Monday, February 9, 2009
Rant...Ideological Blockage!
Don't know if you saw the president's first news conference, but I thought he did really well...intelligent, thoughtful, eloquent (yeah, we know that about him now), and yes, wordy (but it's usually worth it) and 'right on' answers to the reporters questions. He was very respectful to the 'other side', despite being in the middle of a fight for the stimulus package. But he got his digs in...my favorite was 'ideological blockage'...very apropos...the number one problem with the Repubs on the economic recovery is their unwillingness to give up their IDEOLOGY, which translates into...still not able to work together, still not able to see the big picture, still not able to stop name-calling, still not able to realize that big spending already happened in the last 8 years...do we have to spell it out for them? They will be the death of us if they don't get it together. Even with the American people behind him for change, he still has IDEOLOGICAL BLOCKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I caught his press conference as well. I think he did quite well in making his case. He also allowed Helen Thomas to ask a question. That woman's an icon!
ReplyDeleteHow great it was to have a President
ReplyDeleteput full sentences together.
I do think he should shorten his answers a little though so they can get more questions in.
Dear Chris, I have been reading your past few posts with interest. I understand that you are passionate in your beliefs, but I must inject a small thought. The free exchange of ideas, some of which are different from yours, allow our society to be known as free and democratic. I understand your impatience with the system, but I am also concerned that no one, not even President Obama, should receive power without appropriate checks and balances. Considering that the emergency stimulus package passed in the fall did NOT result in banks lending money, I think some members of Congress are wise in weighing the necessity of rushing through with another stimulus package. What about Merrill Lynch? They received assistance but spent millions on bonuses. Keep on writing, but consider that some of the "old farts" that you malign may actually have your best interest in their minds.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a problem with exchange of ideas, and I think there ought to be more of that...that's what Obama has wanted from both sides of the aisle and all he's getting is ideological bull over and over...where is the inability to compromise coming from?....the "old guard", the ones who are used to having an administration who never minded about checks and balances...they just did what they wanted no matter what....that's why we're in this mess. When ideology takes over for reason, yeah I'm pissed off...they had 8 years of screwing everything up, and now they are being cautious?
ReplyDeleteIt's not that I think we need to be fast and not be careful, we just need to get help to those that need it...if there had been regulation the first time in the fall, as you said, and they had not added loopholes that were taken advantage of to negate them, we would be further along.
thanks for your input as always...I know it is coming from the heart..
I think that although there was some good stuff in this package, there was also about 300 billion dollars of crap that is wasteful and doesn't stimulate the economy. Also, I think that in order to stimulate the economy, rebate checks should be handed out instead of $13 of credit per paycheck. Thirteen bucks isn't going to get people out to spend a hundred or two hundred on goods and services in order to keep those in the service industry afloat.
ReplyDeleteI will say that I do think that there is less checks and balances in place with everything Democrat and it could go either of two ways: a) things will go well and a lot will be accomplished or b) this will be taken advantage off and the Dems won't have majority control in two years.
I guess what I was saying didn't have too much to do with the stimulus package, but more to do with the people who can't get over their own agendas......
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Chris.
ReplyDeleteYour post wasn't about the stimulus, per se.
It seemed to be more about the inability of the GOP to act in a manner that indicates anything other than self-interest.
As I say all the time, at the core Americans care about one of two things: people or stuff.
The choice largely determines ideological allegiance. Either you work with others in a spirit of collaboration to help as many people as you can, OR you retreat into individualism and work for things that are only self-serving.
I think the performance of the congressional GOP in the last four weeks has been nothing less than politically motivated. It's healthy for a democracy to have debate and opposing view points.
However, when the need is urgent as it is now in our economy, it's time to put aside childish games and quit playing the victim.
The GOP had two weeks to read the bill, they spread lies and misinformation about it, and in the end further cemented public opinion that they are determined to act like the congress in the Clinton era: obstructionist in the name of political ideology.
Sorry for the rant. I'm feverish.
Cheers!
I was concerned you may not like my ideas, but you are a great gal! I am glad you have room for an honest but different viewpoint.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all of you for a wonderful discussion on this very difficult subject...even within parties, we have different opinions. We're in such hot water!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSkye...that was a very articulate answer...thanks for being part of it...I always love your comments...I love that it comes from an academic as well as a personal place.
D...thanks for rising to my favor!
Laurie...we stirred the pot on this one!
Lord, it was such a relief to hear our president discuss intelligently, thoughtfully, the issues facing us. Some gasbag ~ O'Reilly, I think ~ was ranting about his answers being "too long! too much" and I laughed out loud. Seriously? We're going from the fool of a frat boy who could only parrot bulleted talking points to a thoughtful man who knows all of the issues inside and out and that's too much information for us? Idiots, too many idiots in this world.
ReplyDeleteThankfully the idiots aren't in charge anymore!!!
ReplyDelete