Obama, Biden Empathize With The 99 Percent Movement

[ProSense]

Obama, Biden Empathize With The 99 Percent Movement

Both President Obama and Vice President Biden today empathized with the frustration felt by protesters carrying out the 99 Percent Movement that started three weeks ago on Wall Street and has taken hold in cities across the country. “The core of the bargain has been breached with the American people,” Biden said at the Atlantic’s Washington Ideas Forum this morning. Obama, asked about the movement at his press conference, said he thinks “it expresses the frustrations the American people feel” that “the same folks who acted irresponsibly trying to fight efforts to crack down on abusive practices that got us into this problem in the first place. So yes, I think people are frustrated and the protesters are giving voice to a more broad-based frustration about how our financial system works.” Watch:

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[Lint Head]

1. I wish they would empathize with the fact that CRIMES were committed on Wall Street.

People need to go to jail now.

[gateley]

4. He was asked about that at his presser - response was that

it was immoral, not necessarily illegal, that the financial community is very clever at getting around the rules.

I think he may be right on because Congress has sure passed a lot of bills enabling them to get away with murder. The administration may be hog-tied and unable to legally pursue them. :shrug:

I'm not an attorney so I don't know, but it's sure plausible.

[Lint Head]

19. There have been no investigations. How do they know no crimes were committed

The biggest economic robbery in the history of the world and there is no investigation? Huh?

[woo me with science]

20. And he is actively siding with banks and pressuring to prevent such investigations.

Obama pressures state AG for settlements that would halt and prevent criminal investigations of banks.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1795232

[boppers]

49. So, halting non-existent investigations?

How does that work?

[gateley]

28. I don't know if there have been any investigations. Do you know that

for a fact? They may be investigating now for all I know. If you have insider info, please share.

[Lint Head]

36. If they were it would be on the DOJ website just like all of the other investigations.

[meow2u3]

30. The big problem is not what's illegal, but what's legal

This is the main reason the 99% movement took root: to protest the legalized theft of the masses by the banks, who wrote those laws; the professional corporate lobbyists, paid to bully lobby Congress and endow them with massive bribes campaign contributions to ensure corporate supremacy; and the Rethugs, who enthusiastically protect the criminals on Wall Street effectively acting above the law.

[JoePhilly]

46. Which specific CRIMES do you refer to ...

typing the word "CRIMES" in all caps is not enough ... you need to specify the crimes. You can't just claim they exist using all CAPS.

[gateley]

2. I have no doubt they do. They're both good people. Glad

Biden addressed it (and Obama just said basically the same thing when questioned during his presser). Rec!

[nichomachus]

6. If by good people

you mean corporate enablers trying to have it both ways, then yes.

[gateley]

10. What an immature response. Feel better for getting your put-down snark out there?

:eyes:

[nichomachus]

17. Then why

-Why is Tim Geithner still Treasury Secretary?

-Why did he extend the job killing Bush tax cuts for the wealthy?

-Why has he talked about cutting government spending when jobs were obviously the issue of the day?

-Why has he talked about weakening Social Security and Medicare instead of making it easier to buy into and moving people willingly out of the work force?

-Why is he pushing a bill to strengthen the hand of debt collectors?

-Why is his jobs plan barely adequate to maintain the status quo?

-Why did he not champion a public option which could have reduced healthcare costs on the consumer and made part-time jobs work for millions of Americans?

-Why is he pushing more job-killing corporate free trade agreements?

[woo me with science]

21. +100000

It is bad enough to side against the American people.

It is insulting as hell when you claim to have empathy for them while you are doing it.

Actions, not words.

Actions.

[emilyg]

23. Thank you.

[ProSense]

25. Why

-Why is Tim Geithner still Treasury Secretary?

-Why did he extend the job killing Bush tax cuts for the wealthy?

-Why has he talked about cutting government spending when jobs were obviously the issue of the day?

-Why has he talked about weakening Social Security and Medicare instead of making it easier to buy into and moving people willingly out of the work force?

-Why is he pushing a bill to strengthen the hand of debt collectors?

-Why is his jobs plan barely adequate to maintain the status quo?

-Why did he not champion a public option which could have reduced healthcare costs on the consumer and made part-time jobs work for millions of Americans?

-Why is he pushing more job-killing corporate free trade agreements?

...keep asking questions based on tired spin?

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

42. First

"Excuse me, Mr. Obama PR Spin himself, why AREN'T they legitimate questions?"

...I'm not a "Mr." Second, spin is claiming that Obama "talked about weakening Social Security and Medicare" because he did no such thing. Social Security is not in jeopardy.

[democrat2thecore]

45. A nice question

How are those questions "tired spin?"

