President Obama Reached Out To Republicans, And Was Rebuffed

P

PoliTalker

Diversity Makes Greatness
Now that Obama is polling much higher it's time to set the record straight for those who still want to denigrate him.

President Obama offered an olive branch to Republicans, but they refused it and instead tried to undermine anything and everything he was doing.

Jan 27th, 2009:

"Here’s John Boehner, the likely speaker if Republicans take the House, offering his plans for Obama’s agenda: “We're going to do everything — and I mean everything we can do — to kill it, stop it, slow it down, whatever we can.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell summed up his plan to National Journal: “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” "

...

" It is popular to compare 2010 with 1994. Pundits point to a rejection of an overreaching Democratic president, a swing of moderate and independent voters to Republican ranks and a grass-roots groundswell that brings dozens of new faces to Washington.

But the second part of the prediction foresees that Obama will moderate his goals, Republicans will cool their tone and Washington will be able to responsibly address major issues.

Republicans are sounding like they’re not interested in that part.

To be sure, some of this is political trash-talk, each side trying to stoke up its partisans in the closing hours of the election. Republicans have premised much of their whole campaign on one idea — stop Obama — and it’s put them on the cusp of taking the House and scoring big gains in the Senate, so there’s no reason to quit now.

But veterans of the 1994 takeover are advising both Obama and the GOP to work together over the next two years, arguing that the strategy benefits both sides political and legislatively. "

....

"“I think we're open to speaking to the Republicans, if they really mean it, if they're talking about deficit reduction, if they're willing to move,” Vice President Joe Biden said recently. "

...

" “There will be no compromise on stopping runaway spending, deficits and debt. There will be no compromise on repealing Obamacare,” said Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) in an interview last week on conservative Hugh Hewitt’s radio show.

“There will be no compromise on stopping Democrats from growing government and raising taxes,” added Pence, who may leave the House GOP leadership to prepare for a presidential run.

And many of the potential incoming Republicans have stated that they wouldn’t budge in trying to meet Democrats halfway.

“When it comes to spending, I'm not compromising. I don't care who, what, when or where, I'm not compromising,” Ken Buck, the Republican Senate nominee in Colorado, told The Washington Post. "

Chicago Tribune

Republicans, on the other hand, were having nothing of compromise or debate. It was their way or the highway. No debate, no talking. Either agree to what they want or they would all vote no. That is how they became the party of no.

10-28-2010:

"If Republicans take the House as anticipated on election night, voters can expect to hear the customary talk about coming together with Democrats for the good of the country.

President Barack Obama inevitably will extend a hand across the aisle as well.

But that’s Tuesday. Right now, the tone is a lot different — with Republicans pledging to embrace an agenda for the next two years that sounds a lot like their agenda for the past two: Block Obama at all costs.

And even Obama’s pre-election appeals to cooperation are wrapped in an I’m-still-the-president tone that suggests that Americans will be looking at two opposing camps glaring at each other across the barricades — gridlock all around.

Here’s John Boehner, the likely speaker if Republicans take the House, offering his plans for Obama’s agenda: “We're going to do everything — and I mean everything we can do — to kill it, stop it, slow it down, whatever we can.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell summed up his plan to National Journal: “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” "

The GOP's no-compromise pledge

This pledge came from an inauguration night meeting in which Republican luminaries gathered to lick their wounds and plan a response to the devastating loss they had been dealt by Obama's huge win in 2008. The meeting included Gingrich, Cantor, McCarthy, Ryan, Demint, Kyle, Coburn, and more. They sat around trying to figure out what to do. What they decided was to stand untied against Obama and try to block every single thing he might try to do, whether it was really good for America or not. They didn't care about America. All they cared about was getting power back.

Watch this hour long documentary and you will understand:

Frontline: Inside Obama's Presidency
 
PoliTalker said:
Now that Obama is polling much higher it's time to set the record straight for those who still want to denigrate him.

President Obama offered an olive branch to Republicans, but they refused it and instead tried to undermine anything and everything he was doing.

Jan 27th, 2009:

"Here’s John Boehner, the likely speaker if Republicans take the House, offering his plans for Obama’s agenda: “We're going to do everything — and I mean everything we can do — to kill it, stop it, slow it down, whatever we can.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell summed up his plan to National Journal: “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” "

...

