Obama and Jobs: Why I Don't Believe Him Anymore

[Better Believe It]

Obama and Jobs: Why I Don't Believe Him Anymore
by Matt Taibbi
September 6, 2011

I remember following Obama on the campaign trail and hearing all sorts of promises before union-heavy crowds. He said he would raise the minimum wage every year; he said he would fight free-trade agreements. He also talked about repealing the Bush tax cuts and ending tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas.

It's not just that he hasn't done those things. The more important thing is that the people he's surrounded himself with are not labor people, but stooges from Wall Street. Barack Obama has as his chief of staff a former top-ranking executive from one of the most grossly corrupt mega-companies on earth, JP Morgan Chase. He sees Bill Daley in his own office every day, yet when it comes time to talk abut labor issues, he has to go out and make selected visits twice a year or whatever to the Richard Trumkas of the world.

Listening to Obama talk about jobs and shared prosperity yesterday reminded me that we are back in campaign mode and Barack Obama has started doing again what he does best – play the part of a progressive. He's good at it. It sounds like he has a natural affinity for union workers and ordinary people when he makes these speeches. But his policies are crafted by representatives of corporate/financial America, who happen to entirely make up his inner circle.

I just don't believe this guy anymore, and it's become almost painful to listen to him.

Read the full article at:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/obama-and-jobs-why-i-dont-believe-him-anymore-20110906

[SidDithers]

1. "Anymore". LOL...nt

Sid

[JoePhilly]

24. My first thought as well. nt

[GoCubsGo]

48. Ditto. n/t

[Creideiki]

49. HE NEVER REALLY LOVED HIM!

I bet he doesn't perform ablutions 7 times a day at the appointed times, also. Why, I have PROOF that Taibbi once missed Matens.

Therefore, ad hominem attacks against him are not only valid, but necessary.

[SidDithers]

53. You want ad hominem? Fuck Matt Taibbi...nt

Sid

[Name removed]

54. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

56. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[d_b]

61. no u

[SidDithers]

63. u 2...nt

Sid

[d_b]

64. no uuuuu

[Scurrilous]

2. SSDD

:thumbsdown:

[Atman]

3. I believe Jobs! He's a guru!

Obama...not so much.

.

[SusanaMontana41]

32. hahahahahahahaha ...

:rofl:

[treestar]

4. Does he believe in the Republicans then?

Gotta believe in someone.

[Erose999]

10. Vee arr Nihilists! Vee belief in nuffink!!

And tomorrow vee come back and vee cut off your Johnson!!1!

[Quantess]

60. Not me. I don't "believe in" Obama or any of the Republicans.

False dilemma. I plan to vote for the Democrat, but that's what you'd call voting for the lesser of 2 evils.

[progressoid]

65. +1

[Autumn]

5. Matt Taibbi is right

Obamas policies are crafted by representatives of corporate/financial America. Sure he might talk tax cuts for the middle class but the poor don't exist in his world. K/R

[LooseWilly]

58. With the possible exception of John Edwards, no politician I've ever heard acknowledges the poor...

Not Dukakis, not Reagan (except the Cadillac welfare queens), not Ferraro, not Bush I, not Clinton, not Quayle, not Brown, not Dole, not Gore, not W Bush, not McCain, not Dean, not even Kerry... not Clinton, and not Obama.

It's like they're afraid that the poor will be insulted if they're not called "middle class"... or, more likely, they consider the middle class to be as poor as they care to acknowledge... because anything poorer must be the result of... "their own fault"? "laziness"?... it's hard to know how that sentence really ends.

Taibbi's "rough language" just barely scratches the surface of what the poor who are courageous enough to pay attention to how they (we) are being fucked over really feel...

[mfcorey1]

6. More braiswashing poo poo. Moving on. Nothing of substance here.

[roguevalley]

36. explain why

[frazzled]

7. There are some misleading generalities in there

1. Obama never said he opposed free-trade agreements. He said he opposed free-trade agreements that do not include labor and environmental protections." He said that over and over again, not a blanket opposition to free-trade agreements. As proof, an article from the time outlining the candidate's positions:

President Obama generally supports free trade policies, though he has expressed concern about free trade agreements that do not include labor and environmental protections. In a February 2008 speech at the General Motors plant in Janesville, Wisconsin, Obama said he "will not sign another trade agreement unless it has protections for our environment and protections for American workers." In June 2008, Obama blamed a jump in the U.S. trade deficit on "policies that reflect unprecedented fiscal irresponsibility and borrowing from abroad" and promised to adopt a trade policy that "serves the interests not just of multinational corporations but of America's hardworking families."

http://www.cfr.org/experts/world/barack-obama/b11603

So why would he support the Korea free-trade agreement, given these past positions?

