Obama can NOT force the GOP to be reasonable. He's the President, not the Asshole Whisperer

[kpete]

THU MAY 02, 2013 AT 12:05 PM PDT
Obama can NOT force the GOP to be reasonable. He's the President, not the Asshole Whisperer
by
MinistryOfTruth


President Obama can not force the GOP to stop destroying their own party and along with it America's economy. He can't force them to stop clinging to bad ideas that are proven to fail.

Obama is not Ceaser Milan. He can't make the GOP stop shitting on the floor and rolling in it.
He can't make the GOP stop biting people they have always hated. The GOP is a bad dog that refuses to be taught new tricks. Pretending that the President has the power to make the GOP stop embracing the massively unpopular ideas that cost them the last Presidential election is a half-assed attempt to hold Obama accountable for Republicans bad behavior instead of holding Republicans accountable for their own bad behavior. Any journalist who insists otherwise is full of it.

He's the President of the United States. He is not the Asshole Whisperer.

..........

Saying Obama should "Show more leadership" is like saying he should be more pro-active and think outside the box, its' meaningless bullshit designed to shift the blame from the hardline psychosis of the GOP onto the President, who somehow has the power to make Republicans stop acting insane but just won't use it. And I will remind you that nearly every hack journalist that is saying Obama should "Show more leadership" are the same people who praised Bush's leadership while he was creating the problems that Congressional Republicans refuses to allow Obama to address in any way at all






the rest:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/05/02/1206433/-Obama-can-NOT-force-the-GOP-to-be-reasonable-He-s-the-President-not-the-Asshole-Whisperer

[babylonsister]

1. Hearty recommend! nt

[Coyotl]

93. Best Political Article Title of all time!

Award-winning imagination

[forestpath]

2. Nobody's asking him to force them, just to act like he GIVES A SHIT.

[winter is coming]

5. ... and stop pretending they aren't assholes. n/t

[Vincardog]

109. … And start calling them out and loudly proclaiming it is their POLICIES that are the cause of

Their FAKE "Crises" and repeating those mistakes is no way to cure them.

[winter is coming]

119. +1. Attack their policies, not their personalities.

Although a good many of them could use a better personality, a smiling crocodile is still a crocodile.

[ProSense]

6. Here,

"Nobody's asking him to force them, just to act like he GIVES A SHIT."

...this posts almost seems tailored for that comment: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022786123

[sharp_stick]

23. Absolutely perfect reply n/t

[babylonsister]

9. Wha, you don't like the Prez?

[dballance]

35. Riiight. Because Acting Like He Gave a Shit About Background Checks Worked so Well

Please, come back into the real world. The more the President advocates for a piece of legislation the more the GOP want to kill the legislation in order to not give Obama any "victories."

On Edit: A GOP Senator admits to what I'm saying in this post.

[FiveGoodMen]

116. So you want a government run by reverse psychology?

No thanks.

I want honest people who always fight for what's fair.

To hell with the chess players.

ALL of them.

[uponit7771]

52. YEAP!!! Obama should smack McConnel in the mouth the next time someone filibusters....

...at least it felt good to think it no?

tia

[forestpath]

73. "Give a shit" does not mean "smack in mouth." Don't put words in my mouth

just because you don't have an argument.

[Hubert Flottz]

114. Old McConnell had a cow, E-I E-I 0,

On that Cash Cow's ass he kissed 7/24, E-I E-I 0,
And he kissed and he kissed as his "war chest" soared, E-I E-I 0,
Now he has no chin and his eyesight's poor, E-I E-I 0,
You can bet your ass, he's the Koch's whore, E-I E-I 0,
As you leave don't let your ass hit the front room door, E-I E-I 0,

He's the Koch brother's Mitch.(typo?)

If, the repubs ever take back the Senate, the VERY first thing I expect them to do, is to change it back to the days when, a 51% majority passed legislation.

[tblue]

120. Like your song!

And all true, what you said. Harry Reid really must hand the reins to somebody with a backbone.

[Zoeisright]

63. I see.

So you want him to act like YOU want him to.

