Obama and Boehner balance putting and policy

WTOP ^ | June 18, 2011 | JULIE PACE

[COUNTrecount]

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama was proud and House Speaker John Boehner was exhilarated.

No, this wasn't a celebration of some big White House-Congress deal on the national debt. Just a couple of weekend golfers hitting the links on a sunny Saturday.

[COUNTrecount]

The US Misery Index

Misery Index (12.16) = Unemployment rate (9) + Inflation rate (3.16)

The misery index was initiated by economist Arthur Okun, an adviser to President Lyndon Johnson in the 1960's. It is simply the unemployment rate added to the inflation rate. It is assumed that both a higher rate of unemployment and a worsening of inflation both create economic and social costs for a country. A combination of rising inflation and more people out of work implies a deterioration in economic performance and a rise in the misery index.

Glad they enjoyed themselves today.

[pnh102]

Boehner is a damn fool for doing this. I guarantee you from here on in we'll see ad after ad after ad from the Democrat party showing how the GOP plays golf while people suffer.

Heck, Bush hasn't played golf as president since 2003 and we STILL hear about him playing golf "so often" as president.

[gunnyg]

what’s the term...???

oh, ah buddies...

[Sacajaweau]

Obama is very touchy...It’s really very rude.

[Clairity]

Obama must have lost big time, because another article says they agreed to not release the score, the article quotes yet another one, where Obama’s spokesman said they will release the score if Obama wins.

Link only per copyright complaint:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/06/obama-boehner-hit-the-links-today/1

So much for “the most transparent administration in the world” — Obama won’t even release his golf score. How pathetic is that?

[Sea Parrot]

So, who won? Or are the scores now officially state secrets.

[Cricket24]

What a waste of time! They should have been working on SAVING the taxpayers’ money!

[mikey_hates_everything]

It’s a control issue. Watch what he does when he shakes hands. He will grab the arm with his other hand.

[COUNTrecount]

It's a power thing.

Like any other nonverbal cue, touch can be misused as a power play or manipulation. Some people may use touch to display a sense of control or one-upmanship, and in those cases, a touch can feel condescending, uncomfortable, and be unwelcome.

[ngat]

From The article: “No, this wasn’t a celebration of some big White House-Congress deal on the national debt.” No? How do we know?

[Outlaw Woman]

Don’t think for one second that he is doing that for anything but a photo as proof to show what an idiot boener is and to rub our faces in the ‘compromise’ for the country’s soul that is taking place.

[US Navy Vet]

PUKE!

[jivin gene]

“So, who won?”

So, who cares? We all know who the Hell lost, don’t we? Each and every one of us. Zero piddles while Bone turns.

[La Enchiladita]

He and Michelle both do this touch thing. She even did it to Queen Elizabeth...unthinkable.

It is body language and transfer of energy, where they state their dominance and steal energy from the person they are touching.

I know it sounds crazy but I believe it. Just think of how you feel when someone gets too close to you in “your space.” It is deliberate and has an actual effect.

[ngat]

Of course, and everybody that plays these power games (not just golfers) is aware of it. So, to actually pull that kind of bull**** is really juvenile.

[La Enchiladita]

FWIW...The Speaker of the House is widely regarded as the likely winner—Golf Digest puts his handicap at 7.9, while estimating Obama’s at 17.

WaPo prepared the spin in advance: What Obama wins if he loses to Boehner at the “golf summit”

[P-Marlowe]

Where is the projectile vomit alert?

[Gator113]

I hung onto hope for Boehner much longer than many folks. Times up... he’s a fricking fool.

It is no wonder that the GOP busted their a$$es to rehabilitate Obama during the lame duck session. It is no wonder that the GOP has accomplished so little in the 6 months they have had congress.

If things were going great in America, I doubt this would bother me so much, but they’re not, so it does.

I think Boehner is playing old fashion long range politics, during a time when aggressive emergency action is required. Damn.

[NCC-1701]

Sarah Palin doesn’t waste time golfing does she? If not, she would probably concern herself with more important matters.

[Gator113]

With my background and experience, I could write a book and teach this subject.

You are right, it’s not crazy and it can be very powerful.