President Obama: "This isn’t about me. This is not about politics.

[bigtree]

White House Live ?@WHLive 2h
President Obama: "This isn’t about me. This is not about politics. This is about doing the right thing for families like yours."


President Obama Speaks from University of Hartford

[KoKo]

1. Is this recent? I didn't want to click on it at this time...but

he said ..."This is about You and Your Families?" Did he mean extended Family...like your AGING Parents? Or...just YOU and Your Immediate Family.

Just wondering.

[malaise]

6. This evening in Connecticut and many of the Sandy Hook families were there

Last edited Mon Apr 8, 2013, 09:23 PM - Edit history (1)

Some traveled back to DC with him on AF1. It was lovely watching him let them board before he did - very classy.

[KoKo]

25. I care very much about the Sandy Hook Deaths...and I'm sure others

here do also.

[bigtree]

33. go back to your very important threads on SS, then

. . . and leave this one to discussing gun legislation and the president's very welcome address.

[babylonsister]

27. Thank you. It is. Some

on DU remind me of the rethugs; the first opportunity to question motives or bash, and they're at it again.

I watched the President's speech; it was stellar and heartfelt.

Thanks for the thread, bigtree.

[madfloridian]

28. You really believe we don't care about Sandy Hook because we care about Soc. Sec.?

Your quote:

Not ONE of these SS posters on this thread can tell me that they give a DAMN about these children's deaths.

Don't you think that is really extreme?

[graham4anything]

78. So are you for manditory NO private person with gun/bullet? I am.

I for one will never even entertain anything on any other small wedge issue of someone else, until the far more important gun problem is eradicated and no private citizen has access to a bullet..

[madfloridian]

82. Do you believe in taking benefits from our neediest people? Do you believe in privatizing education?

How do you feel about seniors losing their meals they depend on to be independent?

How do you feel about career teachers being laid off so corporations can benefit?

[MineralMan]

99. What does that have to do with gun control issues.

Broaden your vision a little, please. This is about gun control. Your issue is about something else.

[MineralMan]

101. How does one educate a dead child, madfloridian?

That's an education issue.

[madfloridian]

118. Why do you assume I don't care about the massacre? Please explain.

What is going on here?

[MineralMan]

119. What is the topic of this thread?

Read the OP again.

[madfloridian]

142. I was responding to this comment.

A comment that really hit below the belt about those of us speaking out about social security.

But since the poster deleted it, you can't see what it said.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2638759

I can walk and chew gum at the same time, and I can care about multiple issues at the same time.

But it goes to the mindset this administration has about senior safety nets and about education.

Neither are on his radar.

[tex-wyo-dem]

140. You know what, I think we all need to chill the F out...

Gun control, SS, Medicare, education, meals on wheels, these are all very important issues. It all boils down to protecting the weakest and most vulnerable among us. As an egalitarian and compassionate society, and as progressives, we should all realize that by assuring the welfare of the most needy, we all benefit (not to mention, it's just the right thing to do).

I highly applaud Obama for his actions on reducing gun violence....at the same time I wonder WTF he is thinking WRT SS.

[patrice]

80. madfloridian, please, it appears that that is how other positions are being characterized too, by

by those who are fighting the CPI. It appears that NOTHING else matters. Everything, including our position in defense of public education, is 0 relative to that single issue, CPI. It appears that those opposing the CPI are willing to destroy the Democratic party and also that they are refusing to recognize the concrete consequences of that for at least a generation, because whatever they think is next will not develop fully enough to meet people's needs for quite a long time. 10 years? closer to 20? Do we have that kind of time?

I'd like to see an authentically Liberal party too, but what we have going on right now plays right into the DLC's hands and it is suicidal. I'd even be willing to live with all of that if the people doing it would just admit that what I just sketched IS the general trajectory of the course of what they are doing. They should admit that so that the base that they are trying to build AT ALL COSTS is respected enough to make it's own decisions about what they are willing to endure to birth another political party.

It takes two* to tangle, because it does no good to admit the problems with one's own position, when the other side mis-characterizes that with doctrinaire talking points and refuses to admit the problems with their own position.

I for one, hope to see Universal Pre-K. If stopping the CPI results in losing Universal Pre-K, how would you feel about that?

........................................

*It's the numbers of persons; that's the basic driver. The direction we are being drug in will result in more than 3 proto-parties, btw, that wonderful Leftie 3rd Party paradise, if it ever evolves into a viable political power will have to go through quite a struggle with all of the radical inertia throughout the whole political spectrum from right to left, before it clarifies itself enough to be authentically Left, that is IF it ever manages to do that, and that process, that struggle, will yield at least one counter-party, a potential 4 party if you will, of appx. the same size to counter everything that "the Left" pretends it is going to do.

My point is: Until we get authentic campaign finance reform, preferrably public financing, and END corporate personhood; until we insure our votes with paper ballots, marked by hand, and counted in public . . . everything that is going to happen is an iteration of the SAME THING and that's what calls itself "the Left" WILL NOT TELL YOU as THEY kill Universal Pre-K and several other issues in their dogmatic drive to power of some sort and that will be power that is incapable of doing anything for people, because it will be too busy trying to create itself to accomplish anything for anyone else.

[madfloridian]

84. Then folks need to clarify whom they are attacking so viciously.

Care for the elderly and needy, and public education for all are vital. I very seldom ever discuss other issues.

Two things that will affect us so vitally are being harmed greatly. The safety nets and public education are under attack right now.

It is this administration's policy, NOT the right wing. In fact they are now in a position to defend Social Security against Obama's cuts.

[patrice]

92. Please know that NO politician does anything without a price. That "defense" of SS WILL COST US &

NO ONE WHO IS attacking others for wanting to look at what it WILL COST to defend SS is admitting that.