[gateley]

27. I agree with you on all those points, but I still think they're good,

caring people. I have no explanation as to why he does what he does at times, and most especially who he appoints (a BIG sore spot with me), but my general gut-feeling sense is that he honestly feels he's doing what he needs to in order to accomplish any steps he can. I of course disagree, but I'm not in his shoes so I don't know why he makes some decisions.

[Blue Owl]

3. The journey starts with a single step...

Please keep stepping in that direction!

:kick:

[woo me with science]

8. Not a step.

Empty words. Empty words nearly three years into this administration...

...just in time for election season.

:puke:

[ProSense]

11. Loving

Empty words. Empty words nearly three years into this administration...

...just in time for election season.

...the reaction: Oh noes, the President said something that will resonate with people. Puke!

[democrat2thecore]

38. Always here to act as Obama's personal guardian of enlightenment! -nt

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[woo me with science]

15. Indeed.

The Third Way is the problem.

[woo me with science]

7. “The core of the bargain has been breached with the American people.”

Pretty much sums up this Presidency so far.

What a fucking insulting lie, to pretend to support the 99 percent. This from an administration that has been pressuring for settlements to allow the banks to escape criminal investigations.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1795232

:eyes: :puke:

[ProSense]

9. Interesting

“The core of the bargain has been breached with the American people.”

"What a fucking insulting lie"

Typical problem with all attempts to spin everything to attack the President: it ends up making no fucking sense, that is unless you actually believe that the statement is an "insulting lie"?

[gateley]

12. Ha!

Now I understand why I have that DUer on Ignore -- that would have spiked my blood pressure and made me CHARGE to respond!

Thanks for being my bodyguard! :hi:

[woo me with science]

13. Your words grow very very stale, Prosense.

Get back to us when he does something other than "empathize."

Empathy my ass.

[ProSense]

14. Hmmmm?

"Your words grow very very stale, Prosense."

Says the person posting nothing but a puke smiley.

[woo me with science]

16. Stale and predictable.

This from an administration that has been pressuring for settlements to allow the banks to escape criminal investigations.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1795232

[Tarheel_Dem]

18. I thought his responses in the press conference were pitch perfect.

[woo me with science]

22. What did he say he is doing about it? nt

[Tarheel_Dem]

24. Why don't you listen to it? I listened so I wouldn't have to accept someone else's interpretation.

Which happens all too often at the good old DU. :shrug:

[woo me with science]

29. Okay, let's put it this way. Did he say he is DOING anything about it?

Did he talk about any concrete actions, beyond empathy, that he will take to hold the banks accountable?

[Enrique]

32. why would we have to listen?

are you suggesting that Obama is capable of doing something that isn't perfect?

[stevenleser]

26. As I said at the beginning of OWS, I think the President is going to embrace the movement.

and I think this is the first step in that direction.

[YvonneCa]

34. So do I. Interesting Huffpo...

...post here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-wellington-ennis/occupy-wall-street_b_997423.html

[Cherchez la Femme]

31. Not quite enough empathy to do their duty.

[opihimoimoi]

33. The GOPers are in a DEATH SPIRAL due to TRUTH and REASON Occupying 99 %ers Minds and Hearts

Truth and Sanity will prevail over the GOPers Negativity ....the sunshine of Truth is so refreshing

[Number23]

35. Some of the responses in this thread are just weird as shit

I have no idea why some people think that running after people and attacking them makes their points any more hard hitting. Hard to understand why they don't get that all it does is make them look deranged.

[democrat2thecore]

37. They empathize? -- What a load of crap!

While giving Wall Street a blank check and failing to prosecute the crooks and appointing some of the very people that caused the '08 crisis to high positions in their administration? Yeah, they empathize all right.

[ProSense]

40. Speaking

"They empathize? -- What a load of crap! While giving Wall Street a blank check and failing to prosecute the crooks and appointing some of the very people that caused the '08 crisis to high positions in their administration?"

...of a "load of crap," the admnistration did not give Wall Street a blank check. TARP was Bush's policy after his failure to check the financial industry before the crisis.

Also, the Obama administration has been prosecuting financial fraud connected to the crisis:

Former Chairman of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison and Ordered to Forfeit $38.5 Million

StopFraud.gov

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

43. More

"If you can't see that elevating some of the VERY PEOPLE who caused the crisis to your cabinet..."

...nonsense.

[Name removed]

44. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bluenorthwest]

47. that's funny stuff. After he played defense for the Banksters:

"My administration is the only thing between you and the pitchforks." Remember that? He put his popularity and the affection of the people for him up as a defense for those gluttonous, greedy and criminal people. He stood between them and justice, and told them so.
They are the 1%, both of them. They are not too big to fail, so they should consider that. Temp hires.

[ProSense]

48. Yes,

"'My administration is the only thing between you and the pitchforks.' Remember that?"

...it pissed off the RW. The spin was that the President threatened the banks.

Of course, he was correct: people are really pissed off at the banks.