All the time now, I’m starting to hear, "The president had complete control of Congress for two years, and did everything he wanted." This is such bullshit. First of all, no president has that much control over senators. You really think Ben Nelson, whose state deplores Obama, really feels that much pressure to be loyal to him?
But the bigger issue is, it’s just factually wrong. Democrats had a "filibuster proof" majority in the senate for a very short period. It took Al Franken seven months to get seated because of the recount dispute, and by the time he was, Ted Kennedy was dying. So Democrats really only had 60 senators from September 24, 2009, when Kennedy’s replacement was named, until February 4th, 2010, when Republican Scott Brown won the special election there. The senate was in session for just 72 days over that period, so that’s how long Obama had a real Democratic Congress -- 72 days, not two years.
Or, if you like charts:
111th Senate • Source: Wikipedia
One of the things that sucks is that Obama has never figured out a way to blame Congress for blocking things, presumably out of fear that it will make him appear weak. But how is he not running more against a Congress with a serial killer approval rating? He’s literally three or four times more popular than they are.
33 comments:
This is very true, and I'm still astonished by how much he was able to accomplish with such an uncompromising minority. Well, I'm sure in a way he would have loved a real universal health care like in Canada, or actually more like in France, with less lines for treatment and more private sector's involvement. But that's not very popular in the US to "like" France...and the GOP would prefer to throw the whole economy down the pit rather than give him a real victory.
The question I'm wondering is, besides the "appearing weak" part, how would criticizing Congress for its lack of cooperation and their work almost AGAINST the US recovery would impact his campaign and odds?
Just a thought to marinate on...considering the, at best lack of action, and at worst, deliberate intransigence of our public officials in Washington to at the expense and detriment of millions of our most needy citizens...is there any way we as the proletariat can forcibly "sequester" Congress' paychecks? I mean, this sh!t is amazing to me. Can't or more likely won't pass a budget, can't agree on a debt/deficit deal, can't handle the People's business in general...which I thought was what they were elected to do. Now at my, and I imagine most every other American's job, if I don't do my job and do it well, I lose my job and thus my paycheck. As I type this, Congress is again on vacation. Vacation from what?....Doing nothing must be exhauasting.
I have watched Obama since he was elected and nothing angered me more than congress's deliberate attempt to block any legislation he wanted passed. Their specific mission was to make him a one term president and if Romney is elected then I pity us because based on his foreign policy statements in regards to Syria and Iran we will be at war. First aid to Syria what faction, second Russia and China have repeatedly vetoed any action there so if we aid the Syrians then we go against the UN and if Syria keeps taking potshots at Turkey and Turkey decides it wants NATO help the as a member of NATO we are obligated to help. So you would have Syria, Iran, possibly Russia and China on one side and then us on the other. If you thought Afghanistan was bad that will be a cake walk compared to this one. God help us if we go down that road.
Ann Coulter tweeted during the debate that Obama was a "RETARD"
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ann-coulters-retard-tweet-obama-381914
Obama sucks and so do you, Maher, you pencil necked punk.
Hey Bill, I saw you asked on twitter where Mitt Romney keeps coming up with his 12 million jobs, and I happen to have found this:
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/07/romneys-job-growth-promises/
Seems 11.8 million jobs are projected to be created on the current path we are now on.
Romney has promised 12 Million new jobs
Title: Mormon Missionary
Job description: Knock on doors and share the message
Pay: Whatever you can get in donations at the doors you knock on
Location: China, India, etc.
Bill I know you are not a journalist but had you not been shilling or covering up for this President the truth about Libya would have come out sooner. I feel you and the other media outlets are complicit in this coverup. I am so saddened for our country and the victims that our media woudl loose all sense of journalistic integrity. At least in Watergate no one died.
Shameful!
Bill, it's sort of like this. Picture a bunch of ants on their anthill, doing what ants do. Then picture a helicopter hovering 500 ft. over the top of it with a few humans in it trying to determine from their observations what might be best for the ants.
This is what is going on with regard to the high level and high profile people that you engage. Please allow me to suggest something a bit off the beaten path. When you speak of military spending, cuts and emphasis on what are essentially war profiteers and pumping the taxpayers for all it's worth you get the guys up in that helicopter. They actually don't know shit from shinola when it comes to things happen in real time at ground level. Get with me on a private interview and I'll tell you just how far down the rabbit hole goes and the abuses and frivolously wasteful spending on the part of our political leaders and our military. It would have to be confidential and I would not want to be identified. What I could tell you would be a tremendous reaffirmation of all your worst fears with respect to our politicians out of control. I have 10 years of military service and have seen some insane abuses of taxpayers dollars and what amounts to situations that are seemingly impossible unless some "palms are getting greased" along the way.
The Republican Party will steal elections by any means necessary: they have done it before and they will do it again. http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2011/4239
@derek taylor: this "plague on both their houses" attitude isn't actually helpful. There is, in fact, one party that is using record amounts of filibusters and related procedures, who have pledged never to raise taxes to a guy who isn't even in the government, who have embraced extreme social conservatism, etc. etc. If you want to solve the problem, at least define it properly. There is, in fact, one party that is the great majority of the problem, and beating on both of them for that problem simply allows the bad actors to continue.
