Obama says GOP making life harder for the jobless

[Ed Barrow]

Source: Associated Press

President Barack Obama on Saturday pinned blame on Republicans for making life harder for the unemployed and for those who could lose their jobs without new federal intervention. He did so even as he sought to distance himself from the "dreary and familiar politics" of Washington.

Capping a week in which the administration scored a victory - a $20 billion fund to be paid by BP for the victims of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill - Obama reserved his radio and Internet address to focus on the work that didn't get done.

His main concern was the rejection of a bill in the Senate that would have provided more money for the long-term unemployed, aid for strapped state governments and the renewal of popular tax breaks for businesses and individuals.

"If this obstruction continues, unemployed Americans will see their benefits stop," Obama said. "Teachers and firefighters will lose their jobs. Families will pay more for their first home. All we ask for is a simple up or down vote. That's what the American people deserve."



Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA?SITE=UTSAC&SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[Turbineguy]

1. The GOP has made it their job

to fuck America.

[dkf]

2. Obama should have made his priority jobs jobs jobs.

Why did he not realize this is the result?

And now after the oil spill he wants to get us off oil when that should have been the driver of our new economy all along? The man is too late.

[Turbineguy]

3. He was too early

The Lady he put in charge of MMS was an alternative energy wonk. He should have put in somebody who would clean out the vestiges of the Bush/Cheney era first.

[dkf]

4. Well that is stupid.

What does an expert on alternative energy know about mining and oil? That was an incompetent decision.

Seriously can you tell me why those two things go together? I don't get that decision at all.

[Turbineguy]

11. Given the improvement trajectory of BP

The blowout would probably not have happened next year. In that sense the appointment of Elizabeth Birnbaum was a good decision. Both were overtaken by events.

[papadog]

6. Maybe he's "Special" (as in retarded)

He seems to sit on the sidelines until the country has had enough then he comes out to try and save the day, remember the Healthcare Bill? It like he's looking at the problems but fails to appreciate the severity of the situation. He's the fireman who turns on the hose once the flames are dying down.

[Joe Bacon]

19. LIEberman and Ben Nelson feel the same way!

Yet, Obama repeatedly appeases them. It's beyond disgusting!

[papadog]

5. Wow! Obama's not kissing the GOP's Ass today? Shocking.

Obama is always so worried the Republicans may not like him I can hardly believe he said something contrary. From the very begining he's been the biggest disappointment I've ever supported. I'd never vote for the GOP nut at least they have a backbone. From amnesty for the Telecoms to the abandoment of ACORN Obama has bee nothing but a big let down.

[Phlem]

7. Really Mr. President !!!????

And you were thinking they were going to all come out, hold hands, sing koombya and happily help you pass all your legislation at the same time throwing you a bouquets of Roses?

It's like he does everything but actually try to fix the f*cking the problem.

Your moment has passed Mr. President and your only looking weaker everyday.

Here's a clue, when your ass is getting kicked, the chances of talking your way out of it, not good at all. Trying standing up for yourself and doing some ass kicking of your own.

Are they being obstructionists, then call them out specifically every F'ing time your in front of the fricken camera. Call out the media for what they are every fricken your in front of the camera. Trust me, they won't go away. Show your constituents your proposals and how it would specifically benefit them, then tell them whose blocking it and why. Oh and it would really help if you quit with the window dressing legislation, we're smart enough to know your selling us shit. Do this each and every time you talk to the public.

The above is just common sense, no 100 dimensional chess.

Your supposed to be running the country not the other way around.

-p

[RedRoses323]

8. +100

You should send your post to President Obama.

:kick:

[Phlem]

9. Thanks

But I've got a sinking feeling I'm number 1000000000...... who have told him the same kind of thing. I'm afraid he's bought and paid for and only speaks and does for them. I'm hoping the man has enough where with all to remember who got him where he is today. I'm sure he's got staff running a well oiled machine but in the end it was the left and their votes. The same group he threw under the bus on Fox trying to get his health care legislation passed. I mean WTF!!!

Always Vigil.

-p

[clarence swinney]

10. OBAMA TSUNAMI

OBAMA TSUNAMI
I accept praisetiques not critiques
Any response is appreciated if one uses facts-numbers.
Blarney Blabber generalizations are not read.
“Conservative” ideology gave us the current “Great” Recession the same as the “Great” Depression.
Free the Freak Market Gamblers. Bet on anything.
Rich gets ultra rich trickles down to Middle Class.
From 1946 to Reagan was Great Middle Class Years.
Each percentile increased almost evenly, percent, and economists called it the Picket Fence distribution.
Reagan policies began upward shift.
It became a Step Ladder distribution. Each step gained a little but top step (10%) went into orbit.
Huge Tax Cuts for top (60%)

Huge tax increase on Middle Class. Payroll Tax Increase largest in history. 50% tax on social security checks. 5-cent tax on gas.
Enormous increase in military spending to enrich backers in California and rich shareholders in defense industries
Reagan increased Spending buy 80%. Debt by 170%

Do not try usual conservative spin—“it was congress”.
Reagan 8 budgets spent more than prior 50 years.
He submitted 8 for over 7000b. 1930-1980 spent 6066b—congress returned 8 budgets to Reagan with fewer dollars in total than he had submitted to it.
Go ahead try usual conservative spin—“real” inflation adjusted dollars—no work senor—
From 1948 to 1989 Reagan spent 2.7 dollars in 8 for each “real” dollar spent in other 32 years. Comprehendez amigo? Factoids hurt? Si!

