(CNN) - Declaring himself frustrated with political fighting in Congress, President Barack Obama on Thursday blamed some of the nation's continuing economic troubles on government inaction and urged Americans to tell their elected representatives in Washington to pass bills that will create jobs.
In an energetic speech to workers at a Holland, Michigan, hybrid car battery plant helped by government stimulus funds, Obama said the U.S. economy and American workers are capable of being the best in the world, but were being held back by political stalemate in Congress.
FULL STORY
From CNN Politics
© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Contact us | Work for us | Help
You ever notice how everytime Obama tries to account for his tragic handling of the US Economy, he is always "Blaming" something or someone else? Everytime I see it in the news, "Obama Blames....." insert various reasons but he never takes responsibility for it, himself. HE borrowed trillions and sepnt Trillions and implemented debaucheries like the Obama bailouts and tax and spend. HE, himself, in this administration, almost doubled our dept....his term isnt up yet. Im sure when re-election comes around and liberal Hollywood banks on the Usama movie to get him back in office, he'll be blaming someone else then too.
HOPE you don't have to CHANGE these batteries soon. I'd bet they're expensive, heavily taxed, heavily regulated by the EPA and probably have to fill out 100's of regulatory based, required forms.
Is this place called Government Batteries? Bamabatteries? BamaStashBatteries? Or just the truth...assembled in U.S.A. from domestic and globally sourced parts and laborers.
What a knucklehead. Sarahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhha where are you?
When will Obama admit that he is at fault here for the problems that are holding us hostage. It seems that he is never at fault and the funny thing he is the one that's causing the downful of our economy. He blames everybody and everything else but himself. I feel he thinks he is the "Messiah" so he can do no wrong. Well, Mr. Obama you are the biggest problem here and I feel its the right thing for you to say that will not be running again in 2012. Let us vote for someone who knows what leadership is all about and can direct America back on the right path. Mr. Obama, thanks but no thanks!!!!!!!!
Declaring himself frustrated with political fighting in Congress, President Barack Obama on Thursday blamed some of the nation's continuing economic troubles on government inaction and urged Americans to tell their elected representatives in Washington to pass bills that will create jobs.
=================================================================================================
How predictable... Blaming your 3 years of failure on the Congress. Might I remind the great Leader-from-Behind that Democrats controlled both the Senate and House during those 2 years. And just what "jobs bills" did they pass??? A TRILLION DOLLAR liberal spendpalooza and Obamacare. BOTH total failures and the last an economy and health system time bomb. They claimed unemployment would be below 8% yet we've stayed abouve 9% and the economy is going nowhere fast.
If you want more failure, more unemployment, more economic disaster, then vote Democrat. They have proven themselves to be experts at creating plenty of it.
How can you lie like that?
The economy is what it is because of your reckless spending, uncertainty your policy has created, your socialist agenda and the class warfare you have unleashed on this country. Mr. president you have demonized the job creators of this nation in every industry, your policy's and rhetoric has created a dived int his country never seen and felt before.
Trust is a two way street and must be earned Mr. President.
He's 100% right. Check out CBO's objective, non-partisan response to Teatroll freshman Huelskamp's request for an explanation of the effect of government spending on economic growth. As anyone with a brain might expect, he received a very careful explanation of the Teatrolls being out to ideological lunch. It reads almost like someone patiently explaining to a 3rd grader the very rudiments of Keynesian theory that have proven to be correct over the past few decades while reaganomic randian voodoo unicorn fart pixie dust "free market" deregulatory economic plutocracy has brought us to the brink of destruction and shifted darn near all of the wealth in the country to about 1% of the population.
Sooo, Huelskamp and the Teatrolls didn't hear what they wanted to hear and they will no doubt now engage the GOP confirmation bias defense mechanism rationalization and messaging machine to claim that CBO's well-reasoned objective expert response to the question is nothing more than proof that the CBO is part of the Dem establishment tax-and-spend liberal socialist system that has taken root in DC. Yawn.
