"A black sheriff?!": The Official Topic of Obama and New Era American Politics

[Oblivion]

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201107280007

Love the look on Nye's face after he asks the question.

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

As for a climactic conflict between a once-Christian West and an Islamic world that is growing in numbers and advancing inexorably into Europe for the third time in 14 centuries, on this one, Breivik may be right.

*sigh*

[Oblivion]

[TakingBackSunday]

lol PD at gaf.  "perry or romney can and will beat Obama"

shut the fuck up, PD  You're track record with political predictions is terrible.

[Phoenix Dark]

*looks at unemployment, GDP revisions*

nah, I'm pretty confident.

Anyway Boehner's bill got shitcanned in the senate, and now apparently McConnel is saying he will not negotiate with Reid - he wants to talk to Obama directly.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

lol PD at gaf.  "perry or romney can and will beat Obama"

shut the fuck up, PD  You're track record with political predictions is terrible.

Versus the people who think Obama will win because he is just soooo osm?

[Oblivion]

PD's getting destroyed in the gaf thread.  :'(

[Oblivion]

http://www.hbo.com/real-time-with-bill-maher/index.html#/real-time-with-bill-maher/episodes/0/222-episode/video/222-july-29-overtime.html/eNrjcmbOUM-PSXHMS8ypLMlMDkhMT-VLzE1lLmTO1yzLTEnNh8k45+eVpFaUsDGySSeWluQX5CRW2pYUlaZyMjKyMQIAYmwXOA==

Matt Kibbe's such a distinguished mentally-challenged fellow.

[Phoenix Dark]

"In Europe there are haves and have nots"

"In America anything is possible"

"There's no healthcare private market for people over the age of 65 because of Medicare"


also it must suck being the only woman on the panel and having to sit between Eliot Spitzer and Sideburns

[Oblivion]

The money quote was when Maher said that even a 90% tax rate wasn't enough to drive Hoover and Kibbe out of the country.

[Phoenix Dark]

That's why we should end the Bush tax cuts, continue drawing down the wars, and implement the healthcare law on time right? Cuz, you know, that would cut the deficit significantly over 10 years.

[TakingBackSunday]

SomeDude on GAF is fucking hysterical

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

That's why we should end the Bush tax cuts, continue drawing down the wars, and implement the healthcare law on time right? Cuz, you know, that would cut the deficit significantly over 10 years.

Supposedly approximately 3650 post offices are going to get shut down.  We should also start shutting down some military bases while we're at it and cancel needless weapon contracts.  We could also axe corn subsidies ($20 billion a year).  We could also reduce or eliminate sentences for non-violent drug offenders in jail or prison ($22,650 is spent a year for a prisoner per the DOJ).  We could get rid of the death penalty ($2.3 million per death row inmate in Texas).  I mean, the savings possibilities are endless!

Oh wait, that is socialest!  We need to spend more on those things and less money on Shaniqua, the welfare queen with five kids.

[AdmiralViscen]

In the debate about the death penalty, you side with states rights over the ability of the state to deprive a human of his or her life?

If there was ever a natural right, it is the right to breathe

[Phoenix Dark]

Abc news says a tentative deal is done, but sam youngman on twitter has reported that dems are disputing it, and given the inaccurate leaks from the past week who the hell knows.

From that link

•     Debt ceiling increase of up to $2.8 trillion
•     Spending cuts of roughly $1 trillion
•     Vote on the Balanced Budget Amendment
•     Special committee to recommend cuts of $1.8 trillion (or whatever it takes to add up to the total of the debt ceiling increase)
•     Committee must make recommendations before Thanksgiving recess
•     If Congress does not approve those cuts by late December, automatic across-the-board cuts go into effect, including cuts to Defense and Medicare.

So, hostage taking by committee. What's to stop republicans from demanding ridiculous cuts that democrats cannot agree to, thus causing Medicare cuts in December.

[AdmiralViscen]

Easy, they will extend the Bush tax cuts for 3 years in December in exchange for a one year extension of Medicare benefits

[Himu]

what the fuckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

[Oblivion]

By all accounts, it looks like a deal is about to be announced in which the debt ceiling is hiked in exchange for the promise of major spending cuts, including to entitlements, totaling at least $2.4 trillion.

Anything can happen, but it apppears the GOP is on the verge of pulling off a political victory that may be unprecedented in American history. Republicans may succeed in using the threat of a potential outcome that they themselves acknowledged would lead to national catastrophe as leverage to extract enormous concessions from Democrats, without giving up anything of any significance in return.

