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Lesson To Be Learned From the Stimulus Wrangling: The GOP Will Be Known By That Which They Destroy.

Submitted by christine on Thu, 02/05/2009 - 5:05pm.

Analysis

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Christine Bowman

Clearly, it's hard for Republicans to change. All those GOP Congresspeople watched the election returns, and they also heard Barack Obama's inaugural speech. That's when he pointed out to them, "the ground has shifted." He explained that Americans "have chosen ... unity of purpose over conflict and discord [and] ... the time has come to set aside childish things." President Obama offered to "extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist." (Well, that line ostensibly was directed at foreign leaders. But many fists are still clenched in Washington.)

President Obama then spent his first two weeks in office trying to woo the GOP. He invited them to his Super Bowl Party and made an unprecedented visit to pay homage on their Capitol Hill turf. He invited Republicans into his cabinet. He has been respectful.

For what? Congressman Boehner's gang in the House responded with a 214 to 0 vote against unity of purpose and the urgency of now. On the Senate side, a couple of moderates are engaged in negotiations with the President, but meanwhile Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and 40+ others have sought to block passage and redefine the goals.

One other inaugural quote may help the GOP members of Congress to recall what's needed at this juncture:

"... know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy."

Has the GOP congressional minority so much as lifted a hammer yet? Heck, they haven't even begun to demolish the "old construction" of partisanship. They'd better roll up their sleeves and help get the stimulus passed. Show us what you can build. Even you can be a part of Obama's "new era of responsibilty."

And Mr. President? You and the constructionists can do this without the obstructionists. Just keep hammering away. Don't keep waiting for some kind of GOP building permit.

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

Confederates, Conservatives

Submitted by Atmost11 on Fri, 02/06/2009 - 9:33am.

Confederates, Conservatives - whatever you want to call them, they are anti-American insurgents - as Senator Sessions calls himself. The Confederates are still trying as hard as they can to start a war with Iran - based on lies - and stay in Iraq - projects at odds with the Commander in Chief and a threat to American security. They are against American financial objectives on numerous fronts. Enough already - the sooner the BS bi-partisan play-nice act ends - the better.

GOP and destruction

Submitted by banjobailey on Thu, 02/05/2009 - 9:52pm.

Obama has been President for 2 weeks and 2 days. During this time he has learned that bi-partisanship works for the country at large and is an utter failure when it comes to the representatives of Republicans in Congress. Had he assumed office and immediately given up any attempt to work with the Republicans, he would have been called out as a fraud. Now, he has an actual history of attempting to work with these people. What did he, and we, get in return: complete obstruction. He is now in a position to call upon the leaders of State and local governments and we, the people, to actively participate in this move to save the nation. All of us must get back to "campaigning". Our "honeymoon" is over already. All of us must help him, and ourselves. We must quit being disappointed and outraged because he cannot do it all by himself. We must remember who we are really up against here. We must face the fact that this Presidency was brought about by all of us and we simply CANNOT blame him because all the rest of us deserted him in his hour of OUR need and left him to face the jackals all by himself. Yes, we can, my friends! Yes, we can flood our own Congressional members and everyone else we can think of with messages that inform them that WE ARE STILL HERE! And, we better be because if we aren't, this nation is in deeper trouble than even our most pessimistic loyalists can even imagine. Of course, you get the drift: get busy, get working, get organizing, get back in the saddle.

The so called Stimulus Plan is nothing but a pork laden disaster

Submitted by Neva Stoltz on Thu, 02/05/2009 - 8:20pm.

The Democrats or Republicans have no idea how to run this nation. The Democrats are as responsible as the Republicans for the downfall of this nation. All the Democrats can do is call for more spending for their creepy causes and the Republicans support their corporations. We have no leaders! The man of change is nothing more than more of the same. If you want this country to improve one need to look outside the box and tell the Democrats and Republicans to get lost!

When did the downfall happen?

Submitted by Musing on Fri, 02/06/2009 - 1:54am.

You do not say a single constructive word about how you might improve the current situation/predicament. Perhaps you do not have a clue. I believe we should be investing in alternative energy and repairing infrastructure. Of course it makes more sense to do this kind of thing when you have a surplus - like the one Clinton left Bush. Forgetting Bush (the wise option), it now makes sense to borrow to improve the future - there is no point in having a large number of people idle, it is not constructive. It puts a nasty burden on those working. We also need to try to find a solution to helping people keep their homes. On the other hand the Republicans have proposed a system whereby those who can afford to buy a home can get a tax credit to benefit from someone else's misfortune or is that just to get the market moving again - who knows? Meanwhile Obama has done some great things. More children will have access to medical attention - making the USA look less like a third world country. Equal pay for women is enhanced - that brings the country up to date. He has also put a scientist in the position of Energy Secretary which should put the fear of reality into those who are full of hot air and gas. The future looks different. Those with inertia will do what they do best - get stuck.

A constuctive Word

Submitted by Neva Stoltz on Fri, 02/06/2009 - 11:06am.

Health Care for the children is going to be funded with a tax on cigarettes while the stimulus plan has a democrat requesting millions for quit smoking! Idiot again! Where is the money coming from when everyone quits smoking. Put into office people that do not play Robin Hood for the masses. The American dream is based on pulling yourself up by the boot straps not taking from the rich to fund the poor. Also playing fair to all, not only the poor but the rich. A tax system that is fair to all. The American dream is also based on coming to this country as a legal immigrant! I for one am tired of illegals have access to medical and ordinary citizens have been denied. Food stamps for illegals but none for citizens. We cannot afford for our own but the Democrats believe in opening the country up to all while the rest of us working have to pay the price. There is something wrong with this picture!

That wasn't constructive

Submitted by Ken duerksen on Sat, 02/07/2009 - 7:50pm.

It was a short, ranting list of right-wing red herrings.

As for your "bootstraps" statement, you haven't any idea what you are talking about. America most definitely was built on "taking from the rich". Rooseveldt and Eisenhower's 90% tax rate on top incomes was a big part of what built our interstate highway system and the most powerful middle class in history.

Anyone making money in this country does so with the aid of an infrastruture paid for by us all, for the benefit of all. Anyone making hundreds of times the amount of money made by those he employs is categorically taking advantage of lax regulaton, and is by definition not paying his fair share of the upkeep of the commons.

You write: "I for one am tired of illegals have access to medical and ordinary citizens have been denied. Food stamps for illegals but none for citizens."

Who the hell have you been listening to? It would be in your best interests to stop listening to them, and start listening to your own humanity and innate sense of empathy and charity. Drop the vindictive, self-congradulatory selfishness that makes you say such mean and misinformed things, and you will be a happier person.

Not Just Repubs

Submitted by neoconned on Thu, 02/05/2009 - 8:01pm.

The Democrats don't know how to change from craven wannabees to leaders. We, the People need to oust all of these losers and take power back. What they destroyed through inaction and misimpressions was our faith in our political system changing with a shift in control.

Bush/Cheney love to blow stuff up, have you noticed ?

Submitted by quidam56 on Thu, 02/05/2009 - 5:48pm.

Appalachia has been bombed, blasted and bulldozed right into 3rd world America, we can't stand anymore of Hannity's America of progress and prosperity ! http://www.wisecountyissues.com THIS IS TOXIC TERRORISM !!!

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