The Audacity of Arrogance

[dogtowner]

a pattern of arrogance strong by any standard

I suppose we all knew much of this but take as an accumulation is pretty illuminating.

If you want to know why the Obama administration failed so spectacularly to defend Obamacare in the Supreme Court last week, look no further than a 2008 statement President Obama gave to author Richard Wolfe: "You know, I believe my own bulls--t."

This arrogance may have served Obama well when he had to take on the Clinton political machine, but it has also caused many of Obama's biggest failures in office. Going into oral arguments, the White House believed that the case for Obamacare was a "slam dunk" and that they would win 7-2, maybe even 9-0. It's just the latest example of Obama's arrogance crippling his effectiveness as president.

It's not that Obama is the only person in Washington with an inflated sense of his abilities. To borrow a phrase from "Apocalypse Now," calling a person arrogant in this town would be like issuing speeding tickets at the Indianapolis 500. But while the rest of the politicians are doing 85 mph in a 60 zone, Obama is blowing past them at 180.

Here is what Obama told aide Patrick Gaspard in 2008: "I think that I'm a better speechwriter than my speechwriters. I know more about policies on any particular issue than my policy directors. And I'll tell you right now that I'm gonna think I'm a better political director than my political director."

Obama's outsize vision of his importance had an almost instant policy and political impact. Just three days after he was inaugurated, House Republicans met with Obama to talk about what the tax portion of the stimulus bill should look like. This was a huge opportunity for Obama. If he had been more flexible and bipartisan -- if he had let some Republicans write the tax portion of the stimulus, in exchange for their votes -- Republicans would have had some ownership of the economy and their criticism of Obama on the economy would have been muted.

But Obama chose a different route. He insisted that the tax portion of the stimulus incorporate only his campaign promises. Republicans would get zero input on the bill. At that meeting, Obama told then-House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, "Elections have consequences, Eric. And I won." Not only that, but the White House press shop made sure to leak this quote far and wide as an additional slight.

Having educated Republicans on their proper role in his Washington, Obama then turned to health care. But restive voters didn't seem to be buying what the White House was selling. Democrats lost off-year elections in Virginia, New Jersey and finally Massachusetts. Surely the loss of Ted Kennedy's Senate seat would cause Obama to engage in some soul searching?

Nope. When Rep. Marion Berry, D-Ark., told Obama that the political atmosphere in his state felt a lot like 1994, when Democrats lost the House for the first time in two generations, Obama replied, "Well the big difference between here and in '94 was you've got me." Upon hearing those words, Berry chose to retire rather than run again. Democrats lost a record 63 House seats -- including Berry's -- and control of the House.

So where has Obama's arrogance gotten us as a country? Not only is his signature domestic accomplishment about to be declared unconstitutional, even if it is upheld, it did nothing to address Medicare's long-term funding problems. As a result, Medicare is set to cut doctor reimbursements by a third come Jan. 1.

Also coming Jan. 1 is a slew of expiring tax cuts that will burden our anemic economic recovery with a brand-new $5 trillion tax hike. Obama must also convince Congress once again to raise the nation's debt limit. Remember how well that debate turned out last August?

But don't worry. Obama is the most talented politician of our time. Just ask him. In 2004, after his Democratic National Convention speech, Obama told David Mendell, "I'm LeBron, baby."

So, how does LeBron do in crunch time again?

 

[cashmcall]

My take on it...I can't tell where Obama excels more as the Deficit hawk, or the jobs resident or the race and social class unifier. My point is that the economy can't go anywhere with this on its back. Many suspected Obama would be bad for business but few knew how bad. Bush was an idiot so our expectations of him were low. But the magical negro blew in on a cloud of hope and change and said he would transform America and in truth that he has done just that but in a way so negative that much of the country is convinced that Obama is wrong headed not about one or two things but essentially everything. There are even a whole group of moderate retread Democrats coming back into politics to try to save the Democratic party from going over the cliff. Bush's insane liberal agenda caught republicans by surprise. Conservatives just chalked it up to his liberal and worthless daddy. The entire bush clan has a severe mental defect, they are big gov. war loving big spending liberal republicans. Bush is a bookend for obama. They are so alike in their polarizing conduct and neither listen to anyone. They just head off in one stupid direction after another. ​

