we'd probably have policies more oriented towards our country's long-term fiscal health. But they don't, so in order to stay in office our politicians spend ludicrous amounts of money on the demographic that's least concerned with the long-term.
Politicians don't serve the people as a whole - they only serve the people that vote.
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EasyEd
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Post by EasyEd on Nov 9, 2010 19:52:16 GMT -5
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Nov 9, 2010 19:54:37 GMT -5
He might. He'll lose huge, but he might. |
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Nov 9, 2010 20:26:52 GMT -5
Heath Shuler should run....
....because God knows, the guy can't pass!
Ba-ZING!!!!!
;D
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EasyEd
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Post by EasyEd on Nov 10, 2010 9:52:12 GMT -5
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Nov 16, 2010 18:45:48 GMT -5
One does not get the sense that compromise will be possible when the two leading Republicians decline an invite from the President of the United States. Keeping it classy on the Hill...
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Nov 16, 2010 18:50:30 GMT -5
One does not get the sense that compromise will be possible when the two leading Republicians decline an invite from the President of the United States. Keeping it classy on the Hill... Or maybe it'll just happen in a couple of weeks instead because there were some scheduling conflicts with this Thursday. Keeping it accurate on Hoyatalk... |
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Nov 16, 2010 18:52:40 GMT -5
There was a time when people cleared schedules for the President. Keeping it accurate on HoyaTalk... I know some of this stuff is unintentional, but after 2 years, disrespect of the President in certain circles has become clear.
What is the excuse? A foie gras tasting with the freshmen?
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Nov 16, 2010 19:34:35 GMT -5
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Nov 16, 2010 19:46:22 GMT -5
Gibbs deserves credit for playing the role of a gracious host. I think the WH was probably caught by surprise given when the invitation was made. In any event, I think it gives a sense for where priorities are at this time.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Nov 16, 2010 22:45:46 GMT -5
Indeed. If there is one thing Robert Gibbs has demonstrated in his tenure as press secretary, it is that he is, at all times, the bigger man.
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Elvado
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Post by Elvado on Nov 17, 2010 11:51:50 GMT -5
There was a time when people cleared schedules for the President. Keeping it accurate on HoyaTalk... I know some of this stuff is unintentional, but after 2 years, disrespect of the President in certain circles has become clear. What is the excuse? A foie gras tasting with the freshmen? Perhaps Mr. Obama has earned some level of disrespect and distrust from those he has called "enemies" and told to "sit in the back". Class is most usually demonstrated when one does not have to. When Mr. Obama held all the cards, he acted the part of the bully. It was his preprogative, then. |
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theexorcist
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Post by theexorcist on Nov 17, 2010 13:24:59 GMT -5
There was a time when people cleared schedules for the President. Keeping it accurate on HoyaTalk... I know some of this stuff is unintentional, but after 2 years, disrespect of the President in certain circles has become clear. What is the excuse? A foie gras tasting with the freshmen? The comments from Politico, which a) seems relatively nonpartisan, and b) seems to love the high school lunchroom mentality of Congress: "--THE BACKSTORY - Glenn Thrush: "The roots of the partisan standoff ... date back to January, when President Barack Obama crashed a GOP meeting in Baltimore to deliver a humiliating rebuke of House Republicans. ... That dynamic, coupled with the GOP's post-midterm swagger, emboldened leaders to insist that the president reschedule Thursday's much-anticipated meeting until after Thanksgiving to accommodate their schedule ... Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader John Boehner both claim Obama had presented the Nov. 18 date as a fait accompli ... Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) [said Gibbs'] statement was never followed up with a direct request to his office. 'I never received a formal invitation, so no, it was never on my schedule,' Kyl told POLITICO Tuesday afternoon. 'This week was never propitious for that kind of meeting anyway.' ... [T]op Republican staffers, including Boehner's feisty chief of staff, Barry Jackson - a former Bush administration political aide - remained adamant that the timing was bad." bit.ly/9JNpb2 " |
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Elvado
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Post by Elvado on Nov 17, 2010 13:32:56 GMT -5