Hey. We voted them in in 2010 and they are operating on the mandate WE sent them in with. We knew it would clash with your Grande Plan for growing the government, but it is not congress that is dysfunctional. It's the results of your 2 years of failed plans. We will complete the shellacking in 2012. Then congress and the Administration will both be working for the people and not their own political agenda.
The opening paragraph of this article explains much about Obama. He is a child of the Great Society and the Civil Rights Movement. Therefore, in his mind, all things come from the government. His failure is that he does not understand that the prosperity that this country enjoys came from from free enterprise and the free market system and not from the government. This is one of the most fundamental disagreements in this country between conservatives and liberals. His failure to grasp the concept of free enterprise rather than big government will be one of the causes for the failure of his presidency.
Hey nitwits, the unemployment rate was falling, recovery was taking place and the economy was stabilized before the GOP took over in January. That can't be denied because the numbers don't lie. Where are the jobs, GOPers? Jobs jobs jobs, remember? Are we to believe that planned parenthood needs to die so that there will be increased need for midwives and daycare workers? That refusing to allow gay couples the same atx benefits as a straight couple will somehow create more jobs for accountants? That there's untapped room for growth in the undertaker and funeral home industry just waiting for us to screw Medicare into oblivion? That reducing SS to a pittance will magically create construction jobs when everyone has to put an addition on their house to support their elderly parents? Look at the polls. look at what they say about what the American people want in terms of increased taxes, compromise, balanced solutions. The Teatrolls are the GOP's death panel. Enjoy the rope.
Everyone wonders how to get Washington to get things done and no one is mentioning an obvious solution. Write ALL of your local representatives and inform them that you will not re-elect them, republican or democrat. Simply tell them that you will either vote for a new nominee within your party, OR abstain . This way people do not have to switch sides, but they can still hold our representatives responsible. The fear of getting fired is a great motivator. We have to set a precedent that tells Washington that just b/c their party may dominate their seat, we will still replace them.
FOLKs keep talking up your delusion. President Obama is here till 2016. You liars will learn the hard way that he is not the problem but the good for nothing Republicants or Tea party lot and those who support their crap.
Tha was not a mistake, it REPUBLICANTS
REPUBLICANTS
REPUBLICANTS
REPUBLICANTS
Don’t give speech after you compromise (actually you surrender yourself to republican)
Mr. President you have some good ideas please stick on that
otherwise we request Hillary to run as independent she will win as independent
"the prosperity that this country enjoys came from from free enterprise and the free market system and not from the government. "
Actually, the growth of the middle-class since the 1950s is directly attributable to the implementation of New Deal policies prior to the 50s and Medicare and SS after...not to mention all those labor rights that the unions won for us. Psychological studies show that people born on 3rd base, those who inherit mass quanities of wealth, those who get an easy ride, etc., frequently over-attribute their wealth and success to their own "hard work and diligence." Throw in the ideologues they convince to believe that there's no such thing as glass ceilings or that "hey, don't tax the rich...you might be one someday too" and you've got yoruself a real delusion feedback loop. Guess what? You're never going to be one of them no matter how hard you work: as far as they're concerned, there's no room for you on their bus...not even in the back...so you're just going to have to get under it.
Hey Sniffit, I see that you like to blame Republicans for the economic woes since they took over the house. But you also like to say that they haven't done anything. So which is it? Democrats, who have been in control of both houses for three years have failed miserably on the economy and jobs, yet you give them a complete pass? Other administrations have been able to work across the isle, but not this one. Sorry, but you can't have it both ways. It's time to man up and admit the failings of this administration.
[How predictable... Blaming your 3 years of failure on the Congress. Might I remind the great Leader-from-Behind that Democrats controlled both the Senate and House during those 2 years]
How predictable that since January, 2011 all hell broke loose and the tumbling began... We were slowly – BUT SURELY – recovering until the campaigning and elections of November, 2010 took place. Radicals were elected and their PLEDGED minds with ONE goal in mind – destroy President Obama; DON'T raise taxes – became part of the debate. The newcomers fed POISON to the rest of the Republicans and it ‘frightened’ them forcing them to “go with the flow” which weakened them!