" It is popular to compare 2010 with 1994. Pundits point to a rejection of an overreaching Democratic president, a swing of moderate and independent voters to Republican ranks and a grass-roots groundswell that brings dozens of new faces to Washington.

But the second part of the prediction foresees that Obama will moderate his goals, Republicans will cool their tone and Washington will be able to responsibly address major issues.

Republicans are sounding like they’re not interested in that part.

To be sure, some of this is political trash-talk, each side trying to stoke up its partisans in the closing hours of the election. Republicans have premised much of their whole campaign on one idea — stop Obama — and it’s put them on the cusp of taking the House and scoring big gains in the Senate, so there’s no reason to quit now.

But veterans of the 1994 takeover are advising both Obama and the GOP to work together over the next two years, arguing that the strategy benefits both sides political and legislatively. "

....

"“I think we're open to speaking to the Republicans, if they really mean it, if they're talking about deficit reduction, if they're willing to move,” Vice President Joe Biden said recently. "

...

" “There will be no compromise on stopping runaway spending, deficits and debt. There will be no compromise on repealing Obamacare,” said Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) in an interview last week on conservative Hugh Hewitt’s radio show.

“There will be no compromise on stopping Democrats from growing government and raising taxes,” added Pence, who may leave the House GOP leadership to prepare for a presidential run.

And many of the potential incoming Republicans have stated that they wouldn’t budge in trying to meet Democrats halfway.

“When it comes to spending, I'm not compromising. I don't care who, what, when or where, I'm not compromising,” Ken Buck, the Republican Senate nominee in Colorado, told The Washington Post. "

Chicago Tribune

Republicans, on the other hand, were having nothing of compromise or debate. It was their way or the highway. No debate, no talking. Either agree to what they want or they would all vote no. That is how they became the party of no.

10-28-2010:

"If Republicans take the House as anticipated on election night, voters can expect to hear the customary talk about coming together with Democrats for the good of the country.

President Barack Obama inevitably will extend a hand across the aisle as well.

But that’s Tuesday. Right now, the tone is a lot different — with Republicans pledging to embrace an agenda for the next two years that sounds a lot like their agenda for the past two: Block Obama at all costs.

And even Obama’s pre-election appeals to cooperation are wrapped in an I’m-still-the-president tone that suggests that Americans will be looking at two opposing camps glaring at each other across the barricades — gridlock all around.

Here’s John Boehner, the likely speaker if Republicans take the House, offering his plans for Obama’s agenda: “We're going to do everything — and I mean everything we can do — to kill it, stop it, slow it down, whatever we can.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell summed up his plan to National Journal: “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” "

The GOP's no-compromise pledge

This pledge came from an inauguration night meeting in which Republican luminaries gathered to lick their wounds and plan a response to the devastating loss they had been dealt by Obama's huge win in 2008. The meeting included Gingrich, Cantor, McCarthy, Ryan, Demint, Kyle, Coburn, and more. They sat around trying to figure out what to do. What they decided was to stand untied against Obama and try to block every single thing he might try to do, whether it was really good for America or not. They didn't care about America. All they cared about was getting power back.

Watch this hour long documentary and you will understand:

Frontline: Inside Obama's Presidency
Click to expand...

So this is your excuse to behave like assholes? Instead you have decided Burn Loot and Murder is a better strategy. Good luck with that shit head.
 
Obama was a uniter.

Republicans have been dividers.

They are still at it.

Trump is the biggest divider of all. He's no leader. He says mean and nasty things about Democrats.
 
PoliTalker said:
Obama was a uniter.

Republicans have been dividers.

They are still at it.

Trump is the biggest divider of all. He's no leader. He says mean and nasty things about Democrats.
Click to expand...
If you really feel that way, then vote for Joe Biden....;)
 
Obama wrote about wanting to do this reach out in his book "The Audacity of Hope."

He longed for the days when Democrats and Republicans would debate policy by day and dine together by evening, all part of a unified group of elected officials, each representing their own task, and respecting the others for doing the same thing they are doing. But that all changed with Newt Gingrich and his 'Contract With America.' Newt was a big instigator in the attempts to dehumanize the left. He didn't want any Republicans being friendly with the Democrats. Republicans were to stick together and treat the Democrats as 'the enemy.' Those divisions are still with us today. And it holds us back.

