Obama slams GOP for obstructing economic progress... (get used to this line of attack)..

[DCBob]

Obama slams GOP for obstructing economic progress
By JULIE PACE (AP) – 17 minutes ago

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is taking aim at Senate Republicans, accusing them of playing politics with measures that would extend benefits to the unemployed and increase lending to small businesses. Striking a deeply partisan tone in his weekly Saturday radio and online address, Obama said the GOP leadership has chosen to "filibuster our recovery and obstruct our progress" by blocking votes on agenda items the president says would breath life into the economic recovery.

"These steps aren't just the right thing to do for those hardest hit by the recession," Obama said. "They're the right thing to do for all of us."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h_YK3t-tFpiSQgjf8z_PttwdIWqwD9H0OT5G0

I think is the administration's and Democrat's basic line of attack from now until Nov. It their best one and it could work.

[jefferson_dem]

1. Transcript and Video

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/07/17/weekly-address-filibustering-recovery-obstructing-progress

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release July 17, 2010 Weekly Address: President Obama Says GOP Senate Leadership Choosing to "Filibuster Our Recovery and Obstruct Our Progress"

WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, the President criticized the Republican leadership in the Senate for opposing initiatives which that would create jobs and strengthen the economy like cutting taxes for small businesses and extending unemployment insurance for Americans who have lost their jobs during the recession. Aiding small businesses and renewing unemployment insurance are not just the right things to do for those hit hardest by the recession, they are steps that will help strengthen the recovery. When crises strike Main Street, the President believes it’s important to put aside politics and act in the best interests of American families and small businesses.

The full audio of the address is HERE. The video can be viewed online at www.whitehouse.gov.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
July 17, 2010

This week, many of our largest corporations reported robust earnings – a positive sign of growth.

But too many of our small business owners and those who aspire to start their own small businesses continue to struggle, in part because they can’t get the credit they need to start up, grow, and hire. And too many Americans whose livelihoods have fallen prey to the worst recession in our lifetimes – a recession that cost our economy eight million jobs – still wonder how they’ll make ends meet.

That’s why we need to take new, commonsense steps to help small businesses, grow our economy, and create jobs – and we need to take them now.

For months, that’s what we’ve been trying to do. But too often, the Republican leadership in the United States Senate chooses to filibuster our recovery and obstruct our progress. And that has very real consequences.

Consider what that obstruction means for our small businesses – the growth engines that create two of every three new jobs in this country. A lot of small businesses still have trouble getting the loans and capital they need to keep their doors open and hire new workers. So we proposed steps to get them that help: Eliminating capital gains taxes on investments. Establishing a fund for small lenders to help small businesses. Enhancing successful SBA programs that help them access the capital they need.

But again and again, a partisan minority in the Senate said “no,” and used procedural tactics to block a simple, up-or-down vote.

Think about what these stalling tactics mean for the millions of Americans who’ve lost their jobs since the recession began. Over the past several weeks, more than two million of them have seen their unemployment insurance expire. For many, it was the only way to make ends meet while searching for work – the only way to cover rent, utilities, even food.

Three times, the Senate has tried to temporarily extend that emergency assistance. And three times, a minority of Senators – basically the same crowd who said “no” to small businesses – said “no” to folks looking for work, and blocked a straight up-or-down vote.

Some Republican leaders actually treat this unemployment insurance as if it’s a form of welfare. They say it discourages folks from looking for work. Well, I’ve met a lot of folks looking for work these past few years, and I can tell you, I haven’t met any Americans who would rather have an unemployment check than a meaningful job that lets you provide for your family. And we all have friends, neighbors, or family members who already knows how hard it is to land a job when five workers are competing for every opening.

Now in the past, Presidents and Congresses of both parties have treated unemployment insurance for what it is – an emergency expenditure. That’s because an economic disaster can devastate families and communities just as surely as a flood or tornado.

Suddenly, Republican leaders want to change that. They say we shouldn’t provide unemployment insurance because it costs money. So after years of championing policies that turned a record surplus into a massive deficit, including a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans, they’ve finally decided to make their stand on the backs of the unemployed. They’ve got no problem spending money on tax breaks for folks at the top who don’t need them and didn’t even ask for them; but they object to helping folks laid off in this recession who really do need help. And every day this goes on, another 50,000 Americans lose that badly needed lifeline.

