Who is whispering in Obama's ear?

[Honeycombe8]

I'm not as upset w/Obama as most people in this forum are. And I don't think a primary challenger is a plausible way to go. I would, if I thought it would work or be helpful. But I don't. I think it'd make things worse, actually.

I think Obama has done some really good things. The administration has raised mpg requirements more than any other administration in history. They start taking effect in 2012. The clunker bill was successful. Tax credits for buying hybrids was a success; that's why we have choices to buy hybrids. Now there are tax credits for plug-ins, while companies seek to get those off the ground. And we'll have another choice in vehicles, besides gas or diesel or hybrid. Which is awesome. Then there was the killing of OBL that Bush/Cheney couldn't seem to do. There was also the healthcare reform act...this doesn't help ME, but it looks like it will help a lot of people who were falling through teh cracks before. And I recently looked at the gov. site of health ins. carriers, to see how much it would cost me to get ins. if I lost my job. The site is a HUGE improvement on how people shopped for coverage before. There it was...all the carriers and different policies who would insure me, with cost estimates. Big improvement.

But then comes all the things that Obama has done to disappoint me and others (and there have been some doozies). Extending the tax credits was a biggie for me. I understood that they did that, so they could move on to pass a couple of other bills during the lame duck session. Still...who remembers those other bills? All I remember is that they extended the Bush tax cuts. And the recent Keystone pipeline (huh?) controversy, and the stopping of instituting new stronger anti-smog bills. I understand the anti-smog bills; they're new and stronger. It would cost businesses more $ at a time that we're possibly still in a recession (who doesn't believe we're still in a recession?). Still....Obama was supposed to be the environmental President.

Then there's the continuing push of free trade agreements. Now, we all know the free trade agreements hurts our economy and takes our jobs. We've experienced that firsthand with NAFTA. This doesn't make sense to me...to push those deals.

So, I wonder....who...just WHO...is whispering in Obama's ear? Who has his full attention? Who is he listening to, that he is changing his core philosophy? I think it was Emmanuel, at one time. But he's gone, now. So...who is it, do you think? Someone is advising this President, and he is steadfastly taking that advice.

Biden? Daley? Harry Reid? Who? While I don't think Obama is a puppet, like Bush was...I don't think Obama is coming to these turnabout decisions all on his own. WHO does Obama trust so much, that he changes his belief system in order to take this other person's advice?

[PassingFair]

1. Do you really think it is ONE person?

It is corporate America.

[Broderick]

2. It's clearly in the water

Not really a voice, but something they drink when they get to DC.

[rug]

3. Got me.

[MannyGoldstein]

4. Always follow the money with this crowd

http://www.mogulite.com/corzine-blankfein-dimon-obama-dinner/
http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-says-he-is-cool-with-jamie-dimon-and-lloyd-blankfeins-bonuses-2010-2

[ibegurpard]

5. I think your assumption is mistaken

that he changes his belief system
I think he misrepresented his belief system to get elected

[jefferson_dem]

6. Michelle.

Does that offend you?

[ClassWarrior]

7. Wow, unrecs for a thoughtful, sensible post. This is criticism folks, not bashing.

Apparently many can't tell the difference.

NGU.

[ClassWarrior]

14. .

[Honeycombe8]

17. Thanks for noticing. I purposely made it NOT a bash, & listed some of the things...

I was glad he had accomplished. There are more, but the ones I listed were the highlights for me.

But this was a serious post. No President makes key decisions alone, in a vacuum. Someone (or someoneS) has a President's ear more than others.

[Honeycombe8]

20. Could be the unrecs are BECAUSE it wasn't a bash? Just a thought. ....nt

[TwilightGardener]

8. On the topic of free trade agreements--I will admit that I know little about

how this might impact our future economy and jobs. Conventional wisdom here is that NAFTA was bad, all free trade agreements are bad because we are always on the losing end. However, I see other analysis that the rest of the world is constantly developing these agreements, it's a global economy, and we'd be left out of these markets (and possibly have less demand for OUR products) if we didn't formulate these agreements. I can't give my opinion on the trade agreements until I read more about it from trusted sources.

The pipeline--that is a huge political and environmental conundrum. Probably half the country doesn't believe in global warming, but they do believe in DRILL BABY DRILL, and construction jobs, and less middle east oil (whether or not it actually stays here, who knows). They think the BP spill was an aberration and that the oil is worth the risk. Plus, the sands will be developed--it's a matter of whether we get involved or not. I have said, if Obama approves the pipeline, he will get hammered, and if he doesn't, he will get hammered.

The EPA decision--I can't get too worked up over that, it sounds like one of those "wish we could do it, but now's not the time" kind of deals--yes, based mostly on cost, but that's the way it goes. I didn't even know it was proposed until it was halted.

The tax cuts--one desperate last hope that keeping taxes low will result in the "job creators" finally creating jobs.

