Being President/ Presidential (opinion piece)

[888888]

So, for arguments sake, lets say that a republican got elected President in 2012, and that the House and the Senate end up with a very slim dem majority. And let's say that a Dem Congress decide to stonewall the republican president, and don't get anything done as a result, and bad things happen. How would your republican president be able to demonstrate leadership?


The same way Reagan and Clinton did; you make deals. Washington D.C is all about making deals and bargaining, and all the skilled politicians know that. They also know they won't get everything they want, but they can get some of what they want if they're willing to give up something. Whoever is in charge of the Congress, whether Democrat or Republican, will want something. You figure out what it is and make a deal you can live with. Reagan knew it. Clinton knew it. Obama hasn't figured it out yet. And that's on him and no one else.

Never listen to people who say it can't be done. What they're really saying is it can't be done by them.

The republican idea is you agree with what we want and then we will talk about what you want. Could you imagine that kind of agreement going very far.

It would be like what happened to us under Reagen, when he instituted wage and price controls. We had to agree with what his rules were on our contract at the time. We gave up what we had negotiated and had to redo the contract, where we could get 10cents, 20 cents and 10 cents over three years. 4 months afterwards he remove the price controls and we approached the company and said hey the Regan rules have been lifted, so lets sit down and redo the contract. There answer was you signed it, now live with it.

 

[Judy1]

No.....let's say that a Dem president is facing a Pub Congress, for arguments sake. A good leader leads, when he has no other choice, by working with the opposition.

Just as Bill Clinton did when he accomplished so much while working with Gingrich and the Pubs.

Bill Clinton was a leader. Obama is not and never has been. Obama can't even seem to work with the leaders of his own party.

You play with the hand you're dealt....not the hand you wish you were dealt. And certainly not by constantly making excuses blaming the dealer.

Again, Clinton and Reagan were able to play the hand that they were dealt because the dealer gave them cards. Obama on the other hand is sitting at the table still waiting for the dealer to deal him some cards. Makes me wonder if maybe they all think he's sitting at the "wrong" table?

 

[Zam-Zam]

Obama was willing to give away and did give away far more than most dems would ever have thought possible, and still republicans said no. It was Republcans would wouldn't make the deals. Republicons in Congress let their disrespect be know from the very beginning. I wonder why they disrespected him from the very beginning? Was it because he is a democrat? based on past history with the examples you've stated (Reagan and Clinton) one would think not...hmmmm, wonder what's different this time around?


We are at an impasse. Obama could walk up to you and punch you in the nose and you'd blame the Republican Congress. Obama, as Commander-In-Chief, has no power, no authority and is accountable for nothing as far as you're concerned. You set the bar very low and expect very little. And you're getting it.

 

[888888]

The difference is under Clinton there were people on both sides of the isle that wanted the best for America. Now we have a large majority on your side of the isle that wants only whats best for the people who paid to get them elected. They could give a shit about the 250 million Americans who aren't in the top 10%. They fully realize that most of those people don't realize what is going on and they for a big part don't vote, and many who do don't care about anything but core issues like GAYS< GUNS <and GOD and keep America WHITE, and allow them to keep pissing out the back door, and pouring their oil in the back 40ty.

 

[Sodak]

Actually, one has to wonder if he even knows where the table is.

The problem may well be in the very nature of the community organizer's job description. COs teach others how to deal the cards and play the game. COs don't play. COs don't lead. They teach.

 

[Judy1]

Obama was willing to give away and did give away far more than most dems would ever have thought possible, and still republicans said no. It was Republcans would wouldn't make the deals. Republicons in Congress let their disrespect be know from the very beginning. I wonder why they disrespected him from the very beginning? Was it because he is a democrat? based on past history with the examples you've stated (Reagan and Clinton) one would think not...hmmmm, wonder what's different this time around?



We are at an impasse. Obama could walk up to you and punch you in the nose and you'd blame the Republican Congress. Obama, as Commander-In-Chief, has no power, no authority and is accountable for nothing as far as you're concerned. You set the bar very low and expect very little. And you're getting it.

Nope I disagree, I would have liked to see Obama do three things differently.
1. More stimulus, big time
2. Medicare for all for Health Care
3. Repeal of Bush tax cuts.

Now, I may be dissappointed in how he handled those three areas, but I'm 100% positive that none of the clowns running on the republican side have a plan for the economy that would work better. Why? Because they are all for giving us more of he same policies that got us into this mess in the first place. Maybe we'll get lucky and vote enough republican bums out of office and replace them with some people that actually want to make their government work.

 

[888888]

Obama was willing to give away and did give away far more than most dems would ever have thought possible, and still republicans said no. It was Republcans would wouldn't make the deals. Republicons in Congress let their disrespect be know from the very beginning. I wonder why they disrespected him from the very beginning? Was it because he is a democrat? based on past history with the examples you've stated (Reagan and Clinton) one would think not...hmmmm, wonder what's different this time around?


