see also: a bunch of Teabaggers that were never once outraged during those 8 long years, but are shocked (SHOCKED I SAY!) that Obama exercises so much power as the POTUS.
Originally Posted by Longermonger
LM - the reason the "teabaggers" are outraged at Obama and not at Bush is because Obama is espousing a socialist methodology as a solution to his perceived problems in the US economy. The fact that in one year Obama has caused more debt that GWB did in his entire eight year presidency was probably part of that outrage; the other is the fact that Obama and his enablers in Congress are governing in opposition to their constituents' wishes.
I would like to see a well reasoned defense of Obama rather than name calling. I was at both the Liberty Memorial and Johnson County Community College on April 15. You are insulting me when you do.
Originally Posted by john_galt
In defense of Obama, the solutions that he is attempting to enact have been stated by him for several years, in his books, his speeches and his associates. He is wrong and everything he has proposed has made the economy worse, but he is putting into practice through his enablers in Congress what he believes and was taught.
The President can not single-handedly do anything to effect the economy. The Executive branch can issue regulations that effect business, but constitutionally, the Congress (the House specifically) is the only institution that can enact legislation that can affect the economy directly (taxes, spending), and the nose-dive in the economy coincided with the retaking of the Congress by the Democrats in 2006. As a figurehead, he can persuade, request or bully his ideas through Congress, but Congress has the ultimate say. But also, as the figurehead, the President gets the glory (Clinton, Reagan) or the blame (Bush 43 and Obama) when things go wrong.
There is nothing in the U.S. Constitution regarding the appointment of "czars". Subordinates of the executive branch are required to be vetted by the Senate as part of the "advise and consent" clause of the constitution. Obama has circumvented this process.
Originally Posted by john_galt
Also, the appointing of czars is extra-Constitutional, but is not without precedent. The White House chief of staff is a position that is not vetted through the Senate, but is probably the second most powerful position in the Executive branch, as the chief of staff hires and fires all White House staff, is involved in all high-level meetings with the President as well as all national security discussions, and provides (IMHO) the greatest influence on all Presidential decisions.
With the consent of Obama the Senate has cut the GOP out of the healthcare debate completely. By doing this 14 states have no representation in the Senate (they have only GOP senators). By the standards of the founders how can you tax those who have no representation (Kansas is one such state)? Now we have SEIU moving into the West Wing and using the law to represent their union. Unions were initiated to bargain with PRIVATE industries and not the government. The Supreme Court struck down actions by Harry Truman when he interferred with private industry and unions in the winter of 1947.
Originally Posted by john_galt
The legislation affecting health insurance (not health care, a misnomer) will probably be challenged in the courts and probably have most or all of the legislation struck down as violations of the 10th and 14th amendments (states rights and equal protection clauses), as each state already regulates insurance and provisions are selectively targeting individual industries and excluding others through their tax laws.
Getting back to the original intent of the thread, the reason that Democrats can get away with making these kinds of statements and Republicans can not is because the mainstream media has the same political philosophy as the Democrats and will do what is needed to make Democrats successful and Republicans look like bigots, homophobes, nutcases, etc.