How grown-up of you.

[FiveGoodMen]

117. Whereas, of course, YOU do NOT want him to act like YOU want him to.

Engage in a real discussion.

(IOW YOU grow up)

[Sheepshank]

77. disingenious

Apparently you missed Obama giving a shit when he talked about Sandy Hook Elementary.

[JoePhilly]

89. Ah, and THEN the GOP will cooperate.

ok.

[ProSense]

3. As much as

Saying Obama should "Show more leadership" is like saying he should be more pro-active and think outside the box, its' meaningless bullshit designed to shift the blame from the hardline psychosis of the GOP onto the President, who somehow has the power to make Republicans stop acting insane but just won't use it.

...I agree with that, this is a win:

"He's the President of the United States. He is not the Asshole Whisperer."

[Cha]

24. Exactly, ProSense.. that's an excellent paragraph.

explaining what's really gong on here..

"You have a drink with Mitch McConnell!"!

[el_bryanto]

4. Asshole Whisperer would be a really really really bad job

But that said - one criticism of Obama is that he prematurely concedes - that if he stood a bit firmer, maybe we'd be in a better spot.

Bryant

[FSogol]

7. I love all the folks saying, "Obama should fix everything. That's what I would do!"

[L0oniX]

10. Where are you seeing "Obama should fix everything. That's what I would do!"? La la land?

[FSogol]

12. Half dozen in GD right now. That's what this OP is reacting to.

I am paraphrasing of course.

[L0oniX]

14. "" is supposed to mean something ...it's a quote. I don't see that quoted sentence anywhere.

[FSogol]

17. "..." is also used to signify spoken dialog, like in novels and screen plays. n/t

[freshwest]

67. Elect ME Emperor of the World and I'll do it! Heads will roll! Sorry if some are mistakes, but...

Isn't that what Americans really want now? C'mon, you know you wanna...



Just in case it's needed:

[L0oniX]

8. Obama can command 30 minutes of air time every week and do what FDR would do.

They need to be shamed. They need to be exposed.

[MineralMan]

18. How many of his Saturday morning addresses have you heard?

I listen to all of them. If I miss one, I go to whitehouse.gov and either listen to it or read the transcript. So, are you listening?

[L0oniX]

21. Prime time ...for cartoon kids. Great!

[MineralMan]

22. But you didn't answer my question.

I'm thinking I know the answer.

Here's a link. The President makes public comments all the time:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-and-remarks

[L0oniX]

26. Assume all you want ...and don't act so disappointed.

Prime time 8 pm if he really wants to be seen and heard.

[RevStPatrick]

31. MineralMan... I think YOU might be...

...the Asshole Whisperer!

[MineralMan]

32. Hmm...not that I know of.

I rarely whisper in such encounters. I'm relatively intolerant of assholes, and don't like to be that close to them.

[riqster]

40. He tries, bless him. But in truth no one can be an effective Asshole Whisperer.

Why, you ask?

Tres simplez, mon ami: Assholes have no ears, and thus hear nothing that is said to them.

Hmmm...this explains a lot, now I think on it...

[winter is coming]

69. LOL. Saturday morning addresses are pretty much the equivalent of

walking into a closet and whispering to yourself. They don't get broad coverage unless the Republicans want to manufacture a scandal out of the latest inartful phrasing.

[MineralMan]

80. So, I take it that you

do not listen to them, either. Pity.

[winter is coming]

81. I have heard some of them and read transcripts for others.

And never felt that I would have missed out on something valuable if I hadn't heard them.

[robinlynne]

59. but they are in his cabinet.

[JoePhilly]

91. Sure, 30 minutes a week against 24/7 right wing bullshit in the media.

That'll do it.

[L0oniX]

99. Prime time 8pm ...yea but ok you are right ....don't even try ...why bother.

[JoePhilly]

103. Sure, do it right in the middle of The Voice, or some other popular show ...

people will love that.

