Obama leaves crowd wanting more (took a swipe at the "Tea Party" and Fox News)

[sabra]

Source: ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

ARNOLD -- President Barack Obama took the stage at Fox High School to rousing applause, leaving about 90 minutes later with the crowd wanting more.

...

Obama was last in Missouri six months ago on the campaign trail, an effort that saw him lose the state's electoral votes by the slimmest of margins. Today's nationally-televised event offered Obama an audience in an area that has been hit hard by cutbacks at the near-by auto plants.

The first question he took focused on the future of Chrysler, whose plant in Fenton has shed shifts amid the economic slowdown. Later, he took a swipe at the "Tea Party" protesters who have organized rallies decrying the White House's stimulus package.

"You see folks waving tea bags around -- let me just remind them I am happy to have a serious conversation about how we are going to cut our health care cuts over the long term, how we are gong to stabilize social security," Obama said. "Lets not play games," Obama said, that the recovery act is the reason for the country's deficit.

"That's just a fraction of the overall problem we've got," Obama said.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/politics/story/C8E9F2C82D71B8D0862575A70060DEB8?OpenDocument

---

full snip here:

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/politics/obama_describes_seeing_folks_waving_tea_bags_around_on_channels_where_im_not_very_popular_115293.asp

<snip>

When you see, you know, those of you who are watching certain news channels on which I'm not very popular, and you see folks waving tea bags around, let me just remind them that I am happy to have a serious conversation about how we are going to cut our health care costs down over the long term, how we're going to stabilize social security. Claire (McCaskill) and I are working diligently to do basically a thorough audit of federal spending. But let's not play games and pretend that the reason is because of the Recovery Act, because that's just a fraction of the overall problem that we've got.

[Libertas1776]

1. He's a ...

smooth operator. Kick Ass. ;)

[Frances]

2. Well said

[Jim Sagle]

3. He needs to shut the fuck up about Social Security. THAT would stabilize it.

[gblady]

5. when he's asked a direct question....

about SS, you think he needs to what???

[Jim Sagle]

14. Tell the plain truth: that it's not broke and doesn't need fixing.

[joeglow3]

28. Really?

Let me guess, you are currently collecting it?

[Jim Sagle]

51. And the point to that question would be what?

That I'm a greedy old geezer who shouldn't be listened to anyway?

You watch too much Faux News.

[TankLV]

52. THANK YOU! You are spot on...;

and entirely correct...

[Ikonoklast]

8. Yeah, let's ignore the problem and it'll go away.

Brilliant.

[Jim Sagle]

15. The only problem is those trying to "fix" it - meaning loot it.

[George II]

21. Obama didn't say he needed to "FIX" Social Security, just stabilize it....and....

....what he means about "stabilize it" is make it secure LONG term, not just the next decade or so. We all know (or SHOULD know) that if we don't do something about it now, come 25-30 years from now it will need much more than just "stabilizing", by then it will need wholesale FIXING.

[Jim Sagle]

27. It's plenty stable already, thank you very much.

[George II]

49. TODAY it is stable....for now.....

....anyone thinking it will be that way forever has his head in the sand.

[Jim Sagle]

50. Your pseud matches your talking point.

[George II]

57. Huh??? Oh, but thanks anyway. Think about people other than yourself, okay? BYE!!!

[Name removed]

58. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ikonoklast]

22. You are reading something into his words that isn't there.

But, coming from you, that's SOP.

Get a clue. Or borrow one from someone that has one to spare.

[Jim Sagle]

32. Seems you're the one who needs a clue.

[proud2BlibKansan]

38. You are correct

Leave it alone and it's fine. They need to quit borrowing from it.

[DutchLiberal]

45. You're absolutely right. Finally somebody who can see through the code language...

It will be just like when Bill Clinton was "reforming" Social Security.

We are being told almost on a daily basis that we need to "reform" SS because it costs too much. Well, what about the 51% of the budget that goes to the military industrial complex? The defense budget that was raised 9%? And to think there are still people who believe Obama is even remotely liberal...!

[Mrs. Overall]

9. Sorry, but this administration isn't ignoring things so that those things appear to be fine.

That's what happened for the last eight years.

Sounds like you miss that approach.

[Jim Sagle]

16. Social Security IS fine, and doesn't NEED fixing.

Actual Democrats already know that. Sounds like you're one of those "bipartisanship" addicts.