We need to be the United States again, not the red states and the blue states. Like Obama said we should. And he sure tried.
 
It's too bad Republicans were so mean and nasty to him. They couldn't be friendly even if Obama asked nicely.

Which he did.
 
There is no doubt Obama sought to work across party lines, even though the GOP said from the jump "that they were going to do their best to make sure he was a one term President," Obama wasn't a divider, if he was, he would have pushed the ACA through as a single payer program
 
Back in 2009 as Obama took office he told Republicans, "Elections have consequences. I won. Get over it." Obama had no intention of working across the aisle initially when he had Democrat majorities in both houses of Congress. He only became conciliatory when the Democrats got creamed in the mid-terms and lost both houses of Congress to the Republicans. Suddenly his post inauguration bluster came back to bite him in the ass.

Oh, it wasn't Obama that "pushed through the ACA." As with everything else in his administration it was other people that did the work while he sat on the sidelines cheering.
 
Your thoughts of unity are a pipe dream. politalker.

People are sincere in their incompatible beliefs.

One side wins.

One side loses.

Nobody comes together.

Good intentions are great, but until you start thinking like a realist, you can't help.
There are no olive branches to be offered from either side.
 
Hello archives,

archives said:
There is no doubt Obama sought to work across party lines, even though the GOP said from the jump "that they were going to do their best to make sure he was a one term President," Obama wasn't a divider, if he was, he would have pushed the ACA through as a single payer program
Click to expand...

Democrats added many measures to the ACA for the purpose of appealing to Republicans. There were bipartisan committee meetings where they worked out the details. Negotiations went on for a long time. Republicans had their input and wrote parts of the law. But then when it came time to vote on it, none of them voted for it. They were only messing with the Democrats. They never had any intention of voting for it. Their only goal was to drag the process out and obfuscate the effort. Republicans were sneaky and disingenuous. Dirty double-crossers.
 
Hello T. A. Gardner,

T. A. Gardner said:
Back in 2009 as Obama took office he told Republicans, "Elections have consequences. I won. Get over it." Obama had no intention of working across the aisle initially when he had Democrat majorities in both houses of Congress.
Click to expand...

He had every intention of including Republicans. He campaigned on the idea of unity. Not a liberal America, not a conservative America, but a United States of America. Republicans were included in the negotiations to write a new health care reform bill. Republicans pretended to negotiate but really all they were doing was dragging the process out. Even though they wrote parts of the law, none of them voted for it in the end. Democrats would have been far more efficient to simply leave Republicans out of it from the start but they tried to work across the isle, and this was at Obama's direction. Obama wrote nostalgically in 'The Audacity of Hope' about the times when Democrats and Republicans were friendly and mutually respectful, and wanted to rekindle that respect across the isle.

T. A. Gardner said:
He only became conciliatory when the Democrats got creamed in the mid-terms and lost both houses of Congress to the Republicans. Suddenly his post inauguration bluster came back to bite him in the ass.
Click to expand...

President Obama enjoyed very high approval polling until he tried to accomplish something very controversial by pursuing health care reform. In so doing, he outraged the health industry profiteers, who launched a high dollar smear campaign against him, which predictably resulted in falling popularity. That dissent against Obama was bought and paid for by super rich greedy people.

T. A. Gardner said:
Oh, it wasn't Obama that "pushed through the ACA." As with everything else in his administration it was other people that did the work while he sat on the sidelines cheering.
Click to expand...

If it was not for Obama we would not have preexisting conditions covered by Health insurance. He and only he made sure it was begun, and he and only he made sure it got across the finish line. Obama enjoyed high polling after he brought us back from the brink of economic disaster. He could have ridden on that popularity and easily fomented a far better time for Democrats in the mid terms but Obama was determined to get health care reform done, not for himself as he paid a big price for doing that, but for the American people, and the 30 million people who have health care today because of the new law.
 
Hello NiftyNiblick,

NiftyNiblick said:
Your thoughts of unity are a pipe dream. politalker.

People are sincere in their incompatible beliefs.

One side wins.

One side loses.

Nobody comes together.