[L0oniX]

104. I'm sure the homeless and jobless would be angry over that too.

[JoePhilly]

105. I simply stated a fact. You are claiming that a 30 minute prime time

weekly statement by Obama would in some way force things to move forward.

It won't. The homeless and jobless that you are so concerned about would be in the same situation even if your proposal was undertaken.

Just a fact.

[L0oniX]

107. It's was called the bully pulpit when FDR did it and it worked.

[Hekate]

124. I seem to remember some GOP outrage over scheduling during a Peanuts Xmas special....

GOP outrage... President Obama... prime time tv.... sound familiar at all?

[magellan]

11. I hold the Repubs responsible for their shitty agenda

...and Obama responsible for his. He's done enough on his own to move me beyond making excuses for him.

[kentuck]

13. I like that!

"He's the President of the United States. He is not the Asshole Whisperer."

[Rex]

15. Asshole Whisperer.

Oh that is GOOD...I'm using that one! Thanks!

[joeybee12]

16. That's hilarious! knr

[progressoid]

19. "He can't make the GOP stop biting people they have always hated."

"The GOP is a bad dog that refuses to be taught new tricks."

Then he should stop giving them treats.

[Cha]

20. That's funny and more than a little TRUE.

Assholes, in Deed.

[NCTraveler]

25. I would like to see him show more leadership when it comes to Democrats.

The repubs are doing exactly what is expected from their base. That is opposing everything put forward by the Democratic Party.

It doesn't see to me as though he is the leader of the Democratic Party. Now it has gone this long, it is too late to change that. There should be no question as to who is leading the efforts and agenda of our party. In order to herd cats one needs a leader willing to do the hard work of herding.

Edit to add:
It was a good read and funny. Thanks for posting.

[Arkana]

28. What exactly should he have done?

Was he supposed to threaten the Democrats who voted against background checks with bodily harm?

How are you supposed to get through to people who don't care about anything but their own stinking skin? Barack Obama can't make a leopard change its spots.

[JDPriestly]

38. He should have done what the Teabaggers do: threaten to primary them.

[Arkana]

45. So President Obama should be an entire activist group as well as being, y'know,

the President?

Maybe if the MoveOn.orgs of the world scared the Blue Dogs as much as the Tea Party scares Republicans, we'd have more success. Alas, they don't.

[tridim]

47. "Do what the teabaggers do" is probably the single worst piece of advice I've ever seen on DU

Democrats. PLEASE do NOT do what the teabaggers do, ever.

[Sheepshank]

127. I remember a YouTube 2012 video where Obama does just that...

"Don't Boo them out, vote them out"

[JVS]

27. meh

In politics it's not anyone's job to be reasonable. It's their job to exert as much control over policy as they can. You don't get a pass because your opponent refuses to help you.

[Arkana]

29. No, but you do get a pass when your opponent can ACTIVELY STOP YOU FROM GOVERNING.

[JVS]

36. No you don't. That's a win for your opponent and a loss for you.

[Arkana]

41. No, that's a win for your opponent and a loss for parliamentary process.

Barack Obama has faced unprecedented levels of opposition--he's literally got an opposing party that exists out of spite alone now. They have no policy initiatives, no real platform. Their entire reason for existing is "we don't like whatever the black guy in the White House proposes". The gun bill went down because Republicans DIDN'T WANT TO BE SEEN HELPING THE PRESIDENT GET SOMETHING PASSED. 20% of this country holds the other 80% hostage. I ask you--how is that fair? How is that even REMOTELY workable?

How do you fight that? How do you combat that when they control one of the houses of Congress responsible for passing legislation? How do you stop them from using parliamentary tricks/filibusters/holds/the goddamn kitchen sink to stop anything meaningful from getting done?

This isn't up to him, it's up to the voters. They--we--have to stop being dumb and electing obstructionist morons to office. He has done everything in his power short of declaring himself dictator-for-life.

[JVS]

51. It isn't unusual for presidential administrations to have to deal with opposition.

In fact, having the white house, house, and filibuster proof senate is quite rare. If Obama is unable ot get legislation out of cogress, then he should turn his energies toward the branch of government that he is in charge of. There is plenty of room for improvement there.

