I am listening to President with an open mind, and I still think he is screwing the pooch

[Armstead]

Have his Town hall on in the background,.

Reasonable, nice words, intelligent, etc.....But it's all meaningless because he refuses to actually stand up and state the clear unvarnished truth -- Which is that the Teabag Minority is being crazy and destructive and they cannot be allowed to drive the agenda under this kind of pressure.

I wish his attitude were possible because I agree with much of what he says. But this is the wrong time and place in history. He needs to be a coach leading the team instead of trying to be a referee giving the Teabaggers undue influence.

[woolldog]

1. He's a nice person.

Just not up to the job. We needed a fighter.

[otohara]

2. Nice Signature Pic --

????

[emulatorloo]

3. Please update your thread when he talks about Republicans vs American people on

Tax breaks for billionaires and corporations. Because I am pretty sure he will cover that and more.

[Armstead]

4. He's talking about how we all are too divided and need to compromise

IMO the problem is his definition of compromise.

So far just heard the predictable same old same old about shared sacrifice

[Robbins]

5. Here's the the thing

When do Republicans comprosise on anything.If the rumored deal happens Republicans get what they want.What did democrats get?A vague
promise next year they will look at revising the tax code.Why should we believe anything from Bohener?

If he's not prepared to fight why go through this game of neogrations and just give them what they want Immedetly.

If the deal goes through I will be giving no more money to Obama.My money will be reserved for Dems who actully fight Republicans.
A primary challenge gurantees Romney or Bachman In the white Houw In 2013 with Speaker Bohener and Majority Leader Mcconnell.And If you think things are bad now just wait for that.It would only be a matter of time before another economic meltdown.Just like the 2008
meltdown was enevitable with Bush and the Republican congress.

[Armstead]

7. GOP and Democratic Centrists are equally bad on the issues of money and power

The GOP is more honest about what they do and don't want.

Democratic Centrists do the same things, but they couch it in pretty words that are designed to seem different enough to satisfy naive moderates and sorta liberals.

Bill Clinton's economic deregulation and "free trade" policies were just as responsible for our current mess as anything Bush and the GOP did. Clinton was just better at bamboozling.

Alas, this feels like a rerun of that.

[Robbins]

9. Clinton

He defently shares some of the blame for the economic problems.Like I said the 2008 meltdown was coming.Some knew back In 2004 The
economy was In bad shape but others didn't listen.I am one who never supported NAFTA,which by the way passed largely because of a lot
of Republican support.There was some revolt among some Democrats In the House,like i never supported the war In Iraq.

And If anyone thinks Hillary would be any better they are deluding themselves.

The elderly,Sick,and Disabled are being screwed over to favor the Rich.The American people's tax money pays for social Security,Medicare,and Medicaid.So when you think about It cutting these programs means they are stealing the public's money.

[alsame]

24. You're right. Social issues are now the only big distinctions

between the GOP and Centrist Dems, it's what they use as red meat for their respective bases.

[Bluerthanblue]

8. is it possible you are hearing him speaking not to YOU

but to "them"?

He's speaking to the entire country when he says this I believe. Maybe the fact that we (Democrats/Liberals/Progressives) tend to be more willing to question our individual responsibility that it is being taken personally by some. I don't hear it this way.

The people that he's really talking to when he says this may never be able to hear him, but that shouldn't stop him from saying what should be said to them.

:shrug:

[Armstead]

10. He shouldn't be talking to me -- I don't want him preaching to the choir

The problem is he needs (in both words and actions) to challenge the crap that the GOP/Corporate/Teabaggers are flinging. He should send a clear and direct counter-message for the moderate mainstream that liberal and progressive policies and values are both safe and productive.....And that those on the right who are refusing to compromise do not have the interests of the majority of Americans at heart.

He doesn't have to be nasty about it -- but he does have to be direct. That is the ONLY way to start even nudging the nation back towards sanity (including the reasonable environment he claims to want).

[emulatorloo]

14. I'm waiting for a transcript.

You noted that you are watching this in the background. And as far as I known the town hall is not over. I'm going to note that many DU'er (not necessarily you) have fairly "selective hearing" when it comes to Obama. He's presented a strong clear message on corporate loopholes etc during this period, yet some DU'ers seem oblivious to that. Maybe it is because those clips aren't shown on TV news?

[Armstead]

16. I said the background because I am also working (I work at home)

But I did listen direct on the WH news feed from start to finish.

And even when thrown softballs that would have allowed him to take a clear stand, he wiffed and stuck to his "gee can't we all just get along?" message.

[Enrique]

6. i'm sure he will too

he'll say all kinds of great things.

[emulatorloo]

11. The topic is what he is saying at the Town Hall.

OP says he has not said certain things in the first few minutes.

I am pointing out the town hall is not over, and pointing to things Obama has been pointing out in statements for the past month or more.

Your snark is adorable, but not relevant to the topic.

[Armstead]

12. It is now over, and I didn';t hear anything new

[emulatorloo]

15. Great, now I can look for a transcript.

No offense but it is possible you have some sort of filtering mechanism in place. (we all do)

[Armstead]

18. I do have a filtering mechanism -- but I also have the ability to detach from it

I detached from my expectations as much as possible when listening

[Speck Tater]

13. Ironically, it was liberals who pushed the idea of "politically correct" and

being nice by avoiding telling the unvarnished truth when it might hurt someone's feelings.

Respect used to be something you had to earn. Then we liberals pushed the idea that everyone deserves respect even when they've done nothing to earn it; even when they've done plenty to earn disrespect. Now our obsession with being "nice" is coming back to bite us on the ass.

[polichick]

19. Don't blame liberals for this president's idiocy - he never listens to liberals.

[Palmer Eldritch]

17. Really? This is what an open mind looks like?

You know that is not the truth.

[Armstead]

20. I'm glad you know me so well even though we've never met.

If you would like to offer a different perspective on what he said, and tell me why my interpretation is full of s--t in your opinion, feel free. But it's useless to just toss cute little bon mots aimed at the poster and not the subject.

[Palmer Eldritch]

21. As long as you understand me, that's all that matters.

[Armstead]

23. Maybe it matters to you...I couldn't care less, unless you want to venture an actual opinion

[Palmer Eldritch]

25. technically, "I couldn't care less" = I could care more" double negative and all

[Armstead]

26. I don't care....Better?

[blkmusclmachine]

22. More words you can't believe in

n/t