Not only that, but Republicans — in perhaps the most remarkable example of political up-is-downism in recent memory — cast their willingness to dangle the threat of national crisis as a brave and heroic effort they’d undertaken on behalf of the national interest. Only the threat of national crisis could force the immediate spending cuts supposedly necessary to prevent a far more epic crisis later.

This is fucking criminal. What the fuck, America.

[Phoenix Dark]

That whole article is devastating
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/gop-on-verge-of-huge-unprecedented-political-victory/2011/03/03/gIQA3l8WlI_blog.html

This deal is absolutely atrocious. The GOP shouldn't even run a candidate next year, Obama is more than willing to legislate their agenda for them, and take all the blame.

Both sides have said a default cannot and will not happen, and yet here we are.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

.

[Van Cruncheon]

perhaps warren buffett or bill gates will take me into their household. do y'all think i'm squire material?

[Human Snorenado]

I'm still planning on going to Canadia and sleeping on Boogie's couch.

[Mr. Gundam]

How stupid is the average American? So stupid.

[Oblivion]

I'm still planning on going to Canadia and sleeping on Boogie's couch.

Hopefully that whole global warming thing speeds up a tad so it'd make the move up there a little easier.

[Phoenix Dark]

Instead he continues this bullshit "both sides have come together to save the country, how heroic. When we work together nothing is impossible" shtick. Republicans are actively dismantling the recovery for pure political gain, and the WH is complicit, thinking this nonsense appeals to the mythical independent voter.

Might as well get ready for President Mitt Romney.

[Cormacaroni]

Criminal? Treason? It's politics, gentlemen. The Republicans are doing exactly what their voters expect from them, as distasteful as you might find it.

Obama should still have plenty of leverage - he can threaten killing the Bush tax cuts and the big decisions on what to cut have been delayed, to a time that may well prove more beneficial to the Democrats (as his seemingly-inevitable reelection in 2012 approaches). The question, as ever with Obama, is does he have the balls to use that leverage. At some point a leader has to lead, not just canvass opinions and try to get something for everyone.

[AdmiralViscen]

I like how if the bipartisan debt committee fails to reach a consensus, then it triggers automatic entitlement cuts. Why not automatic tax increases to go with it? Unthinkable? Fuck

[Phoenix Dark]

Obama already balked at getting rid of the Bush tax cuts, why the fuck should anyone believe anything has changed. We'll get another election season with republicans warning about the "largest tax increase in US history" and considering gerrymandering almost guarantees the GOP keeps the house, Obama won't be able to separate the high income tax cuts from the middle class ones. There's no way I buy him vetoing shit.

We're making massive spending cuts during a tepid recovery. This just might further ruin the economy. Obama has constantly shown a willingness to take short term "victories" that result in long term policy failures. Going all the way back to 09 and the stimulus.

[Oblivion]

Criminal? Treason? It's politics, gentlemen. The Republicans are doing exactly what their voters expect from them, as distasteful as you might find it.

This is the first time in our history that a political party has threatened not just national but WORLDWIDE economic destruction if they didn't get their way (which ironically, is supposedly to help IMPROVE the economy).

Even fucking Joseph McCarthy didn't pull shit like this. Criminal/Treason/Terrorism is PRECISELY the way this needs to be described by every half sentient journalist in the media.

[Human Snorenado]

While I certainly don't want to excuse the stupidity of this bill, I will say that the spending cuts aren't going to start anytime soon.

[Oblivion]

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7375118n&tag=contentMain;contentBody

Holy shit, what the hell is up with Ben Stein? Did he get get fired from his gig as a Fox contributor or something?

[chronovore]

This is fucking criminal. What the fuck, America.

it's borderline treason.

Seems to be a huge section of the right who are quite happy to let the whole country go down. Obama needs to call them out or this will happen every single time they have this debate. Pull 14th Amendment rights and tell them to go f*ck themselves

Strong actions please - it's time to gather in the idiots and put them firmly in their place. Threatening to impeach? Go for it - then charge them with treason to counter.

This kind of threat, yeah, I think it would have been neat if someone had been caught on tape saying that kind of stuff, then put them on trial for treason.

I'm with you: QUIT COOPERATING.  The republicans have never shown a single instance of being willing to cooperate, so that aspect of game theory means the dems will only ever LOSE if they try it.

[Mandark]

Considering he claimed full responsibility for them, and refuses to rat out (by most accounts) Rockwell, quite willing to take the blame on himself, not sure what more you'd be looking for.

Please explain what full responsibility in this situation entails.

[Phoenix Dark]

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) said Monday that Vice President Joe Biden told the House Democratic Caucus that President Barack Obama was, in fact, prepared to use the Constitution to raise the debt limit.