ALL of the issues are connected in a big "net" that is reinforced by sequestration right now. Some of the regions of that matrix are more stable than others, but ALL of it IS being pressured for some kind of change by the sequestration. That's what "it's all on the table" means. We're in a very dynamic situation; everyone should be thinking about their orders of priority and SHARING the truth about all of that, i.e. what they might give, and FOR what, and what they might not give, and for what. That's all I ask, let's tell each other the truth about the WHOLE thing, including what calls itself "the Left", so that INDIVIDUALS can FREELY decide their own course.

And part of the truth about that "net" is that pulling too hard on one structural element will indeed cause equal and opposite reactions on other issues. What calls itself "the Left" MUST admit that it is possible, in fact it is quite likely, that it is a significant part of what is driving PO to the RIGHT. Understand that there is a pay-off for "the Left" in this, because that drives more people in THEIR direction and that's what they want more than anything else and that includes more than they want success on ANY ISSUE. They MUST build their base and that IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS TO THEM. They don't have the numbers to produce success on any issue so ALL issues are actually 0 to them relative to acquiring one more mind to their effort.

I understand all of that and, believe it or not, I ACCEPT it. That's the way it MUST be, given our circumstances, all I am saying is let us honor one another with the TRUTH of how all of this works. Bitching about PO "promising" this or that, while what calls itself "the Left" is indeed ALSO promising this or that, is just simply a lie, or at least a profound error that invalidates everyone's trust in those who are doing THE SAME THING as that which they say they are resisting.

I'll know I have found my Left when I see something authentically different, something validly NEW, a true THIRD factor. What we have going on right now is a battle over who owns a 3rd party/way and the DLC is winning, because what calls itself "the Left" is driving the whole thing to the RIGHT by threatening E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G else but their issue du jour, in the name of BASE BUILDING and NOTHING more, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DELIVER anything. And once again, I understand this "necessity", I just want all of us to be more honest about what is going on, so that people can make their own personal decisions about it, instead of parroting propaganda from what calls itself "the Left" or from the Right.
..................

FOUR Fingers!!!!

[MineralMan]

102. The children in our classrooms are under attack, too.

Dead children cannot be taught by educators. Their traumatized classmates suffer, as well.

There were teachers slaughtered as well.

Where was their safety net, madfloridian?

There are multiple issues.

[madfloridian]

108. Oh come on, now.

Isn't this getting a wee bit ridiculous??

Can't I speak out about the Democrats' attack on public education and safety nets and yet be ok with the gun control? Why in the world would you think I am not sad about the massacre of the children. Where are you guys getting this stuff.

[MineralMan]

114. Because you hijacked a thread

on an entirely different subject?

[madfloridian]

116. No. I posted this. Not hijacking, protesting at the criticism that was unfair.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2638900

[NYC_SKP]

127. I'm with madfloridian on this matter MM.

You bring it up you take your chances.

This is survival, partner.

Step up dude or step off.

[MineralMan]

128. OK.

[MineralMan]

129. I am on SS and Medicare. I am far more

concerned with gun control than in chained CPI. I will survive it. 20 children did not survive an AR-15.

Two issues need two theads.

[NYC_SKP]

130. Your shit is safe like my parents' shit is safe.

You don't even have a seat at this table, Mineral Man.

Sorry to say.

[MineralMan]

144. Oh, I have a seat, and I will occupy it.

Count on it.

[sheshe2]

111. What it means for us.

Mostly missing from that conversation, though, was the other half of the equation: working parents, specifically mothers, given that women still spend the most time caring for children. The benefits for children seem pretty clear, but we have to add in the benefits that women will see if they have a quality and affordable place to send their kids every day when they head to work.

The peace of mind that comes with that may not be quantifiable, but the impact on women’s lives certainly is.

SNIP:

But some simply can’t make it work. Working parents miss an average of nine days a year due to an inability to get care for their kids. Many other mothers decide to cut back on their work hours or leave the labor force altogether to make the whole thing work.

Enter universal preschool. With somewhere affordable and high quality to send their children, parents have a far easier time getting to work. In fact, a study found that fully funding early childhood education through the government would increase employment among mothers by up to 10 percent – an extra woman in the workforce for every ten. That’s hugely important when you consider that we’re falling behind our peers when it comes to the share of women in our workforce. But it will also have an important benefit for women who are better able to invest in their careers and earn higher wages without so many interruptions.

Thank you for your comments, patrice.

[Demo_Chris]

43. Some of us can multi-task. As it happens, I care about both. nt

[Number23]

22. "traveled back to DU with him on AF1."

????

"Back to DU?" Back from where? Pluto? That would definitely explain some things...

[malaise]

23. LOL

Corrected

[bigtree]

7. today -'every family'

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE
University of Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut

April 8, 2013
5:45 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Connecticut. (Applause.) Thank you. Well, thank you so much, everybody. Let me begin by thanking Nicole, and Ian, for your brave words. (Applause.) I want to thank them and all the Newtown families who have come here today, including your First Selectman, Pat Llodra. (Applause.) Nobody could be more eloquent than Nicole and the other families on this issue. And we are so grateful for their courage and willingness to share their stories again and again, understanding that nothing is going to be more important in making sure the Congress moves forward this week than hearing from them . . .

-- the survivors who still mourn and grieve, but are still going to work every day to love and raise those precious children in their care as fiercely as ever.

I want to thank Governor Malloy for his leadership. (Applause.) Very proud of him. I want to thank the University of Hartford for hosting us this afternoon. (Applause.) Thank you, Hawks. (Applause.) And I want to thank the people of Connecticut for everything you’ve done to honor the memories of the victims -- (applause) -- because you’re part of their family as well.

