"Republicans Say Obama Needs to Take the Lead in Setting the Agenda"

[Clio the Leo]

Republicans Say Obama Needs to Take the Lead in Setting the Agenda
By Naftali Bendavid

Republicans have spent the past two years excoriating President Barack Obama’s agenda and saying they have far better ideas on how to run the country.

Now that they control the House, Republicans are being curiously deferential to the president, suggesting on several occasions that he needs to take the lead in setting the agenda.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.) has suggested that Republicans will look to see what Mr. Obama proposes on spending cuts, tax reform and other issues in his State of the Union address on Jan. 25.

Rep. Scott Garrett (R., N.J.) made the same point Friday at a gathering of House Republicans. “He should be coming to us at that point in time with his proposal, his agenda, as to how we get to living within our means,” Mr. Garrett said of the State of the Union.

This posture appears to rest on several calculations. It’s often effective in politics to criticize an opponent’s proposals, rather presenting a target by presenting your own. Republicans are also seeking to temper supporters’ expectations by emphasizing that Democrats still control the Senate and White House.

“We as Republicans do not control this federal government—the other party does,” Mr. Cantor said Friday.

Many Republicans believe then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R., Ga.), after taking over the House in 1995, suggested, intentionally or not, he had more power than he did. That helped President Bill Clinton rebound politically, giving Democrats good results in the 1996 and 1998 elections.

more...
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/01/14/republicans-say-obama-needs-to-take-the-lead-in-setting-the-agenda/

[babylonsister]

1. Damned if he does...rethugs, as usual, have nothing. This should

not fly. Let them 'own' their (non) agenda.

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. Ah, Republicans. Morally and intellectually bankrupt. so, no surprise here! n/t

[ProSense]

3. Translation:

"Even though we've been talking shit, we really don't have a plan. We never had a plan, but not that the real work is set to begin, enough about us..."

[Diamonique]

4. Cowards!

Since winning the House in the mid-term election they've been behaving as if they won the whole thing... House, Senate, and WH! Boehner, Cantor, and McConnell have been all over the place talking about how they're gonna run things, what they're gonna do... repeal HCR, cut spending, etc. I especially recall McConnell saying they're willing to work with the president as long as he does what they want. Lots of big talking all around!

But now that the new Congress has been sworn in and is expected to actually do something, McConnell is suddenly very quiet (haven't seen him in quite awhile), and the House rethugs are talking about the president should present his agenda first.

They have no ideas. They know that they can't cut everything that they want. So they want the President to present his budget, spending cuts, agenda, etc. so they can spend the next two years saying no. Welcome to the new Rethugs... same as the old Rethugs.

[old mark]

5. K&R- "Tell us what you want so we can oppose it"...GOP calls this "politics"...nt

[Axrendale]

6. The "damned if you do, damned if you don't" thing works both ways

If the Republicans aren't too careful (I certainly hope they won't be, as that would be very good for us), they will find out the painful way that in politics it is very possible to overlearn a lesson from the past as well as merely learn from it. In the 1990s the cocky, arrogant attitude that was assumed by many of the leading Republicans of the day doubtless contributed to their rapid reversal in fortunes (combined with President Clinton suddenly finding his political sea legs). But the opposite could be just as bad (for them). If they go on too strongly in this vein, they'll look weak and utterly incapable of governing in their own right. A lot of people might have been dissatisfied with the Democratic leadership when they held the House, but few would deny that they were forceful in enacting their agenda.

[tanyev]

7. GOP: "We have to have something to overreact to!"

[Proud Liberal Dem]

8. Huh?

Whatever happened to "the American people have spoken" and all of their great plans to follow the people's (Tea Party's) lead to undo Obamacare and all of those profoundly awful and socialistic things that the Democrats supposedly shoved down everybody's throats during the past two years? After the November elections, they (and the corporate media) made it seem as though it was 1994 all over again and that President Obama and the Democrats had better kowtow to them now because of the will of the people? Perhaps they're feeling like Megamind and don't know what to do with themselves now that they've "won"? It would certainly be interesting to hear the Tea Party's take on this latest revelation that they actually didn't win last November.
:wtf:
I want whatever the Republicans are on. They always seem to get into some wicked jags of unreality and magical thinking, don't they? :crazy:

[Cali_Democrat]

9. LOL

comedy

[Arkana]

10. His polls are skyrocketing, and they read the same numbers we do.

They're already under fire because of the Tucson shooting, whether it's justified or not, and they're trying to hide behind Obama's skirts now after berating him for two years.

[Politicalboi]

11. Repukes need more time to

Come up with "zingers" like Obamacare and the job killing bill, that's all. LOL! It's all they have.

[yellowcanine]

12. Wait - Am I right to be confused? I thought the House Republicans had an agenda already?

Repealing the "Job killing healthcare bill". What's up with that?

[maxrandb]

13. Translation:

Lisa: "C'mon Charlie Brown...kick this football"