Strengthening Constitutional Self-Government

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Early Grades on Obama

Like any decent American, I’ve wanted to give our new president his traditional honeymoon. But it seems to me his first ten days or so have not gone well, and have been the scene of a number of small mistakes, and maybe a couple of big ones. It was rather churlish of him to bark at GOP Rep. Eric Cantor that "I won," so the subject of tax cuts is closed. And why go off on Rush Limbaugh? Clinton did that, too, and it didn’t serve him well. If he was serious about being a bi-partisan/post-partisan president, he could have easily found a way to get some House GOP votes for a stimulus bill; instead he let Pelosi’s madcaps run away with the thing (especially its trade-protectionist feature--are we really that bent on repeating all of Hoover’s mistakes?? Add to this list, while we’re at it, our ethically-challenged Treasury Secretary deciding to pick a fight with China as his first move out of the block. It’s not so smart to annoy someone who is lending you a lot of money.) Maybe he thinks it will get fixed in the Senate, but with polls showing declining public support for this stimulus bill in its present form, this seems like the first shovel of a potentially large hole he is allowing the Hill to dig for him. And about his interview with the al-Arabia TV, the less said the better. (See Amir Taheri on this subject.)

Now, one obvious point should be made here: the easy House passage of the stimulus bill shows that Obama doesn’t need a honeymoon. He has the votes. For now.

Discussions - 14 Comments

and just think ... the Clintons haven't even begun their shennigans yet.

Note to NLT posters from RNC: look guys, we have made a huge mess of the entire united states for years to come. We need to continually post on how bad Obama is doing to offset the titanic errors that is our legacy. So I want early grades from 10 days, minute by minute gaffes, and point-scoring but meaningless insights. In other words, post things just like it was right before the election.

Be careful, it's dangerous to criticize the New Regime. This will all be part of Ren's report to the higher-ups.

What is/are "shennigans"? Some new buffet joint that Americans can find around their local Wal-Mart?

Considering how consistently wrong conservatives have been on just about everything over the last 8 years, it can only be amusing to see them offer their grades of Obama, as if what they say matters at all.

I swear to God I'll pistol-whip the next guy to say "Shenanigans"!

buffet joint? I think those are now going to be called by their proper name: feading troughs. The only missing element is someone to ring a bell and shout sueeeeee.

I love the 180 we are now seeing. Both sides settle in to the positions that they were so critical of for the past decade. Liberals saying what conservatives think does not matter (I agree btw, the top conservatives stopped listening long ago anyhow) and the conservatives now quick to talk about the ignorance of big government. This from the people who brought you homeland security USA, multiple tax cut stimulations, prescription drug benifits, and a military budget that is half the GDP. At the snap of the finger the people who were angered by the way they were dismissed and marganlized by the party in power are now happy to do the same. I guess the golden rule has been replaced by what's good for the goose is good for the gander. All the while we can get no real changes, more globalism, less liberty.

"Like any decent American, I’ve wanted to give our new president his traditional honeymoon." But apparently, decency was never your strong suit. Either that, or you have the self-restraint of a six-year-old.

Yeah Steven, only children, the indecent, and people who listen to Limbaugh articulate critical thoughts about Obama. Not agreeing with the President is like so last administration.

Uh Brutus, you've gotta a point or two, but do remember what you learned in the third grade, that there's this thing called multiplication. Yes, conservatives ignored, or mainly grumbled-about the rising Bush deficits. At the key early points when these could have been lessened, action was not taken by conservative-elected Republicans. But how many TIMES larger will the Obama deficits be, simply in his first term, than the Bush ones? And how many TIMES bigger will the federal budget be?

So I don't exactly think the mainstream of American conservatism is being as hypocritical as you're making out.

And I'm ready to let the Dems take a half-year or so under Obama to learn/decide more fully what it is they're FOR, before I fume much over their various little hypocrisies that their past orgy of Bush-hatred inevitably gets them tangled up in now that they have to, you know, GOVERN and stuff. Nor am I going to be surprised when most of them complain about the Limbaughs and Republican solidarity (more, please) in the name of "post-partisanship" so-called.

Come on, Hal, I know you can be more creative than that. I mean, at least the head of the TN Republican Party was original enough to call him a "Magic Negro."

And Peter, my point wasn't that only children, the indecent, and Limbaugh lovers (who I never mentioned) dare criticize Obama, rather that, by Steven's own terms, he was either being indecent or he was unable to restrain himself from doing things he thought he shouldn't do. I don't care if he wants to criticize Obama, and I don't really take him seriously when he claims to want to give Obama a honeymoon, but he has failed his own standards for decency and self-restraint.

Stu, fair enough that your comment was not as mean spirited as I took it. My Limbaugh reference was to Obama responding to determined opposition by implying that his opponents were just listening to Limbaugh. And one can hope for the best in a President, want to give him a break, and still be so disappointed that critical commentary becomes the right thing to do. Thanks for the civil reply.

Brutus,

I agree with your comments except your equating of conservatives with Republicans. Republicans have a conservative minority that occasionally has influence, except on big important matters where the Rockefellers win out every time.


As to:


All the while we can get no real changes, more globalism, less liberty.

It is true, unless of course this insane and unsustainable borrowing from Asia finally comes undone in this "credit" crises. TARP and "stimulus" may bring this from some distant future (20, 30 years) to the next few. With the massive debasing of our currency, collapse of our income/economy, THEN, maybe the American people will be ready for something resembling REAL conservativism. I give it a 10% chance...;)

I guess I should have called it the Clinton Circus for those of you who seem to want to have a discussion about words and not what about people like the Clintons do. ... Perjury, rape, "I didn't have sex with that woman, whitewater, travelgate, so-called "suicide", taking money from foreign countries/people. I don't care if you are a Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Black, White, Irish, German, Chinese, etc etc. Bill and Hillary Clinton are just plain white trailer trash, low-life, immoral, unethical people. It is just a matter of time before either one or both just puts the screws to Obama. One has to keep in mind - THEY JUST DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE BUT THEMSELVES. Period. End of Discussion. Whether you like the word shennigans or not.

A grade on Day 10 - reminds me of this.

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