One of your recent alumni, Rachel D’Avino, was a behavioral therapist at Sandy Hook. Two alumni of your performing arts school, Jimmy Greene and Nelba Marquez-Greene, lost their daughter, Ana -- an incredible, vibrant young girl who looked up to them, and learned from them, and inherited their talents by singing before she could talk.

So every family in this state was shaken by the tragedy of that morning. Every family in this country was shaken. We hugged our kids more tightly. We asked what could we do, as a society, to help prevent a tragedy like that from happening again.

And as a society, we decided that we have to change. We must. We must change. (Applause.)


read full speech: http://www.hartford.edu/president-obama/transcript.aspx

[NYC_SKP]

3. I love my president, but...

Last edited Mon Apr 8, 2013, 11:42 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm probably spending too much time on DU, but the gun thing means far less to me right now that the SS issue.

Sorry if that's offensive to anyone, but we ALL need our safety net.

Dear President,

Please step up.

Yours,

NYC_SKP

[otherone]

4. please step up

[Comrade_McKenzie]

13. The 500+ threads on the subject aren't enough, I suppose...

I'm trying to avoid them and then they come and shit all over threads like this one.

Pretty fucking pathetic of them.

[freshwest]

15. With your permission, may I post this in our Gun Control group?

Thanks for posting this, with Mitch and the rest promising to not even allow a vote on GC, it's very important.

[bigtree]

20. oh, absolutely, freshwest

. . . let's give this event a push!

[Number23]

21. + a freaking million

And once again, am happily surprised at the outrage you've been showing.

[KoKo]

26. bigtree...its what Obama does. He's good with these

compassionate issues. But, right now some of us have issues about what he's doing with putting SS on the Chopping Block and serving to the Repugs.

I can't do anything about Gun Control. Yes...I'm sure it was a wonderful Photo Op...but, right now many of us are concerned with what he just did that will affect us going forward for generation or more.

So...try to chill out about this and not cast blame when there's another issue that overshadows Airforce One and Grieving Parents and what does seem to be sort of "unfortunate timing."

[bigtree]

29. If you bothered to follow this debate/issue/legislation

. . . you'd find that this is a critical time for the state of proposals swimming around congress. if we don't keep the heat on this issue NOW we'll find republicans retreating into their political bubble and end up with NOTHING accomplished at all.

On the other hand, the budget debate will go on until the next election without any resolution at all; certainly not likely that republicans will accept the tax increases required to make any 'deal' with the President - not to mention that there isn't a chance that the Senate is going to even bring SS cuts to the floor; much less pass them out of conference.

So the SS crap is POLITICAL, not pending or even probable in this Congress. Gun reform will NOT happen unless THIS Congress is held accountable and responsible for responding to the most recent atrocities with more than just lip service.

If you give a damn about these issues, let them be debated in the proper context and not hijacked (by ANYONE) to make some disparate political point.

[KoKo]

32. bigtree...this is as big an issue to us as you say Gun Control NOW

is to you. Some of us know that Gun Control is going nowhere given that Harry Reid and so many Senators and House Members come from states who depend on NRA Support and Conservative Support.

So you are fighting for your issue and we are desperately fighting for our issue which is IMMEDIATE...just as you feel Gun Control is. So it's two groups in Dem Party fighting over what's the most important to them that they feel they can make a difference on.

I'm sorry my first reply to you upset you...I honestly haven't followed that Obama was personally flying some of the Families of the Sandy Hook massacre on Air Force One. I thought you mean he was giving a speech somewhere and didn't want to click on the video to see him campaigning when the SS/Sequester/Medicare cuts are the issue that is overwhelming me and many others at this moment.

[graham4anything]

79. You lost me when you asked for opinions then made it clear you didn't want mine

Grandparents nationwide weep the hardest when their child and grandchild are murdered by gun nuts with buillets

especially as none of those kids gets to worry whether they lose $4 bucks a month in social security, being that they won't reach retirement age.

[Sheepshank]

89. 5,008,250 other threads on SS and still you try and crap all over this one?

Seriously, as people upthread said, they can multitask. Have a two threads running concurrently on two separate subjects...wow what a concept!!! can't you start a new thread of your own?

Lets keep this one thread (buried amongst the dozens of SS threads) focused on the important, immediate task of gun legislation. Why is this concept to hard for so many?

[sheshe2]

48. K&R!

Kicking your post, even though I know I can not.

she

[NYC_SKP]

30. Both matter, gun violence and social security.

Last edited Tue Apr 9, 2013, 01:34 PM - Edit history (1)

Social Security hits a lot closer to home.

I'm not here to win friends, I know you know that.

Social Security hits me right in the pocketbook, right in the bank account, it impacts my survivability.

The gun control drama doesn't matter to me when I'm selling my hair to buy milk, not that my hair is that great but I LOVE my milk.

Thanks.

[riqster]

76. Well, dead kids are personal to me. And others.

People who have lost children would like to keep the focus on the topic, and not have a load of single-issue posters hijack these discussions.

I'm not hijacking your threads. Please leave ours alone.

[CreekDog]

93. judging by your posts, the Newtown tragedy bothers you more for its potential to regulate guns

than what it did to children.

this has always been how you've posted.

you care about what you care about and when you see all these massacres, you don't see dead people, you feel your rights are in jeopardy.

it is ALL you care about, even when your rights aren't even being threatened.

then you mocked people who do care, because why? YOU DON'T CARE and you literally cannot fathom why people would care as we do.

you cannot grasp how other people think on this because you don't care as we do.

