THIS Show of Class & Maturity Will Make the American People Like Them More...NOT
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
September 8, 2011 6:13pm CST
It's certainly no wonder the current Congress has to lowest approval rating and highest DISAPPROVAL rating in history, is it? Take the President's speech on the economy which is set to begin shortly: first, reportedly Speaker Boehner agree when President Obama requested to speak before the joint sessions of Congress on Wednesday, September 7 but then Rush Limbaugh called him out on it because of the scheduled GOP Presidential debate and Boehner apparently took back his acceptance. Now, some have said the President shouldn't have "caved" so quickly and changed the date to today while others have said he showed himself to be the adult once again. Whatever, I really didn't think it was that big of a deal.
However, I think it IS a big deal that at least four Republican lawmakers have stated their intent to disrespect the President and the Presidency by refusing to attend the speech! Can anyone even imagine the outcry if several Democrats had ever dissed George W. Bush in such a way?
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/more-republicans-skipping-obama-jobs-speech-205144814.html
I really shouldn't be too surprised given who the culprits are; they are SC Senator Jim DeMint who had spoken of his desire to "break" the President during the health care debate, tea party darling and dead-beat dad Joe Walsh of Illinois who was recently sued by his ex-wife for over $100,000 in back child support, former hooker patron Senator David Vitter and Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia.
I'm sure some of you are going to praise these jerks for showing their disrespect of our country - which is exactly what it is - but I don't feel there is any excuse for it and I'd feel the same way regardless of the party of any of the people involved. If it happens in the future with the roles reversed and I don't complain about it, please feel free to call me out on it!
Annie
1 person likes this
7 responses
@crossbones27 (49050)
• Mojave, California
9 Sep 11
Even if you don't respect the President, you respect the office he holds. Can you imagine if our military acted this way. When I served in the Marine Corps under the Clinton years, because most of military well at least most of the Marine Corps are Republicans. One day one of our NCO's had talk with us and told us "that you may not respect the man, but you will respect the position he holds." Then he went on to say, "don't ever let me or any other Marine hear you say anything bad about the President." " That goes for any non-commissioned officer and officers, you will respect the rank they hold even if Gomer Pyle has more sense than they do." If a Marine disrespected a Officer they way Joe Wilson disrespected the President, lets just say it would not have been pretty. So if people wonder why kids are so disrespectful these days look no further than your elected officials.
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
9 Sep 11
The military and congress are not the same. The president is commander in chief of the armed forces so they answer directly to him. Congress is a separate body of government and the president is NOT their boss. While I certainly agree that the office should be respected, I think his redundant speeches are getting a bit old. I don't know if any president has spent so much time enjoying the sound of his own voice as Obama. I wouldn't be surprised if he had more televised speeches in the last 3 years than Bush and Clinton's presidencies combined.
@crossbones27 (49050)
• Mojave, California
10 Sep 11
The president may be getting repetitive. I think all these Republicans are getting repetitive with the way to fix things is to cut everything back and don't raise taxes. Even Ronald Reagan knew when he had to raise taxes. Anyway, these congressmen who did not show up to the address should not be in office in my opinion. They may be showing there displeasure with the President, but how can I take them seriously when they won't even show up to represent the people that put them in office.
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@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
9 Sep 11
correction gladys - House passed Cut Cap and Trade - Senator Reid refused to discuss it and it was tabled.
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/272528/senate-blocks-vote-cut-cap-and-balance-andrew-stiles
The House passed the Ryan Budget and sent it to the Senate and it was voted down.
The Senate also voted down the Senator Ran Paul budget plan, and the Senator Toomey budget proposal.
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/163307-senate-votes-down-ryan-budget-medicare-
When the Democrats controlled the House, Senate, and White House they did not pass a budget, Why??
What have the Democrats proposed in writing for a budget? To solve the the Unemployment?
All I have hear is tax the rich, who pay 80% of the taxes now, and then tells us that we need to have shared sacrifices yet 40% or more of the wage earners pay no taxes and many get more back than was withheld. Where is the shared sacrifice??