The way I see it – the numbers are 30%, 30% and 32% – Dems, Repubs and Obama!! Now you tell me what TRUE Americans want??? As long as the candidates are blaming Obama – he would/should DEFEND himself.... PERIOD!! But what should be realized, the American people are FED UP and are sending just ONE message – compromise, Compromise, COmpromise, COMpromise, COMPromise, COMPRomise, COMPROmise, COMPROMise, COMPROMIse, COMPROMISe, COMPROMISE!!!
You damn right we need gridlock. Glad the repubs have control of the house so they can stop crazy Obummie from spending this nation into bankruptcy. Come Nov 2012, when the repubs kick Obummie to the curb and take over the senate no more free rides for the sorry. Sorry, if you want to live in a welfare state go to England and Greece where they are burning the country down. Time for Americans to get off of Obummie's welfare before generations are raised on it like in Greece and England. Obummie will go down as the food stamp president and the president that had our credit rating drowngraded.
As a country, we have proved that we are not responsible enough for a "free market system." The republicans beat the drum..."Socialism is evil!!" "Free Market!!" "Right to bear arms!!" and all the non-thinking, self righteous people get all pumped up which is exactly what they want. Now you are not thinking about real issues. If you honestly believe that Obama is gonna show up at your house, take away your guns, religion and freedom then you have no business voting. American de-regulation destroyed our economy. Unregulated greed destroyed our economy. Regulation is NOT a dirty word. It IS our defense against CRIMINALS like, Paulson, Blankenfein, Summers, Greenspan and Guithner.
Someone needs to call the policymakers in this country's mothers and get them to teach their children how to balance a checkbook. It seems to me like Congress is either racist, or they're petulant children who want all of their toys and don't know how to share. The "blame game" and the tattle telling needs to stop. Period. As far as I'm concerned EVERYONE got us into this mess whether it be Reaganomics or the Bush Administration with their oil subsidies and monopoly of government contracts. The fighting needs to stop, the taxes need to be raised across the board, and people need to shut up and deal with it. There needs to be a balanced budget and none of this back biting, finger pointing, bi partisan crap. The Republicans have made themselves out to be lackwits and crazies. Michele Bachman, Representative Perry, Sarah Palin, these are the best you can do? Why does the right side need to bring out the insanity just to get their point across? On the left is no different, they look just as incompetent as the right. Again, this country is being run by children in suits pretending to know what the Hell they're doing. And you, Mr. President, need to stand up, take this country by the throat and show us that you have balls. You've got a year left, show us what you can do because, right now in my opinion, you are the lesser of the crazies.
That is right. It is the rich people, the Republicans, the TEA party, people who actually pay their taxes and accept peronal responsibility for their lives that have destroyed the economy. Certainly it is not the freeloaders and oxygen thieves and drug addicts that vote democrat liberal. And this poor incompetent, inept president that SEIU/ACORN stole the election for has nothing to do with it. Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing their idiot.
Mr. President, stay focused. Those of us who understand WISDOM see you are doing fine as the problem this country has cannot be solved in 3 years, it took over 30 years to create. Those who can see it, well only talk down as they can't understand...
Obama needs to claim the debt problem, and the impasse, since he is in fact the one who actually created it.
Much of the debt problem, is ObamaCare, and he is totally avoiding that issue.
we tried it when the democrats control everything... didnt turn out to good 2 yrs ago ..,,work together
@ Wiredwierdin...you do realize that your massive chunk of 401K that vanished in 2008 is sitting in their bank accounts right? It is sad when people are sold an ideology by the very people that robbed them and then vote for the very people that allowed it to happen. Do yourself a favor and do some research rather than any more delusional deep ideological thinking that has been sold to you.
"Democrats, who have been in control of both houses for three years have failed miserably on the economy and jobs, yet you give them a complete pass? Other administrations have been able to work across the isle, but not this one. "
A. The Stimulus should've been bigger. Many many experts agree on that, icluding some with Nobel Prizes in economics. The GOP prevented that. On that score, I blame the Dems for failing to shove more down the GOP's throats, but that's about it. Throw in that the GOP continued setting records for filibusters and obstruction and it's hard to really claim that it's all the Dems faults when reality is, what they did actually was working and what they didn't do was primarily a result of the GOP not letting them do it.
