In a remarkably sharp face-to-face confrontation, President Barack Obama chastised Republican lawmakers Friday for opposing him on taxes, health care and the economic stimulus, while they accused him in turn of brushing off their ideas and driving up the national debt.
The president and GOP House members took turns questioning and sometimes lecturing each other for more than an hour at a Republican gathering in Baltimore. The Republicans agreed to let TV cameras inside, resulting in an extended, point-by-point interchange that was almost unprecedented in U.S. politics, except perhaps during presidential debates.
With voters angry about partisanship and legislative logjams, both sides were eager to demonstrate they were ready to cooperate, resulting in the GOP invitation and Obama's acceptance. After polite introductions, however, Friday's exchange showed that Obama and the Republicans remain far apart on key issues, and neither side could resist the chance to challenge and even scold the other.
Obama said Republican lawmakers have attacked his health care overhaul so fiercely, "you'd think that this thing was some Bolshevik plot." (M.I.M. note-it is!) His proposals are mainstream, widely supported ideas, he said, and they deserve some GOP votes in Congress.
"I am not an ideologue," the president declared.
But Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., pointedly asked Obama: "What should we tell our constituents who know that Republicans have offered positive solutions" for health care, "and yet continue to hear out of the administration that we've offered nothing?"
I think I'm ready to make a prediction. This guy is certainly (barring any dumb missteps by the GOP) going to be a one-term President, and a really bad one at that...worse than Carter or even Hoover.
What happened today with the GOP was a repeat of Wednesday night, an arrogant lecture coming from a petty, little man who operates on an equal dose of narciscissm and insecurity (stemming from being abandoned by his father and mother). Is he not surprised there's been a party line vote to all his extreme agenda? His attitude to the GOP a year ago was to reject any suggestions from them, the tone being, "I won." Now, he wants to lash out for their principled opposition to his big government scheme?
Well, that's not what our founders had in mind, having some tinpot dictator tell everyone what he wants and when he wants it. He and his party seem to have forgotten their power derives from the people. You know, those of use whom you ignored at town halls and tea parties.
What happened today with the GOP was a repeat of Wednesday night, an arrogant lecture coming from a petty, little man who operates on an equal dose of narciscissm and insecurity (stemming from being abandoned by his father and mother). Is he not surprised there's been a party line vote to all his extreme agenda? His attitude to the GOP a year ago was to reject any suggestions from them, the tone being, "I won." Now, he wants to lash out for their principled opposition to his big government scheme?
Well, that's not what our founders had in mind, having some tinpot dictator tell everyone what he wants and when he wants it. He and his party seem to have forgotten their power derives from the people. You know, those of use whom you ignored at town halls and tea parties.
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