Try usual Heritage spin—Reagan tax cuts paid their way—huh! From 1983 to 1989 federal revenues increased from 599b to 990b. 391b increase. Correct. But-Reagan tax cuts were income tax cuts therefore it seems logical you measure income tax revenue increase.
319b increase. 201b was increase in payroll tax revenue from Reagan huge increase in it.
50b in excise tax increase partial from gas tax. 251b of 391b. Durn! That leaves 140b increase in income tax revenues. My math professor Dr. Hook taught me 140 “in” is smaller than 750 “out”. Factoids are miserable things.
In 1980--86% of employees had Health Insurance-In 2008---31%.
Bush/Cheney did more damage than Reagan.
Increased Spending by 118% and Debt by 100%
Cut Taxes for top 2.7% or four times the amount for bottom 80%.
His 1700B in tax cuts were in 5000b he borrowed

Bush/Cheney led us into two awful Slaughteramas. Hundreds of thousands were killed. Tens of thousands of little children were maimed for life. Tens of thousands of wives lost their meal tickets. What is wrong with Americans?
Ever know a so-called Christian pastor or congregation in America to pray and weep for those people? I WEEP. Millions of tears shed, justly, for the Holocaust. None here.

Bush had worst record since Depression on Job creation. He got 3000 net new jobs per month. Disgusting when compared to records of 218,000 by Carter and 237,000 by Clinton.
The world warned not to invade a destitute unarmed Iraq.
Bush sr. said do not do it.
Leadership of each major religion in America said do not do it. Exception was Southern Baptist.
Polls in major nations said do not do it. Exceptions were Israel-Poland-Australia.
Cheney was heard to tell Rumsfeld the day after 2001 inauguration “prepare to invade Iraq”. Equipment was moved into Kuwait far ahead of Bush “Cheerful” announcement on invasion. It was Bush fulfilling his statement to his biographer ”I will need a war to be a successful president”.
Wall Street was allowed unrestricted gambling. It was unproductive. No jobs were created. It was simply the Rich betting money against other Rich money to get richer. Las Vegas type gambling.
AIG covered any bet. Texas gambler bet on Housing crash and won 1 billion. AIG paid him out of 185B supplied by our taxes. Goldman Sachs loss was paid by AIG out of our taxes.
The Housing Industry sustained our GDP growth but wasted capital-labor-materials in constructing homes to large-too expensive for the middle class incomes. Federal Reserve increased the Total money supply by 4000 Billion in five years which was twice the increase over the prior ten years.

Greenspan gave Clinton a 6.5% Interest Rate and immediately gave Bush a 1%. The increase in money supply and very low interest rate encouraged banks to borrow max and encouraged developers to build build build.
Local Banks were permitted to trade with Wall Street Gamblers. Courtesy Phil Gramn, Republican Congress and Clinton. 1999 elimination of Glass-Steagall.
Shades of S & L in 1981. Remove local ownership. Rich pals of Milken come and get it vaults are wide open. Government assures you no loss.