B. The economy was in a slow recovery before the GOP took the House. Since then, the GOP has done NOTHING proactive to help, not even tried, and has merely done everything it can to engage in brinksmanship and createa crisis cycle in order to pay hostage games and get its way. At least the Dems were trying...and at least they weren't trying to sell us the same economic BS of tax cuts for the wealthy that got us here in the first place.
C. Other administrations have been able to work across the aisle because no other administration in recent history has been faced with an absolutist, line-in-the-sand, determined and inconsolable refusal to work with it the way this one has. McConnell, Boenher and the rest of them made very VERY clear from the very VERY beginning that they had no intention of allowing there to be any compromise, any success ("I hope he fails") or any peace between the parties. They made making Obama a one term POTUS their highest priority...above all else...before he had even slept one night in the WH.
There should be a principle analogous to Godwin's Law for people who yammer about ACORN and Kenya in their posts.
"Much of the debt problem, is ObamaCare, and he is totally avoiding that issue"
The numbers do not in any way whatsoever support that conclusion. Thank you for playing. Please reference Bush Tax Cuts, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and Medicare Part D. Google may scare you because it tends to produce facts you don't like to confront, but claiming that the ACA is the primary cause of the debt is just so blatantly wrong that it reveals you're just repeating what you were told by someone who was purposefully trying to misinform you.
For those of you who have been paying attention, we are witnessing the collapse of the social welfare state in Europe, particularly in Greece. This is the same social welfare state that Obama has tried to impose on the United States. Obama has run in to the problem that the leftist Europeans have encountered, they have run out of OTHER people's money to spend.
"For those of you who have been paying attention, we are witnessing the collapse of the social welfare state in Europe, particularly in Greece."
Actually, what we are witnessing is Greece going into a major nosedive because when they started having economic problems they cut too much too fast. Germany has "socialized" medicine and far more "socialized" governmetn programs than we do and they're doing just fine. In fact, they're one of if not the biggest creditor in Europe. People who want to play the "socialist europe is collapsing" card are selling a stereotype/generalization with no underlying critical analysis to keep it afloat.
Ask some people and they will tell you they think a "businessman" should run the country. They seem to think this person will be able to work some magic on the economy. But the truth is that the President has very little control over the levers that provide an impact to the economy in the short term beyond fiscal (spending policy).
If I were President Obama, one short term drag on the economy I would remove is oil prices. No, "drill-baby-drill, is not a short term solution because any oil from a well started today would not produce oil for years.
Instead, I would have VP Biden, SecState Clinton, & likely SecState successor Kerry visit Saudi Arabia and convince them to boost production by 20% immediately and hold that production level for the next 16 months. In exchange for this, as President, I would offer to sell them the F-35 Stealth Fighter, which they covet.
Only under a Democrat can the Saudi's hope to get such a deal. Only under a two term Democratic administration would this ever happen because the GOP will allow the Israeli lobby to thwart the deal. [I would deploy Bill Clinton to Israel to assauage them]. Both Saudi Arabia and Israel would be made to understand that a strong US economy is in both their long term interests and that the United States expects them to get on board.
At the same time, I would authorize a DELTA force mission in Libya to capture Moammar and turn him over to the International court. Our forces could use / train some rebels to do the most dangerous parts of that mission so that we suffer no casualties. With Moammar gone, Libyian oil probably flows in 6 months or less.
The impact of that additional 20% from Saudi Arabia on oil prices would undo some of the pressure that the economy is under and would boost GDP. It's the best short term shot in the arm that petro-politics can provide. The restoration of Libiyan flow would keep the benefit's going.
My name is Gregg & I'm running for President.
"Obama has run in to the problem that the leftist Europeans have encountered, they have run out of OTHER people's money to spend."
