Obama frames populist theme for Dems in 2014

[steve2470]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/speech-obama-seeks-unify-democrats-2014



WASHINGTON (AP) — Striking a decidedly partisan tone, President Barack Obama sought Friday to define this year's elections as a stark choice between Republicans pushing failed policies from a bygone era and Democrats advocating freedom and opportunity for all Americans.

Rallying the party faithful at a Democratic National Committee summit, Obama rattled off a list of issues where he said Republicans were stuck in the past: gay rights, women's equality, wages and health care, to name a few. Driving the midterm election campaigns across the country this year, he said, is a fundamental disagreement between the parties about the best way to secure America's future.

"What they are offering is not a new theory," Obama said, asserting that Republicans had advocated the same policies in the run-up to the Great Depression, the recent recession and the 2012 election. "And the American people said, "No, thanks.'"

In a boisterous speech, Obama seized the opportunity to mock Republicans — to the delight of the Democratic officials, donors and activists who packed a hotel ballroom near the White House. While acknowledging early setbacks in rolling out his health care law, Obama ridiculed his political foes for trying time and again to repeal the law.

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Wait... the President who bragged that he was more austeri-licious than Hoover

is complaining about people who want to pursue failed policies?

And people wonder how I got so cynical...

[dionysus]

7. flail those little guys manny, flail em!

[sabrina 1]

9. You're not the only one, but speaking the truth will probably get you some little roly poly

guys but not much to refute what you said, because it's hard to justify lifting the Ban on Offshore Drilling after promising to keep it in place. It's hard for them to explain these things, thus the little roly poly laughing guy.

Did he mention the TPP, or the Keystone Pipeline, how there is no way he will sign any bill that allows these two Republican dreams to come true?

Notice that at the top of the list are 'women' and 'gays'. What Liberal won't emotionally react to someone claiming to support those two issues, and yet, women still don't have equal pay for equal work, nor do I recall any talk of implementing it. Iraqi women HAD that BEFORE we invaded them. Can you believe that? Maybe that's WHY we invaded them, to end all those 'socialist' programs they had over there, free education, free Health Care, Women's ACTUAL right to get paid equally for the work they did.

American Privilege, ain't it grand? We don't understand how our privilege affects the lives of others, we may mean well, but we are just plain privileged, all of us and we take away rights from people, like the women in Iraq and we really, really think we are helping them. But that's privilege for you, isn't it? Never mind that some of us DO understand. Or do we? .... It's complicated, this privileged thing.

[Enthusiast]

14. I used to love the roly poly guy. They ruined him for me.

[sabrina 1]

16. I know, I was very fond of him too, but he's been kidnapped I'm afraid ... n/t

[pipoman]

2. No, a populist movement

Would be anti TPP, pro union, anti war, pro tax on the wealthy, anti big business privilege, etc. If someone from any party platforms on these things they will win the populist vote.

[woo me with science]

4. Thank you.

[Enthusiast]

13. +1 a whole bunch!

[woo me with science]

3. The famous election year rhetorical pivot LEFTWARD.

Too bad it always ends up being such a short, deceptive, and unconsummated flurry of words.

[Enthusiast]

15. deceptive

[Cha]

5. Thanks steve..

"You know what they say: Fiftieth time is the charm," Obama said to laughter. "Maybe when you hit your 50th repeal vote you will win a prize."

Riffing on women's rights and the GOP, Obama quipped: "This isn't 1954. It's 2014."

Such partisan rhetoric from the president had the desired effect of revving up members of his party, some of whom are openly fretting that the unpopular health law, Obama's low approval ratings and historical trends could all work in Republicans' favor this year.

But it also served as a clear reminder that the encroaching election, with all the political posturing it will bring, augers poorly for anything Obama wants to accomplish with Congress this year. After all, 2014 offers Obama potentially the last opportunity to secure legislative achievements before attention turns to the 2016 presidential election and Obama's successor."

[steve2470]

6. my pleasure Cha ! nt

[sabrina 1]

10. We women are used to this now, being used for political purposes. Where is the ERA? THAT is the

cornerstone of Women's Rights. Nice to raise women every election cycle, but what happened to 'fixing' Clinton's Welfare Reform Bill? That Bill has adversely affected not just women, but their children for nearly two decades now. Putting a few 'privileged' women in Congress, doesn't do much for the millions of women desperately trying to put food on their tables, but forced to work at less than minimum wage or lose the pittance they might be able to get from the Government. Far more 'worthy' of those tax dollars are Wall St. Criminals.

Iraq passed an ERA Bill under Saddam Hussein, but we American women are still waiting.

Watch what they do, NOT what they say. I am sick to death as a woman of being USED to try to emotionally manipulate my support. Francis was right about the political use of these two issues, not that many of us women hadn't noticed. The game will now begin. Repubs will respond with that other 'issue' that no one really cares about, but makes a good political issue every election cycle, abortion rights.

Equal pay for equal work, what happened to that?

[Cha]

11. Ooops wrong place..

[Demo_Chris]

8. I believe our best hope for 2014 is for Obama to keep out of it. nt

[Cha]

12. President Obama is going to be right in it in 2014..

The Dems won't be chickenshits and neither is President Obama. Obamacare!

[SidDithers]

17. Oh shit. Now you've done it...

Posting a positive article about Democratic President Barack Obama at Democratic Underground?

What in the hell were you thinking?

The haters will be all over you soon. Be prepared.

Edit: oops, they're already here.

Sid