But end to end, obama is even worst than bush. He has chalked up more debt and killed more employment than bush did in eight years. Here we are rounding the final year in this awful term and awful economy and he's still blaming bush, or attacking Limbaugh or being a fire starter and race hustler over items in which he has no earth business invading. How utterly insane to get involved with Gates domestic idiocy or the Trayvon martin case. This astonishes. Its fascinating. Another thing that is bizarre about obama is that he doesn't read a thing. Unlike Kennedy who was a voracious and fast reader, Reagan had that gift of retention so he could read most anything and have command of the subject. Even Bush read occasionally; obama has not read a book in the last three years. He has been seen once reading a People Magazine article in which he appeared. Other than that, he doesn't read a thing. Larry Summers said that obama was chronically unprepared at meetings; he wasn't reading the briefings. That's why Summers left. ​

That reminds me. In Miami they have smash and grabs. The best way to prevent it is to put books in your back seat. Books repel losers. ​

Soon you will see the liberal press start to get worried about obama's chances and they will turn on him. that's the liberal way. ​

How about a no teleprompter debate. How about the press sticking a fork into the hotdog and cooking it on an opened flame. That is the way the press is supposed to behave. Get ready because liberals have to find blame in somebody else when things don't go well. And no Dems are asking for Obama to come campaign with them. In fact they don't want pictures with obama. That's a good start. ​

 

[Cruella]

This leaves me speechless.....

Obama Refers to Israel Concern Over Iran as 'Noise'

In an interview to air tonight on CBS's 60 Minutes, President Barack Obama will refer to Israel's concern over Iran's march toward a nuclear program as "noise."

"When it comes to our national security decisions -- any pressure that I feel is simply to do what's right for the American people. And I am going to block out -- any noise that's out there," Obama says,
tune in tomorrow......

 

[Centrehalf]

This leaves me speechless.....

Obama Refers to Israel Concern Over Iran as 'Noise'

In an interview to air tonight on CBS's 60 Minutes, President Barack Obama will refer to Israel's concern over Iran's march toward a nuclear program as "noise."

"When it comes to our national security decisions -- any pressure that I feel is simply to do what's right for the American people. And I am going to block out -- any noise that's out there," Obama says,
tune in tomorrow......

I can't believe I'm saying this but I side with Obama on this topic. I've never understood our commitment to Israel, I don't really care whether Israel lives or dies. I also think it's just a wee bit too late to worry about Nuclear Proliferation because the genie has been out of that bottle for awhile now. There is no danger of an Iranian unilateral nuclear strike, they're not that stupid, America isn't the only nation who would respond to that with overwhelming force. All I really see in this is the Israeli politicians trying to strongarm my country to see things their way, and quite frankly, I'm not impressed and I don't care.

 

[Openmind]

I can't believe I'm saying this but I side with Obama on this topic. I've never understood our commitment to Israel, I don't really care whether Israel lives or dies. I also think it's just a wee bit too late to worry about Nuclear Proliferation because the genie has been out of that bottle for awhile now. There is no danger of an Iranian unilateral nuclear strike, they're not that stupid, America isn't the only nation who would respond to that with overwhelming force. All I really see in this is the Israeli politicians trying to strongarm my country to see things their way, and quite frankly, I'm not impressed and I don't care.

You see, at times we could agree!

 

[Openmind]

This leaves me speechless.....

I would consider this a good thing!!!

 

[BigRob]

I can't believe I'm saying this but I side with Obama on this topic. I've never understood our commitment to Israel, I don't really care whether Israel lives or dies.

Our cultural connections, intelligence sharing, military cooperation, commercial cooperation, scientific cooperation all combine to make Israel a very important strategic ally.