BTW, if you want to play cute word games with quotes you probably couldn't attribute to the correct historical figure, that's fine, but we haven't run out of other peoples' money to spend: we're just being prevented from spending it after we shifted it all to them in the first place via tax cuts and decades of believing and implementing trickle-down economic policies that had the exact opposite effect than was promised. That money will come back to the people it was taken from one way or the other...higher wages, more employment and/or higher taxes...or it will be taken the hard way, which I can guarantee the elite will not enjoy (they never have enjoyed it throughout history when they learned too late they had gone too far). It will happen soon enough or the country will go belly up. The extremely rich may think they're safe from that, but they're not...not financially, not physically.
There is NO consistent data that shows tax cuts helped the economy or created jobs. Reagan cut taxes and ended up causing two recessions. Bush cut taxes and plunged us into the current great recession.
Same thing goes for spending cuts. There is no data that shows that cutting spending during a recession helps. In fact, historically it has caused recessions or made them worse. Cuts in spending made Hoover's already great depression even worse. Truman cut spending and ended with a recession. Carter cut spending as well in several parts of government and republicans can't stop blaming him for how that exact thing caused a recession.
Meanwhile the rich have kept their tax cuts AND got bailouts AND got subsidies AND STILL they cut jobs! I thought they said they needed all that money to create jobs! No! They just pocketed the money and fired the people anyway!
President Obama has been fighting for programs since he took office. he has had to deal with a recession and war and a congress that filibusters and blocks everything he has tried to do....even trying to pass those programs that republicans suggested or wrote. To these people no matter what he does.....its too much,too little,too late, too soon ,not good enough not not not!!!!! He keeps trying to improve America. I got eyes and ears. the gop-teaparty will not get my vote. All I have seen from them with few exceptions is destruction and poor attitudes.OBAMA-BIDEN 2012!!!!!!!!
Humm,
The boy thinks he is a Figure Head only and it is up to other to make things work. Now it's Gridlock. If Obama had extended the Bush Tax Cuts for 10 more years people would have jobs. But he reminds me of a saying I haven't heard since the 50's. He has his finger up his *ss and his mind in neutral. He fiddles while Rome burns. But, it is someone' elses fault.
There are some really blind fools on this thread. Blinded my t-tard and neo-con garbage!!! Cutting off their proverbial noses with hope of enhancing their UGLY looks.
Wow... Folks on the left are so deluded.
I hope, for my children's sakes, that you do not get your way one more time.... This has been more than enough.
By the way, more stimulus? Economy was improving? Good God....
Take, take, take... That's all you want. Disgusting how "entitled" our society has become.
In the few short years that Obama has been President, Republicans have fillibustered a record number of bills. There have been litterally more than twice as many fillibusters by the GOP in the past few years than in the enitre history of Congress put together.
Then since gaining the House in Jan. – under the promise to focus like a laser on jobs and the economy – the GOP have done absolutely nothing. The past several months their legislation has consisted of naming a few buildings and debating light bulbs. Since Repbulicans have gained the majority, this has been the least productive and most unliked Congress in history.
The Republicans in Congress have taken the stance of "my way or no way!". They point blank refuse to cooperate or compromise. In fact, they hold it up as a point of pride.
The American government is a complex and large system. It is far too simplistic to say that since Obama is President and the Democrats have a majority in the Senate, they are the ones in control. The Republicans are doing everything in their power to stop the machine of government from working. Since Obama has become President, the GOP have initiated an unprecedented policy of total obstructionism and blind, spiteful partisanship. All to sabotage Obama's presidency and return themsevles back to power – with no concern to the harm they are doing to the country in the process.
Sniffit I'm just sitting back watching you hit them out of the ballpark, and learning quite a bit in the process, thanks!
P.S. I loooove Google!!! lol
Blame: Congress, Tea Party, Republican Party, Pres Bush, Earthquake, big oil companies, corporate jets, Boehner, Fox News, S&P .... the list goes on and on.
The only person he doesn't blame is himself: Increased regulations, failed stimulus, no shovel ready jobs, loss of AAA rating, increased spending, Obamacare ...