Yesterday the President celebrated Labor Day with labor in Detroit. He remains the master campaigner, and from the reactions I saw in the crowd, the workers received him well. While not wanting to preempt his coming speech on Thursday, he did reveal that his jobs plan will include repairing roads and bridges and extending the payroll tax holiday. I liked most of what he had to say, but one statement did concern me.
President Obama sent a warning shot across the bow of congressional Republicans in his Labor Day speech in Detroit this afternoon, pledging to hold them accountable publicly if they fail to support the job-creation plan he puts forth later this week.
The proposal he’ll outline in his address to Congress on Thursday is filled with “bipartisan ideas,” Obama said, and Republicans can either get on board or explain their refusal to the American people… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <LA Times>
Here is the complete video of that speech.
The statement that concerned me is, "I still believe both parties can work together." After Republicans have demonstrated over and over and over again there is nothing they won’t do to avoid working with him, he must realize that statement is just not true. They have met him with obstruction, lies, absurd conspiracy theories, threats of violence and racism at every turn.
There is only one way to get cooperation from Republicans. Obama must take charge of the debate and frame his issues in such a way that failure to cooperate will cause Republicans more political damage than to cooperate. Then, if they still refuse, he must unleash that damage. Otherwise, Republican leaders do not care whom they hurt, or even kill, if they can use it for political advantage.
24 Responses to “Obama Warns Republicans About Jobs”
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“He remains the master campaigner…” Also the master bullshitter. Here in Detroit the damage done was far worse and far longer lived with than that in New Orleans and the entire East coast affected by Irene, yet did he go into or even drive through any of the many abandoned and devastated drug infested neighborhoods that union leaders would not hire an apprentice from at the cost of their own fat job security? No. Was his speech in front of the general Motors world HQ symbolic? Yes it shows where he expects his support will come from. Will he carry mostly black Detroit…only possibly. Will he carry the unions? Depends on how much time he spends courting the Reagan Democrats who were born here and still swing their vote. Don’t misunderstand me I do not despise this nut less coward but he is a politician (and not a very good one at that) but he has taken his base for granted and we here where there are still a few union people will no longer be told how and for whom to vote and if there is not an improvement in the 11-17% jobless rate here people will simply skip the entire election. When he shows that he begins to understand the true power of the presidency then maybe i will respect him but until then I simply discount everyhing he has dne thus far as a move to get re-elected.
Sigh. Unions and lefties who pass on the election will be the ones to blame when the US is turned into the environmental wasteland of the Republican dreams. To do nothing when evil is being done is just as bad as the evil.
Surely you’ve heard what the Repubs plan for the US. You think Detroit is bad now? Just wait (and don’t vote) and you’ll have the pleasure of no minimum wage, no social security, no medicare/medicaid, no schools, and your bridges are all going to fall down. Better go over the Ambassador Bridge while it’s still standing and doesn’t have armed guards who’ll shoot you on sight.
Yes, highly dystopian thinking, but just take a peek at history to find out what happens to those who either comply with evil, or sit back and let it happen.
Amen, Marva.
The Ambassador Bridge is a privately owned and operated enterprise. I don’t expect anyone not from here to know that so you get a pass. As for myself personally I have not missed a vote on anything in over 40 years. I will vote, I simply will not vote as the right or left want me to vote I will vote NOW for the best person in the race and that may be from the cowabunga party. All I am saying is that his speech did not impress me, his crowd was a captive audience of union leaders not rank and file people. And in Detroit we already have people who work part time for less than minimum wage because they sign a waiver and become private contractors.
If Thursday night does not spell out a jobs with education program to my ears it is a waste of time and just more DC Drama. and there is no need to tell me what happens when one lives under a “dictator” Detroit has a state appointed EFM for the schools and will be getting one for the city. If you don’t know what that is then you can google MI EFM.
Obama needs to come out with a BOLD NEW program emphasizing the creation of jobs for MAIN STREET instead of Wall Street.My current post over at THE SATURDAY AFTERNOON POST outlines what will happen if he doesn’t. The time for coddling irresponsible Tea Party extremists and conservative Republicans is OVER!
LAUGHING US BACK TO 1937!
I agree that both parties will not come together to work for the country. the people need to see that and have it crammed down their throats if we are to defeat the Tea-publicans in 2012.