The first four years of what I hope will be an eight-year administration for President Obama’s administration may be remembered as the last death throes of the American Civil War and “the cause.” Ironically, fans of this tragic event in our country’s history are celebrating its sesquicentennial anniversary and attempting to rewrite accounts of this era, just as opponents of Obama are trying to recast their culpability in bringing ruin on this nation and the world. Every time I hear a Republican tout “the party of Lincoln”, I imagine a seismic disturbance near the 16th president’s grave and a skeletal fist with its middle finger extended pointing skyward.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMxtbAP2cyU&feature=player_embedded
PLEASE play this video on your show---ITs a newer version of
YOU DON'T OWN ME
re--the war on women
complete morons
bill it's amazing how an idiot like you ended up with your own show.you really have no idea what is best for this country. I'm so tired of this love affair with obummer he has never created a single job in his entire life. he does'nt even know what it is like to have a real job.
Bill:
As always I loved the show and I hav e to say that Michael Steele was doing very well tonight. A while ago, on MSNBC, he was covering up for Mitt and Company but I think he sees that Mitt and Clay, etc. are just killing his party.
Anyway, I was wondering why you didn't call Ann Coulter out for her shit?
You're the best.
Pray God that Mitt and Ann (she really is a c--t) go back to wherever they live (this week) and leave the rest of us alone.
I also think it's time for us to call things for what they are.
I lived in NYC for 66 years. I'm 69 and moved to So California. Befor the President was elected I was on the subway going to Manhattan. I overheard two very well dressed guys, lawyers, talking and one of them said, "don't worry we'll never have a nigger in the White House." I swear this is true. I think that's what it is. White guys don't want a black guy in the
White House. No one will say that but it's true.
Oh yes, I'm white and gay and you know how Mitt feels about that. LOL
Love you,
Bob Abrami, Palm Springs, CA
It intrigues me that on the one hand the Republicans preach that the Obama administration has not delivered changes as promised yet they have a long list of things that they vow to undo in a Romney administration. How would you undo changes that never occurred?
Just curious...if Romney wins, will he take the oath of office with his hand on the Bible or on the Book of Mormon?
You are proof that two Bills are never wrong!
Why is a "carpet bagger" like candidate Romey, even a consideration for election? He produces nothing, takes money for creating financial challenges to the rest of the American dream, and he has a track record that should be read more like a criminal record. His entier campaine(as well as his apparent untruths and perceptions) is more like a trail of an slimey eel slipping through the Mississippi river mud bank, as one observes, that to even shake his hand could only result in an unclean feeling that is impossible to wash away with any known acid or other caustic substance known to mankind! And he is a disgrace to the REP party and all the registered REPs voters. I am ashamed to declare that I am one of those affaliated registered voters, because of the parties apparent association with this citizen(?), (but not a criminal???).
Please, could somebody explain how anybody could make money by buying out a companies stock, take a loan to do so(against the bought out company), while hard working Americans cannot afford medical coverage, homes, or even food for their families(???) Much less secure a loan for a home to house their families? What banks do candidate Romey deal with, I want to avoid any and all considerations with that questionable financial organization and its entire corperation, no matter where they are from or their questionable DNA affaliation(somebody did sneak into the gene pool while the life guard was talking to Romey). Talk about cold blooded carpet baggers, it is such a shame that their parents did not practice drowning any one of them at birth, or that their parents did not have the decency (intelligence) to practice safe sex...
Mr. Bill Maher, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO!
Every time little Billy says "F**k". It's another vote for Romney. His little man syndrome, with a dirty mouth outweighs his scripted leftwing philosophy.
Can't agree with you more, Mr. Maher. That the bottom-feeding "base" of the GOP has targeted President Obama, and as part of that Jihad, is a disgrace to democracy and the voters who care to make decision on voting based on facts and ideals.
Thanks for getting this out there. None of it would ever pop up in the staged "debates" everyone's seen.
Mitt Romney not a Christian.... check it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udwnPWzQIR8
The true thing about Mitt is that he is noncomMITTable.
You butt hoe how did you think that projection came about! There's a fundamental issue too many "I'm more entitled than your black face" miss the forest for the trees!
So what you are really saying is that Obama is so lacking in the basic skills of governing that he needs total hegemony over both houses of congress to get anything done. Perhaps this time around we should hire someone who has had to work with people who don't agree with him. Just a thought.
Mr. Maher, please forgive the fact that this is completely unrelated to your post, but this BS about Benghazi is starting to get to me.
I have a new rule for you. Every time someone brings up the Benghazi attack, you need to remind them that during the administration of Saint Reagan over 200 Marines were killed in Beirut because the guard at the gate couldn't be trusted to carry real bullets in his gun. And the Israelis, our heroic allies, are rumored to have advance knowledge of the attack.
Apparently Utah is also a state where they don't teach about the wrongness of run on sentences.
Bill we know where you are too... China must love you or the middle east can give you all those virgins now...
bill maher is an ass
Anon,
While that is no doubt true, I think you might want to explain where Maher is being an ass instead of just calling him that. Anyone can just call someone names (it's the basis of much of Bill's "humor"), but effective dialog requires actual arguments.
This is such bullshit! Obumnuts is a CORRUPT, murdering liar! he has lied about just about everything and now, FINALLY he has been indicted...FOR BEING THE LIAR HE IS!! NOw don't get me wrong, to vote means to vote for the lesser evil, but what most people forget, is that there are others on the ballots!! obumnuts and romfuck are both corrupt, lying puppets, and the winner haws been known for some time now amongst the elite who are the ones and the only one's to decide who the president is, and if people haven't clicked in to this common practice, then you are all MORONS, inlcuding the piece of shit billy-bob maher!
Post a Comment