The lesson of Republican senator Gregg changing his mind about being Obama's Commerce Secretary is pretty clear to my mind. He knew what Obama's intentions were, what Obama's pragmatic policies would be, where Obama was coming from. Yet he still agreed to take the job.
Yesterday he changed his mind. At first he said it was because there were irreconcilable differences between Obama and him in terms of policy. But after it became known that he obviously knew all along what Obama's policy ideas were and had agreed that he could work with them, he came back with a different excuse, that he just didn't feel comfortable leaving the Senate (where his vote is crucial given the small margin the Democrats have which makes it possible for the Republicans to virtually block any bill they are united against).
I think what happened is, it became crystal clear that his fellow "conservative" (i.e. rightwing) Republicans weren't going to go for any "bipartisan" overtures, but instead were going to play the old Gingrich obstructivist game with Obama, no matter how far he bent over backwards to accommodate them and their demands (i.e. making tax cuts way too big a part of the stimulus bill and spending on the poor and education etc. way too small, and making those tax cuts a little less beneficial to working people and a little more so for corporations and the wealthy).
Gregg decided to do what they did: add to Obama's challenges. Maybe he doesn't wish the Obama administration ill, as others of his fellow Republicans have made clear they do (Rush's famous public statement that he wants Obama to fail, which means he wants the country and our democracy to fail since Obama was elected by us to carry out the policies he presented in the campaign and because the dire economic situation Bush Junior led us and the rest of the world into impacts the future of our country). But Gregg obviously also doesn't want the possibility of being replaced by a more moderate Republican (by the Democratic governor of his state) who might side with the only three Republicans who were willing to make a bipartisan compromise on the stimulus package.
The lesson for Obama seems clear to me. Don't try to play nice with rightwing Republicans (which currently means almost all Republicans in the House and Senate), because they don't play nice, and never have. They are out for power for themselves and the destruction of anyone or anything that would keep them from it. Hopefully their tactics are transparent enough to voters that in the midterm elections they'll lose even more seats and finally be the miniscule minority they deserve to be after what they've done to this country (i.e. during their turn in power that created most of the problems Obama faces).
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4 comments:
Gregg quit's Obama. What was he thinking to sign on with an administration that is pushing the garbage unworkable socialist, universal health care, repeal of welfore reform bill, that is non stimulative that will further damage our economy. Gregg's quitting should restrengthen the opposition to this unholy alliance of Pelosi, Reid and Obama. Economists say it will not stimulate, the Democrats break a promise to post bill for public examination for 48 hours before a vote and Caterpiller CEO Catradicts Obama on rehiring of workers when bill signed.
What is the hurry Pres. Obama! Let the American people learn what is in this biil so that they communicate with their representatives before the vote.
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Will the stimulus actually stimulate? Economists say no
By Kevin G. Hall | McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON — The compromise economic stimulus plan agreed to by negotiators from the House of Representatives and the Senate is short on incentives to get consumers spending again and long on social goals that won't stimulate economic activity, according to a range of respected economists.
"I think (doing) nothing would have been better," said Ed Yardeni, an investment analyst who's usually an optimist, in an interview with McClatchy. He argued that the plan fails to provide the right incentives to spur spending.
SURPRISE! Dems Break Promise: Stimulus Bill to Floor Friday
by Connie Hair
02/12/2009
Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he was unsure how many Democrats would vote with Republicans again on this bill but that he thought Republicans “may get a few” Democrats to side with them. The fact that the Demos have now broken their promise to have the public able to see the bill for 48 hours may drive more Dems into the Republican camp.
“[I] don’t know, ‘cause they haven’t seen the bill either,” Boehner said.
D'oh! Caterpillar CEO Contradicts President on Whether Stimulus Will Allow Him to Re-Hire Laid Off Workers
February 12, 2009 6:16 PM
EAST PEORIA, ILL. -- President Obama today repeated the claim we asked about yesterday at the press briefing that Jim Owens, the CEO of Caterpillar, Inc., "said that if Congress passes our plan, this company will be able to rehire some of the folks who were just laid off."Caterpillar announced 22,000 layoffs last month.But after the president left the event .But after the president left the event, Owens said the exact opposite.Asked if the stimulus package would be able to stop the 22,000 layoffs or not, Owens said, "I think realistically no. The truth is we're going to have more layoffs before we start hiring again"
Commerce Nominee Bows Out
GOP's Gregg Quits Over 'Irresolvable Conflicts' With Obama on Stimulus, Census
• Article
The Democrats style of Democracy at work.
Democratic Senator Predicts None of His Colleagues 'Will Have the Chance' to Read Final Stimulus Bill Before Vote
Friday, February 13, 2009
By Ryan Byrnes and Edwin Mora
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D.-N.J.)(CNSNews.com) – Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) predicted on Thursday that none of his Senate colleagues would "have the chance" to read the entire final version of the $790-billion stimulus bill before the bill comes up for a final vote in Congress.
Just in case you thought Obama won a victory for the US and the world.
MONEYNETDAILY
Federal obligations exceed world GDP
Does $65.5 trillion terrify anyone yet?
Posted: February 13, 2009
11:35 pm Eastern
By Jerome R. Corsi
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
As the Obama administration pushes through Congress its $800 billion deficit-spending economic stimulus plan, the American public is largely unaware that the true deficit of the federal government already is measured in trillions of dollars, and in fact its $65.5 trillion in total obligations exceeds the gross domestic product of the world.
Liberal Dreams Come True.
Obama, the most liberal Senator wins the Presidency and joins with Pelosie and Reid and passes the largest pork and spending bill in WORLD HISTORY. In this era of Obama transparency, the bill is rushed through with 12 hours to review rather than the at least 48 of online public viewing that had been promised by Democrats. In Obama’s world of bipartisanship, it has a total of 3 Republicans from both houses of Congress. The bill is chuck full of pork, but Reid’s Disneyland railroad to Las Vegas and Pelosi’s endangered mouse items are special. Bill Clinton was forced by Republicans to accept welfare reform. This bill does away with that reform. Liberals have won a great victory. They are driving a wooden stake through the heart of the great evil of Capitalism in America. This bill, that was rushed through because of the need for great urgency so that there was no time to have the public and Senators read it, has had the signing delayed 3 days so Obama can grandiosely sign it my town, of Denver. The Liberal power structure is about to begin an assault on free speech, known as the “Fairness Doctrine”.
Liberals who, supposedly respect the “Rights Of Man“, must feel so proud. CONGRADULATIONS!!!!!!
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