In some cases, cramming it down their throats is what it will take. I propose a reminder of how the Tea party truly governs. We have seen it in Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida among other places. Any doubts that the Tea party is just as vicious at the federal level, let’s remind people of Ryancare, the fact that Tea-publicans held our economy hostage during the debt-ceiling debate and most recently, the very notion that we’ll only help in cases of natural disasters if cuts are made to discretionary spending, with the exception of the military.
That’s exactly what I try to do every day.
What can possibly pass the House? I remain a cynic. Bolstered by the actions of politicians, including Obama. It all sounds like campaign talk to me. Promises, promises.
Nothing, but he should still fight.
Thank you for the vid– I did miss the speech– i do agree , Hope , for me , dies hard– At this point I can only hope-
YVW Phyllis.
O is out of touch! I don’t understand his pie in the sky ideas about a “combined” party effort. He has proven himself to be just another whore for industry and banks – just the other day he allowed the smog bill to be crushed!That in itself should kill several thousand citizens – and he did it without a wince, not even saying “hate to kill you kids with asthma” statement – forget him!
He needs to stop blaming Congress and start blaming Republicans by name,
While Obama gives all public appearance of continuing to believe the Republican lies, I can only believe that there is a whole different story going on behind closed doors.
If he is a weak president, at least he isn’t as horrible as the crew of disasters the Teapubs are putting forward as their golden children.
Dems need to hold the Senate and take back the House. That will at least even things out a bit.
I hope you’re right!
The Democrats do not have control of the Senate. They need 60 votes to bring anything to the floor and have since Obama won the Presidency. That’s why the Republicans have been able to block his agenda since he won the election in 2008 and thanks to Harry Reid who sold us all out they still have the ability to block anything Obama ask for. After all it was Reid who along with mooch McConnell allowed the filibuster to live after the Progressives tried to remove it from the Senate Rules.
The 2012 election will determine whether or not our Democracy lives or dies and only retaking the House and removing the rest of the Blue Dog Democrats and gaining a working 60 vote majority of real Democrats in the Senate can we begin to repair the damage done by the Republican Fascist Nazi’s.
Lose the election and lose our country. Then we may see a uprising like what’s taking place in the Middle East and blood will flow on our streets as the American People fight to take our country back from the Fascist Corporations who are currently running it right now and destroying it each and every day.
Have a great day.
You’re right! When I say continue control of the Senate, I just don’t expect to get that 60 votes.
What is needed is a stronger Senate leader than Reid who will get the rules changed. If the Dems have to have 60 votes, then the Reps should too. Unfortunately, they seem to control with a minority! Stupid stupid stupid!
I think we could randomly draw people from the population the way the jury pools are drawn and get a better Congress than we have now.
Oh, yeah. I’m called for Jury duty later this month. I HOPE I can get on a jury. Heck, I would love to be on a Grand Jury. I can be forceful on occasion if the situation warrants it.
You’re both right except for one thing. 60 is not enough. We need 60 after subtracting the damn DINOs.
Personally, I related more closely to Hoffa’s yell to “drive the S.O.B’s out”, referring the Tea Party politicos. Obama is delusional if he thinks Cantor, McDonnell, Ryan, et al have any intention of working with him to fix the jobs crisis. He needs to get as nasty and lowdown as they have been in order to fight fire with fire. Time for the well-educated, articulate, reasoned gloves to come off.
Hoffa was fine with me.
Worrisome in deed when Mr Obama continues to say “. . . that both parties can agree to . . . I still believe that both parties can work together to solve our problems . . . ” given that the GOP has been obstructionist and pledged itself to make Mr Obama a one term President. However, he also put the Republicans on notice when he said “. . . prove that you can do for Americans what you did for your big corporations . . . “. Mitt Romney would probably just repeat what he said earlier — “Corporations are people.” He also said “. . .labour is on board, business is on board, we just need Congress to get on board. . . ” in response to infastructure spending.
I would like to think that the Republicans will listen and will stop being obstructionists for the good of the American people, but I’m not going to hold my breath! I don’t think the Republicans are particulary smart, but they are cunning like a fox, manipulative and deceitful.
I liked two statements near the end: “You are creating prosperity when you share prosperity.” and “We are strong when we are united.” Let’s hope that the American people can see through the Republican BS and remember it in 2012.
What’s the old adage — you have to spend money to make money! Well by spending money on infastructure, which is needed anyway, that will put money in the pockets of workers which will end up back in the economy. Remember what he said “You are creating prosperity when you share in prosperity.”