TWO DAYS AFTER SANDY HOOK YOU POSTED THIS:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022002711#post32

and even though this whole thing is effed up, you know what's effed up the most? you don't respect the weaponry, you celebrate and get excited by them.

so the thing is, you can't even say you lack emotion when it comes to the issue, you have plenty of emotion --towards guns.

emotion towards the children? NONE. emotion towards the victim today? NONE.

emotion towards guns? ALL.

[SwampG8r]

105. oh skippy

now you will learn what i learned
you remember 2007 skip?me and you were the advance attack squad when anyone said anything critical of candidate obama
for the record i still love candidate obama and would go to the mat for him anytime anywhere
but during his first term i became suspicious and drew the ire of the superfans
they do have a list i believe ala the mikado and i was on it
since 2009 i have felt a target on my back just because i felt i had a right... no.... a responsibility to question the intentions of their beloved.
i have had my party loyalty maligned,my family insulted,even once my dog made fun of all because i had the sheer audacity to say aloud that the plan was flawed
hell skip think back, we both even made excuses for obama when rick warren gave his prayer thingee in 2009
thats when i started to feel like i was trolling du by making excuses for the administration and no longer could carry their water
this op is just an attempt to change the subject and if the new meme among these apologists is "X iis more important than social security ,so dont discuss social security until X is done" well good luck with that but i dont think anyone is buying anymore
when i see stuff like that i just feel a profound sense of sadness.
be careful now skip as they will begin to bait you

[Fearless]

75. Funny how upset people get when they are robbed.

How dare they.

[graham4anything]

86. Anyone shot dead by a gun is robbed of ever growing old.Grab the private citizens guns.

[Doctor Who]

139. you are not helping...

you are just giving fuel to people who say "reasonable" gun laws are trying to disarm law abiding gun owners. PS. We disagree on alot of issues, but I enjoy your reading your post.

[graham4anything]

143. Once the 2nd is reinterpreted, all the old NRA soundbytes become meaningless.

Nobody has to say anything now, but it has reached the point of no return, as no form of anything without everything is going to be more than an entry into the inevitable.

That is what Ted Kennedy knew about health insurance, and why he was so bitterly disappointed in 1993 when zero happened. They tried to reach for too much and came up empty.

So it is why 10% of something is better than 100% of nothing.
After awhile, all the 10% add up.

Ask, on the other side how they have parsed and parsed the constitutional right for a woman to have privacy and choice.
Ask, how on the other side, Kansas for all intent and purpose lost their right and ironically, it came from a gun of a political extremist killing Dr. Tiller.

Now that the NRA has a $$$ for $$$ Great Equalizer to stop the NRA blackmail, more and more people are seeeing the NRA for what they are.The only reason in 2013 that candidates are still afraid is, The Great Equalizer and the 800 others have only tested the waters, and 2014-2016 will be continuing.(It won't happen overnight).

And this will be an issue women shall lead on, in the future.

I never really thought of it before, but should Hillary name Janet Napolitano as her VP she will need a new HS director.
Who better than the Great Equalizer himself to deal with the terror group, The NRA as the new SCOTUS reinterprets the 2nd.

(never forget, Heller itself was a reinterpretation).

[Fearless]

145. I'm sorry

But the two statements don't have to be mutually exclusive.

[Trailrider1951]

12. This!!!

What a smoke screen!

[Trailrider1951]

16. I did not have this answer Bigtree

He/she is the ringer here!

[Robb]

17. Disgusting post.

[NYC_SKP]

31. No, Robb, your mistake in comprehension is monumental.

Stand by the people and our social security rights or get out of the fucking way.

Gun control has not a whit to do with our demand that social security be held sacred.

I'm sick of the whining about Sandy Hook in the absence of concern about those who die EVERY FUCKING DAY FROM POVERTY AND NEGLECT.

What's more, I'm offended that 20 American children dying are somehow more shocking than 18 US veteran suicides PER FUCKING DAY!

I don't suppose you see much starvation, or suicide, or neglect in your life, Robb.

Lucky you.

[Robb]

34. No mistake. I have not forgotten the moment you revealed the nature of your character.

You waited exactly two days after the Sandy Hook shooting. http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022002711#post34

[NYC_SKP]

35. Right over your head, I guess.

How clever of you to find the link but miss the bloody point.

The point being that I disagreed with the admins allowing gun posts in GD, so I posted in defiance a perfectly harmless but formerly inapt post for GD: a recommendation for a non semi-automatic non-assault weapon american made scatter gun.

Posted in defiance. Then recalled when asked to by Skinner.

That you have a link to the post is freaky, brother.

[Robb]

37. Yeah, you're a regular Rosa Parks, only with shotguns.

[NYC_SKP]

38. Scared of diversity of opinion, Robb?

But brave enough to shit on people who aren't?

Of people who grow up where feral cats eat your fowl and where, if they wanted to, freaks could come and rape or kill your family?

Where we raise pigs and hens and had orchards and used every hunting season to bring in dove and duck and pheasant.

SHOCKING!!!

What kind of safe and privileged coccoon are you entitled enough to live in, Robb?

Really dude, you should step back and find a little tolerance and acceptance.

We aren't all like you.

[U4ikLefty]

106. I've been on DU for 10 years & that is one of the most disgusting posts

I've seen...wow!!!

[woo me with science]

51. Thank you. nt

[Cha]

42. Exactly. UnFREAKINGbelievable.

[iandhr]

39. Talk about a crazy conspiracy theory.

SANDY HOOK happend first.

[Cha]

41. Shame on you.

[NYC_SKP]

45. Cha, I'm sick of this.

I'm sick of this distraction away from what needs to be done to help you and me and our kids.

We need social security to remain sacred.