Well, I think these Senators are wrong. We can’t afford to go back to the same misguided policies that led us into this mess. We need to move forward with the policies that are leading us out of this mess.

The fact is, most economists agree that extending unemployment insurance is one of the single most cost-effective ways to help jumpstart the economy. It puts money into the pockets of folks who not only need it most, but who also are most likely to spend it quickly. That boosts local economies. And that means jobs.

Increasing loans to small business. Renewing unemployment insurance. These steps aren’t just the right thing to do for those hardest hit by the recession – they’re the right thing to do for all of us. And I’m calling on Congress once more to take these steps on behalf of America’s workers, and families, and small business owners – the people we were sent here to serve.

Because when storms strike Main Street, we don’t play politics with emergency aid. We don’t desert our fellow Americans when they fall on hard times. We come together. We do what we can to help. We rebuild stronger, and we move forward. That’s what we’re doing today. And I’m absolutely convinced that’s how we’re going to come through this storm to better days ahead.

Thanks.

[DCBob]

2. Thanks.. the actual words help..

:hi:

[jefferson_dem]

7. Yes, they do.

The gNOp must be held accountable for their "obstruction only" political posturing.

In this case, the "sell" matches the reality. I'm glad to see POTUS putting it all out there.

[SoFlaJet]

3. JD is another member here

that keeps this place high atop my favorite places in my political section-NJMaverick too-thank you Jefferson Dem for staying here and continuing to fight for progressive ideals and for fighting to keep this place the DEMOCRATIC Underground

[jefferson_dem]

4. You're very kind.

Thanks. :hi:

[SoFlaJet]

6. no jd

thank all of YOUSE guys and gals for keeping this place alive-I see what has happened here and there are a few posters here who I always click on when I see they started a thread-I at least know it won't be bashing democrats bullshit

[Steely_Dan]

38. I Have Been Very Critical...

of the Obama Administration because I feel they were not framing the argument(s). This is certainly in the right direction. I will be the first to admit I was wrong if Obama continues to confront the RW.

[impik]

5. He kicked them hard this time. Really hard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIWn65JKMCs

[Bitwit1234]

8. About damn time and take a cue Democratic congress!!!!!!!

[treestar]

9. This is using the bully pulpit!

:kick:

[Catshrink]

10. GOP: against UE for hurting Americans, for letting bankers screw the country

He needs to keep it simple, sound bites.... Hate to say it but that's the attention span of the MSM. And all Dems need to use the same wording. Repeat the message. Repeat the message. Repeat the message.

Simple languge. Obstruction? Blocks, stands in the way, etc. The average voter isn't a law professor. Listen to George Lakoff.

Now I will have my coffee.

[DCBob]

11. Got that right catshrink.. "keep it simple, sound bites"..

That's the only thing the ignorant masses can understand.

[Catshrink]

12. I wouldn't call them ignorant

just busy and distracted. Most people aren't as tuned in to as DUers are so, at best, they hear the soundbites - or maybe it's the soundbites that stick.

[DCBob]

14. Technically "ignorant" means "unaware/lacking knowledge".. which many are..

But yes, many are just busy and distracted.. no doubt.

[DrToast]

13. Here's the problem

You need to push this line of attack when you have the advantage, when people will listen to you.That's how you keep them on your side against Republicans. Because the Dems didn't start this until they started falling in polls, people are going to be less receptive to this claim.

[DCBob]

15. I think Obama still has credibility with most of voters.. He's still our best messenger..

But you are right, the Dems who are struggling in the polls will have a hard time climbing back up, but they are not going to give up and I think this strategy could work. I think the best argument is to say if voters put GOPers in charge of either chamber and nothing will get done... this economic crisis could spiral out of control and we wont be able to do anything about it since congress will be gridlocked.

[Beetwasher]

16. You Need To Push This Line Of Attack When People Start Paying Attention

Which is usually in Sept. Obama is laying the groundwork now for the full fall rollout. This is merely the beginning and it will intensify as we get closer to the election. That's politics.

Most people have not been paying attention at all to politics and really won't start until much closer to the election.

I trust Obama's political instincts and timing. It's served him pretty well so far. And people still have more faith in Obama than any other politician in the country and will take his word over theirs.

[DCBob]

19. +1

right on beetwasher!

[Beetwasher]

17. This Is The Beginning Of The Election Push

He's laying the ground work now for the full fall rollout. This messaging will only intensify from here on out.

