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Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011 | 2 a.m.
As President Barack Obama prepares to go to Congress tonight to speak to lawmakers about his plans for the economy, some Republican lawmakers are making preparations of their own — to be elsewhere.
For example:
• Tea Party favorite Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina said he didn’t think he would attend because, as he told Fox News, he is “sick and tired of (the president’s) speeches.”
• Sen. David Vitter said he would listen to the president’s speech from his home in Louisiana, where he was going to watch football. “Family and friends coming over for big game,” he wrote on Facebook, referring to the NFL’s opener between the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers. Kickoff is after the president’s speech.
• Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia plans to be in his office during the speech and hold a “Twitter town hall” so he can “interact with his constituents,” a spokeswoman said. She told CBS News that Broun is a “multitasker” and would watch the speech at the same time.
• Rep. Joe Walsh told MSNBC that he’ll be back in his home state, Illinois. He went so far as to claim that the president is “abusing” his position by asking to speak before a joint session of Congress. He said such sessions were reserved “for heads of states ... and presidents in moments in crisis, and monumental moments.” He tried to dismiss the president’s speech by calling it “political theater.”
Have Walsh and his colleagues forgotten that the nation is in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression? Americans need help, and it is disgraceful that any Republicans would boycott the president’s speech, much less try to dismiss it out of hand.
But this is typical for the Republicans, who have tried to block many key policy proposals in Congress as part of their effort to tear down the president and help their own party in next year’s election. And yet they have the audacity to call the president’s actions political.
In the meantime, the nation’s economy is sagging.
Republicans should be in Washington working with the president to find ways to stimulate the economy. But we don’t expect the Republicans to change, much less embrace anything in the speech — if they even listen. They may be too busy tweeting, watching the pregame show or just complaining about the president.
It took two and a half years before Obama has addressed the jobs issue other than to say we don't want outsourced jobs to come back. It obviously hasn't been a high priority for him.
"So I guess the answer to the question is, not all of these jobs are going to come back. And it probably wouldn't be good for our economy for a bunch of these jobs to come back ..." - President Obama, March, 2009
Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_offi...
The Las Vegas Sun states: "But this is typical for the Republicans, who have tried to block many key policy proposals in Congress as part of their effort to tear down the president and help their own party in next year's election."
It's unfortunate that President Obama pivoted to early election campaigning during an April 13th speech on the budget this year. It was billed as President Obama's big speech on reducing the federal budget deficit. In presenting his vision for reducing the budget deficit by $4 trillion over the next 12 years, he argued that day that the difference between the Republican budget and his own vision was not just about policy but a larger philosophical gulf. In the speech, he used as many words to attack the GOP proposal as to lay out his own. With Republican representative Paul Ryan sitting in the audience, he attacked his plan much like he attacked the supreme court when they were in the audience during his state of the union address back in 2010. Obama is a lecturer and not a leader. He wants to fire up his base by lecturing republicans during his speech which will lack grace and respect for the republicans. Make no mistake about it, the difference between a liberal democratic President and a center-right country is a wide gulf and when a President's discourse turns disrespectful in speech's then he will in turn not be respected. Face it, we have a President who is more interested in ginning up his liberal base than working with Republicans in a respectful manner to solve the nations three problems; the economy, jobs and deficit reduction.
Obama never should have pivoted to campaigning April 13th in his speech. If you've noticed, April is the month the economy started losing steam. That is what happens when you have a President more interested in campaigning than proposing plans to solve our fiscal problems.
A liberal democratic President versus a center-right country. It's been impossible to solve problems with this President and it's obvious.
Mr. Sun:
Apparently you have yet to realize that the Republicans and their little T Party friends are all too willing to completely destroy the country if they think it will improve their chances in the 2012 elections.
May you survive to see better days.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Obama is going to repeat the failed jobs program which he has had in place since Jan 2009.
Even Democrats know it will not work
Even the Las Vegas Sun knows it will not work
-----------------------
Government can not produce jobs
Government needs to get out of the way
Government must eliminate uncertainty
-----------------------
Two thing that Democrats and Republicans can agree on
- Complete tax REFORM to eliminate loophole deducttion, credits, etc and lower the rats for everyone.
- Eliminate counter-productive government rules and regulations
Obama will do neither one
Obama when will you sent the three trade agreements to Congress?
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Why didn't he just give the speech from the Oval office? "We have nothing to fear...etc".
"Have Walsh and his colleagues forgotten that the nation is in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression?"
With the first ladies vacation bill now north of 10 million maybe its hard to take the speech seriously.
Who wants to listen to a broken record that has a song that does not work?
Obama is offering the same old thing that has not worked.
It is more a politicial speech anyway.
It probably will have low TV ratings.
The nation will tune him out too.
Whiny teabaggers have never cared about job creation so it's appropriate for them to skip the speech.
Thanks for nothing, baggers.
Does Vitter have a "date?" Don't forget the diaper bag Dave.
The recent and successful initial public offering (IPO) by General Motors (GM), only 17 months after filing for bankruptcy, makes it clear that President Barack Obama has saved the U.S. auto industry.