[woo me with science]

30. Once again, the vast majority of the betrayals on this list

had nothing to do with Republican obstructionism. These arguments trying to shut down criticism of Democrats and blame the GOP for everything are repetitive (hence this repetitive response) and continue to ignore the fact that corporate Democrats are aggressively pursuing a corporate agenda, even where Republican obstructionism is not an issue.

Look at the list. Be honest:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022786386

Corporate and bank-cozy appointments, over and over again, including major appointments like:

A serial defender of corrupt bankers for the SEC; the architect of "Kill Lists" and supporter of torture, drone wars, and telecom immunity for the CIA; and a Monsanto VP who has lied and been involved in extremely disturbing claims regarding food safety for the FDA. An Attorney General who has not prosecuted a single large bank but wages war against medical marijuana users and *for* strip searches and warrantless surveillance of Americans. And let's not forget Tim Geithner.

Bailouts and settlements for corrupt banks (with personal pressure from Obama to attorneys general to approve them),
Refusal by Obama's DOJ to prosecute even huge, egregious examples of bank fraud (i.e, HSBC)
signing NDAA to allow indefinite detention,
"Kill lists" and claiming of the right to assassinate even American citizens without trial
Expansion of wars into several new countries
A renewed public advocacy for the concept of preemptive war
Drone campaigns in multiple countries with whom we are not at war
Proliferation of military drones in our skies
Federal targeting of Occupy for surveillance and militarized response to peaceful protesters
Fighting all the way to the Supreme Court for warrantless surveillance
Fighting all the way to the Supreme Court for strip searches for any arrestee
Supporting and signing Internet-censoring and privacy-violating measures like ACTA
Support for corporate groping and naked scanning of Americans seeking to travel
A new, massive spy center for warrantless access to Americans' phone calls, emails, and internet use
Support of legislation to legalize massive surveillance of Americans
Militarized police departments, through federal grants
Marijuana users and medical marijuana clinics under assault,
Skyrocketing of the budget for prisons.
Failing to veto a bipartisan vote in Congress to gut more financial regulations.
Passionate speeches and press conferences promoting austerity for Americans
Bush tax cuts extended for billionaires, them much of it made permanent
Support for the payroll tax holiday, tying SS to the general fund
Support for the vicious chained CPI cut in Social Security and benefits for the disabled
Social security, Medicare, and Medicaid offered up as bargaining chips in budget negotiations, with No mention of cutting corporate welfare or the military budget
Advocacy of multiple new free trade agreements, including The Trans-Pacific, otherwise known as "NAFTA on steroids."
Support of drilling, pipelines, and selling off portions of the Gulf of Mexico
Corporate education policy including high stakes corporate testing and closures of public schools
Entrenchment of exorbitant for-profit health insurance companies into healthcare, through mandate
Legal assault on union rights of hundreds of thousands of federal workers
New policies of targeting children and first responders in drone campaigns,
New policies of awarding medals for remote drone attacks,
Appointment of private prison executive to head the US Marshal's office
Massive escalation of federal contracts for private prisons under US Marshall's office

[ProSense]

33. There you are again trying to deflect blame from Republicans.

The list you posted is bullshit.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2786896

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2787388

It's a long, unreadable list designed to deflect criticism of Republicans and fool people into believing it's accurate.

[Dawgs]

94. "Unreadable"? It's a list with each point on it's line. Very readable, and quite sickening, to me.

And I love how you can only "refute" two of the things on it.

Chained CPI alone should be enough to keep you disgusted for a very long time. And that's only one thing.

[JDPriestly]

37. Thanks. These were all attempts to appease the extreme right in the Republican Party.

They all failed.

There is no point in that appeasement policy.

[JoePhilly]

92. Oh no, not THIS nonsense again.

Quoting yourself, too funny.

[woo me with science]

96. You have no answer here, either.

The list obviously bothers you, because you appear snarking wherever it is posted, but you have absolutely no substantive response whatsoever. Republican obstructionism did not cause all this.

