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Obama puts the heat on Republicans
Los Angeles Times ^ | Feb. 5, 2009 | Peter Nicholas

Posted on 02/04/2009 11:15:13 PM PST by FocusNexus

He says the 'half steps' now urged by the GOP for the stimulus bill are the same ideas that led to the financial crisis.

President Obama abruptly changed tactics Wednesday in his bid to revive the economy, setting aside his bipartisan stance and pointedly blaming Republicans for demanding what he cast as discredited "piecemeal measures."

Obama's comments were a marked departure from the conciliatory tone he has maintained as he courted Republican votes for his stimulus package through compromise. Against the wishes of his own party, Obama crafted a plan that relied heavily on tax cuts rooted in Republican economic doctrine.

But in an unusual opinion piece in today's Washington Post, and in remarks he made at two White House appearances, the president seemed to acknowledge that his approach wasn't working.

The shift in message comes amid signs of trouble for Obama's $800-billion-plus stimulus bill. Not a single Republican voted for the measure last week in the House, and even some moderate Democrats in the Senate have expressed discomfort over the escalating cost.

Moderates from both parties have complained about spending projects, such as smoking-cessation programs, that don't seem geared to giving the economy a jolt

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 111th; bho2009; bhostimulus; bo; congress; democrat; democrats; economy; obama; porkulus; republicans; stimulus; stimuluswatch
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He is reverting to his true self, blaming Republicans for everything.

I just hope Republicans won't cave, and won't vote for the monster bill, for getting a few crumbs.

1 posted on 02/04/2009 11:15:13 PM PST by FocusNexus
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To: FocusNexus

So, Tax Cuts caused the melt down.

Riiiiiight.......


2 posted on 02/04/2009 11:16:57 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (Congress declares a National Dividend in the amount of $9,000 per taxpayer instead of Porkulus.)
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To: FocusNexus
blaming Republicans for demanding what he cast as discredited "piecemeal measures."

If ever there was "piecemeal," it is Porkulus.

3 posted on 02/04/2009 11:18:03 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (Congress declares a National Dividend in the amount of $9,000 per taxpayer instead of Porkulus.)
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To: FocusNexus

I hope the GOP does not cave, too....but I have less confidence in the Senate than I do the House.


4 posted on 02/04/2009 11:18:58 PM PST by UCFRoadWarrior (The Threat To Our Soverignty Is Rampant Economic Anti-Americanism)
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To: FocusNexus
The bill could be passed right now without any GOP support, and the Senate could call a cloture vote to force the GOP to filibuster.

Obama is in meltdown mode right now. We are pretty much screwed at this point. Other nations are challenging/mocking him, and his solution is to go and read books to kids at a charter school.

5 posted on 02/04/2009 11:19:11 PM PST by Carling (After the post-election GOP attacks against Gov. Palin, I am sad to say I am leaving the party..)
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To: FocusNexus
He could not dupe the Republicans into going along with his rip off scheme so now his is going to have a sissy fit.

Why am I not surprised?

6 posted on 02/04/2009 11:19:55 PM PST by Jeff Gordon ("An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last." Churchill)
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To: FocusNexus
Huh? I had to check the article to verify that the headline was correct. Obama puts the heat on Republicans

Who is in trouble here? Who is feeling the heat? Freakin' LA Times.

7 posted on 02/04/2009 11:20:28 PM PST by byteback
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To: Uncle Miltie
Obama needs to leave the White House and read to GAY’s, this Friday.
8 posted on 02/04/2009 11:20:54 PM PST by MaxMax (I'll welcome death when God calls me. Until then, the fight is on)
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To: FocusNexus

Here is the link to Obama’s editorial in the WP, Feb. 5, 2009 . Summary: “The sky is falling, the sky is falling, only my stimulus bill can save the world, please urge the Senate to pass it, before the American people realize that we dressed up a huge Dem spending bill as stimulus, and we are lying more, than Madoff”

The Action Americans Need by Barack (Hussein) Obama.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/04/AR2009020403174.html?hpid%3Dopinionsbox1&sub=AR

By now, it’s clear to everyone that we have inherited an economic crisis as deep and dire as any since the days of the Great Depression. Millions of jobs that Americans relied on just a year ago are gone; millions more of the nest eggs families worked so hard to build have vanished. People everywhere are worried about what tomorrow will bring.

