Slick Willy Still Impresses Me

[ABM]

You go, guy!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101210/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_clinton

 

[maxiep]

It's like Obama just gave up the presidency. What a weird moment. Also, who the hell is stupid enough to allowed themselves to be compared to President Clinton behind the lectern of the President? Like his policies or not, President Clinton had a greater command of both the big picture and the wonky aspects of policy than any President perhaps in history.

I'm always surprised to hear people say how smart President Obama is. The guy is a knuckledragger compared to President Clinton.

 

[Denny Crane]

I think Obama's intent is to weaken the presidency in general.

Whether the president should be a strong and powerful leader type or a co-equal with the other two branches is open for debate. It's not unreasonable for him to have Clinton on the podium with him like this, all things considered.

 

[maxiep]

I think Obama's intent is to weaken the presidency in general.

Really? I think he's done more to consolidate power in the office of the Executive than any other President since FDR through attempting to legislate by regulation. Having the FCC enact the fairness doctrine? Having the EPA enact cap and trade by making carbon a regulated substance? Secretary Sebelius and Donald Berwick running our nation's health care? The huge number of "czars" who are unaccountable to anyone but him?

Whether the president should be a strong and powerful leader type or a co-equal with the other two branches is open for debate. It's not unreasonable for him to have Clinton on the podium with him like this, all things considered.

I think the Federal Government is too powerful, period. That being said, splitting the scene because you're pussywhipped by your wife and leaving President Clinton to make his case for this tax deal was beyond bizarre.

 

[Denny Crane]

Like how he led on health care reform? Or was that him watching congress stumble around trying to find the right combination of bribes and half-assed policies that could get enough votes to pass via a parliamentary trick?

 

[barfo]

That's the great thing about Obama, he's whatever you want him to be. If you want him to be a tyrant, he's there for you. If you want him to be a weak leader, he's there for you. He's like a little black receptacle into which you can project whatever you dislike.

barfo

 

[maxiep]

Like how he led on health care reform? Or was that him watching congress stumble around trying to find the right combination of bribes and half-assed policies that could get enough votes to pass via a parliamentary trick?

Just because he was hands off on writing the legislation, doesn't mean the Executive Branch isn't the beneficiary. Your position is interesting, because most of what I've read has to do with Congress abdicating much of their power to the Executive Branch.

 

[maxiep]

That's the great thing about Obama, he's whatever you want him to be. If you want him to be a tyrant, he's there for you. If you want him to be a weak leader, he's there for you. He's like a little black receptacle into which you can project whatever you dislike.

barfo

How do you think he got elected? He was a blank canvas with only the words "Hope" and "Change" imprinted on it.

 

[barfo]

How do you think he got elected? He was a blank canvas with only the words "Hope" and "Change" imprinted on it.

He wasn't really a blank canvas, and he hasn't governed in an vague and mysterious way. It's just that people (on both sides) prefer mythology to reality.

barfo

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

It's like Obama just gave up the presidency. What a weird moment. Also, who the hell is stupid enough to allowed themselves to be compared to President Clinton behind the lectern of the President? Like his policies or not, President Clinton had a greater command of both the big picture and the wonky aspects of policy than any President perhaps in history.

I'm always surprised to hear people say how smart President Obama is. The guy is a knuckledragger compared to President Clinton.

Not only will I profoundly disagree with you, but must say Clinton was the best at extracting bj's and getting impeached.

 

[Denny Crane]

Just because he was hands off on writing the legislation, doesn't mean the Executive Branch isn't the beneficiary. Your position is interesting, because most of what I've read has to do with Congress abdicating much of their power to the Executive Branch.

The power was consolidated under W. He had Democrats scared of their own shadow so they gave him authority to go to war and reorganize the govt. into the Dept. of Homeland Security.

With all the power that was already in the executive branch, it isn't something that can be reduced overnight.

Granted, Obama looks weak.

 

[maxiep]

The power was consolidated under W. He had Democrats scared of their own shadow so they gave him authority to go to war and reorganize the govt. into the Dept. of Homeland Security.

With all the power that was already in the executive branch, it isn't something that can be reduced overnight.

Granted, Obama looks weak.

Tell me again, how this Democrat--who decried the Patriot Act and Guantanimo Bay--has done anything to shut them down? He hasn't. In power, he finds he agrees with them. But beyond President Bush's encroachments, he's found new ways to legislate through regulation. Check out what Cass Sunstein is doing, for example.

 

[MARIS61]

I voted for both of them and feel completely betrayed by them on this deal.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I would've liked to have seen the uproar if W had pulled Bush 41 to the lectern to tell the Press Corps why we should've, say, invaded Iraq or passed tax legislation.

 

[jlprk]

I voted for both of them and feel completely betrayed by them on this deal.

Ditto. I hate Obama now. On every issue he's helped Republicans, so we might as well elect a Republican president in 2012, so Democrats can more easily attack him while he does what Obama would have.