The Fix: How Obama used Paul Ryan

[Pirate Smile]

How Obama used Paul Ryan

President Obama may be criticized after his speech Wednesday for not providing many specifics about his plan to cut the national debt.
What he will not be criticized for is being too soft on Republicans.
The target of Obama’s speech was unmistakable, as the president used his pulpit at George Washington University to lay into the House Republican plan proposed by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).

-snip-
Obama talked in-depth about Ryan’s plan, casting it in extremely dark terms.
He said it includes cuts that concede the very fiber of America and that “paint a vision of our future that’s deeply pessimistic.” He said the plan would leave crumbling roads and collapsing bridges unfixed. He said the plan “ends Medicare as we know it” and that up to 50 million Americans could lose their insurance – all while the wealthy get tax breaks.

“That’s not right, and it’s not going to happen as long as I’m president,” Obama said.

The statement was one of several bold pronouncements from Obama about the Ryan plan. A sampling:

* “We do not have to sacrifice the America we believe in. And as long as I’m president, we won’t.”

* On the Bush tax cuts: “I refuse to renew them again.”

* “There’s nothing serious about a plan that claims to reduce the deficit by spending a trillion dollars on tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. There’s nothing courageous about asking for sacrifice from those who can least afford it and don’t have any clout on Capitol Hill. And this is not a vision of the America I know.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/how-obama-used-paul-ryan/2011/04/13/AFVcNmXD_blog.html

[JoePhilly]

1. He forced the GOP to put its attack on SS and Medicare on the table.

[polichick]

2. This section was very strong - let's hope we see equally strong actions...

...when push comes to shove.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. "...it’s not going to happen as long as I’m president,” Obama said.

Everybody bookmark now!

You'll be seeing it plenty whether you bm it or not.

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. Great read. I was impressed with the speech as well, but then I already knew I would be.

There's a new PPP poll out that shows that if America had to do it over again, the 2010 switch in the house would never have happened. Buyer's remorse, big time. The Repukes are a bunch of clowns with their double-speak about caring what happens to the poor & middle class, and the American people are paying attention; a bit late perhaps, but finally paying attention.

[lyonn]

16. Amen,

via an athiest. I love that the lying repubs have been caught expressing their true motives: Social issues; abortions, gays, etc.. Protection for the needy through no fault of their own such as the greed and abuse of banks, corporations, guns, etc., they have no clue. The U.S. debt and interest on the debt, or anything to do with finances is too complicated for them, it appears, yet most of them are member of the middle class???

[lumberjack_jeff]

5. "I refuse to renew them again". You mean, "Once again, I refuse to renew them. I really mean it now"

[polichick]

6. Wonder if he regrets that decision now.

[FrenchieCat]

10. No, I don't think he regrets making sure that 98% of us kept our tax cuts....

with gas prices as they are, I don't know how many of us would make it, if we had to pay additional taxes going back to January of this year.

But yeah.....you can frame it in his keeping the tax cuts for the rich, but that was incidental to what he was really doing; making sure the middle class didn't have to bleed at this exact moment. The easy thing would have been to simply let them expire....and I'm glad he didn't. Folks would be moaning now about how their checks shrunk by $50.00 per pay period or whatever.

But then I'm an accountant, and a reasonable Democrat.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

13. Thank you! I didn't realize

I love real information!

[kenfrequed]

15. eh...

But to think you can tax cut your way to balance and prosperity is an absurdity. Yes, taxes should not be regressive and injure the poor and needy more than those that are wealthy, but I think programs that provide services and specific assistance directly through the government are worth the times any money that we piss away on tired tax policy.

The Bush tax cuts amidst a two front war on terror was about the stupidest policy decision in a century. The idea that you can just cut taxes and pay for a war is idiotic. I cannot think of another war where we choose to do something this stupid. This decision and the corrupt arms dealers and Rumsfeldian contractors are the reason for our debt.

Still I have hope that Obama now realizes this and I loved what he said to the republican idiots.

[lyonn]

18. Tax cuts during two wars is unbelievably insane

When in history has that happened? Yet, we must, as a country, tax the poor for these wars per the republicans? For sure not taxing the corporations profiting from these wars (facetious of course)............

[kenfrequed]

25. Yeah

Well the Rich are the important people. The rest of us could just fall off a cliff.

[Hawkowl]

24. Obama should put you on the PR payroll

I mean it and am not being snarky. You keep me from hating him. I still dislike him, but baby steps...

[Cronus Protagonist]

8. lol

We're really getting to know Obama these days.

[uponit7771]

7. They wrapped Ryans plan around their knecks and Obama tightened the noose

[DCKit]

9. They all marched in there thinking "Winning!"

Kinda' sorry I missed it. The crowd shots must've been too funny for words.

[patrice]

11. I started feeling a LOT better when he said that the Republicans are trying to change America. nt

[Scuba]

12. Barak calls out Ryan for the tool he is. Nice job....

"There’s nothing courageous about asking for sacrifice from those who can least afford it and don’t have any clout on Capitol Hill"

[Mason Dixon]

14. so what was obama's plan again

oh yeah
call on congress to come up with tax reform
call on the dod secretary to conduct an internal review
eliminate waste, fraud and abuse

sweet

[Harriety]

17. This wasn't the first time our Pres called out Ryan

I remember watching President Obama give a lecture to the Republicans during the health care fiasco last year. Ryan stood up and hammered some points out to Obama. President Obama then did what he usually does so well. He held his head up then looked down at Ryan and calmly told him why what he was proposing wouldn't work. I doubt that Ryan ever got over that dressing down, which is why I'm not a bit surprised he's been the one lately who is trying most to prove himself. As much as he's tried to counter President on the budget now, Ryan is still as wrong as he was last year on health care.

[Myrina]

22. Yeah Ryan was totally using that session to make a campaign commercial ...

"See how he stands up to the socialist left wing interests that run Washington!" :puke:

He blabbered on for over 5 minutes before asking anything that remotely resembled a question.
I'm surprised POTUS didn't cut him off after a minute and tell him to STFU & sit back down.

[lyonn]

23. Thanks for the reminder

Obama creamed the repubs at that meeting. Obama against the repub gang that could not shoot stright. The repubs haven't had a get-together like that since (at least in public) - was thinking about that yesterday.

[Cali_Democrat]

19. Finally Obama confronts the pond scum

To their faces.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

20. Of course, it's worth noting

that, to date, few Republicans (any?) have signed on as an enthusiastic supporter of the Ryan plan. They like to point out how "bold" and "courageous" Ryan is just for having introduced the plan (I'd add "audacious") and make it seem like putting out a radical plan that they don't even much support themselves (and doesn't even do what they are say they are trying to do- reducing the deficit) and is DOA in the Senate is somehow more responsible than putting together a more thoughtful and realistic plan that could actually win passage- unless the Republicans decide to simply sit on their hands and endlessly pout about how mean President Obama was to them instead of working to pass a budget. :eyes:
:nopity:

[JDPriestly]

21. So when will the tax cuts come up for a vote again.

I think I would trust Obama more had he announced on his first day in office that Guantanamo was closed by executive order and that the Article III courts and the Justice Department would determine who took custody of the apparently life-term-without-trial prisoners there.

[The Green Manalishi]

26. If your opponent wants to grab the 'Third Rail'

BE sure to pour super glue all over his hands first.

We need to keep hammering at the meme "The Republicans want to kill your social security and your medicare".
Simple. and True

[Mimosa]

27. Yes.

Because it's true.

[Dkc05]

28. Ryan was a front row stooge

What a loser. Get used by our President. Front and center. ha Ha what a fool