I also think it's just a wee bit too late to worry about Nuclear Proliferation because the genie has been out of that bottle for awhile now. There is no danger of an Iranian unilateral nuclear strike, they're not that stupid, America isn't the only nation who would respond to that with overwhelming force. All I really see in this is the Israeli politicians trying to strongarm my country to see things their way, and quite frankly, I'm not impressed and I don't care.

It is not Iran obtaining a bomb a then using it that is really my worry on the matter. The simple fact is that when Iran obtains a weapon, Egypt will obtain a weapons, Saudi Arabia will obtain a weapon, most likely Turkey will make some large steps in that direction. If these other nations go this route (which their leaders have essentially said they would go), it would be devastating the stability of the region, and have a major economic impact here in the United States.

 

[Centrehalf]

Our cultural connections, intelligence sharing, military cooperation, commercial cooperation, scientific cooperation all combine to make Israel a very important strategic ally.

I know you study this topic more than I do, I'm curious: how much do we really gain from Israel?

It is not Iran obtaining a bomb a then using it that is really my worry on the matter. The simple fact is that when Iran obtains a weapon, Egypt will obtain a weapons, Saudi Arabia will obtain a weapon, most likely Turkey will make some large steps in that direction. If these other nations go this route (which their leaders have essentially said they would go), it would be devastating the stability of the region, and have a major economic impact here in the United States.

If you substitute Pakistan for Iran is this statement any less true? That's why I said the genie is out of the bottle.

 

[Cruella]

I would consider this a good thing!!!

Do you try to be nasty, or does it just come naturally?

 

[dogtowner]

Do you try to be nasty, or does it just come naturally?

One word :european

 

[BigRob]

I know you study this topic more than I do, I'm curious: how much do we really gain from Israel?

A lot in my opinion. Even more so from an economic standpoint. Our military uses many things developed and made in Israel. We have large companies doing a lot of business there, the intelligence sharing alone is worth a good relationship, we refuel planes there, can access naval ports -- we don't have to commit troops to that immediate area -- I believe it was a former Sec. of State (don't remember which one off hand) that said "Israel is the largest American aircraft carrier in the region -- and it cannot be moved, sunk, or displaced." -- I am not sure if that is the exact quote, but you get the intention.

If you substitute Pakistan for Iran is this statement any less true? That's why I said the genie is out of the bottle.

I don't think that is true -- for two main reasons I would argue. 1) Pakistan's issues when they went nuclear were not in the Middle East, it was really a defense against India, and nuclear Pakistan did not upset the balance of power in the Middle East because it really didn't offer a threat to others nation vying for regional hegemony -- this is not the case today with a nuclear Iran. 2) Technology hurdles and the Cold War. I don't think anyone in the Middle East could have really quickly obtained a weapon at the time Pakistan did, (without a lot of outside help) and I don't think they really had as much incentive. With the Cold War raging, the United States and Soviet nuclear deterrent umbrellas were more than enough to satisfy most governments. I think this is changing however.

 

[Cruella]

Obama: I’m ‘eye candy’ for The View

 

[Texas_tea]

I would consider this a good thing!!!

You consider the possibility of Israel being nuked by Iran a good thing?

If I understand your comment correctly ... I am also speechless!

 

[Texas_tea]

Obama: I’m ‘eye candy’ for The View

Narcissistic much??

 

[Openmind]

You consider the possibility of Israel being nuked by Iran a good thing?

If I understand your comment correctly ... I am also speechless!

Go back and look at the post where I said that. . . and see the PART of the quote that I was referring to. It has NOTHING to do with Iran or Israel!

No, I do not think Israel being nuked by Iran would be a good thing. . .but then I don't believe in it, as Iran knows that it would NOT be the end of the story.
And, look who is making the decisions in Iran. . . . and it is not the guy with the big mouth (which is pretty normal!)

In the other hand, I do not think that Iran being nuked by Israel would be a good thing either. . .and many Jewish people, both here and in Israel think like me.