[madfloridian]

47. I agree.

It's totally weird how we are supposed to remain silent over the attacks on the safety nets. It doesn't take long to be attacked for speaking out.

It is chilling legitimate discussion.

[Cha]

52. It's NOT a Distraction. You're being Paranoid.

[woo me with science]

57. Amen.

Last edited Tue Apr 9, 2013, 02:07 AM - Edit history (2)

What cynical diversionary crap we are asked to swallow, day after day after day...

No, here's the real heart and soul of the corporate Third Way, unmasked for all to see: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022632517

[patrice]

94. Agreed. State your price. nt

[Number23]

49. I felt the same way when I started seeing that poster post some of the stuff s/he has been posting

lately. It was surprising as hell. But like they say, "when someone shows you who they are, believe them."

[Cha]

53. This is beyond the pale and bringing shame right down on his online

reputation.

Hey, Number 23.. nice to see you around.

[Number23]

71. Some of the responses in this thread show that some people here

are downright certifiable. No nice way to put it.

Nice to see you too, my sweet Cha.

[Pirate Smile]

50. That is so fucking ridiculous. This place gets certifiable sometimes.

[gateley]

56. You care about both, NYC_SKP -- we all do.

[NYC_SKP]

87. This is true.

I'm just incensed and my reply even admits that maybe I need to get away from all the DU criticism and smell some spring flowers...

But, I'm 56 and lost one of my jobs two weeks ago, the one with health benefits.

I've never been at any one career long enough to build up a retirement, so Social Security and Medicare benefits could be life or death for me and for millions of others.

Hundreds of millions of others.

Thanks for the kind words, gately.

[bigtree]

88. .

[NYC_SKP]

90. .

And my heartfelt apologies for sidetracking your thread, bigtree- it wasn't my intention whatsoever and I regret it.

Thanks.

[gateley]

96. I'm so sorry about the job, NYC_SKP.

Sums up Bush's "American Way" -- ONE of your jobs.

I haven't had health care in years and it's do-able, but at times frightening. Hopefully when the O-care kicks in we can take advantage of it. No retirement or pension for me, either -- all we can do is keep on keepin' on. We always seem to survive. These days though, sometimes I question if it's worth it.

DU brings me down a lot now, too. Instead of threads of discussions, there are too many that devolve into sub-threads with DUers fighting with each other. I've been coming here a lot less. But when there's something going on, there's no place better.

And no sympathy from me on your advanced age -- I turned 60 last month. THAT'S a tough one to swallow,

Love ya, NYC_SKP!

[NYC_SKP]

120. Your spirit doesn't seem a day older than 31.

No wonder we're friends!

[madfloridian]

117. .....

[NYC_SKP]

121. Ditto, mad...

All these years, we're kindred.

[madfloridian]

141. 10 years, since 2003.

Or close to that.

[graham4anything]

85. When one is shot dead, there is no retirement or social security.

I am getting sick of the Mi mi mi mi mi crowd.

[Summer Hathaway]

113. What is offensive to many here

is the fact that with the multitude of threads about SS current on DU, some people find it necessary to post in threads on other specific topics - for the sole purpose of talking about SS.

You might also consider that many posters here are fully capable of holding more than one thought in their head at one time, and an interest in gun control does not denote a lack of interest in other subjects - nor is it an indication that one topic is more important than the other.

Perhaps I am being too harsh on you, and all of those who have posted in this thread to talk about SS instead of the topic of the OP. It is possible that all of you ARE incapable of thinking about two things at once, and are simply lashing out at those who have the ability to do so.

[Boomerproud]

5. The fact that he has to even give a speech like this says it all.

Here comes the media and haters 1..2..3..

[mercymechap]

8. I'm all for supporting him on the

gun control policies, but damn, SS cuts hurting seniors/vets and being bigger than the cuts from loopholes to the rich makes me really mad.

[bigtree]

10. no one at this event - not the families of dead children - nor the folks looking for leadership

. . . on GUN reform - thought ONCE to criticize the president on Social security this evening. Only on DU can people get away with being so thoughtless and crude.

[forestpath]

11. I had the exact same thought.

[MineralMan]

100. Dead children don't get Social Security, nor do they get to contribute to it.

There is more than one issue.

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

18. So now were going to hate President Obama on every other issue because of Social Security!?!?

Unbelievable!

THIS ISN'T A SMOKESCREEN! This is a serious matter! This has been a major part of the President's agenda since Sandy Hook.

[iandhr]

40. Thank you for talking sense

[MineralMan]

98. +100

[Bobbie Jo]

24. Thanks for posting.

5th rec.

[pacalo]

36. "It's about doing the right thing."

After Connecticut's Republicans & Democrats showed compassion & common sense in joining together to change the law to prevent another gun tragedy, the U.S. Republican congresspeople are going to show the country why they should never be elected to serve the public.

[bossy22]

58. do you really think it will prevent another tragedy?

if you do I have a bridge in brooklyn that I'd like to sell you

[pacalo]

62. The point is that steps were made to prevent more tragedies involving guns.

The Republicans in the U.S. congress don't even want a floor vote on any gun control, although 90% of the public wants federal legislation.

[bossy22]

64. 90% of those polled support universal background checks

with probably 90% of those people not really knowing what "universal background checks" really are

If the point is the reduce these tragedies, then this legislation is definitely going to disappoint. To believe this legislation- or any of the proposed legislation currently in most states and congress, you have to believe that these tragedies can only be caused by assault weapons and high capacity magazines (which isn't the case- look at VT, Northern Illinois, Binghamton shootings) and that the shooter got their gun from a gun show (which isn't the case). it will provide nothing more than a false sense of security.

to be perfectly honest, in its current form I do not want any of those proposals to get a floor vote- especially the background check bill. - and not because it "violates my rights", but that it is overly vague. It will put innocent people in jail.