We are at an impasse. Obama could walk up to you and punch you in the nose and you'd blame the Republican Congress. Obama, as Commander-In-Chief, has no power, no authority and is accountable for nothing as far as you're concerned. You set the bar very low and expect very little. And you're getting it.

OK what can Obama get the republicans to agree with that would further his agenda? Do you mean he should agree with what they want and that will be a win?

 

[degsme]

I did.

It shows.

hm so lets look at the facts

This election should be about policy. The divide between the Republicans is now evident whereas in the recent past, there has been little difference between the parties. Democrats = big government with broad public benefits; Republicans = strong businesses with government hands off.

right - except when it comes to
Subsidies for Oil Cos
Subsidies for Defense contractors
Subsidies for Red States by Blue State tax dollars (as much as 200% of state budgets)

But hey why let FACTS get in the way of a good made up argument

Nope. What we need is someone who knows how to be a President. The President we have now doesn't have the foggiest clue of how to do that.

Right... white conservatives have never accused black men in positions of power of being incompetent historically... nah never. no racist has ever made that claim

He pretends to "lead from behind", but it turns out that he's not behind leading, he's behind ........playing golf.

Really? How many times has Obama "played golf" compared to say... Reagan or GWB? Is this as well sourced as your claim was that Obama went home at 4pm every night? Because we all know how quickly that got debunked.

So do you have anything supporting this claim at all?

A President must be authoritative. Obama is not that.

Right. another one of those comments that are so solidly backed up and easily distinguished from the racist comments that white conservatives have made about black men in positions of power.

He can make a solid statement, but he has never yet backed up any of his statements with action that involved anything but packing on our debt.

Really? So passing the HRA which REDUCES the rate of debt growth isn't action
and a stimulus bill that SUCCESFULLY MET PREDICTIONS by between 100%-150% isn't action.

Interesting definition

He has not moved from campaign mode since he moved into the White House. Every speech comes across as another campaign and every action has "next election" in mind.

Right - that explains why he reached accross the aisle to Senate moderate GOPers in 2009 even though he didn't really have to.
that's why he didn't drive Reed to just seat Al Franken earlier (completely within Reed's power to do so) even though doing so would have allowed him to ram through legislation.
No that's just "campaigning" and not at all trying to work with the other side

FACTS MATTER jenny dear

At this point, we cannot afford to look at how liberal or conservative a candidate is. We're pushed into the corner of having to look for someone who is a leader. We have gone 3 years without firm leadership.

and again where have we heard white conservatives say this about black men in power before????

 

[degsme]

And I suppose you are prepared to say Obama is a great leader?

so the choice is "failure" or "great"???? my what a black and white world we live in

And the fact that a MINORITY GOP has basically vetoed everything has no impact on leadership does it... naw...

 

[degsme]

Who is pretending otherwise? I've never claimed I wasn't partisan or anti-Obama. I am both of those things.
Where have you been?

I stand by what I've said and your bleating doesn't change the fact that Obama lacks leadership qualities.

Well the fact that you are partisan and anti-Obama means that unless you can come up with any actual logical and tangible examples of how Obama has failed at leading that are NOT based in kowtowing to conservatives means you are simply another conservative calling a black person incompetent

 

[888888]

Actually, one has to wonder if he even knows where the table is.

The problem may well be in the very nature of the community organizer's job description. COs teach others how to deal the cards and play the game. COs don't play. COs don't lead. They teach.

Are you trying to tell me that guy like Mitt who bought companies, never created one, but took the good parts of a company and sold them off, took the cash on the books and put it into Bain capitol, and then either closed what was left or sent it overseas is what a good president should envision for America.
and those who prosper, great for them, and those who end up getting the Axe, well that's just good governance.

Well maybe we need a few CO's in congress to teach them that they are being paid to do the work we sent them there to do, not to just say NO and collect their checks.

 

[degsme]

So, for arguments sake, lets say that a republican got elected President in 2012, and that the House and the Senate end up with a very slim dem majority. And let's say that a Dem Congress decide to stonewall the republican president, and don't get anything done as a result, and bad things happen. How would your republican president be able to demonstrate leadership?


The same way Reagan and Clinton did; you make deals. Washington D.C is all about making deals and bargaining, and all the skilled politicians know that.

like the Deal Obama offered the GOP on taking out public option and instead going with healthcare insurance markets?
you mean like the Deal Obama offered the GOP on raising taxes on the welathiest but allowing the middle class tax cuts to stand?
you mean like the quid-pro-qui Obama gave in extending the GWB tax cuts for 2 years for which he got no "quo"


What if the Dems just do what the GOP did in 2009. Namely engage in TWICE the normal rate of filibusters, AND insistn on "working to rul" on those that are overridden, stretching every bill passage into a 10 workindg day ordeal?

