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Obama Has Failed to Follow His Own Example
Townhall.com ^ | October 17, 2013 | Victor Davis Hanson

Posted on 10/17/2013 4:35:08 AM PDT by Kaslin

Republicans and Democrats are still name-calling in their arguments over the government shutdown, out-of-control federal spending and the implementation of Obamacare.

Yet if both sides would agree to just follow the earlier advice of President Obama, tempers might cool and a deal could still be reached. And had President Obama himself just listened to earlier guidance from Barack Obama, his opponents might have had no cause for either a government shutdown or another debt-ceiling crisis.

In 2006, Obama rightly called for an end to the Bush administration's intemperate deficit spending that had resulted in an annual deficit of $250 billion that year. Accordingly, Sen. Obama voted to shut down the government rather than automatically to extend the debt ceiling. He explained his resistance this way: "Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better."

Obama rightly added an additional warning in forcing an impasse over further borrowing: "Every dollar we pay in interest is a dollar that is not going to investment in America's priorities. Instead, interest payments are a significant tax on all Americans -- a debt tax that Washington doesn't want to talk about."

The next year, Obama voted "present" rather than to approve another $160 billion in annual borrowing that would add to the debt. Then-Sen. Joe Biden, Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Nancy Pelosi agreed with Obama's worries over serial deficits, at various times voting no to President Bush's requests to raise the debt ceiling to allow more annual deficits.

(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: barach0bama; demonrats; fiscalreponsibility; governmentshutdown; republicans

1 posted on 10/17/2013 4:35:08 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Obama has failed, except when it comes to making Republicans cower in fear.


2 posted on 10/17/2013 4:37:52 AM PDT by From The Deer Stand
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To: Kaslin
This is our Valley Forge folks.

Thomas Paine:

" These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated."

We have been through much pain so far and we will be tested in the future.
As Thomas Paine said, these are the times that tests men's souls.
Fight on.

3 posted on 10/17/2013 4:42:41 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist
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To: Kaslin

The affirmative action ‘resident, his affirmative action
policies and his affirmative action legislation ALL will go down to defeat.

What a bunch of spavined mule-oids.The only reason Obama is still around is because of the leftist MSM media, who have covered for Obama and his coercive utopian lies. The leftist media has hoodwinked America. Their collective plugs need to be pulled.


4 posted on 10/17/2013 4:43:37 AM PDT by Candor7 (Obama fascism article:(http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/05/barack_obama_the_quintessentia_1.html))
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To: From The Deer Stand

On the contrary. Obama is succeeding beyond his wildest dreams.


5 posted on 10/17/2013 4:47:44 AM PDT by SC_Pete
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To: American Constitutionalist

You’re spot on. It is winter at Valley Forge.


6 posted on 10/17/2013 4:50:00 AM PDT by SC_Pete
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To: Candor7

BTTT


7 posted on 10/17/2013 4:54:41 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: American Constitutionalist

“This is our Valley Forge folks.”

I get what you’re saying and agree with the sentiment, but, I didn’t have to eat tree bark this morning for breakfast.......yet.


8 posted on 10/17/2013 5:05:29 AM PDT by Daveinyork (IER)
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To: Kaslin

Excuse me? What name calling have the Republicans engaged in? I hate moral relativism........saying both sides are guilty here just means there is no right or wrong. Please, tell me what our side is saying that compares to ‘terrorists, kidnappers, anarchists and domestic abusers’, etc.


9 posted on 10/17/2013 5:10:26 AM PDT by originalbuckeye (Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy)
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To: American Constitutionalist

Up next, amnesty. After that, even more assaults. This is just going to continue.


10 posted on 10/17/2013 5:10:51 AM PDT by corlorde (forWARD of the state)
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To: SC_Pete
You’re spot on. It is winter at Valley Forge.

Sorry to mix military metaphors, but Obama's "victory" was Pyhrric. He lost nearly 3 weeks of precious legislative time over the budget, and all he got was a respite of 3 months before another showdown.

Both sides are exhausted, and he can forget about immediate action on immigration. As if it was possible, Obama has etched in stone his antipathy towards Republicans. Why in the hell would Boehner and/or McConnell give him the time of day. Of course, Mitch got his $2 Billion "Kentucky Kickback".

The focus is now front and center on the implementation of Obamacare, and the lasers will be trained on Sebelius, who will take the fall for Obama.

If Boehner was smart, he'd adjourn the House until the first week of December, and let his members spend time with their constituents.

The clock will run out on all legislation when the Congress breaks for Christmas recess. Upon their return in January, they'll be staring at the new fiscal deadline on 1/15/14.

Shortly after, primary season starts, and it will be auf Wiedersehen to the "work of the people" until the new Congress convenes in January 2015.

And they say Ted Cruz had no strategy! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!

11 posted on 10/17/2013 6:11:16 AM PDT by Night Hides Not (The Tea Party was the earthquake, and Chick Fil A the tsunami...100's of aftershocks to come.)
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To: Daveinyork
I get what you’re saying and agree with the sentiment, but, I didn’t have to eat tree bark this morning for breakfast.......yet.

Tree Bark Soup will be a popular dish when the EBT cards go poof.

12 posted on 10/17/2013 6:12:57 AM PDT by Night Hides Not (The Tea Party was the earthquake, and Chick Fil A the tsunami...100's of aftershocks to come.)
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To: Night Hides Not

“She didn’t die of typhus. We are told that typhus does not exist in Moscow. She died of another condition that does not exist in Moscow - starvation.” Dr. Zhivago.


13 posted on 10/17/2013 6:23:27 AM PDT by Daveinyork (IER)
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To: Night Hides Not

There is one flaw in your argument. Obama can now raise the debt limit to whatever he needs to make Obamacare work. That means the solution will be trillions more to set up a single payer system. The Congress, by effectively surrendering away its power of the purse, will be impotent to stop it.


14 posted on 10/17/2013 6:24:42 AM PDT by SC_Pete
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To: SC_Pete
There is one flaw in your argument.

Just one? You flatter me...lol.

That means the solution will be trillions more to set up a single payer system.

IMHO, single payer is D-E-A-D, thanks in large part to the NSA data mining and IRS data breaches. Government intrusiveness and ineptness (Obamacare rollout) will cause ordinary citizens to rail against an even larger government program.

15 posted on 10/17/2013 6:31:07 AM PDT by Night Hides Not (The Tea Party was the earthquake, and Chick Fil A the tsunami...100's of aftershocks to come.)
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To: Kaslin

Yep. So did Lenin, Obama’s personal model.


16 posted on 10/17/2013 6:36:49 AM PDT by Jack Hammer (American)
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To: Night Hides Not

I hope you’re right. But the past 70 years has not slowed our drift toward socialism—and it has accelerated in the past 6. When government fails—the solution has ALWAYS been more government. Take Social Security and Medicare for example. The more the PONZI SCHEME is underfunded—the more money is thrown at it. Now Obama has neutered the Congress. An alcoholic is now the bartender.


17 posted on 10/17/2013 6:46:17 AM PDT by SC_Pete
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To: Kaslin

Does anyone know where to download a video or audio of Obama’s 2006 speech? It needs to go viral. I heard it on the radio today and want a copy.


18 posted on 10/17/2013 1:39:46 PM PDT by TexasRepublic (Socialism is the gospel of envy and the religion of thieves)
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