dagblog - Comments for "President Obama’s disastrous political week"

In IRS and AP scandals, a

artappraiser — Sun, 19 May 2013 17:50:29 +0000

In reply to President Obama’s disastrous political week

In IRS and AP scandals, a frighteningly impotent government
By David Ignatius, Washington Post Op-Ed, May 15, 2013

[....] The crippling problem in Washington these days isn’t any organized conspiracy against conservatives, journalists or anyone else. Rather, it’s a federal establishment that’s increasingly paralyzed because of poor management and political second-guessing.

What should frighten the public is not the federal government’s monstrous power but its impotence.

Firing officials has its place in bringing accountability. What’s really needed, as these latest episodes show, is adult supervision of the bureaucracy. This requires senior officials who are properly sensitive to political issues. But such officials have become so afraid of seeming to meddle that mistakes happen. [.....]

Obama Aides Told To Spend No

artappraiser — Sat, 18 May 2013 19:15:29 +0000

In reply to President Obama’s disastrous political week

Obama Aides Told To Spend No More Than 10% Of Time On Recent Controversies
Tom Kludt, TPM Livewire, May 18, 2013

Urging focus, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough has intructed those in President Barack Obama's circle to not get swept up in the controversies that consumed Washington's attention this week, the New York Times reported.

According to the Times, McDonough told staffers in the West Wing "that he expects them to spend no more than 10 percent of their time on the controversies." McDonough met with Democratic strategists on Friday, telling them that Obama intends to renew his focus on immigration, the budget and implementation of the new federal health care law.

“We’ve got to stay focused,” McDonough told them, according to the Times.

Note: I've quoted the whole article because it's not original content; the article is totally piggybacking off the New York Times.

Thanks for adding links to

artappraiser — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:35:26 +0000

In reply to Republicans handed out

Thanks for adding links to the thread, rmrd.

As far as the Benghazi story, I wonder whether politically it is worth counteracting much any more. They are like beating a dead horse with that one, I think....it's becoming kind of like being a birther....you're either going to continue to be all upset about Benghazi or you're not, few are going to change sides. All the other stuff is different, I think, it's fresh blood in the water, as they say....

ABC News reported that there

rmrd0000 — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:17:54 +0000

In reply to Republicans handed out

ABC News reported that there was White House involvement in the "scrubbing" of the information released on Benghazi. The report was touted as exclusive by ABC. The Sunday morning news show were Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghazi. Some Republican leaked altered emails to ABC. ABC reported the altered emails as data they obtained. ABC did not obtain the emails, they had doctored documents.

ABC has not corrected its false report. ABC has not revealed who fed them the false information. ABC is keeping the public in the dark

Polling suggests that Hillary

rmrd0000 — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:00:39 +0000

In reply to Republicans handed out

Polling suggests that Hillary Clinton is more trusted than Congressional Republicans over Benghazi

Republicans handed out

rmrd0000 — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:37:39 +0000

In reply to President Obama’s disastrous political week

Republicans handed out altered emails from Deputy National Security Director Ben Rhodes and US state Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland to suggest that there was a cover-up of events in Benghazi.

While the Tea Party and the

rmrd0000 — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:23:57 +0000

In reply to President Obama’s disastrous political week

While the Tea Party and the GOP are upset about Conservative groups facing more detailed scrutiny, a Liberal group was denied. If there was a political agenda at work it seriously misfired.

David Rohde for The Atlantic:

artappraiser — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:45:36 +0000

In reply to President Obama’s disastrous political week

David Rohde for The Atlantic: How Obama Has Contributed to His Own Aura of Scandal, May 17: In his handling of multiple national security-related uproars, the president's biggest sin is being aloof and disengaged.

Analysis: Once a beacon,

artappraiser — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:11:12 +0000

In reply to President Obama’s disastrous political week

Analysis: Once a beacon, Obama under fire over civil liberties
By Joan Biskupic and David Ingram, Reuters, May 15, 2013

He may have been the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago. He may have written a book extolling constitutional values in a democracy. And he may have run for president on a civil liberties banner, pledging to reverse the legacy of George W. Bush.

But as U.S. president for the last 4-1/2 years, Barack Obama has faced accusation after accusation of impinging on civil liberties, disappointing his liberal Democratic base and providing fodder for rival Republicans as he deals with the realities of office.

[.....]

"There were reasons to think he would be different," said New York University law professor Barry Friedman, who teaches constitutional law and has written about public attitudes on the law [.....]

Harvard University law professor Laurence Tribe, a professor, mentor and longtime supporter of Obama, said his famous former student was [.....]

....while Obama has long presented himself as a progressive Democrat, he has not been known as a fiery civil libertarian.

His wont has been to assert the need for dialogue and consensus-building. In his 2006 book, "The Audacity of Hope," he wrote: [.....]

HIGHER EXPECTATIONS?

Some analysts say that because of his background Obama has been held to higher expectations. "He was elected by a constituency that would expect him to be more sensitive to civil liberties," said author Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. [.....]

The colonist wanted neither

Resistance — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:11:24 +0000

In reply to On the other hand, one could

The colonist wanted neither British BS or the new and improved British BS...... From my perception, the Constitution wouldn't have been ratified, if you had told the colonists "throw off the Kings yoke and put on ours"..... Those who financed, the colonization of the New World, suffered a slight set back, during the Revolution, as business as usual was temporarily disrupted...... With patience, those monied interests have brought back their Yoke of servitude, but this time they are the wiser. They will not allow an underground movement, to thwart their efforts at World domination, open your financial records, answer to the IRS tax man as he reports back his findings to his Master .... You'll have their mark of approval or else suffer financial ruination or worse. You might evn be destroyed by a drone without a trial? This World Wide monied interest, Syndicate/CO OP with the support from the lackeys of their New World colony, will be the miltary arm, to assure compliance, as they project strength around the World, as these Masters of the World proclam "Who is like us? Who dares to object to our rule? " "Let us show all the World "Shock and Awe" ... As they force us US citizens through taxation , to do their will, building up their military, not ours; forcing us, to our knees, begging for jobs in order to feed our families. When your'e hungry enough; will you capitulate on your regulations? Will you work as cheap as the rest of the World's workers; if so, maybe they'll end their JOBS blockade? In the meantime; sign up for 10 years of war service. to force others to comply...... How much military do we need, to protect our Nation? How much military do they need, to control the world? ......Freedom to grovel for the crumbs that should fall from their tables? Ask the Masters can we please have a retirement, can we have healthcare? ........If they can investigate the AP, how long before written dissent will be banned? Of course OUR Attorney General abdicated. ... IDIOTS who want to disarm the citizens, who might want to defend against tyranny and abuse?.... Go back to England, we don't want your influence, to corrupt our freedoms. Freedom of the Press being paramount. Freedom of Association being another, but that threatens those, who want to control. I am too old, but we all must assure that our children have the means to defend themselves. This is not my world, I am only borowing it from future generations and I don't wish to enslave them with no means to resist, because our generation was stupid.