Obama: "It's time to pull off the bandaid; eat our peas."

[telemann.livejournal.com]

In an afternoon press conference that ended just minutes ago, President Obama blasted the House Republicans for failure to compromise on any tax increases, after his willingness to cut nearly 4 trillion dollars in a debt/deficit reduction plan, including significant changes to both Social Security and Medicare. President Obama noted "I am prepared to take on significant heat from my party to get something done," Obama said, contending he has "bent over backward to work with Republicans." And asked them, "Where are the jobs?" turning their mantra back on them. The President said he would refuse to sign any 30, 60, or 90 day extensions for the debt ceiling, saying it will become harder to reach a solution as the nation moves closer to an election cycle, and Congressional candidates will be more focused on winning their seats than doing what's right for the country. "It's time to pull off the bandaid; eat our peas." The proposed plan worked on over the weekend included nearly 4 trillion in cuts, with 1/4 of the overall plan including raising revenues by removing tax loopholes, simplifying the tax code and making it more flat, and raising some taxes on the highest income brackets (back to where they had been during the Clinton years).

Many thanks to soliloquy76, who posted this chart in another LJ journal.

Comments

[soliloquy76.livejournal.com]

Where the hell has this guy been for the last year? This is the guy I voted for.

[jonathankorman.livejournal.com]

The guy I voted for would have said that breaking Social Security was not up for discussion. But at least this guy does seem to know how to do this politics thing, which is a refreshing change.

[paedraggaidin.livejournal.com]

Same here.

[ironhawke.livejournal.com]

Exactly, I think a lot of us voted for THIS Obama, not the "oh...you don't like that? Oh okay, well just write what you want in here and I'll sign it" Obama.

The possibility of a re-election might just get better if he keeps this up. (That and oh, I dunno, Bachmann winning the primary...)

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

ATTA BOY, LUTHER!

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Ha, is that a South Pacific reference, or Superman: The Movie reference?

[rasilio.livejournal.com]

4 trillion in cuts huh?

Color me shocked if any of those cuts ever results in an actual reduction in expenditures because in the language of Washington "4 trillion in cuts" is a doublespeak way of saying "We're going to cut the projected growth in spending by $400 Billion a year and no program will ever see a year over year decrease in revenue"

[eracerhead.livejournal.com]

I already know at least a dozen people who have lost their job in the past 3 weeks because of expected budget cuts.

[tridus.livejournal.com]

Well that's the language of politicians. "$4 trillion in cuts" = $1 billion cut today and not restored for 4000 years.

There probably was some actual stuff in there, but without specifics its impossible to know what the real number is. Now if only the Republicans would join us here in reality and accept that this only gets done with tax increases along with spending cuts.

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that he's acting like the responsible adult. I doubt this will help him in the polls, though. He's taking a very, very hard stand (if he sticks to it), but it's not a popular one. Both sides can now blame the President for not giving them enough time when/if this falls apart, or for rushing the process, saying that if they'd had more time they could've negotiated [x thing they dislike] out of the bill.

[soliloquy76.livejournal.com]

I think he's calling the Republicans on their bluff. Republicans talk about cutting social programs, but they don't really mean it. It's political suicide. In a world where politicians only care about poll numbers, this kind of thing really resonates with me (and many others, I'm sure).

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Our teenage President strikes again. It's as if last November never happened for him.

[soliloquy76.livejournal.com]

You mean when the Republicans won a veto-proof majority in both chambers? Oh, wait...

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

But... raising the debt ceiling is bad, right? So shouldn't you agree with this?

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

You mean the election where all but one of the progressive caucus were overwhelmingly re-elected? Where a full third of House seats were never even contested? 2010, like 2006, is a wee bit overstated of a victory.

[soliloquy76.livejournal.com]

For the sake of not having to deal with plagiarism wank around here anymore, here's the source for that chart:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/the-budget-deals-of-reagan-bush-clinton-and-obama-in-one-chart/2011/07/06/gIQA98w11H_blog.html

[telemann.livejournal.com]

lol. Thanks for the specific citation ;)

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

The GOP doesn't care about what he does, if they keep the USA from defaulting the Tea Party starts a civil war in the Republican Party. They are damned if they do and they are damned if they don't. Not that I care so much what they do if the Dems had an ounce of backbone. Which unfortunately they find at politically convenient times, not politically expedient ones.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

I love the spin that "well both sides are to blame."

Bullshit.


GOP walked out of Simpson-Bowles, GOP walked out of the Group of Six, GOP walked out of the Biden talks, and they just walked out on the President's grand deal.

[malakh-abaddon.livejournal.com]

We have a handful of issues, that when tinkered with, removed, or threatened to be removed are political suicide. Social Security, Medicaid/Medicare, and guns are among those issues. Social Security, Medicaid/Medicare are here to stay unless we go totally conservative, and even then only the fringe will attempt to take those programs away. I really do not want to see grandma and grandpa all in a tizzy because their benefits, that they paid for mind you, are being cut.

Just remember, while everyone is talking cuts to social security, you will be dependent, or have need for it sooner or later.

[korean-guy-01.livejournal.com]

"It's time to pull off the bandaid; eat our peas. I like its lubrication."
- Obama 2012

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

"But don't touch Defense because God says guns are better than poor people."

-GOP since 2009.-

[malakh-abaddon.livejournal.com]

Wait I think it sounds better like this...

"It is time, to pull off the band aid. It is time we eat our peas, and like it." President Barrack Obama 2012