The turnaround has been dramatic. While the industry lost 193,100 jobs in 2009 and 171,200 earlier in 2010, the Big Three have created more than 75,000 jobs in recent months. Each Big Three job generates 10 jobs throughout the rest of the economy. GM is profitable again, recently posting its best financial quarter in 11 years.
Further proof of the TeaNut/Repub motto...
"I, ME, MINE!!!"
Just like little children.
"We won't go! You can't make us."
The Sun is correct.
And Cognastics hit the nail;
"Mr. Sun:
Apparently you have yet to realize that the Republicans and their little T Party friends are all too willing to completely destroy the country if they think it will improve their chances in the 2012 elections.
May you survive to see better days.
Maybe the Democrat party shills that write editorials for this paper can get James Hoffa and a squad of Teamster goons together and "take out" some of these Republicans.
Yawn...
How many dems stayed home when former Pres. Bush addressed the nation?
OB will have nothing to say and this speech will not rally businesses to hire. Its all political with OB. FYI the economy is sagging because of the socialist programs brought by OB and put in by the dems. They were the majority but the economy got worse. Now that the reps can block some of these job killing bills, you have the audacity to put the blame on the Tea Party and the reps?
This is just another instance of the total and complete uselessness of Speaker Boehner and his inability to control the Republican Party majority of the 112th Congress. Same goes for McConnell controlling his Republican minority in the Senate. The Republicans in power nowadays are like a herd of cats. You can't get them to act in concert to do anything at all. Well, except to lower taxes for the rich and participate in more and more wealth care. No, not welfare. Wealth care.
Their priorities are elsewhere...mostly dealing with party politics. A clearcut message shows the Republican Party is uninterested in an important Presidential speech addressing the job creation problem in America; a topic of interest to a lot of Americans.
This all demonstrates they are not snubbing the President per se. President Obama, I remind everyone, is the peoples' choice as President of the United States of America. He represents us. He was in fact popularly elected by a majority of Americans. So, they aren't snubbing him. Those not in attendance are basically turning their noses up at the collective American people.
One could only hope those elected officials who choose not to attend have drawn the undivided attention of their constituents. And I do hope those voters hang that on their necks the next election and make them pay by bouncing them out of office.
boftx and gnelson651 have it right: Obama is addressing a problem two and a half years too late and Republicans are just following the golden rule: do unto the president as he has done unto you.
Reform Wealth Care!
Attending Presidential speeches is part of their job descriptions.
You can never be entirely sure anymore since the country seems to have fallen on its collective head but it used to be that when the boss called a meeting the employees who didn't show up got fired.
Reform Wealth Care for Wealthy Freeloaders!
From Colin "I remind everyone, is the peoples' choice as President of the United States of America".
Obama campaigned from the center in the 2008 general election but has since shown his big government ambitions that this center-right country rejects. The 2010 elections, the rejection of Obamacare in 26 states and his poll numbers reflect this view. Obama came out of the gate in 2009 bringing us bigger government and failed to address the economy, jobs and the deficit & debt. He calls for civility in January yet does not renounce inflammatory comments from Andre Carson, Maxine Waters and Jimmy Hoffa Jr. Obama has confused voters because on one hand his policies are big government/anti-business and on the other he's trying to present himself as a centrist like Clinton and is failing miserably because he's so far left. From big union rallies, the NLRB rulings, to changes in immigration policies and stimulus' that keep union workers employed at the expense of Americans, Obama is as far left as one can be. After democratic President Johnson and his Great Society legislation passed congress, Americans voted Republicans to the Presidency 20 out of the next 24 years. Americans will now pay much closer attention to who they select as President in the future.
Obama should note the lack of respect for the office from these Teabagging politicians and punish them for it.
Yes, respect.....you need to talk to democrats Andre Carson, Maxine Waters, Jimmy Hoffa Jr and VP Biden about the subject of respect and civility.
Who writes this tripe?
Colin (see I missed the second "o"): The old saying that birds of a feather flock together was validated the other day when the Grifter in Chief and Hoffa appeared together. It reminded me of the Heckel & Jeckel cartoons. I prefer Heckler & Koch.
How about the dems getting serious too... like proposing a budget that they haven't done in over 800 days. Harry's at fault for this one. He doesn't represent Clark County, The state of Nevada or the American population.
He's a lifetime attorney/politician that has produced nothing. I hold him in great disregard as a representative and a man.
@Gino if you do not like reading the sun why do you do you read the sun?
And why not, the more he speaks the worse things get.
Congress should be in Washington right now - Session break is over - and they need to work for the check we pay them. Shame on the TeaGOP for not doing the job they are supposed to be doing.
Judy,
Congress is back in session now.
kerns: My Thirteenth Commandment is, "Know Thy Enemy."
30min into Obama's speech and I have yet to hear an actual, solid, specific proposal on how he wants to accomplish the goals he is setting out. The closet he has come to that is to say "close loopholes." What ones? How much will it generate?