I trust Obama's sense of timing and political instinct. If he feels now is the time to start, I trust his judgement, but furthermore, I also agree that this is the best time; right after the passage of FinReg and the capping of the gusher.

It also has the added benefit of not only being a great/effective message frame, but an accurate one as well (which I guess is part of what makes it so great/effective).

[DCBob]

20. I think so too.. just getting warmed up.. and I trust his judgement too.

If Obama and his team know anything its campaigning!

[The Straight Story]

18. If only dems had control of the house and senate, then we could things done

:)

[DCBob]

21. We are getting things done.. 3 major pieces of legislation.. plus stopping a depression.

Isnt that enough for the first 18 months?

[MadHound]

23. Yes, that's enough,

Enough damage done to the American people and our society.

The stimulus that never was: The stimulus bill was made up of forty percent tax cuts, the least stimulating tool in the box.

Health Care Reform, a gift: HCR, sans the public option and any sort of price control on premiums, is nothing more than a mandated monopoly, gift wrapped and handed to the insurance industry.

Finance Reform, the sound and the fury: I just love how the MSM is calling this a victory for Obama. They're right, it is. But in reality it does little or nothing to curtail the most egregious practices of Wall St. since there is no reinstatement of Glas Steagal and the Volker Rule was watered down to virtually nothing. Nor does it touch credit card rates or regulate payday loans, two issues which would have a real meaningful effect on most people in this country.

As far as stopping a depression,:rofl: Tell that to the 16 percent of the American people who are unemployed. Tell that to the millions who are being foreclosed on, or who are underwater on their mortgages. Yeah, according to the number crunchers in the government, we're out of a recession (barely), but in the real world millions of people are still suffering with no relief in sight.

Obama and the Congressional Dems are getting things done, but that doesn't mean that they are doing what needs to be done to help the ordinary person. Quite the opposite.

[DCBob]

24. breathtaking negative spin..

do you get paid to do that?

[MadHound]

26. Well, besides being against the rules to insinuate that I'm a paid operative,

Your comment simply goes to show just how out of touch you are with reality.

Let me ask you this, what is going to prevent insurance companies from jacking up premiums once that mandated monopoly goes into effect? Wait, they already are! That's some great reform there.

Let me ask you another question. Do you think that it was the right thing to do to take out 16 billion slated for school construction and repair, only to replace it with tax cuts in a futile effort at bipartisanship? Don't you think that the Dems and Obama should have gone for as much economic bang for the buck on the stimulus and damn the politics. Instead, they loaded up the stimulus tax cuts, to a total of forty percent of the stimulus was tax cuts.

One more question, show me the real teeth in the financial reform, especially teeth that will bite right away and prevent future problems. Oh, that's right, you can't because most of these so called "reforms" don't take effect for twelve years. Plenty of time for the rich and elite to pump up and burst another financial bubble that they get rich from and that we suffer from.

So try leaving behind the insults and have a rational discussion, if you can.

[DCBob]

27. Sorry for the "insinuation".. but it was more of complement than an insult..

but I guess I will be deleted anyway.. so why bother. Enjoy wallowing in your mud pit of hyper-negativity.

[MadHound]

28. So you're not going to bother answering the questions I posed above? Why not?

Could it be that you no there is no good answer to them?

[DCBob]

29. Clearly your mind is made it up.. I would rather spend time debating with someone who..

might actually listen. Ciao.

[MadHound]

30. Ah, so you have no good answer to my questions,

I understand, reality is a hard thing to deal with at times. But in the long term it is always a good thing to deal with the reality based world. Bye:hi:

[KakistocracyHater]

44. of course there's an answer: claw-backs, use the Patriot Act against banksters

that are arrogant enough to try to go up against the USA-significant financial disruption is stated in the P.A., de-privatize the military laundry, medicine, supply/food/water, mechanics-Rummy's "transformation" was a deformation & personally, I could see it as an attack on US military crucial supply lines, an act of war (I think). Rachet back everything W did, basically.

[CTLawGuy]

40. there's a "mandated monopoly?"

they're getting rid of Medicare/medicaid and all other government run health insurance programs?????

Please quote the exact language in the law that requires all people to buy PRIVATE insurance.

[jefferson_dem]

32. Yup. Transparent..

Fail.

[jefferson_dem]

31. So you ridicule every one of the signature reforms passed by this Democratic-Controlled Congress...

and signed into law by this Democratic President.