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@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
9 Sep 11
Oh bother. The fact is, Boehner was under no obligation to grant the joint session in the first place. He was free to schedule it anytime he chose.
Now there's this bear baiting crap about how Rush runs the country? LOL
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@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
9 Sep 11
An address to a joint session of Congress is for a Major Speech not one that tells us this is what I want to do but I will let you know the rest later. We were told that this was going to be a major speech, then before the speech we are told this is not going to be a major speech, he will talk about part of the proposal, We will hear more in a couple of weeks. The he tells us that this is something that need to be passed right away and it can wait - except he waited until after his vacation. This was a political speech putting out there ideas knowing that the Republicans will not go along with them. This was a political speech to his base to tax the rich. The same call the Democrats have been saying for years.
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@anniepa (27955)
• United States
9 Sep 11
Ted, how do you KNOW Rush overcame anything? My thoughts about him have nothing to do with whether he "thinks and acts" like me or not but abut his lack of compassion for others with problems similar to his even as he dealt with his own addiction.
Annie
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
9 Sep 11
Obama is the one who disrespects everyone except the people who worship him or those who can donate money to get him reelected. Presidents are supposed to be presidents of EVERYONE not a select few. When he starts showing respect to Republicans, TEA party members, and persons who disagree with him, perhaps he'll get some respect. One has to earn respect and he has not done that.
He should have known that the Republican debate was the night he wanted to speak. He would have if he cared about anyone buy himself.
His speech was not worth the time it took to listen.
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@anniepa (27955)
• United States
9 Sep 11
Exactly what have the Republicans or the tea party members done to earn the respect of our President? HE'S bent over backwards and gone against his base time and time again to give them nearly everything they asked for and they have continued to refuse to give an inch. I think last night President Obama showed he indeed is the President of everyone and not just the richest 1 or 2%.
Kenzie, I suppose the GOP would have cared about a Democratic debate...lol?
Annie
@sierras236 (2739)
• United States
11 Sep 11
You can bet the Democrats would have pitched a fit. But then again, what Democratic debate?
Then tell President Obama to get some backbone. They aren't voting against his policies because they don't respect them. They are voting against his policies because they don't make sense.
@crossbones27 (49050)
• Mojave, California
9 Sep 11
Then why did you listen to it.
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@yoyo1198 (3641)
• United States
9 Sep 11
When I first heard of these guys not attending the joint session speech, I wasn't too surprised. The disrespect that has been obvious throughout this presidency has done a lot to lower the US in the eyes of the rest of the world. They should have more respect for the office if not the president himself.
People are being killed, bullied, sworn at in public and other disreputable acts and we wonder what has happened. If we look at those who are supposed to be our leaders, we see the same things going on (minus the killings). These men and women are supposed to be examples of leadership and integrity and instead are showing our future leaders the worst side.
The world is laughing at us while we are bickering and playing politics with weighty problems. I do so fear for this country.
1 person likes this
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
10 Sep 11
Huh?? Selective memory?
http://youtu.be/RBxmEGG71PM
Bush was heckled, boo'd and people were shouting 'No!' at him from the back during his speech.
Funny, I don't remember you, or any other democrat, talking about how awful it would be if democrat lawmakers were disrespecting the president then.
However.... I do happen to remember some Republicans saying how we'd hear from Democrats the moment a Republican disrespected Obama. And here you are Anniepa... right on time. They haven't even done it yet. But I wager you were complaining about Joe Wilson yelling "lie!" during another Obama speech, didn't you?
Of course he was right. But truth never matters to the left anyway.
You posted on Mylott, so here's my reply. Those Republicans are doing a far better job at being mature and decent by completely avoiding Obama's speech, than the Democrats did with Bush.