I know this is hard for people to believe, but Obama is certainly under the influence of corporate and industry money, same as any President before him. If he doesn't keep money and business interests happy, they will pour ALL of their funds into a Republican candidate, and that candidate will most likely win. (Look at Palin and Bachmann promising NO CORPORATE TAXES.) The Kochs and the Citizens United decision alone might make him lose. He is trying to balance the desires and demands of big business and industry with the needs of ordinary Americans--he needs both in his corner, unfortunately. Anyone who thinks he can be anti-capitalist, anti-Wall Street, anti-corporatist, and make his campaign run on nothing but volunteers and individual small donations and enthusiasm--and WIN--is smoking crack. He does not always get this balance right, however, and I don't mind people complaining about it--he needs to hear it.

Edit for grammar and backasswardness.

[zalinda]

10. 10 American Industries Still Hanging On

Donn Fresard, Matthew Mallon, and Justin Rohrlich, On Wednesday August 24, 2011, 1:20 pm EDT

For most of the last century, the United States dominated global manufacturing -- no country could compete with America's output.
In recent years, however, the news about domestic manufacturing has been discouraging, if not devastating. Industry surveys have shown a decline in most sectors as the US continues to lose its factories to cheaper labor markets overseas, and especially to China.

In 2010, the last remaining American flatware factory shut its doors. So did the nation's last sardine cannery. Recent years have seen the shuttering of America's last coat hanger factory, last button down shirt factory, and the entire sheetrock-producing town of Empire, Nevada -- which fell victim to the desiccated US housing market.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-America...15551.html

You have to wonder, with new free trade agreements, just what are these free trade countries going to buy from us?

zalinda

[Honeycombe8]

21. I first learned about free trade agreements from Ross Perot, when he ran for Prez.

He explained it on Larry King. He was a independent, a very wealthy business man who started and ran a successful company (a bazillionaire at the time).

He explained it like this: NAFTA is bad for the United States. If NAFTA passes, what you will hear is a large sucking sound, as Mexico sucks the jobs out of the U.S. And you won't just see one company go. One company will move its operations down to Mexico, because there are no environmental laws to speak of, and labor is dirt cheap, and there is no OSHA or worker protections. The U.S. can't compete with that because it's not a level playing field. IF ONE COMPANY GOES DOWN THERE, it's only a matter of time before the others in the same industry have to do that, too, in order to stay competitive.

He stressed that he is a business man and knows how these things work. While it would be good for the company that moves down to Mexico, it would not be good for the country. Mexico and other countries are too poor...THEIR companies won't be moving to the U.S. Why would they? Our workers are paid a lot more, there are worker safety precautions required, workers' compensation, and environmental regulations, as well as more taxes. It's a no brainer.

What Ross Perot said would happen if NAFTA passed has happened. Apparently the only ones it has helped are the companies. The jobs are apparently so poorly paid, and worker protections so weak, that Mexicans INCREASED their illegal entry into the U.S. after NAFTA, despite there being a lot more jobs there. And the filth from Mexico's air floats upward, and can be found in the Arctic Region.

So I'm naturally curious as to why a Democratic President would want MORE of the same. Esp one who is supposedly so concerned about unemployment. What is the benefit to him or others besides those companies? There must be one, for Presidents to keep pushing it.

[Cheap_Trick]

9. Bill Hicks on every new president

Whenever a new president is elected, Hicks explained, they'd take him into a smoky room and show him footage of the Kennedy assassination,..... And then say

'ANY QUESTIONS?....... I thought not.'


-Ichingcarpenter

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

24. Correction: They show a never before seen angle of the shooting.

[Vanje]

11. Preident Obama's ear belongs to

the very same people that had GW Bush's ear.

[paulk]

12. I don't think anyone is changing his "core philosophy"

Obama is what he has always been politically - a midwestern centrist - someone who, in a different era, we would have called a "Rockefeller Republican".

Nothing he's done as President should come as a surprise to anyone who paid attention during his Senate years, the primary, or read his books.

[styersc]

13. Maybe he doesn't like the left because we shout.

I guess whispering might be the key.

[Honeycombe8]

18. LOL! Hadn't thought about that. nt

[immoderate]

15. The good things all benefit corporations. Notice?

--imm

[roody]

16. Reccing since others are unreccing

[Mr Deltoid]

19. I see your rec and raise you 20+++

[Skittles]

22. certainly not WE THE PEOPLE

[opihimoimoi]

23. Ed Shultz....Rachel .....KO.....ETC

[Enrique]

25. Daley, Plouffe, Axelrod, Geitner, Biden

and Rahm when Rahm was there. Not Harry Reid, imo.

Also, he has listened to a few normal people that managed to get through to him, like the people heckling him about Don't Ask Don't Tell, and the people protesting about the deportations.