How does a GOP POTUS "show leadership" that wway?

They also know they won't get everything they want, but they can get some of what they want if they're willing to give up something.

Not if the Dems then simply filibuster EVERYTHING and ANYTHING they want. Which is what the GOP did in 2009. and the House is doing in 2010 (minus the filibuster, just using the Rules Committee to keep it from a vote.

Whoever is in charge of the Congress, whether Democrat or Republican, will want something. You figure out what it is and make a deal you can live with. Reagan knew it. Clinton knew it. Obama hasn't figured it out yet.

Um Obama has figured it out. The reality is that the GOP is unwilling to offer him any deal he can live with.

 

[degsme]

FLesch Kincaid reading level 6.9gr IOW USA Today reading level - a step up from average.
Emotive Style is upbeat http://www.analyzewords.com/index.php
Very High level of arrogance 91/100
High level of internet slang / LOLs 78/100
Stylstically attempts to be highly analytic 98/100 (vs. personable)

A high desire to be perceived as achieving something http://secretlifeofpronouns.com/exercise/TATintro/LIWCTATresults.php
Low on social connectivity (I words)
Above average in "25 cent words"....
And about double the rate of average for the desire to be seen as powerful...


does it succeed in thise categories for me? Nope not hardly
Again the above is data from online analysis tools by reputable computational linguists....

This election should be about policy. The divide between the Republicans is now evident whereas in the recent past, there has been little difference between the parties. Democrats = big government with broad public benefits; Republicans = strong businesses with government hands off.

The differences are stark enough between those ways of thinking that it should be easy to find a Republican candidate that supports the conservative agenda. But that is not what we need at this point.

Nope. What we need is someone who knows how to be a President. The President we have now doesn't have the foggiest clue of how to do that. He pretends to "lead from behind", but it turns out that he's not behind leading, he's behind ........playing golf.

A President must be authoritative. Obama is not that. He can make a solid statement, but he has never yet backed up any of his statements with action that involved anything but packing on our debt. He has not moved from campaign mode since he moved into the White House. Every speech comes across as another campaign and every action has "next election" in mind.

At this point, we cannot afford to look at how liberal or conservative a candidate is. We're pushed into the corner of having to look for someone who is a leader. We have gone 3 years without firm leadership. That's what we need now. An authoritative President who can put aside partisanship, not look at his next election and just put the country first. We need a leader.

 

[middleview]

There is a huge difference. Look at the number of filibusters while Reagan was president vs now. From 1950 to 1970 there were 30 cloture votes. In just one congress there were over 200. When did a democrat in a joint session call Reagan a liar? When did democrats make shit up about what was in Reagan's legislation? The republicans have even pushed legislation that was aimed at the birther controversy....when did democrats suggest that Reagan was anti-American or pro-terrorist?

You have a short memory.....

 

[middleview]

Who is pretending otherwise? I've never claimed I wasn't partisan or anti-Obama. I am both of those things.
Where have you been?

I stand by what I've said and your bleating doesn't change the fact that Obama lacks leadership qualities.

Your whiny accusations of a lack of leadership while ignoring that the republicans are not interested in working with the president and would rather spend their time focused on the 2012 election is simply an example of not seeing leadership because you aren't looking for it.

 

[degsme]

Why are you trying to put words in my mouth? You said he "lacks leadership qualities"...I said many disagree with you. You stated that your post is "an opinion piece", and you stated your OPINION. Your opinions do not equal facts, and others' opinions are as valid as yours...as opinions.

Not the response you were looking for? Too bad.

Other's Opinions might be MORE VALID. I'd point out that there is a difference in the quality of "opinion" between an ignoramous who says "Pons and Fleischmann created cold fusion" and a physicist who says "Pons and Fleischman presented no evidence of cold fusion and their physics explanations don't hold waters" just as there is a difference between a bigot who says of a black man "well black men can't lead of course" - while presenting no evidence - and a person who says "Conservatives are not the majority in the USA" and who then points to statistical data to back that up.

So no, not even all opinions are "as valid as others" And those that are indistinguishable from historic racial bigotry are notably less valid than most.

 

[Sodak]

Please get your head out of your butt and do some serious reading on what Bain [and Mitt] did and did not do.

Are you familiar with Staples?

And "we" elected a prez, not a CO, and "we" expect him to act like a prez, not a CO.

 

[degsme]

Actually, one has to wonder if he even knows where the table is.

.

RIGHT cuz dem N!&&';s is so ignorant

 

[Sodak]

Poor degs....a one-trick pony with no imagination. Such a pity....

 

[degsme]

Poor degs....a one-trick pony with no imagination. Such a pity....

Hmm got anything but ad hominem?

Any actual examples of how Obama failed to try and negotiate with a Congress who's "number one priority is to make Obama a one term president"???