[pacalo]

66. Your explanation shines a light on why congress should be holding good floor debates

about all aspects.

[sheshe2]

46. bigtree, I am so sorry for what is happening here.

This is beyond the pale.

Your Op, the video, so very heartbreaking. The mom behind the President, she was anguished. She had trouble keeping herself together.

Your post is about 20 babies that were shot. Some seem not to understand that their bodies were mutilated by those bullet's.

This is about tragedy and heartbreak, for those that suffered at Sandy Hook. It is about all the people that have suffered from gun violence and the survivors that are left behind to pick up the pieces of their lives.

This is about Common Sense Legislation, not politics.

What is wrong with people!

Thank you bigtree, I share your anger and your outrage, to some that have posted here.
she

[Cha]

60. They're blinded by their hate..

hard to see anything else or have compassion for the little Children and Adults if President Obama is for sensible gun laws.

[bossy22]

63. common sense?

"common sense" isn't always correct. Common sense when it comes to the gun control debate is basically dependent solely on the 30 second soundbites and catch phrases. It might appear to be "common sense" to ban assault weapons- but what are assault weapons? are they really more deadly then "other guns". Cho killed 32 people at VT with a 9mm handgun that is not covered under any assault weapons ban. With that in mind, is it really "common sense" to waste your time on something that will have no affect on this problem? Common sense in gun debate ignores reality and appeals to low information voters emotions.

[Cha]

133. Yeah, check out the latest self absorbed raging hater..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2644685

[sheshe2]

138. Dear Lord Cha!

This is exactly why I wandered off to relax and watch a movie for a while. This is just hateful.

[marasinghe]

54. haven't seen any photos of your hero ....

crying for dead brown kids in Afghanistan, Yemen, Pakistan, Iraq, etc.; with so many of them killed by drones, weapons & missions, authorized by himself, as president & commander-in-chief.

i have seen his kill-orders cheered & supported by the same bunch of cheer-leading, murder-apologist, groupies fawning over him in this & many DU threads. shove your hypocrisy.

[Cha]

59. That's right.. try and denigrate the thread about the Sandy Hook Victims

with your stupid insults that have nothing to do with these poor victims of gun violence.

It says everything about you and nothing about the President Or the OP.

Just another ugly cheap shooter on the internet.

[bigtree]

61. I missed your threads on 'dead brown kids.'

. . . must be where you encountered those 'cheer-leading, murder-apologist, groupies.'

[woo me with science]

104. Amen.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022256810

List of children killed by drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen
http://droneswatch.org/2013/01/20/list-of-children-killed-by-drone-strikes-in-pakistan-and-yemen/
Compiled from The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reports

PAKISTAN
Name | Age | Gender

Noor Aziz | 8 | male
Abdul Wasit | 17 | male
Noor Syed | 8 | male
Wajid Noor | 9 | male
Syed Wali Shah | 7 | male
Ayeesha | 3 | female
Qari Alamzeb | 14| male
Shoaib | 8 | male
Hayatullah KhaMohammad | 16 | male
Tariq Aziz | 16 | male
Sanaullah Jan | 17 | male
Maezol Khan | 8 | female
Nasir Khan | male
Naeem Khan | male
Naeemullah | male
Mohammad Tahir | 16 | male
Azizul Wahab | 15 | male
Fazal Wahab | 16 | male
Ziauddin | 16 | male
Mohammad Yunus | 16 | male
Fazal Hakim | 19 | male
Ilyas | 13 | male
Sohail | 7 | male
Asadullah | 9 | male
khalilullah | 9 | male
Noor Mohammad | 8 | male
Khalid | 12 | male
Saifullah | 9 | male
Mashooq Jan | 15 | male
Nawab | 17 | male
Sultanat Khan | 16 | male
Ziaur Rahman | 13 | male
Noor Mohammad | 15 | male
Mohammad Yaas Khan | 16 | male
Qari Alamzeb | 14 | male
Ziaur Rahman | 17 | male
Abdullah | 18 | male
Ikramullah Zada | 17 | male
Inayatur Rehman | 16 | male
Shahbuddin | 15 | male
Yahya Khan | 16 |male
Rahatullah |17 | male
Mohammad Salim | 11 | male
Shahjehan | 15 | male
Gul Sher Khan | 15 | male
Bakht Muneer | 14 | male
Numair | 14 | male
Mashooq Khan | 16 | male
Ihsanullah | 16 | male
Luqman | 12 | male
Jannatullah | 13 | male
Ismail | 12 | male
Taseel Khan | 18 | male
Zaheeruddin | 16 | male
Qari Ishaq | 19 | male
Jamshed Khan | 14 | male
Alam Nabi | 11 | male
Qari Abdul Karim | 19 | male
Rahmatullah | 14 | male
Abdus Samad | 17 | male
Siraj | 16 | male
Saeedullah | 17 | male
Abdul Waris | 16 | male
Darvesh | 13 | male
Ameer Said | 15 | male
Shaukat | 14 | male
Inayatur Rahman | 17 | male
Salman | 12 | male
Fazal Wahab | 18 | male
Baacha Rahman | 13 | male
Wali-ur-Rahman | 17 | male
Iftikhar | 17 | male
Inayatullah | 15 | male
Mashooq Khan | 16 | male
Ihsanullah | 16 | male
Luqman | 12 | male
Jannatullah | 13 | male
Ismail | 12 | male
Abdul Waris | 16 | male
Darvesh | 13 | male
Ameer Said | 15 | male
Shaukat | 14 | male
Inayatur Rahman | 17 | male
Adnan | 16 | male
Najibullah | 13 | male
Naeemullah | 17 | male
Hizbullah | 10 | male
Kitab Gul | 12 | male
Wilayat Khan | 11 | male
Zabihullah | 16 | male
Shehzad Gul | 11 | male
Shabir | 15 | male
Qari Sharifullah | 17 | male
Shafiullah | 16 | male
Nimatullah | 14 | male
Shakirullah | 16 | male
Talha | 8 | male