A feeding frenzy took place on home mortgages, which were sold via securities as high grade investments to unsuspecting investors around the world. Refinancing was a major part of the frenzy. Speculators took part. As of January 2008 twenty-three percent of foreclosures were on homes purchased by Speculators. Some purchased entire developments.
Assumption was correct from history. Homes always increase in value. Always.
History can be wrong..
From 1980 to 2008 was a disaster period for working people. A bonanza for Gamblers on Wall Street And CEOs.
Why did not CEO’s increase income of employees? In one year they made 550 times the average pay of workers. Remember the good old middle class years when it was 40 times? It is irrefutable that 1981 to 2008 was Enrich the Rich Ditch the rest.
SINCE 1980 HERE IS A BRIEF-DISGUSTING
20 YEARS=3 SO CALLED CONSERVATIVE PRESIDENTS
18 YEARS=SO CALLED CONSERVATIVE SENATE
12 YEARS=SO CALLED CONSERVATIVE HOUSE
6 YEARS=TOTAL GOVERNMENT CONTROL BY SO CALLED CONSERVATIVES
2 TERRIBLE ILLEGAL WARS
TRANSFER OF JOBS TO CHINA AS WE COVERED OUR OVER-SPENDING BY THEIR LOANS
LOSS OF OUR JOB PRODUCING MANUFACTURING BASE--
HERE ARE THE RESULTS—SAD-SAD-SAD
600B SPENDING TO 4000B
1000B OF DEBT TO 11,000 +
23M NET NEW JOBS
12 YEARS OF CARTER + CLINTON GOT 33M
8 YEARS OF THE MOST SCURRILOUS ADMINISTRATION IN HISTORY PER HAYNES JOHNSON IN --PRESIDENT REAGAN=SLEEPWALKING THROUGH HISTORY
138 CHARGED WITH CRIMES WAS MORE THAN GRAND TOTAL SINCE 1900
MOST OF THEM WERE CHARGED IN CRIMES INVOLVING MONEY.
THE NUMBERS ARE AVAILABLE. THE HISTORY IS VERY CLEAR.
THE GREAT MIDDLE CLASS GOT THE GREAT BIG SHAFTING.
THE STRUGGLING RICH BECAME THE ULTRA-RICH
SMASHED WALL STREET
SMASHED ECONOMY
SMASHED HOUSING
SMASHED CHILDRENS FUTURE WITH DEBT
SMASHED WORKERS INCOME
SMASHED AMERICAS REPUTATION WORLDWIDE
STARTED THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE LIKE ROME-SPAIN-HOLLAND-BRITAIN
DEMOCRATS HISTORY OF BUILDING GOOD THINGS FOR ALL AMERICANS
CONSERVATIVE HISTORY OF FIGHTING THOSE GOOD THINGS
WHY DO YOU SEND CONSERVATIVES BACK TO WASHINGTON?
I AM OLD AND UGLY AND I APPROVED THIS MESSAGE OF DELIVERANCE
FROM CONSERVATIVE FALSEHOODS
I ASK ONLY IF I AM WRONG GIVE ME FACTS AND I WILL CORRECT.
I ERR BUT I DO NOT WRITE WITH INTENT TO DECEIVE
8-26-09 USA TODAY—CBO AND CEA PROJECT DEFICITS OF 9 TRILLION OVER NEXT TEN YEARS. REPUBLICANS, PER USUAL, JUMP ON OBAMA CASE.
REP. BOEHNER “TODAY’S REPORTS CONFIRM WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE HAS BEEN TRYING TO HIDE.
THE DEMOCRATS OUT-OF–CONTROL SPENDING BINGE IS BURYING OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN UNDER A MOUNTAIN OF UNSUSTAINABLE DEBT”.
This is so stupid it is a good laugh. He took us on a Spend-Borrow binge from 1000B of debt to 11,000B. He took us on a spend binge from 600B to 4000B.
These guys have one simple trait—deceive—distract from truth—attack attack
Yes! No question. It is going to take much Spend-Tax-Borrow for years to correct the mess created in prior twenty years of conservative control.
How easy the people forget the Balanced Budgets=Surpluses under Clinton and 8 good years.
WOW—8 YEARS=5000B + INCREASE IN DEBT UNDER BOEHNER-BUSH
1830B IN CLINTON LAST YEAR OF SPENDING TO 4000B UNDER BUSH LAST YEAR OF SPENDING
SPENDERS + DEBTORS + LIARS = CONSERVATIVES
ONE MAJOR TRUTH—IF A CONSERVATIVE LEADER SAYS IT --IT IS PART TRUE.
NEVER TRUST A CONSERVATIVE IN WASHINGTON. NEVER. NEVER. NEVER.
If I err give me facts I will correct. [e-mail]
Political historian since 1991 on Reagan-Clinton-Bush II
Author=-Lifeaholic-Workaholic to Lifeaholic Success
Author-unpublished---ALL AMERICAN PARTY-How Democrats created a Great Middle Class and Conservatives are determined to destroy it

[alp227]

12. Because the Republicans are anti-unemployment insurance and lack compassion

They'd rather make excuses "poor people are lazy and should find jobs themselves" or "they were unemployed for a reason". No consideration at all for the people, maybe even their own constituents!

[totodeinhere]

20. I think that some of them actually enjoy seeing other people suffer.

Somehow it makes their pathetic little lives seem better.

[TomCADem]

13. Obama says GOP making life harder for the jobless

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama on Saturday pinned blame on Republicans for making life harder for the unemployed and for those who could lose their jobs without new federal intervention. He did so even as he sought to distance himself from the "dreary and familiar politics" of Washington.

Capping a week in which the administration scored a victory -- a $20 billion fund to be paid by BP for the victims of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill -- Obama reserved his radio and Internet address to focus on the work that didn't get done.

His main concern was the rejection of a bill in the Senate that would have provided more money for the long-term unemployed, aid for strapped state governments and the renewal of popular tax breaks for businesses and individuals.

* * *

In his address, Obama also bemoaned the stalling of a separate measure that would lift a $75 million liability cap on economic damages for companies such as BP during disasters like the Gulf oil spill. The Senate is considering a bill to increase that cap to $10 billion.

Read more: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Obama-says-GOP-making-life-apf-2697500970.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

---

It seems like Obama is doing what folks on DU are saying that he should be going, such as slamming the Republicans on their continued opposition to lifting the liability cap on oil companies like BP, which was discussed and suggested in this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4434244

[PM Martin]

14. k/r

[msongs]

15. some day this guy will actually figure out the GOP is making life harder for everyone lol nt

[applegrove]

16. Simply voting for the GOP results in a bad income for the middle class. The GOP only do

stuff for rich people when they get into power.

[GreenTea]

17. Republican motherfuckers make it hard on everyone - Except, the rich & their corporations!!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

18. Republicans don't care about the unemployed

Dem candidates should use this in their ads.