Dud....Judy....Obama is talking to a Joint Session of Congress.
You need a refill on that glass of kool-aid.
Did Obunga inspire America with another false hope as he did with all of his other Hope and Change speeches?
President Obama knocked it out of the park again.
His job plan is solid and will put Americans back
to work again.
YES, President Obama showed real leadership
tonight.
The question is, will republicans help out or
not?
So teamster, what is the situation with Medicare?
The GOP refuses to do anything that will help this country if the president will get any credit for it. They are throwing this country under the bus all in the name of politics. Sad, really sad.
It was a good speech but was that a sales pitch or the real deal?
I want to read the bill...BEFORE ITS PASSED. Not after like Obamacare. By the way, we are still sifting through all thats in that bill and what will be funded and what will not.
Sorry, but until I can see it and read it. NO DEAL. America does need to go back to work but everything needs to be there. Besides he if really wanted this to be passed why didn't he do this two years ago under the Super Majority? He just wants to keep blaming others.
$467 billion jobs bill that is already paided for, huh? Social Security is going to get raided yet again.
It sounded a lot like a stump speech with a tag line of "the check is in the mail" seeing that he didn't lay out his plan but promised to deliver that later.
Considering he asked for, and got, a joint session of Congress he should have delivered more than he did.
Word of advice to Obama: BECOME A PITCHMAN.
You only know how to speak. THATS IT!
teamster, if his plan is soo solid...
Can you tell me where all the money is coming from to pay for this bill?
Can you tell me how many jobs will be created?
Can you tell me how much in tax breaks will these corperations get to hire these new jobs?
Can you tell me how much pork/earmarks will be added to the bill before its passed?
If its solid you can answer all these questions. Besides you can see into the future and see that Obama will win the election before any variables get into the mix.
It really doesn't matter what President Obama tries to do, the GOP/teabaggers will not go along with it...
They're determined to see Obama not get re-elected next year. They will stand by and watch this country go down the drain if that will help them politically come next year...
The power outage tonight in California & parts of Arizona should be another wake-up call for us in terms of re-building our infrastructure.....
The GOP is not interested in re-building this country's infrastructure, at least not while Obama is in the White House...
I see where a recent poll taken in Texas has Obama leading Texas governor Perry by a couple points....
Hmmmmmm...maybe some of the Texans are starting to wake-up? "rebel Rick" can't walk on water, matter of fact, his 'rain prayers' don't seem to be working...
Do you see what he said about Social Security during the GOP presidential debate? He just lost several million senior citizens votes with that statement...
Smart move "rebel Rick"........Ha! Ha! Ha!
El_Lobo,
I was very happy to see Perry step in it with regard to Social Security. I think he would be a very bad choice for the Republicans and his comments about Social Security should help Romney move up on him.
You and I both know that Huntsman can never win the nomination, but failing that, Romney is probably the most rational of the group. Last night's debate gave Perry a chance to dig his own grave and let Romney fight back.
I want to see a strong, rational candidate (if that is possible) from the Republicans for the same reason I want to see a Democrat challenge Obama: to present to the American voter a real debate about what is good for this country.
I thought for a puppet, it was a pretty good screed.
Won't amount to a pile of peas, but Obama looked at least interested finally.
Same-old BS tonight, America run by Bankers.
Barry was installed to do one thing, pacify the masses as the NWO finalize the screw-job they have been apply to Americans for 35 years now. Civil unrest is a real fear the Elite have.
The next Puppet will likely oversee the complete clamp down. End of Liberty and Personal Freedoms. Theft of all remaining US wealth. And the final enslavement of the American people under a World Government. To pull this off they will need another roller-coaster financial ride. I suspect they will create a Dollar run at some point.
Buckle-up buckos.
dear By gmag39, we of the tea party are tired of the liberal-progressive opinion, that is if you won't give it to me then I' ll just take it. Just for you "blow it out your a**.
No surprises as usual. Spend more we do not have in the hope that it will 'buy' Obama more votes in 12.
September 8, 2011 - mark your calendars. It's the day the country should have realized (albeit two and half years later than they should have) that President Obama isn't qualified to run a neighborhood lemonade stand, let alone a country. He needed to come up with a plan to go back to what we do best (letting the free market work), however he chose to stay with his "Everything I Need to Konw I Learned in Kindergarten" approach. If we could just get the working class and lazy rich to give more to the unwilling to work class (K1 rule: share everything, even what you earned and he didn't - cause the lazy kid won't steal from you if you give him enough)everything will be okay.
Stephen, the NWO has a plan for civil unrest. It's called FEMA camps, where after the dollar collapses, or some type of outbreak will cause martial law. Once that happens it's game over. Look it up on YouTube. I laughed at first when a friend told me about FEMA Camps. I did some research and what you see is something that is scary. It's definitely possible and God said it's going to happen, a one world government, which you can consider it the devil.
Ed Hamilton, you make a very good point.
The president did acknowledge in the speach that people wanted smaller government, and less government spending. Did you hear how loud the crowd cheered. It was great