YEMEN

Afrah Ali Mohammed Nasser | 9 | female
Zayda Ali Mohammed Nasser | 7 | female
Hoda Ali Mohammed Nasser | 5 | female
Sheikha Ali Mohammed Nasser | 4 | female
Ibrahim Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 13 | male
Asmaa Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 9 | male
Salma Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 4 | female
Fatima Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 3 | female
Khadije Ali Mokbel Louqye | 1 | female
Hanaa Ali Mokbel Louqye | 6 | female
Mohammed Ali Mokbel Salem Louqye | 4 | male
Jawass Mokbel Salem Louqye | 15 | female
Maryam Hussein Abdullah Awad | 2 | female
Shafiq Hussein Abdullah Awad | 1 | female
Sheikha Nasser Mahdi Ahmad Bouh | 3 | female
Maha Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 12 | male
Soumaya Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 9 | female
Shafika Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 4 | female
Shafiq Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 2 | male
Mabrook Mouqbal Al Qadari | 13 | male
Daolah Nasser 10 years | 10 | female
AbedalGhani Mohammed Mabkhout | 12 | male
Abdel- Rahman Anwar al Awlaki | 16 | male
Abdel-Rahman al-Awlaki | 17 | male
Nasser Salim | 19


Of course, by mentioning these children, you may be accused of throwing a "hissy fit." This is the moral relativism of corporate rule, where every policy, from stealing Social Security money from retirees to deliberately bombing children, must be assessed in terms of profit and political gain.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022632517
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021931789

We are seeing the consequences of ceding power over people's lives to corporate decision-making now, and the results are uglier than we could have imagined.

[aikoaiko]

55. Of course it is political

It was political that he ignored gun violence and gun control legislation for his first four years.

It was political that he waited for a horror like Sandy hook to happen to mobilize the gun control legislation.

And it's political that he invokes Sandy Hook families when the legislation that has a chance of passing would have had zero impact on that massacre.

[Cha]

67. No, it's about having a Heart and Compassion for these kids and teachers

who were slaughtered by gun violence in Newtown, Conn. Enough empathy and understanding to actually do something about it with sensible gun laws in the USA.

[bigtree]

68. the families accompanied him to this event, rallied with him, shared with him in his advocacy

. . . of a BROAD range of proposals.

So, Congress is reluctant to take up proposals of his and that's supposed to make what he's doing here 'political?'

People will think up any stupid thing to put this man down - brush right past the issue and almost deliberately distract themselves from the issues at hand. It's a self-defeating strategy to focus ire on the person who's actually advocating on your side, to the exclusion of the actual republican and conservative opposition.

He's there, right now, solid on this issue, and he can't even get your support for the effort he's making TODAY, and you want someone to believe you give a damn beyond making your own petty political point?

Well, you completely missed his . . . I think he was talking about nonsense like this when he said that it's not about him; not about politics. Anyone can see that he means it SHOULDN'T be about him; about politics.

THE PRESIDENT: Now, I’ve also heard some in the Washington press suggest that what happens to gun violence legislation in Congress this week will either be a political victory or defeat for me. Connecticut, this is not about me. This is not about politics. This is about doing the right thing for all the families who are here that have been torn apart by gun violence. (Applause.) It’s about them and all the families going forward, so we can prevent this from happening again. That’s what it’s about. It’s about the law enforcement officials putting their lives at risk. That’s what this is about. This is not about politics. (Applause.) This is not about politics.

http://www.hartford.edu/president-obama/transcript.aspx

[Cha]

97. Well said, bigtree.. thank you. n/m

[Cha]

65. Thank you, bigtree.. it's about having a heart and compassion for these kids and adults who

who were slaughtered in the massacre.


President Obama and Jillian Soto exit Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, April 8. Soto is the sister of Victoria Soto, a first-grade teacher who was killed at Sandy Hook (Photo by Pete Souza)

http://theobamadiary.com/

Bless all their hearts.

[bigtree]

69. thanks for the touching pic, Cha

. . . hopefully these folks can help to move Congress off of their opposition to comprehensive reform. They KNOW President Obama is firmly on their side.

[Cha]

70. Yes, they do know that. As do most people who don't

have an agenda to make something ugly out of it.

[freshwest]

72. The philosopher George Berkeley said:

He who says there is no such thing as an honest man, is himself a knave.

[Cha]

73. Well said, George Berkley...

thanks freshwest

[woo me with science]

109. Amazing how dependent Third Way compassion is

on whether the policy at issue reflects favorably on the President or not.

Stealing money from struggling senior citizens is fine, apparently. In fact, merely speaking out *against* stealing from senior citizens is cause for mocking and derision and accusations of "hissy fits," according to Third Way morality: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022632517 And let's not even talk about deliberately bombing little children. That's fine, too, just so long as they are in other countries and the enterprise is profitable: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021931789

This is what's called *corporate* compassion, and it's exceedingly selective.

Boy, it would nice to see those cute cartoon angel wings and hearts and little sad smiley faces for some of those kids in Pakistan or Yemen, or for some of our seniors who face terror, hunger and homelessness as a result of unconscionable policy.

[MadHound]

74. "This is about insuring the rich get richer, while the rest of you eat catfood in your old age"

The man's speeches and faux sincerity are wearing mighty damn thin.