And lambast the Administration for not doing enough about (16%?) unemployment. :crazy:

Amazing. How exactly does that bs differ from what we hear from your everyday, garden-variety teabagger? NOTE: I am not ... Repeat ... I am not calling you a teabagger.

[MadHound]

33. I do more than ridicule these so called achievements,

I vehemently criticize them. I think that they are goddamn fucking garbage. Handing over a mandated monopoly to the insurance industry, with no price controls, no public option, do you think that's a bright move? I don't, I think it is going to destroy the middle and working class. Hell, we're already starting to see double digit rises in premiums since the passage of this bill. With a mandated monopoly in full effect in four years, what the hell is going to protect us from even steeper rises?

The stimulus was made up of forty percent tax cuts, the least effective form of stimulus. People are goddamn desperate out here, this administration knows it. So why not pass the most effective legislation possible and getting us the biggest bang for our buck, ie spending rather than tax cuts? After all, isn't it tax cuts that got us into this mess.

And as far as financial reform goes, the simple fact that it mostly doesn't take effect for twelve fucking years is a huge reason to doubt its effectiveness, much less the fact that it is a watered down, ineffective piece of legislation that doesn't address the most troublesome aspects of our financial industry, leaving them free to plunge this country into ever larger cycles of boom or bust until we the people become we the indebted, poor ass serfs.

Does that really sound like a teabagger to you? If it does, then frankly your political compass is completely non-functioning. Name me one teabagger who wants the public option, who wants spending over tax cuts, who wants tighter regulations over any industry. That you're comparing my political stance to that of a teabagger means that you either have no political sense whatsoever, or you are simply trying to dismiss me with insults and innuendo. So which is it, are you stupid and clueless, or insulting and defensive?

[jefferson_dem]

34. The merits of each of these reform initiatives have been well debated here on DU.

I have taken part in many of these threads. If you want perspective, go there.

Unsubstantiated premises not-withstanding, these were "the most effective legislation possible" given the political environment. You do understand the limits of executive authority, the legislative process and balance of power, right?

Anway, go ahead and "vehemently criticize" the most sweeping health care and financial reforms in a generation if you want. Go ahead and stay bitter because you didn't get the exact politicy outcomes you want when you wanted them. I'll embrace progress.

To answer the "Does that really sound like a teabagger to you?" question: Yes.

[MadHound]

35. Oh I know your perpective on all this,

Basically it consists of anything that Obama says or does is good, no matter how heinous it is.

I notice that you're dodging the three main points I made, running away from them as fast as possible. Why is that? Is it because the truth hurts too much?

And labeling these the most sweeping health care and financial reforms in a generation isn't saying much, considering that roughly encompasses Reagan through Bush II, and we know the kind of deregulation Clinton did, he was no help.

But hey, whatever. Time keeps rolling along, and this is all law now. However when your insurance premiums skyrocket, when we go through another boom and bust cycle that tops this one, remember, you were warned. And instead of opposing our corporately controlled government, you embraced it, thus becoming part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Funny, now you admit to calling me a teabagger. Even funnier how those insults stand, despite the new rules.

[jefferson_dem]

36. For the record...

I never called you a teabagger.

Sorry.

[ibegurpard]

41. spot on!

eom

[golfguru]

22. The blame lies squarely on WH+Senate+House

Solid majority everywhere.

Dems can pass any bill they want. Yes, repugs can stall in the senate by
filibuster but that exposes them in the sunlight. Besides we have 60
votes to force cloture.

Not since LBJ we have had solid control of congress & WH. We have seen the
enemy and it is us.

[DCBob]

25. We do NOT have 60 votes.. there are 57 Dems with two Independents that usually vote with the Ds..

plus 2 or 3 moderate Repubs that sometimes help out in a pinch.

The "blame" lies with the do nothing, obstructionist Rethugs.

[golfguru]

37. OK, before Scott Brown we had 60

because Lieberman & the other indie caucus with us.

[DCBob]

39. So I guess that blows your theory "Dems can pass any bill they want"..

The worthless obstructionist GOPers are the problem. Funny you dont see that.

[golfguru]

43. It's funny that you do not recognize we have the

strongest majority controlling congress and White House since
I can't even remember....probably going back to LBJ.

[SunsetDreams]

42. Kick

Keep on slamming them! Then come late October, get the bases loaded, and hit it out of the park!!