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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Jan 29, 2010 14:41:52 GMT -5
From the looks of things, it would make sense to have a few more of these sessions if only to get some GOP ideas on the table in terms of healthcare and other national priorities. Maybe the upcoming GOP retreat in Kenya would be a good time.
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EasyEd
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Post by EasyEd on Jan 29, 2010 15:08:15 GMT -5
Ed speaking for himself. I did not see the meeting on TV but, from the account you linked on politico, it seems like our President was in his usual lecturing mode, accusing the Republicans of being obstructionists. Real give and take involves listening as much as talking. Again from the politico link, he seems to be saying that he and the Democrats had put forth legislation (like health care reform and cap & trade) and the Republicans were not willing to negotiate changes to them. That's true but that's not real working with the Republicans at the outset and negotiating with them to draft the legislation rather than presenting them with legislation and asking them to negotiate. |
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Jan 29, 2010 15:14:04 GMT -5
I do expect to see some flip-flopping on the transparency issue in light of what was, by most accounts, a poor performance by the loyal, if not nihilistic, opposition.
Of course, he is going to be critical, just as Republicans have been from day one. Were he not, they'd just call him French as an alternate shibboleth-based attack. What we have instead is a collection of folks who refuse to offer proposals in Congress for fear that the public will not vote for them 10 months from now.
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Cambridge
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Post by Cambridge on Jan 29, 2010 15:16:21 GMT -5
Ed speaking for himself. I did not see the meeting on TV but, from the account you linked on politico, it seems like our President was in his usual lecturing mode, accusing the Republicans of being obstructionists. Real give and take involves listening as much as talking. Again from the politico link, he seems to be saying that he and the Democrats had put forth legislation (like health care reform and cap & trade) and the Republicans were not willing to negotiate changes to them. That's true but that's not real working with the Republicans at the outset and negotiating with them to draft the legislation rather than presenting them with legislation and asking them to negotiate. I suggest you watch it. I intentionally linked a more conservative take, but he takes questions from the floor for the majority of the discussion. It's not a lecture. Trust me, this was something very unique for American politics, something more akin to an open question session like in the House of Commons. He focused on tax cuts, tax credits, capital gains tax cuts, spending freezes. Here is the link: cspan.org/Watch/Media/2010/01/29/HP/R/29041/President+Speaks+at+GOP+Retreat.aspxPS If you can't stand listening to the President's opening remarks, skip forward to the 20 minute mark where the question and answer period starts...and goes on for another hour. |
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TC
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Post by TC on Jan 29, 2010 15:22:37 GMT -5
The part where he says a bunch of nice things about Paul Ryan and then takes them all back just in case he's going to have a primary challenger ("I don't wanna hurt you, man.") was pretty funny. Some Republicans came off really well in this (Ryan, Roskam) - others, not so much (Pence, Thompson, Chaffetz, and Hensarling who absolutely gets destroyed) with their "Mr. President, why do you hate puppies?" questions. But Obama pretty much killed, which I guess is why Fox pulled the plug early on it. |
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Post by strummer8526 on Jan 29, 2010 15:48:53 GMT -5
Ed speaking for himself. I did not see the meeting on TV but, from the account you linked on politico, it seems like our President was in his usual lecturing mode, accusing the Republicans of being obstructionists. Real give and take involves listening as much as talking. Again from the politico link, he seems to be saying that he and the Democrats had put forth legislation (like health care reform and cap & trade) and the Republicans were not willing to negotiate changes to them. That's true but that's not real working with the Republicans at the outset and negotiating with them to draft the legislation rather than presenting them with legislation and asking them to negotiate. Actually, it's quite common for negotiations. One party brings a draft proposal and the parties negotiate working off that form. If the other party has a problem with that draft, then they can bring their own. But if only one party bothers to actually draw up terms, then where else is there to start other than negotiating those terms? Just walking into a room with nothing on paper and no proposal and yelling "OK, let's NEGOTIATE!" is just a waste of time. You need something on paper to keep negotiations on-point and productive. Now if the Republicans went to Obama with draft legislation and he INSISTED on working off the Dems' draft without considering the alternative, then I would agree with you. But open-forum, agenda-less, anything goes "negotiating" rarely works as well. |
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Cambridge
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Post by Cambridge on Jan 29, 2010 16:29:02 GMT -5
I want to second the fact that Ryan comes off really well. I would vote for him in a second. Smart guy.
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Jan 29, 2010 17:50:44 GMT -5
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kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Jan 29, 2010 20:16:10 GMT -5
I want to second the fact that Ryan comes off really well. I would vote for him in a second. Smart guy. During College, I worked in Sam Brownback's office when Paul was his LD. He is a very smart, thoughtful, charismatic guy. He's exactly the type of candidate the GOP should be focusing on for its future. |
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Elvado
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Post by Elvado on Jan 30, 2010 9:09:34 GMT -5
Can someone explain why Mr. Obama and the Democrats crave Republican support for their proposed Health Care reform?
Bear with me for a second here. If they truly believe this program will cut costs and expand and improve care, they should go forward and make it happen. If the Republicans wish to sit it out, so be it. The President and his party can have all of the credit for the wondrous success they are so sure this will be.
It couldn't be that the Democrats want cover when this proposal turns into the cost-exploding government hijack they really believe it to be, could it?
I guess my point is that if you know you are right and believe our country needs this program to avert "bankrupting the nation", you wouldn't care who went along with you.
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Jan 31, 2010 4:18:59 GMT -5
Um, isn't this the exact opposite of everything you've said since the inauguration?
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Cambridge
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Post by Cambridge on Jan 31, 2010 9:54:08 GMT -5
Can someone explain why Mr. Obama and the Democrats crave Republican support for their proposed Health Care reform? Bear with me for a second here. If they truly believe this program will cut costs and expand and improve care, they should go forward and make it happen. If the Republicans wish to sit it out, so be it. The President and his party can have all of the credit for the wondrous success they are so sure this will be. It couldn't be that the Democrats want cover when this proposal turns into the cost-exploding government hijack they really believe it to be, could it? I guess my point is that if you know you are right and believe our country needs this program to avert "bankrupting the nation", you wouldn't care who went along with you. The problem with talking about politics with someone who's just playing games is that they just keep changing the rules. |
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Elvado
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Post by Elvado on Jan 31, 2010 14:49:06 GMT -5
Can someone explain why Mr. Obama and the Democrats crave Republican support for their proposed Health Care reform? Bear with me for a second here. If they truly believe this program will cut costs and expand and improve care, they should go forward and make it happen. If the Republicans wish to sit it out, so be it. The President and his party can have all of the credit for the wondrous success they are so sure this will be. It couldn't be that the Democrats want cover when this proposal turns into the cost-exploding government hijack they really believe it to be, could it? I guess my point is that if you know you are right and believe our country needs this program to avert "bankrupting the nation", you wouldn't care who went along with you. The problem with talking about politics with someone who's just playing games is that they just keep changing the rules. I've been convinced that Mr. obama and the Democrats have the country's best interests at heart. Now let's see if they have the political stones to make it happen in an election year without support from the retrograde right. |
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Jan 31, 2010 22:36:44 GMT -5
I spent the State of the Union lounging in a bar right on the beach, sipping frozen island rum drinks, having the French DJ play Depeche Mode and Yaz for me, and talking to hot 20-something resort staffers.
I think it was the best SOTU speech I can ever remember.
;D
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