[MineralMan]

103. No. they're not. This speech was about guns and dead children.

Apparently that's not an issue for you. This thread is about that. It is not about your issue.

Dead children do not get Social Security. They do not get an education. They are dead.

Please don't hijack threads.

[patrice]

81. Can we get this proto-Other(s)-party to admit that it IS part of what is driving PO to the RIGHT?

When you threaten ALL of the issues with dogmatic ideology, ignoring what can/will happen concretely to ALL kinds of people, not just Social Security recipients, that is . . . When you threaten ALL of the other issues politicians run away from you, SO YOU DON'T GET WHAT YOU WANT . . . .

but after watching this same freak-out over and over here at the DU, I am very sad to say that I do not believe the proto-Other(s)-party* CARES about what will happen to anyone as long as it builds its base. This explains why they are so very eager to push PO to the RIGHT by threatening ALL of the other issue/need areas that affect everyone, not just those receiving entitlements.

*I'm forced to call it a proto-Other-party, because 3rd party is pre-mature. There's nothing there to call an authentic party that would be a 3rd party in this situation. It's fragments from all over the political spectrum whose main purpose is to destroy, NO MATTER WHAT THAT COSTS, because that destruction will deliver what they want us to think is ONE base, but is actually going to be more like SEVERAL bases for 3rd, 4th, 5th . . . whatever OTHERS , who will then have to fight it out amongst themselves, before, *IF* they will ever be capable of accomplishing anything for anyone else.

What we need is campaign finance reform, end corporate personhood, and institute paper ballots, marked by hand, and counted in public, but no one will tell you that, so we're getting pipe-dreams of 3rd-way power that will only end up hurting people, no matter what political label from Left to Right that it wears.

[BumRushDaShow]

83. K&R

And I am glad I got to watch this live and hope that the families of the victims can finally get some justice and closure upon the passage of some sort of legislation.

Shame on the disgraceful DUers shitting all over this thread.

[NorthCarolina]

91. He talks about how a majority are in favor, but politicians will not even discuss. Reminicent

of a huge majority of Americans who wanted a single payer system for healthcare, yet Obama never gave a speech such as this calling for it to at least be put to a vote. Additionally, a HUGE majority of American want to raise the payroll cap on Social Security and are vehemently opposed to Chained CPI, and yet what path does Obama choose, in opposition to the majority? Chained CPI. You can't talk the talk if you don't walk the walk.

[patrice]

95. The PPACA is a strategy to develop market pressures on health care costs, something that Single Paye

r, as much as I am an active proponent of (through actual community work, marches, teaching events etc. for HR 676 Expanded and Improved Medicare for All), has never directly addressed to my knowledge.

Expanded coverage, to include more appropriate forms of care and maybe even alternative health services directed at prevention, DEPENDS upon downward pressure on health care costs. That's something that is in the process of developing by means of the PPACA implemented Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and by means of the fact that something near half of the states have opted out, so, because the PPACA established the legal mandate, there will now be large federal regional exchanges comprised, at least in part, of insurance offerings that respond to market pressures developed BETWEEN PATIENTS AND THEIR DIRECT CARE GIVERS - i. e. NOT INSURANCE COMPANIES - through the PCORI.

No matter how great a new Single Payer system would have been, without some tool to drive down medical costs, it's life may well have been quite short, due to limitations on services. This is why I support the PPACA (a.k.a. Obamacare) as a means to expand what could become at least de facto Single Payer in HR 676.

[Number23]

107. Gottal tell ya, the attacks on you and the president in this thread have just about done it for me

Just watched the morning news. It was all about gun control in the US, and I live in Australia.

The world recognizes that this is THE issue right now. The fact that some are panting and derailing this incredibly important thread over something that MAY happen in the next 6 months to 20 years is so telling of how moronic and utterly deranged this web site has become.

The fact that a locked thread sat on the front page of GD for hours in damn near the same spot yesterday tells the tale even better. This place is a shell of its former self, and the Greatest Page certainly proves it. And to top it off, just saw that the president's approval is at 51% bolstered by (wait for it).... LIBERALS.

This place is a complete joke.

[Cha]

110. thanks for the report from Australia,

23. Yes, it's Sensible Gun Laws right this minute but that's abandoned by some because the President is for it. Gotta get back to the hate.. "we'll show him.. rage rage rage

The Stupid Burns at a mighty temp.

[NYC_SKP]

123. How does our gun legislation and SS impact you in Australia?

Since you've decided to draw lines, my one time friend.

[Number23]

124. Because I am an American.

There was no discussion about SS, only about gun control. And I'm sure your new friends, some of the biggest trolls on this web site who you dissed repeatedly on other sites, would be thrilled with your new "but you don't live here" angle.

[NYC_SKP]

125. Trolls.

Tell me about it.

[Number23]

126. Doesn't seem as though I need to.

[Cha]

112. Front Page of Hartford Courant today..

CALL TO ACTION

SANDY HOOK FAMILIES URGE CONGRESS TO TAKE ACTION NOW

http://www.sandyhookpromise.org/

http://theobamadiary.com/

thank you again for the thread, bigtree

[Lady Freedom Returns]

115. Yes, thank you bigtree!

[spanone]

122. face it. republicans. don't. give. a. shit. period.

[Cha]

132. What a Dispicable post. Who the Fuck you talkin' to?

You're only Dissing those kids and their families with your blind stupid selfish whining hatred.

We have more than one fucking issue we can cover. It's not the fuck all about you.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

134. +1 n/t

[Cha]

135. Glad the Jury saw

fit to hide that one, although, I certainly didn't alert.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

136. Nether did I.

But good call.

[arely staircase]

137. +1 eom