These are not minor betrayals. These represent a broad and aggressive corporate agenda by a sitting Democratic President.

[Hekate]

126. So much BS, so little time

[JDPriestly]

34. Wrong. The criticism is intended to get Obama focused on electing Democrats for Congress in 2014

and forgetting the hopelessly Republican House he has at this time.

If the Republican House cannot agree to a workable budget, let the government stop. Big business will be screaming bloody murder in about a week -- just as they did with the airport slowdown. The Republicans who remain after 2014 will be more agreeable.

[ProSense]

39. What?

"Wrong. The criticism is intended to get Obama focused on electing Democrats for Congress in 2014 and forgetting the hopelessly Republican House he has at this time."

The criticism from the asshole pundit class is designed to get "Obama focused on electing Democrats for Congress in 2014"? (whatever the hell that means)

[riqster]

43. I think the poster meant the criticism from the "Fuck The Prexy" contingent here on DU.

As opposed to that emanating from the sphincter wing of the punditocracy.

[JDPriestly]

84. Yes. Of course. Thanks.

I don't pay any attention to the pundits on TV or in the newspapers.

[riqster]

88. Nor do I.

If I want opinions, I can find plenty of them here, or by buying beers for friends.

[DevonRex]

54. Oh bullshit. That's what it'd say if that's what it was intended for. nt

[Demo_Chris]

42. Drone Master Obama championed insurance MANDATES and now wants to wreck Social Security...

But other than that and a hundred other mind boggling betrayals he's freaking awesome and it's all the GOP's fault.

[ProSense]

44. You win:

"Drone Master Obama championed insurance MANDATES and now wants to wreck Social Security...But other than that and a hundred other mind boggling betrayals he's freaking awesome and it's all the GOP's fault"

...Stupidest comment of the day.

[riqster]

46. Of the day?

As Curly said:

[tridim]

48. LOL

@ you. DERP.

[woo me with science]

50. Yup. The propaganda is getting seriously weird.

Like in Groundhog Day, we're expected to retain no memory or awareness of the relentless, horrifying pattern of betrayals unfolding before us day after day after day after day after day. Each betrayal is presented as an aberration, a "special circumstance," or perhaps gazillion-dimensional chess on our behalf, that we couldn't possibly understand.

We are merely to smile and treat each one, again and again and again, as merely an aberration. We are to drift from betrayal to betrayal in hypnotic belief that our corporate Democrats share the same heartfelt principles and policy goals we do...even though their actions repeatedly, relentlessly pursue the opposite....

War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength
Drone Murders are Legal, Ethical and Wise
Chained CPI is Superlative and Protects the Poor
Obama put Social Security Cuts on the table because he Opposes them.

[ProSense]

53. What,

"Yup. The propaganda is getting seriously weird. Like in Groundhog Day, we're expected to retain no memory or awareness of the relentless, horrifying pattern of betrayals unfolding before us day after day after day after day after day."

...upset that people are taking timeout from the anti-Democratic "propaganda" to criticize Republicans?

[babylonsister]

60. + a brazillion! nt

[woo me with science]

64. Be honest. Look at the list.

Now, please tell me how Republican obstructionism was responsible for all that.

[Number23]

82. Not only that but it's so funny to me how some "lists" are apparently more valuable than others

You and others were criticized so heavily for your lists of achievements, but that poster and a few others spam DU EVERY DAMN DAY with their homemade list of failures.

[DevonRex]

55. Nowhere near as fucked up as the pro-North Korea BS and the "poor Tsarnaev"

obscenities. Talk about propaganda.

[woo me with science]

57. Huh? Was that an attempted smear by association? Or are you just confused?

Are you trying to suggest that I was involved in a "pro-North Korea" argument?

As I said, the propaganda is getting very, very weird...

[DevonRex]

62. No, no. Just propaganda we see on DU. Regularly. nt

[woo me with science]

65. That's a long, ugly list of betrayals. How about addressing it?

All those betrayals, and the vast majority of them had nothing to do with Republican obstructionism.

