The American people sent a clear message to the president on November 2. Pajamas Media has asked a distinguished group of elected officials, journalists, and pundits for their suggestions on how Obama can “right the ship” and save his presidency.Posted on 11/04/2010 2:05:34 PM PDT by Kaslin
The American people sent a clear message to the president on November 2. Pajamas Media has asked a distinguished group of elected officials, journalists, and pundits for their suggestions on how Obama can "right the ship" and save his presidency. Today's panel includes Reps. Michele Bachmann and Darrell Issa, Gov. Rick Perry, and former Rep. Dick Armey; Check back all week long as more contributions are added.
The American people sent a clear message to the president on November 2. Pajamas Media has asked a distinguished group of elected officials, journalists, and pundits for their suggestions on how Obama can “right the ship” and save his presidency.
I could sit here for hours and explain all the ways I disagree with our president. I could hope that two years of failed economic policies which have been rejected at the polls would make him reform his profligate ways.
But I know this is a fool’s errand. For all his campaign trail talk about ushering in an era of post-partisanship, Obama is an ideologue. Post-partisanship is the language of those who are set to assume power and they always call on the other side to join them in this new, high-minded crusade. And that’s the rub.
November 2 will not convince the president that his policies are wrong, nor can it convince him to work alongside Republicans to reduce the national debt, stop deficit spending, and work toward responsible government. I’m sometimes known for the axiom that there is nothing so arrogant as a self-righteous income redistributor. With President Obama this problem is profoundly evident.
But I hope at the very least this election gives him pause. Obama, once thought to be a great communicator, has lost his ability to connect to the American people. Since taking office Obama has become professor-in chief, lecturing Americans rather than understanding them. As a former professor of economics, I know the problem well.
Campaigns are about platitudes, classrooms are about theories — but running a country means recognizing where these abstractions fall short. If he sees why delivering his message has failed, he will realize why his policies failed. Obama, in message and policy, has been unwilling to reflect the will of the American people and this election shows that clearly.
If he hopes to win in 2012, Obama must bring his message back in line with the American people. While I doubt bipartisanship will return, the faintest signs of cooperation would be welcomed by the public and would do wonders for Obama’s image. I’ve always said: “It’s better to be pleasant surprise than a bitter disappointment.”
– Dick Armey is former House majority leader and current chairman of FreedomWorks in Washington, D.C.
The captivation Americans had with Obama’s “hope” and “change” a mere two years ago has vanished. In fact, yesterday’s election results demonstrate a major referendum on the liberal policies of Washington’s Democratic regime. Instead of moving full-speed ahead, Americans have put the brakes on Pelosi and Reid’s progressive agenda. President Obama will finally be faced with resistance to his negative policies rather than a legislative rubber stamp.
Candidate Obama promised transparency and pledged to work across the aisle. But President Obama hasn’t met with House Republicans in almost a year. With two years remaining in his presidency, he cannot continue to ignore us. Obama must consider cooperation as we work to advance commonsense solutions to bring about limited government and fiscal stability.
The new House majority stands ready to defund Obamacare in the 112th Congress as we move towards a repeal of the whole monstrosity. Our nation cannot handle the impact this trillion-dollar bill will have on our bottom line; instead Republicans will introduce reasonable and affordable solutions. We will focus on worthy alternatives like tort reform or allowing users to buy health care across state lines. In addition, Obama will be directed to order Health and Human Services to cease running pro-ObamaCare advertisements on the taxpayer dime.
If President Obama requests any new government takeovers in the next two years, we will provide a resounding “no.” While GM and Chrysler struggle to repay their government bailout, Ford Motor Company announced $1.7 billion in third quarter profits last week. The majority will provide legislation to get out of the mortgage industry by cutting ties with Fannie and Freddie. Additionally, federal involvement in the student loan industry needs to end.
We look forward to working with President Obama on energy production within our borders. We have the greatest resources in the world available to us and energy independence is possible. While still ensuring the highest safety standards, Congress can legalize production of natural gas, clean coal, nuclear, hydro, petroleum, wind and solar energy without federal subsidies. Environmental policies must not circumvent the legislative process— regulations need to originate out of Congress, not from unelected officials at the Environmental Protection Agency who serve at the discretion of the president.