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@andy77e (5156)
• United States
10 Sep 11
That was hypocritical even in your response. The answer to your question is, yes I wasn't happy about it. And yes, there were a few things Bush did, or tried to do that I was against. I was always and consistently against the bailouts. I was always against amnesty for illegals. I was always against that democrap bill 'no child left behind'.
But look at your post. Out of all the things you could point to, you bring up the deficit? Um.... did you miss the news flash? The deficit under Bush was $400 billion. It's now topping out at $1.6 Trillion, and Obama just announced another $447 Billion dollar gov-money-giveaway?
And you want to bring up Bush on the deficit?
Oh no you said national debt. Right right.
Let's see...
When Bush came into office, the national debt was $6 Trillion. When he left, it was $10 Trillion. That's a $4 Trillion dollar increase.
Obama has been in office for just over 2 years. We're at $14.5 Trillion in debt.
You really want to talk about who has driven up the debt? Obama has SURPASSED in 2 years, what Bush did in 8, AND unlike Bush, Obama doesn't have a massive terrorist attack, a war in Iraq to blame for the need to spend.
If you want to talk about deficits and national debt, I'll take Bush over Obama any day.
@crossbones27 (49050)
• Mojave, California
10 Sep 11
I thought that was disrespectful too. I was not signed up for MyLot then so that is my excuse. Where you pissed off when Bush was running up the debt? Did you voice tour displeasure then, or did you just wait for Obama to get in office and pass his stimulus bill before you decided to voice your opinion?
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@matersfish (6306)
• United States
10 Sep 11
Some general laughter (unless you're a water-carrier for this admin):
Because Bush was such a horrible President, racking up over 4 trillion in debt, growing government, invading our privacy, starting wars and playing favorites in the business world while being asleep at the wheel, we must understand that Obama needs to do certain things to fix the economy...
Like racking up over 4 trillion more in debt, growing government further, continuing an invasion of our privacy, continuing wars and starting more, and playing favorites in the business world.
Seriously?
Looking at it for what it is, it seems much more logical that if Bush was a bad leader, Obama has basically surpassed him in every conceivable category.
It's the more hilarious side of ironic. You can't make this stuff up.
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@matersfish (6306)
• United States
9 Sep 11
Maybe others could have given in to let Obama speak when he wanted. But my question is simple: Why?
I've been trying hard recently to tone my own rhetoric down. I'm using fewer "morons" and "schmucks" these days. But I tell ya, when President Obama carries himself like this, I come off feeling like a schmuck.
He started off months in advance saying that's he's going to eventually put together a jobs plan... finally, after nearly three years in office. Hey, that's great.
But when he comes out with the date, oops, it just happens to be on the Republican debate night. And not only does he want to deliver a prime-time speech, but he wants to call a joint session of Congress as if we just got attacked by the Japanese.
I won't defend any politicians if they gave the okay and reneged. That's just as stupid. But I'm definitely not going to shed tears for Obama over his being pushed back a night.
He is NOT a victim in any scenario. He gets top billion every single time he wants to make a speech. And when it comes to speeches, no President can come close to toppling Obama's reign as King O'Speeches. He's a speech-making machine.
It seems to me like this was all planned. Of course, it was obviously contrived to be a big moment for Obama, hence his calling a joint session to deliver a campaign--oops, JOBS!--speech. However, the planning here goes beyond just wanting the lack of detail in a quasi plan to come across as golden and passionate when it was just another speech. It was extremely strange from the very beginning when he announced he was going to eventually piece together a plan after going on the bus tour and vacationing a bit.
It feels to me like Obama's being a little disrespectful of the country himself by having the nerve to call in Congress and address the nation with absolutely nothing of substance. And if anyone can find the substance, please fill me in on it.
Beyond saying over 9 times that we need to pass a bill, and beyond a few talking points about wanting America to heal, he had nothing to bring for such an occasion.
So if people are wrong and disrespectful for wanting to push it back and not wanting to attend, I feel Obama's also disrespectful for using the presidency to play show-pony as election time draws closer.
The fact that Obama "wanted" it should be meaningless. He's our President, not our king.
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