Obama political arm strikes fear in GOP

[damnedifIknow]

" The president is hellbent on taking back the House so he will have no resistance in 2015 and 2016,” said Oregon Rep. Greg Walden, the National Republican Congressional Committee chairman."

“Organizing for Action is an issue advocacy group, not an electoral one. We mobilize to support the president’s agenda, an agenda a majority of Americans voted for in November,” Jim Messina, Obama’s 2012 campaign manager and OFA’s national chairman, wrote in an email to POLITICO.

“The mission of this organization is to re-balance the power structure away from the special interests that have had undue influence over the policy-making process and give a greater voice to people who are continuing the work of the greatest grassroots movement in history,” he said.

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/04/obama-gop-organizing-for-action-90403.html

[emulatorloo]

1. OFA seems to be a way to get the message out in spite of the Republican owned media

No wonder they are scared.

[damnedifIknow]

2. I'm thinking

and hoping taking back the house might just be what the doctor ordered. Maybe then the progressive can of whipass will be brought out.

[merrily]

28. Filibuster rule in Senate will always provide an excuse for gridlock.

[n2doc]

3. It ain't just the house

He would need 60+ votes in the Senate, the way things work now.

[Vincardog]

7. If we take the House and don't fix the Filibuster they can no longer pretend there is any

Democratic Party worth the name

[WI_DEM]

4. Didn't strike much fear in 2010

My feeling is that the Obama machine only gets reved up when Obama is on the ballot. Of course that is a fundraising letter the GOP sent out and they are going to make such claims. I hope the Obama coalition turns out in 2014--they sure didn't in 2010.

[BlueCaliDem]

6. I don't recall there being an OFA-like machine in 2010.

I'm pretty sure there wasn't. Back then, the president was relying on Corporate-Media and the nonexistent "bully pulpit" that, yes, didn't strike any fear in time for the 2010 elections. Corporate-Media consistently gave Boehner and the GOP equal time while sending out a message that the president is boring the country by using valuable broadcast time that could be better spent advertising, say, new and unnecessary drugs to the American people.

Progressives were trying to push the president to bring a coalition together for the HCR bill that was being slammed in the most creative ways by Corporate-Media, but the president still went the traditional route and his message was drowned out. Also, Democrats were still not behind him. Let's not forget the painful defeat President Obama suffered when the Senate voted, 90-6, to prevent the president from bringing Gitmo detainees into this country for prosecution so he could enforce his executive order to close the damned place. In fact, back then Senatorial Democrats were siding more with the Republicans than with the Democratic President. That I do recall.

So this is good news - a more powerful media that circumvents traditional (and wholly co-opted by corporate interests that favor the GOP) media which gets to the people unfettered and unscrubbed. We've been needing this for a very long time and I'm happy to see it finally coming to fruition.

[otohara]

10. Denial About The TeaBagger Movement

Last edited Mon Apr 22, 2013, 02:32 PM - Edit history (1)

they whipped the fringe into a frenzy and Dems stayed home thinking no one would support these nut-cases.

[emulatorloo]

23. And many of our LOUDEST DU'ers encouraged Dem voters to stay home or "protest"

Which allowed the Teabaggers to fill the house. Which is why we are so damned FUCKED.

[Tarheel_Dem]

26. Exactly! Ed Schultz & the laughable "Civil" Libertarian, Mr. Greenwald told liberals to stay home.

I heard some very distressing news that it may take until 2020 to reverse these gerrymandered districts. Hopefully, we can find enough Elizabeth Colberts to make the difference in 2014.

[merrily]

29. Never read Greenwald much, but I don't recall that about Ed Shultz.

Seem to me that whatever criticisms Shultz may have had about Obama or any Democrat, Schultz put aside when voting time came around.

[bemildred]

5. The light dawns, eh? nt

[Jamaal510]

8. Well no shit, man!

"The president is hellbent on taking back the House so he will have no resistance in 2015 and 2016,” said Oregon Rep. Greg Walden, the National Republican Congressional Committee chairman."

What president WOULDN'T want their own party to control both parts of Congress? Besides, you guys collectively lost by about a million or so votes in 2012 when it came to Congressional races. Americans, as a whole, wanted Republicans OUT of Congress.

[Doctor_J]

9. Unfortunately his policy arm strikes fear in me

Seriously, Walden, Obama had huge majorities in both houses in 2009-2010, and what exactly happened that was so awful? Romneycare?

Prediction: Regardless of the make-up of next Congress, there will be no discernible shift to the left in America.