Good intentions are great, but until you start thinking like a realist, you can't help.
There are no olive branches to be offered from either side.
Click to expand...

It would be better if all Americans shared an identity as simply being Americans. It is far superior for our nation that this is the case. We must not give that idea up just because something looks improbable at the moment. We are a nation. We have common enemies. We need to stick together. There needs to be a time and a place when all Americans feel a bond and a unity. I know this is difficult when there are those who see benefit in tearing us apart. Typically, this is done to gain political leverage. We must call it out for what it is and we must strive to rise above it.

You'll have to pardon me if I love this country a little bit more than I disparage at those who want to tear it apart.

There have been people in the past who tried to tear this nation apart. They failed. They lost. We are the United States of America. We are better together. From sea to shining sea. From the shining waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the fabulous Great lakes. It's all ours. It's all America. And we are keeping it that way.

The voices of hatred are mistaken voices. We must not listen to them. They are wrong. America is greater than what they see. We owe this to those who died for this country and for those who will come after us. It's much bigger than you or I or this time in our history. Let the history books of the future show that we did not let it fall apart, that we kept it together.
 
PoliTalker said:
Hello T. A. Gardner,



He had every intention of including Republicans. He campaigned on the idea of unity. Not a liberal America, not a conservative America, but a United States of America. Republicans were included in the negotiations to write a new health care reform bill. Republicans pretended to negotiate but really all they were doing was dragging the process out. Even though they wrote parts of the law, none of them voted for it in the end. Democrats would have been far more efficient to simply leave Republicans out of it from the start but they tried to work across the isle, and this was at Obama's direction. Obama wrote nostalgically in 'The Audacity of Hope' about the times when Democrats and Republicans were friendly and mutually respectful, and wanted to rekindle that respect across the isle.



President Obama enjoyed very high approval polling until he tried to accomplish something very controversial by pursuing health care reform. In so doing, he outraged the health industry profiteers, who launched a high dollar smear campaign against him, which predictably resulted in falling popularity. That dissent against Obama was bought and paid for by super rich greedy people.



If it was not for Obama we would not have preexisting conditions covered by Health insurance. He and only he made sure it was begun, and he and only he made sure it got across the finish line. Obama enjoyed high polling after he brought us back from the brink of economic disaster. He could have ridden on that popularity and easily fomented a far better time for Democrats in the mid terms but Obama was determined to get health care reform done, not for himself as he paid a big price for doing that, but for the American people, and the 30 million people who have health care today because of the new law.
Click to expand...

The failure of Obamacare and the public backlash against Obama and the ACA can be summed up in two utterly complete lies Obama repeatedly made about what Obamacare would be:

"If you like your doctor you will be able to keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan you will be able to keep your health care plan, period."

That was one of the biggest bald faced lies ever told by any President to the American public in the history of this nation.
 
Hello T. A. Gardner,

T. A. Gardner said:
The failure of Obamacare and the public backlash against Obama and the ACA can be summed up in two utterly complete lies Obama repeatedly made about what Obamacare would be:

"If you like your doctor you will be able to keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan you will be able to keep your health care plan, period."

That was one of the biggest bald faced lies ever told by any President to the American public in the history of this nation.
Click to expand...

President Obama apologized for that.

And truth be told, there actually was a part of the law that grandfathered in old plans, so if you personally had a plan in place directly with an insurance company before the cut-off date, you could keep that plan. The problem was that most people get their insurance from their employer. Thus, most people don't really have any choice over what plan they have, because those decisions are made by their employer. Workers are in a take-it-or-leave-it situation, just as they were before the PPACA. If employers go with a new plan, which they have to do for any new hires who were not covered under a previous grandfathered-in plan, then all the workers have to accept that.

That forced a lot of people to accept new health plans after President Obama told them they could keep their old plans. That was unforeseen, and Obama apologized for it. He did not realize that was going to happen when he was telling everybody they could keep their plan. He told what he believed was the truth. It was a promise he made, but was unable to fulfill. It was a mistake. He felt badly about it and he apologized for it.

“I am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me,” Obama said. “We’ve got to work hard to make sure that they know we hear them and that we’re going to do everything we can to deal with folks who find themselves in a tough position as a consequence of this.”

FactCheck: Keeping Your Health Plan
 
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