[w4rma]

23. The payroll tax should have it's cap lifted. (nt)

[Jim Sagle]

26. I agree.

[FrenchieCat]

53. That's what the President is talking about doing.

Watch this video from his town hall on his 100 days..... http://www.politico.com/singletitlevideo.html?bcpid=1155201977&bctid=21529377001

Start at 50 seconds in...for Obama's exact words on Social Security. He states, it isn't broke. He clearly states that the cap needs to be raised. But the real problem is Medicare Part D.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8206100

[knixphan]

59. indeed.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

54. So I will be able to retire at 65 and draw the amount they currently say I will given inflation?

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SCantiGOP]

24. social security is a ponzi scheme

as currently structured it cannot possibly be sustained. In a few decades we'll have 2 people working for every retiree; what do you think taxes will have to be to cover that. The longer we wait the harder it's going to be to put it on a sound actuarial basis. If my company funded our retirement plan like Social Security is structured there would be people going to jail.

[Enthusiast]

25. Thank you for repeating the GOP

position on social security. How about we get your propsoal for a replacement for social security. Do you wish to privatise it, as Bush proposed? Since you said it is a ponzi scheme lets hear your idea.

[joeglow3]

30. There are 4 options.

1. Raise retirement age
2. Decrease SS amounts received
3. Raise taxes.
4. Improve return on investments

Removing payroll cap will help out, but you will still have to do a combination of the above.

[madrchsod]

35. decrease payments? that is NOT an option

try maintaining employment and wages.

[joeglow3]

47. The country has been "fully employed" for a long time

Granted, unemployment has gone up a lot lately. However, even if we maintain 3-4% (which is considered fully employed), nothing will change with the current state of SS.

[guruoo]

46. 5. Means test...

#1's a loser, IMO.

[SCantiGOP]

33. very simple

Go back and read Al Gore's proposal during the 2000 election. Saying that they system cannot be sustained is not a liberal or conservative position. We need to raise the cap on payroll taxes and will eventually probably have to break the promise made when Social Security was enacted and means test the payments. I will repeat, it would be illegal for a private company to operate a system like this. It must be fixed, and the longer we wait the more painful it's going to be.

[madrchsod]

31. really? oh well ....

i`m getting my social security checks from the "ponzi scheme" and i`ll be dead way before a couple of decades so i don`t give a shit.....

[SCantiGOP]

34. now that is the republican approach

as long as I get mine I don't give a shit about anyone else or what happens to the next generation. Had Gore been elected it would have been fixed by now.

[madrchsod]

36. sarcasm

[SCantiGOP]

56. sorry, dude

[Doremus]

41. Wrong.

You really need to quit getting your "news" from Faux. :eyes:

[L0oniX]

42. "retiree" ...ehhem ...just who is going to be able to retire?

[windbreeze]

39. I disagree

SS does need changes..it is being used for things it was never supposed to be used for...and those in charge of medicare need to throw private, for profit, insurance companies out of the middle of it...wb

[Enthusiast]

43. Agree with Windbreeze

Get private insurance companies the hell out of medicare!

[knixphan]

60. Zactly!

[no limit]

55. Listen to Jim Sagle people; forget what the CBO says

http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=5530&type=0

Why listen to statistics based on factual research when you could listen to some guy on DU who thinks the system is just fine because he gets his check every month. No need to worry about our children.

[TheCoxwain]

4. Hannity is bitching about it right now

[benld74]

7. Ya, he sure is - ONE!

[wizstars]

10. Han-Nutty can lick my ass

I certainly wouldn't enjoy it, but it's all he's good for

[bulloney]

29. By the way, Sean, where are you on Olbermann's offer to pay you for being waterboarded?

Yeah, I thought so.

[tridim]

17. Is he claiming to be "tortured" by what Obama said about his network?

[SomeGuyInEagan]

19. Who?

[gratuitous]

6. Obama lost Missouri in 2008

I'll bet he doesn't lose it in 2012.

[judesedit]

12. Barely. And he probably REALLY won it.

[northofdenali]

13. I love this man. I LOVE him.

Hey teabaggers?

[EmeraldCityGrl]

40. I want this on the new DU t-shirt.

[northofdenali]

48. Feel free to send it in!

Photoshop the "Hey Teabaggers" part..........

I'd buy one!

[quidam56]

20. Hannity's Patriotic head just exploded !!!

http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=138 What America do these Fox News people live in ???????

[larf007]

37. Loyal Opp.

[pnorman]

44. I LOVE that bumpersticker!

pnorman

[riverdale]

61. There should be a cave man riding the dinosaur