There was a time when people cleared schedules for the President. Keeping it accurate on HoyaTalk... I know some of this stuff is unintentional, but after 2 years, disrespect of the President in certain circles has become clear. What is the excuse? A foie gras tasting with the freshmen? The comments from Politico, which a) seems relatively nonpartisan, and b) seems to love the high school lunchroom mentality of Congress: "--THE BACKSTORY - Glenn Thrush: "The roots of the partisan standoff ... date back to January, when President Barack Obama crashed a GOP meeting in Baltimore to deliver a humiliating rebuke of House Republicans. ... That dynamic, coupled with the GOP's post-midterm swagger, emboldened leaders to insist that the president reschedule Thursday's much-anticipated meeting until after Thanksgiving to accommodate their schedule ... Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader John Boehner both claim Obama had presented the Nov. 18 date as a fait accompli ... Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) [said Gibbs'] statement was never followed up with a direct request to his office. 'I never received a formal invitation, so no, it was never on my schedule,' Kyl told POLITICO Tuesday afternoon. 'This week was never propitious for that kind of meeting anyway.' ... [T]op Republican staffers, including Boehner's feisty chief of staff, Barry Jackson - a former Bush administration political aide - remained adamant that the timing was bad." bit.ly/9JNpb2 " Lost in all of this is that Mr. Obama needs this meeting a hell of alot more than do the GOP Members of the House and Senate. Where was his desire to meet with them when he held all the cards? He is weak; they are emboldened. Ultimately, the country may suffer, but Mr. Obama has earned any discourtesy shown him over the next two years. |
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Nov 17, 2010 13:36:19 GMT -5
Politico and "seems nonpartisan" is an interesting remark. The key word is seems. They are no more nonpartisan than TalkingPointsMemo or FreeRepublic, although they look the part.
Obama did not crash any meeting. He was invited and delivered his position on issues, often in response to disrespectful questions. It was humiliating - that much is right - but it was humiliating for many to not be able to stand toe to toe with someone (off teleprompter) they've disrespected since he was elected.
They may not have put it in their little appointment books, but Minority Leader Boehner had no problem sending his drink order ahead of time as if Obama was his butler. That seems to be poor form, especially if there was no "formal invitation." I suspect Boehner did not mean anything by it, but things become harder to dismiss when a general pattern emerges.
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TC
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Post by TC on Nov 17, 2010 13:40:27 GMT -5
"--THE BACKSTORY - Glenn Thrush: "The roots of the partisan standoff ... date back to January, when President Barack Obama crashed a GOP meeting in Baltimore to deliver a humiliating rebuke of House RepublicansSince when does being invited to a GOP meeting and performing well under fire turn into "crashed a GOP meeting ... to deliver a humiliating rebuke"? You'd think he yelled at people at that meeting rather than just fielded a bunch of questions, most of them a bunch of ridiculous talking points (Paul Ryan and the guy from Illinois excluded). Politico is such a bunch of nonsense. And, no Elvado, Obama does not "need the meeting more than Boehner/McConnell does". He just needs to keep offering olive branches and an open door so when they are shot down, it is noted. |
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Nov 17, 2010 13:55:57 GMT -5
Two words describe this entire non-event: Pancake. Breakfast. I still submit that no one cares and this is a big deal to absolutely no one except for political junkies. Which most of us are, so we can certainly keep talking about it.  |
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Elvado
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Post by Elvado on Nov 17, 2010 14:03:26 GMT -5
"--THE BACKSTORY - Glenn Thrush: "The roots of the partisan standoff ... date back to January, when President Barack Obama crashed a GOP meeting in Baltimore to deliver a humiliating rebuke of House RepublicansSince when does being invited to a GOP meeting and performing well under fire turn into "crashed a GOP meeting ... to deliver a humiliating rebuke"? You'd think he yelled at people at that meeting rather than just fielded a bunch of questions, most of them a bunch of ridiculous talking points (Paul Ryan and the guy from Illinois excluded). Politico is such a bunch of nonsense. And, no Elvado, Obama does not "need the meeting more than Boehner/McConnell does". He just needs to keep offering olive branches and an open door so when they are shot down, it is noted. I respectfully disagree. He is the President and is politically on the ropes. He entered office on gossamer wings, singing the song of change. He currently sits with 9.6% unemployment, a diminished base on the Hill, and the perception that his overseas appeal is fading as well. Remember he was going to change the tone in D.C. He hasn't. People can sugarcoat this anyway they want, but November 2010 was a referendum on his Presidency to date and he got "shellacked". He needs to show he can make things work, and as yet, he hasn't. |
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