Those aren't little betrayals, either. That's a gigantic, malignant corporate agenda there, advanced relentlessly and aggressively by a Democratic President.

[eilen]

66. I think you are in violation of "Loyalty Day" oops, that was yesterday. nt.

[woo me with science]

71. +1

For corporatists, every day is "Loyalty Day."

[ProSense]

74. For people

"For corporatists, every day is 'Loyalty Day.'"

...don't know what they're talking about, facts: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022788782

[11 Bravo]

49. K&R for "Asshole Whisperer" alone!

[robinlynne]

56. Obama COULD HAVE let the tax cuts expire. by doing nothing. That would be good leadership. The gop

would be left begging Obama for a scrap, not leading the country.

[Martin Eden]

58. If President Obama tries to meet those ASSHOLES halfway ...

... does that put him somewhere in the colon?

It's a given he can't make Rethugs be reasonable or responsible, so why buy into their SHIT by offereing SHIT like chained CPI?

In his efforts to seem reasonable and willing to work across the aisle, he moves towards their position while they sit firm or move even further to the right. This is how the goalposts get steadily moved to the right.

I understand the difficulty of this president's position. If he sits firm and does his utmost to articulate the case for progressive values, the Rethigs will paint him as an extremist unwilling to compromise ... but I think this game of public perception can be well played without actually capitulating on (what should be) his core values.

[woo me with science]

61. Great first line.

which exposes how ludicrous and bizarre the constant apologism really is.

To argue that we are moving even incrementally in a positive direction defies the reality that we all see and hear and live in every single day.

It's not capitulation. It's collusion. And the culprit is no mystery: the deluge of corporate money and influence in both parties that is rotting Washington to the core and destroying this country.

[watoos]

68. Never in my 65 years on this planet

have I seen one Party vote in lock step on every issue. The demographics are shifting and the Republicans are fearful of extinction.

[truebluegreen]

70. Thank Dog.

Since the President's definition of reasonable is to make a grand bargain to cut the safety nets.

[Phlem]

75. No Sh*t

He can't make them behave, so why does continue to give them gifts?

"I oppose this legislation therefore I'll propose it"!?!?!?!



-p

[AnnieK401]

72. K&R!

Couldn't agree more.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

76. K & R!

[Tarheel_Dem]

78. Thank you Ministry of Truth!

[SummerSnow]

79. ROFL the asshole whisperer..I like that

[Babel_17]

83. So the leadership of the POTUS is not to be subject to criticism?

Is the argument that the Republicans are so despicable that the subject of Presidential leadership is meaningless?

Imo there is a valid point in MinistryOfTruth's argument but the argument looks like it came with lots of emotional baggage.

[harun]

85. Yes he can. It's just not what the Dem's want. By blaming the GOP

they are simply taking the heat off themselves for not doing something they already do not want to do.

[Savannahmann]

86. Nuts

The President is the chief executive. He can tell the Justice Department to leave the decision regarding Plan B alone. He can put forward a budget that doesn't eviscerate the Seniors and poor on welfare. He can do lots of things. He hasn't done any of those things, and claiming it's because he has to work with Republicans? Nuts.

Who worked to get the man elected? It wasn't the Republicans. It was his supporters. So while he bends over to shake hands with the Rethugs who are calling for his impeachment, he's crapping on those of us who scrimped and saved and donated as much as we had to his re-election. He's shitting on us and what we care about because he's taking John McSame out to dinner to wine and dine him and try and woo him to being slightly less of an asshole.

So nuts. The President may be limited by the Rethugs in the House, but he's not nearly as limited as he is pretending to be. We thought we were electing a fighter, instead we got a limp rag.

[Laelth]

87. No doubt. It is entirely unfair to hold the President accountable for Republican obstruction.

On the other hand, there are too many examples of the President making right-wing appointments, right-wing decisions, and advocating for right-wing policy for this liberal to be convinced that the President is, in the end, on the side of the people.

I desperately want to believe it, but there is not enough evidence to convince me. There is too much evidence to the contrary.