"We heard in there that the president, if this all had failed, was willing to invoke the 14th Amendment," DeFazio said after the meeting ended.

The news runs counter to what the White House, and even Obama himself, had said for weeks: that option has been off the table because it is unclear whether the president has the legal authority to invoke the 14th amendment to raise the debt ceiling himself.

DeFazio maintained that the 14th Amendment is "the best option now" for raising the debt ceiling. He blasted the debt deal negotiated between the White House and congressional leaders because, he said, it includes no revenues and caters to the Tea Party.

"What's the package about? It's all about cutting, cutting, cutting!" he shouted at reporters. "Tax cuts and reductions in spending are not going to create jobs in this country. We need some investment."

The bottom line, Defazio added, is that Obama should "invoke the 14th Amendment. Don't go forward with this package."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/31/debt-ceiling-deal-reached_n_905841.html?1312161712#502_defazio-biden-said-obama-was-prepared-to-invoke-14th-amendment

There's no guarantee the bill will pass; house is still fighting. So if this shit falls through, do we either get a temp increase or will he invoke the 14th?

[huckleberry]

He isn't going to invoke the 14th amendment PD...

[Phoenix Dark]

House just passed the bill, bah. Oh well

[Mandark]

Criminal? Treason? It's politics, gentlemen. The Republicans are doing exactly what their voters expect from them, as distasteful as you might find it.

This is the first time in our history that a political party has threatened not just national but WORLDWIDE economic destruction if they didn't get their way (which ironically, is supposedly to help IMPROVE the economy).

Even fucking Joseph McCarthy didn't pull shit like this. Criminal/Treason/Terrorism is PRECISELY the way this needs to be described by every half sentient journalist in the media.

No, Cormac is right.  The GOP won huge last election, and did so running on a platform of lower spending.  That's going to be reflected in the priorities of the legislators, based both on their personal beliefs and what they perceive to be their constituents...

Oops, here I am explaining democracy to someone who isn't registered to vote.  Silly me.

[Oblivion]

Do you really believe what you just wrote, Mandark, or did you just want an excuse to make that joke?

[Mandark]

Yep.  The original version of that post went something like "Cormac nailed it and Oblivion needs to shut the fuck up forever" but I was worried about how that might come across.

[Phoenix Dark]

Criminal? Treason? It's politics, gentlemen. The Republicans are doing exactly what their voters expect from them, as distasteful as you might find it.

Obama should still have plenty of leverage - he can threaten killing the Bush tax cuts and the big decisions on what to cut have been delayed, to a time that may well prove more beneficial to the Democrats (as his seemingly-inevitable reelection in 2012 approaches). The question, as ever with Obama, is does he have the balls to use that leverage. At some point a leader has to lead, not just canvass opinions and try to get something for everyone.

What fantasy land is this, I must visit. Obama hasn't shown any willingness to get rid of the Bush tax cuts. Nor will he be able to separate the high income bracket from the low income bracket, assuming republicans keep control of the House.

What we'll get is months of the GOP candidate warning of the "largest tax increase in US history" and confidence fairy talk. Nah, Obama has no leverage here. You honestly think he's going to veto the cuts if republicans don't play fair with the super congress? The ads right themselves: "Obama cut defense, Medicare, AND is going to tax the shit out of you on Jan 1st"

He'll cave again, then parade his shitty deal around as some historic moment of bipartisan spirit that proves America can do anything blah blah blah.

[Cormacaroni]

If you read that (A WHOLE TWO LINES! TOUGH I KNOW), you'd see that I don't suggest he is willing or will become willing, PD.

[Phoenix Dark]

I stand by my post: Obama has no leverage on the Bush tax cuts, as you claim.

[Cormacaroni]

I stand by my post: Obama has no leverage on the Bush tax cuts, as you claim.

Yeah he does. We are agreed that he won't use it, so it seems weird that you be freakin' out

[Oblivion]

Yep.  The original version of that post went something like "Cormac nailed it and Oblivion needs to shut the fuck up forever" but I was worried about how that might come across.

Well, if you're gonna be a dick about it, we'll just move right along...



Matt Kibbe of Freedomworks continues getting owned:

http://alphanovus.org/?p=599

[Mandark]

Last time the Bush cuts came up, the administration got an extension on unemployment benefits, the Making Work Pay credit, some other stuff and then indirectly got DADT repealed and new START ratified.  So it's not like Obama doesn't have leverage or doesn't use that to get things.