That’s why I feel such a sense of urgency about the recovery plan before Congress. With it, we will create or save more than 3 million jobs over the next two years, provide immediate tax relief to 95 percent of American workers, ignite spending by businesses and consumers alike, and take steps to strengthen our country for years to come.


9 posted on 02/04/2009 11:22:27 PM PST by FocusNexus ("Good and evil are present in this world, and between the two there can be no compromise." GW Bush)
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To: FocusNexus
Against the wishes of his own party, Obama crafted a plan that relied heavily on tax cuts rooted in Republican economic doctrine.

Is this a joke? The majority of "tax cuts" actually go to those that don't pay taxes. Obama needs to be reminded that he and the Dems have plenty of time to craft a payoff bill for all their cronies and welfare constituencies separate from an actual stimulus bill but of course they are trying to sell a hell of a lot of welfare funding hidden in a stimulus bill that has essentially no stimulus components.

Obama just gave a huge opening on the tax cut issue, effectively separating it from all the other pork.

10 posted on 02/04/2009 11:22:35 PM PST by torchthemummy (My apologies if this post retreads on ground already covered!)
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To: FocusNexus; All

I don’t trust these republican senators; secretly many of them want to ‘go along, to get along’; they never learn that the left will stab them all in the back in the end, anyway. Idiots!


11 posted on 02/04/2009 11:23:17 PM PST by notdownwidems (Shellback, pollywogs! U.S.S. William H. Standley, CG-32)
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To: FocusNexus
"his bipartisan stance"

Is that the stance in which he allows no Republican amendments to Democrat Porkulus rammed through the House?

The only thing bipartisan about Porkulus was its opposition.

12 posted on 02/04/2009 11:23:35 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (Congress declares a National Dividend in the amount of $9,000 per taxpayer instead of Porkulus.)
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To: FocusNexus

The Right numbers of RINOS will cave, and then give some speech that “we must work together in these dire times”. I honestly believe this new republican backbone won’t last for more than a couple of more weeks. What they don’t understand is that once they set a precedent for holding the line now it will be easier to hold the line in the future. This package will pass in one form or another and republican fingerprints will be on it.


13 posted on 02/04/2009 11:23:56 PM PST by scottywr ("Birth Certificate? We don neeed no steenkeen birth certificate!")
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To: FocusNexus
...we dressed up a huge Dem spending bill as stimulus

Lipstick on a pig, etc.

14 posted on 02/04/2009 11:24:32 PM PST by ducdriver (99% of liberals give the other 1% a bad name.)
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To: FocusNexus
...we will create or save more than 3 million jobs over the next two years...

Love the sliding scale.

15 posted on 02/04/2009 11:26:11 PM PST by torchthemummy (My apologies if this post retreads on ground already covered!)
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To: FocusNexus

Haha hope and change Barney Frank’s butt.


16 posted on 02/04/2009 11:26:37 PM PST by exist
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To: All

17 posted on 02/04/2009 11:26:45 PM PST by Cindy
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To: FocusNexus
He says the 'half steps' now urged by the GOP for the stimulus bill are the same ideas that led to the financial crisis.

I agree with him! There should be NO STIMULUS PACKAGE AT ALL.

That's not a half step!

18 posted on 02/04/2009 11:26:46 PM PST by Lorianne (Without the Republicans helping pass TARP in 2008, we would not have this monstrosity in 2009.)
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To: All

M.O.C.
Mugabe, Obama, Chavez:
The “Financial Leaders” of Our Time?


19 posted on 02/04/2009 11:27:50 PM PST by Cindy
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To: FocusNexus

No, Obama, you wanted to be POTUS. You take responsibility for this piece of trash you are trying to force down America’s throat.

I hope the Republicans stand strong.


20 posted on 02/04/2009 11:27:59 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote.)
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