-Laelth

[bigtree]

90. rec for title

[MarianJack]

95. "Asshole Whisperer"!

I like it!

I'm gonna use it!

PEACE!

[TheKentuckian]

97. I'm glad the loyalists are finally admitting this.

Now maybe the President will cease pretending the fuckers can be reasoned with, are reasonable, have the nation's best interest at heart, or are any way NOT FUCKING ASSHOLES THAT WANT TO BREAK OUR COUNTRY, DESTROY OUR ENVIRONMENT TO TURN A FUCKING BUCK, REGRESS OUR CULTURE, AND FUNNEL WEALTH AND RESOURCE CONTROL TO THE FEW.

Maybe now everyone can admit that all the negotiation with terrorist, games, and appeasement are all at best, worthless. On a bad day dangerous or worse.

This is a good step for some folks to accept and really internalize...THERE ARE NO ASSHOLE WHISPERERS!

Too bad such a fantasy has been a major driver of policy pursuits and the Obama branding with all the "no blue states, no red states" and "bipartisan" bologna that has dominated since the President was elected. It has been a monumental waste and puts far more strain on us than it works as effective pressure on the opposition.

There is no "bipartisanship", the opposition does not want what is best for our country, bullies cannot be compromised with, there is no fucking "chess", and no there are no asshole whisperers. Please keep this knowledge out of the memory hole because before too long someone else will be claiming to be just that and cheering loyalist will be proclaiming that such farcical nonsense is the true and "pragmatic" path to all our hopes.

[xtraxritical]

98. Did they teach you to write so poorly in public school, be ashamed.

[raindaddy]

100. What we really need is a Dem Party Whisperer

Harry Reid's ear could use a little whispering. "Psst Harry, WTF happened to filibuster reform?"

Then there's the Justice Dept., "psst.... how are those bank investigations coming?"

Psst Barack, why would a Democratic President appoint known RW liars and Social Security haters like Allan Simpson to his Deficit Commission? Psst, Dem. party voters, why the surprise over Obama's offering up the public safety net for cuts?

Psst, attacks on whistleblowers?

Psst, drone program?

Psst, civil liberties record?

Psst, corporate hack appointments to oversight positions?

Psst, Bush tax cuts for the wealthy?

[Hubert Flottz]

112. Looks like we had better set up some Asshole Whisperer trade schools coast to coast

funded by the next "stimulus package&quot 99% for Wall Street and 1% for the royal golf caddies)

"Obama care" ended up being "nobody cared," after the many watering down sessions, behind closed doors, water boarded the bill for a year. And still the GOP can't tolerate the near rag.

Pssst : Will Obama ever learn that you shouldn't take a nine iron to a chainsaw fight? Whisper in his ear, "You can't trust republicans."

Pssst : Psssst: The Republicans shouldn't judge a man by his stimulus package. Whisper in their ears, "When you are elected to a national office you promise to represent every taxpaying citizen republican or democrat, in your home district. Party lines are for party animals and the taxpayer, expects his representatives to conduct themselves like human beings, instead of little talking points quacking (ugly) ducklings in a row.

Pssssssssssssst : Into each and every life a little rain must fall. Whisper loudly unto them, And to some more than others, more of the time, "Get A Life Moran!"

Psssssssssssssssssssssst : It is better to have loved and lost, than to not have lost at all. Whisper into both their ears, "When you sElect a dolt like George W Bush twice, it going to take a very long time for the democrats to fix it, especially with every republican in Washington and several of the "Blue Dog" democrats, fighting every smart thing Obama puts forth."

[Hubert Flottz]

101. "Asshole Whisperer"

I thought that was Karl Rove!

[JoePhilly]

106. Should he shake his finger at the GOP to demonstrate his sternness?

Maybe scowl more?

And we're involved in more than 2 wars? More than you can count?

[darkangel218]

108. Whatever, laugh. I guess its all fun and games.

It's not that is more than I can count, but I haven't been keeping up with external affairs since I work full time and go to school full time too.

I guess not having universal helathcare is hilarious to you. Simply disgusting.