[damnedifIknow]

11. Possibly

but no re-election to worry about now so why not let the inner progressive take charge? I've seen sparks of this before so time to bring that spark to a full blown blaze.

[Doctor_J]

12. His inner self is Reagan, not FDR

He said that, and his presidency has been one long tribute to Reagan. Like I said, the RCCC has nothing to worry about.

[damnedifIknow]

13. Well then

[Whisp]

14. crap

his presidency has been one long tribute to Reagan

disgusting and vomitus crap.

[Doctor_J]

15. Yep, that pretty much sums it up

Maybe the real Dems will get to him before 2014 and he will find some single issue that he's willing to fight the tea baggers on. But I doubt it.

[Whisp]

16. Physician, heal thyself

I assume the J is for Jaded.

[Doctor_J]

22. Have a quick look

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=461883

Tell me what Dutch Boy would have done differently

[emulatorloo]

24. Typical DU Hyperbolic Rant. Hortatory and lacking substance.

Glad you like that sort of rah rah stuff though.

[Jamaal510]

18. +1

I hate when people on the Left try to link Obama and Reagan and dismiss all the positives to come out of Obama's presidency thus far. Reagan would have NEVER did health care reform or advocated for women's rights and gay rights. He was opposed to Affirmative Action. He raised our debt during his time in office, while Obama has been decreasing it. That dude was nothing but a race-baiting warmonger; the chief architect of trickle-down economics. One of our most toxic presidents in history.

[Whisp]

19. and... Reagan was a lousy actor.

Obama is not acting. He is real.

[tokenlib]

17. OFA is a paper tiger ...at least it is dead to a lot of us now...

The media may think it is just a few fringe elements or "a few democrats" who are angry with the President over "chained CPI", etc...... But when it comes to OFA, they will learn a lot of pissed off activists and progressives are pulling their support.

We'll support progressive candidates and push to support congressional candidates...but it isn't going to be through OFA.. OFA is going to be DEAD to a lot of us now..and that Obama political arm is going to be a little limp and arthritic after the crap with drones, and chained CPI, and the probable support of the pipeline.

OFA can replace the contributions through corporate/bankster sources. But the grassroots army of boots in the field..at least for the President's third way agenda is facing a lot of deserters...

[Whisp]

20. according to tokenlib,..

yeh well. the insider you are. All are deserting for the Teabag train or the one that runs always almost on time - the sit it out train and hope the Wizard of Ozmose will do the work for your lazy ass.

[emulatorloo]

25. I sure as hell hope you weren't advocated Dems sit home in 2010.

Because that is how we got in this FUCKING MESS in the first place.

Some DU'ers did their best to fill the house with tea baggers.

[tokenlib]

33. No one should stay home..OFA will lose support to other groups..

That was my point. OFA is going to lose support and already has lost dollars and foot soldiers to other progressive and political groups.. That was the point of my comment. I think Obama's in your face to the base proposals and policies on drones, chaned CPI, and probably the XL pipeline are going to weaken OFA.

People will choose other roads for their support..that was my point. And I think it humorous the GOP would be afraid of OFA in light of that.

People only have so much energy and money...and they can choose to give elsewhere.

[Tarheel_Dem]

27. You guys really believe your own press now, don't you?

That's kinda sad.

[Cha]

31. We'll see. My money's on OFA.

This is what OFA does..

When the group launched a series of Internet ads in February pressing Congress to pass a gun control bill, the target list looked like a who’s who of vulnerable House Republicans. Even Obama’s deputy campaign manager, Stephanie Cutter, said recently that OFA “can affect elections even if legally we can’t be involved with them.” After a gun control bill failed in the Senate last week, the group vowed to keep the heat on dissenting members — Republicans and Democrats alike.

But, of course.. keep ignorantly whining about it.

[davidpdx]

21. Walden is a fucking tool and the only Republican in the Oregon delegation

If his district weren't overwhelmingly Republican, he wouldn't be there.

[merrily]

30. Obama's position on entitlements may not help midterms.

[Cha]

32. This is what OFA does for those who don't have a clue..

When the group launched a series of Internet ads in February pressing Congress to pass a gun control bill, the target list looked like a who’s who of vulnerable House Republicans. Even Obama’s deputy campaign manager, Stephanie Cutter, said recently that OFA “can affect elections even if legally we can’t be involved with them.” After a gun control bill failed in the Senate last week, the group vowed to keep the heat on dissenting members — Republicans and Democrats alike.