Mar 05 2009
Oh Lord, I Agree With Chris Mathews
While many political watchers are amazed that MSNBC’s Chris Mathews would turn on Obama and the dems for not keeping their campaign promises, I am intrigued about why Obama doesn’t take advantage of this low hanging fruit? Mathews is spot on in the piece below – Obama could easily instill confidence in the administration and the federal process over all by simply sending the Omnibus bill back to Congress with redlines on all the ear marks and pork.
As the liberal media apologists note in defending the indefensible, this is not a lot of money and was left over from the last administration. Two good reasons to use it to political advantage! Obama could blame Bush (again), could pretend to make good on cleaning up DC spending (though much more pork was in the Spendulus bill), and he would steal thunder from the GOP.
So why not do what Mathews says? And that maybe the elephant in the room. The only reason not to have a Sister Soldjah moment with the liberal Congress and gain a lot of PR points with little cost is because Obama is afraid of taking on Congress.
That has to be the answer – Obama has surrendered to the Democrat leaders in Congress. There has been a theory out there that he had the potential to be a weak and ineffective leader because of his lack of experience. The failure to take this easy win-win opportunity probably is the clearest indication to date this is theory is now becoming fact.
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There is also the theory that he will be a weak and ineffectual leader because beneath the glitzy veneer, he is a weak and ineffectual man. He does a very good job of standing on a stage and reading lines that other people tell him to say. And
I think the sum total of his abilities begin and end there.
He is nothing but a clever chameleon. He do not believe he even has thoughts of his own; he doesn’t need them. Look how many even on the left are beginning to realize that they only saw what they wanted to see, not what was there. Because in reality there was nothing there.
Wow, I guess the ‘thrill’ is not still running up Slobbering Matthews leg….
Obama will not do as he suggests, because he doesn’t think for himself and his handlers are not for it.
Serves Matthews right, along with all these other kool-aid drinkers. I may be young, but I know better to trust anything a politician says on the campaign trail. Especially when the politician is a product of the Chicago political machine.
Reagan once remarked that politics is alot like the world’s oldest profession. Indeed- politicians will say and do anything for a vote.
I think Obama, Reid, and Pelosi are beginning to scare people in their own ranks. Many probably still remember what happen when the Clintons tried ramming Socialized Medicine down our throats. What our three Stalinists are trying, makes that seem mild.
By the way, when are we going to stop calling these people “Liberals”. There’s nothing liberating about anything they these three seem to be planning. At the very least it’s Socialism. Actually its boarding on Facism.
Obama is afraid of taking on Congress
Watching Obama during the run up to the passage of the “economic stimulus” was like watching a little boy being lead around by his mommy (Nancy Pelosi).
There there little Barry .. sign on the line.
Does Nancy Pelosi have pictures of Obama with a dead woman or a young boy ? It sure seems so.
tunkbob:
First off, the word you’re looking for is “bordering”, not “boarding”.
Secondly – what exactly is “fascist” about trying to provide health care for everyone in the country?
GayFellow, check out the definition of the word fascist. Do you want us to flag you every time you accidentally use the wrong word or spelling?
Fascist: a person who is dictatorial.
dictating that everyone have their money confiscated to provide something to someone that does not care enough to provide it for themselves.
Sounds fascist to me.
No, that’s the definition of a dictator.
Which is not the same thing as a fascist.
If you had the brains that God gave a turnip, you’d know that.
Guy:
I work in health care. That is what I do and everybody in the country has health care, it is just not paid for by someone else.
I think it would be refreshing if Obama would be honest with people about what kind of health care this will be. Who will pay and how and what happens if someone does not want to be part of the program. What will keep companies like mine from dropping health care insurance to employees and just letting the government {or taxpayers} pay for it?
Obama has not been honest about the quality of the insurance, the amount of control the state will have over families’ health care decision or the price tag.
I don’t think it is fascist, but I think it is a dishonest attempt to buy votes.
As or why Obama did not do what Matthews said, one reason might be that at least one of the earmarks was put in there by {then}Senator Barack Obama.
The fraud.
fascist
One entry found.
Main Entry:
fas·cism Listen to the pronunciation of fascism
Pronunciation:
\ˈfa-ˌshi-zəm also ˈfa-ˌsi-\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Italian fascismo, from fascio bundle, fasces, group, from Latin fascis bundle & fasces fasces
Date:
1921
1often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition2: a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control <early instances of army fascism and brutality
*************
Just in case anyone really wondered what fascist means.
I like that part about severe economic and social regimentation.
Terrye:
Okay, I see the point you are making there, and yes – I’m also curious about the details of Obama’s plan. However, that’s something we’ll hear about over the course of the year.
If you are truly curious, and not simply looking for another reason to bash Obama without really caring what his plan is, you can read the transcript of his speech at the health care forum here.
However:
“Health problems are behind half the bankruptcies in this country, and three-quarters of those bankrupt people had health insurance when they got sick.”
Now, do those two facts tell you that the current health care situation in this country is A) awesome! or B) seriously broken?
Mathews is finally coming to realize something that most people don’t quite get:
1. The President doesn’t make laws.
2. The President doesn’t make earmarks.
3. The President can’t remove earmarks.
Any campaign promises about earmarks are absolute hot air because the reality is that earmarks are completely beyond the control of any President. These were promises that Obama absolutely could not deliver on no matter what, they are simply out of his jurisdiction. Without a line-item veto, a President must take ALL of the legislation or NONE of it.
Anyone who fell for that rhetoric that Obama was going to do anything about earmarks does not understand how our government works. They were promises as empty as the heads believing them.
Guy:
His speech? Oh please. There is no way I am going to believe some stump speech by Obama.
I am going to tell you something else Guy, I know plenty of people without insurance who could afford it if they wanted it. But they don’t. If you get a plan like this and 700 billion is just a down payment, it will almost certainly be paid for by additional taxes. Like medicare or social security. And what is more they will want to tell you what to do with your health care and what to do and not to do.
Obama is not trying to do anyone a favor, he wants people dependent on the state so that they will vote Democrat. That is all this is.
No one gets turned away for a lack of health insurance. People can get care even if they are destitute. To say that people have to have a government program or they are denied health care is absurd.
crosspatch:
If I remember correctly Obama was promising to veto the bill.
BTW, Evan Bayh Democrat, Indiana, did an oped saying this bill was obscene. He will not vote for it and he says Obama should veto it.
And Guy, no matter what kind of plan they come up with people would still claim bankruptcy if they are sick or hurt enough. They can not work, they are behind on payments so unless you want to completely support them then a lot of these people will end up filing bankruptcy no matter what kind of health insurance they have.
Fascism also may include industries as a part of government, and the “cult of personality” of a great leader. And we certainly have that.
Terrye is right, by federal law, no one can be turned away at a hospital or anywhere due to lack of coverage. Health care is expensive, and premiums are increasing, but I certainly don’t want federal control over health care. No, national health coverage is not free- not when you’re paying higher taxes to maintain it. For all the talk the left has about socialized health care, they never mention how many Canadians come here to be seen by a physician so they don’t have to wait in line. And, if it is so great, why has a private health insurance industry taken root in Britain?