[JoePhilly]

110. The leaps you make are becoming more and more hilarious.

You have no idea what I think about the ACA, none whatsoever. And yet you are comfortable telling me you are disgusted by what you don't know.

I'll help you.

Universal HC would be better than what we have now. And the ACA is better than what we had before that.

In fact, the ACA will most likely save my niece's life. Disgusting, I know.

Finally, if you don't what's going on in foreign affairs, why comment on it?

[Hekate]

128. Woodrow Wilson himself couldn't "end all wars"

WW I was supposed to do that, and we know how well that worked out.
Come to think of it, Jesus himself couldn't end all wars.

Troops are coming back. Just not in the way you or I would wish, but wishing is what it is.

Al Qaeda doesn't want our troops gone, by the way -- if they really wanted the US out of the Middle East, they'd lay low and stop attacking, and wait until we are completely gone. Having American troops in the Middle East serves the radicals very well -- they have actual people and tanks to point at as "the great Satan." The Neocons were such idiots.

As for ACA, it comes along in bits and pieces, as the bill was written to do. Sorry, but that is how it is. More will be coming. As for Single Payer health care, Obama NEVER NOT EVEN ONCE promised us that. In this country, I guarantee you it is a non-starter, and if he had gone down that road we would still be picking through the smoking rubble.

I'm glad you are in nursing school -- it's a much-needed profession. Does your college not have an insurance program of some sort for students? A student health center? Mine did, way back in the '60s, and last time I checked our local community college and the local branch of University of California, they were still offering it. It only covers enrolled students and not over the summer, so it's not great, but it is (or was) cheap. However, I am sure you have already checked this out with your own college.

[uponit7771]

118. The GOP mocked Obama hugging SHEs parents, the con culture is beyond shame or "sterness" right now

...at this time I'd be wanting to get the belt and whoop some ...

[factsarenotfair]

113. “The only kinds of fights worth fighting are those you are going to lose,

because somebody has to fight them and lose and lose and lose until someday, somebody who believes as you do wins. In order for somebody to win an important, major fight 100 years hence, a lot of other people have got to be willing - for the sheer fun and joy of it - to go right ahead and fight, knowing you're going to lose. You mustn't feel like a martyr. You've got to enjoy it.”
I.F. Stone

[Hekate]

129. I like the long view, myself.

I really see the struggle as taking place over generations. Sadly, the far right radicals, including the religious nuts, actually implemented their plans starting about 40 years ago. They have done so to great effect.

We (and I mean a LOT of "we&quot won't be able to work our way out of this in one president's term in office. I knew that and said that during the 2008 campaign. Wouldn't have mattered which Dem won, the man or woman would not have been able to wave a magic wand and make it all better.

Too bad so many think that only one person should be doing the fighting and taking the blame just now.

[FiveGoodMen]

115. He can, however, always stand up for what's fair and decent

and if he loses a battle, he can at least go down swinging.

But that never happens.

[Blue Owl]

121. Besides, there's already a mighty wind blowing from those assholes

n/t

[Exen Trik]

122. What he could do

Is recognize that he isn't going to get them to compromise, and stop trying to. Take a hard left, argue passionately for traditional democratic values using that fabulous gift for speech. Make it a real fight. Shift the conversation and the "center" closer to where it should be.

I believe that if he had been doing that all the while, we'd have gotten back the house and senate in clear majorities. But that isn't the president we have, at least not yet, so I'll keep on hoping we get to that point somehow.

[Hekate]

123. Brilliant title!

"He is not the Asshole Whisperer."

Thank you, kpete, for bringing this to DU. Would that certain parties could grasp the essence.

[chknltl]

125. Speaking of assholes:

He who stubbornly sticks his head in the sand chooses to present his ass to all who pass by. More often than not, one who would instead of passing by, chooses to in anger or frustration, give that ass a swift kick, he also exposes his ass. I believe both individuals have 'Optical Rectitus Paradigmis', (a shitty view of reality). I worry that our democracy can survive such a rampant disease.