But the top rate cuts are probably the highest priority out of everything for the Republican caucus.  In the near future, I don't see them letting those expire as long as the GOP controls either the White House or at least one chamber of Congress.  Split government probably keeps producing temporary extensions where Republicans make more concessions.

Which is distinguished mentally-challenged less than ideal, but it's different from "oh noes gop winz everything cuz of willpower!"

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

I stand by my post: Obama has no leverage on the Bush tax cuts, as you claim.

Yeah he does. We are agreed that he won't use it, so it seems weird that you be freakin' out

Obama is who he is and at this point, we pretty much have seen what his style of leadership is and the results that entail it.  At this point, nothing he does should really surprise anyone.  I guess it is up to people whether they think that his style of leadership is a good thing or bad thing.

[Phoenix Dark]

Last time the Bush cuts came up, the administration got an extension on unemployment benefits, the Making Work Pay credit, some other stuff and then indirectly got DADT repealed and new START ratified.  So it's not like Obama doesn't have leverage or doesn't use that to get things.

But the top rate cuts are probably the highest priority out of everything for the Republican caucus.  In the near future, I don't see them letting those expire as long as the GOP controls either the White House or at least one chamber of Congress.  Split government probably keeps producing temporary extensions where Republicans make more concessions.

Which is distinguished mentally-challenged less than ideal, but it's different from "oh noes gop winz everything cuz of willpower!"

Maybe you define "leverage" differently than most people. Getting republicans to do shit they normally do (like extend unemployment benefits) is not leverage. As such, he has no leverage on the Bush tax cuts. The renewal bill will be one full take on the tax cuts, so unless Obama gets a line item veto bill passed between now and Jan 2013 he will have no choice but to either extend all the cuts or veto all the cuts.

He'll renew them all and bemoan Washington not getting serious, while promising to "fight" for a more balanced approach in two more years.

[Mandark]

Getting republicans to do shit they normally do (like extend unemployment benefits) is not leverage.

wat

[Phoenix Dark]

Congress has historically extended unemployment benefits, and republicans extended them every time Bush asked for an extension. They may have bitched about it, and played politics with the issue during the 08 election, but it got done.

[Mandark]

You believe that a GOP-controlled House would have, on its own, passed an extension of unemployment insurance basically equivalent to the one in the lame duck compromise?

[Phoenix Dark]

Yes. They did it multiple times during the Bush administration; I don't consider that a "concession" any more than raising the debt ceiling is a concession. Obama certainly got some concessions in that deal, as you mentioned. And yet ultimately the Bush tax cuts were fully extended, so in reality he has no leverage on them; if republicans had refused the payroll tax cut and MWP credit, do you think Obama would have refused to extend the tax cuts? And in Jan 2013, why would anyone honestly expect anything to be different.

I'm not faulting the guy for not wanting to campaign on raising everyone's taxes. Ultimately he has two choices: extend them for everyone, or veto them for everyone. There is no middle ground or "leverage" there.

[Mandark]

Yes.

Really?  I mean, really?

[Phoenix Dark]

We going to have Willco-esque word/sentence responses or an actual discussion? Historically republicans have extended unemployment benefits. That's a fact. It's not a leverage piece anymore than paying your mortgage is.

[Brehvolution]

I'm shocked that repubs would extend unemployment during their reign to make the economy look better under their reign. Yet they fight it when they are not in power. Shocked.

[Human Snorenado]

The Republican playbook for when a Democrat is President is fairly obvious by this point- oppose everything the Pres. wants (even if it means flopping after the Pres. flips on an issue) and scream about the end of Freedom, etc etc, all the while making allusions to the President's not being a real President because of getting less than 50% of the vote, being a sekrit muslin soshalist, dodging the draft, etc etc.  For some reason the media lets them get away with it, but if a Democrat ever tries to point out anything remotely similar about a Republican, the same media gets the vapors about how that Democrat/pundit/journalist/whatever is shrill and unserious. 

[Human Snorenado]

4k aren't working as I understand it, but fuck those are shitty gubmint jobs and I'm sure Free Market Jebus will provide a solution soon.

[TakingBackSunday]

Actually, its much much more than 4,000.  4,000 workers under strictly the FAA are affected, but also TEN THOUSAND PLUS are out of jobs as well if you consider construction, electricians, and other mechanical workers that actually work on the state-of-the-art airline innovations that are being threatened here.

[Phoenix Dark]

[youtube=560,345]y83z552NJaw[/youtube]
*daps*

Dude is an asshole, but this is awesome

[Eric P]

[Brehvolution]

Happy 50th Barrack Obama

Obama turns 50 despite republican opposition