We will be happy to present a balanced budget to President Obama with no unnecessary spending increases or new taxes. During Pelosi’s speakership, our national debt increased by $5 trillion. We cannot continue burdening future generations with the dangerous spending habits such as the failed $787 billion “stimulus.” The majority will present clear policies to ease our dependence on China and look to grow stable economic conditions here at home.
President Obama, we realize today is a difficult day for you. The enthusiasm from 2008 is gone and your “hope” and “change” no longer inspire. When you are ready to work with us, you know where to find us. We will be down the road at the Capitol, defunding ObamaCare, implementing fiscal sanity, and bringing certainty to the marketplace, small businesses, and American families.
– Rep. Bachmann is the Republican representative for Minnesota’s 6th congressional district, serving since 2007.
Upon his inauguration, President Obama said, “The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works.” Since then, however, this administration has nurtured record growth in both government’s spending and influence in taxpayers’ daily lives. And with more than 14 million Americans still unemployed and our national debt approaching $14 trillion, it is clear that Obama administration policymakers failed to understand the economic and psychological wounds big government inflicts upon our job creators. The federal government is too large and dysfunctional, as House Republicans and the citizens we serve have told the White House for two years. Last night, voters soundly rejected Washington’s excesses and sent a clear message: listen to us, stop growing government, and start cutting spending.
– Rep. Issa (R-CA) is the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
As the election returns are certified and reality settles in for the Washington power structure, I believe President Obama should begin by acknowledging the message just sent by the American people. No matter where they come from or how their last name is spelled, Americans value freedom from excessive government interference and oppressive taxation. That desire was the heartbeat of our nation’s first settlers and it continues today in people of every race, creed, and political party.
If the president really wants to turn around the national economy, I would encourage him to take a long look at the approach we’ve taken here in Texas that has resulted in our leading the nation in job creation for the past ten years. We’ve operated from a comfortable grasp of the government’s legitimate role in the economy: establishing a level playing field, then stepping out of the way.
Call it the “Texas Fourstep” if you like, but our success has a lot to do with four basic guidelines that have informed our decisions for nearly ten years. First, we don’t spend all the money, so we have resources set aside for a rainy day. Second, we maintain a regulatory climate that is predictable, so employers don’t get whipsawed by unexpected changes. Third, we went to great lengths to reform our legal system, amending our constitution with genuine tort reform that has cut down on a plague of frivolous lawsuits that were crippling businesses and driving doctors out of state. Fourth, we have made our schools more accountable so that our young people are getting better prepared to compete for high tech jobs.
It boggles the mind to consider the effect those four simple rules could have on our nation’s economy in terms of job creation and freeing up the capital that business leaders have socked away. Such an approach allows employers to focus on creating jobs, attracting investment and building prosperity. Unfortunately, the president would be swimming upstream against decades of institutional inertia and a power structure designed to acquire more power, not necessarily do what is best for our citizens.
That is why the states are so important to the resurgence of our national economy. I believe our Founding Fathers got it right when they included the 10th Amendment in the Bill of Rights, knowing that the states are the real laboratories of innovation. Rather than look for centralized solutions, I would hope that the president would focus on pulling back the intrusive tentacles of the federal government to free up the states to thrive.
Even Texas would benefit from a smaller federal government. To me, smaller government would put an end to unnecessary and unproductive cap & trade legislation, intrusive health care changes, and the increasingly unpredictable actions of everyone’s favorite rogue agency, the EPA. So I will continue to work with our state leaders and my fellow governors from both parties to encourage such changes as a way to get our nation back on track.
– Rick Perry is the governor of Texas.
One word.......”QUIT”
He should get to the back of the car.
Wrap his lips around a tailpipe in the White House garage?
Run away to India without the credit cards.
Resign!!!
November 2 will not convince the president that his policies are wrong, nor can it convince him to work alongside Republicans to reduce the national debt, stop deficit spending, and work toward responsible government. I’m sometimes known for the axiom that there is nothing so arrogant as a self-righteous income redistributor. With President Obama this problem is profoundly evident.
Sad to say, but this is true.
Go to prison
Go p*ss up a rope?
How about resign? Frankly, Joe Biden couldn’t be any worse.
Jump off the Talahatchee Bridge!
How about Seppuku?
I really like her a lot, too. She’s got a great future.
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