Labor Rights: The agreement sets high standards for protection of workers’ rights in trade agreements
– including obligations for Korea to respect fundamental labor rights, not to weaken the laws that reflect
those rights in any way, and to effectively enforce labor laws designed to ensure a level playing field for
American workers to compete. The agreement contains groundbreaking labor elements that were first
outlined on May 10, 2007, in a bipartisan, Congressionally-led initiative to incorporate high labor
standards into America’s trade agreements. The Korean government, which has already demonstrated a
significant commitment to labor rights, will be held to the same level of accountability for meeting labor
commitments as it is for meeting other commitments in the agreement.

Environmental Commitments: The Environment Chapter of the U.S.-Korea agreement contains
groundbreaking environmental elements that were first outlined in the bipartisan, Congressionally-led
May 10 initiative to incorporate high environmental standards into America’s trade agreements. Under
the agreement, the Korean government – which has already demonstrated a significant commitment to
environmental protections – will be held to the same level of accountability for meeting environmental
commitments as it is for meeting other commitments in the agreement.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/fact_sheet_overview_us_korea_free_trade_agreement.pdf

2. Obama never said he would raise the minimum wage each year. He said he wanted to "“expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, and raise the minimum wage and index it to inflation.” http://www.spotlightonpoverty.org/obama_overview.aspx

So why hasn't the minimum wage increased since the 2007 (Democratic Congress) wage increase that would increase over 2 years by $2.10 (effectively ending in 2009)? Well, two reasons. Congress hasn't voted another one, and that isn't likely to happen with a Republican House. Second, there has been zero inflation since the 2008 recession. As for the Earned Income Credit, that was increased in the 2009 Recovery Act.

The Earned Income Tax Credit gives millions of working families the break they need, and thanks to the Recovery Act, more Americans will qualify for an even larger credit than ever before. The Recovery Act expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit for larger families struggling to get by and cut the marriage penalty that millions of families face.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/statement-president-obama-earned-income-tax-credit-awareness-day

[Better Believe It]

8. "Second, there has been zero inflation since the 2008 recession." You're kidding .... right?

So prices have remained flat or over gone done for food, gas and other essentials since Obama has been President!

Well, that's certainly nice to know.

I'll have to remember that the next time I go to the grocery store or gas up the car.

Thanks for the info.

[WDIM]

13. They cooked the books.

Zero inflation is an obvious lie to any consumer of just about anything!

[frazzled]

14. Essentially, it's been very low (well under 3% and for some months negative)

That is what happens when the economy stalls. Many economists have been arguing that the Fed is too worried about inflation, and its policies have kept it too low.

Low (as opposed to zero or negative) inflation may reduce the severity of economic recessions by enabling the labor market to adjust more quickly in a downturn, and reduce the risk that a liquidity trap prevents monetary policy from stabilizing the economy.<10> The task of keeping the rate of inflation low and stable is usually given to monetary authorities. Generally, these monetary authorities are the central banks that control the size of the money supply through the setting of interest rates, through open market operations, and through the setting of banking reserve requirements

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflation

[roguevalley]

38. add two bucks to everything. food is expensive.

[JoeyT]

57. Well, we don't count any of that silly frivilous stuff.

Gas, food, and utilities aren't important. The important stuff is actually getting cheaper. And by important stuff we mean cell phones, iWhatevers, computers, and everything else that's manufactured in China.

[StarsInHerHair]

52. some youtube vids

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMiUZLQ7ywc&feature=fvst A Look at Minimum wage hike proposed by Obama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5voSHCn6NE Candidate Obama says, "Denied Right To Bargain, I'll Walk Picket Line With You"

[Sheepshank]

9. the purpose of this op ed piece is.....?

for any op ed like this there are dozens in favor of what Obama does. So what is the purpose of posting this opinion piece of shit lying, self aggrandizing dribble?

[Better Believe It]

12. Do you wish to critique the article or do you prefer low-level personal attacks against the writer?

[Dragonfli]

18. The right wingers hate Matt Taibbi, no matter what party they claim to represent. You should not be

Surprised by this anymore.

The right has taken over the Democratic brand and you need to understand that they see the world through the eyes of the bankers and hedge funders.

Why some of them feel this way when they are excluded from the wealth will always puzzle me, perhaps some of the people posting today are "very comfortable" (well off) by the "new normal" standards of the American working class, or maybe they just think that surely it will be them one day with so much money that the wealth coddling will benefit them.

My own theory is that they endorse policies that are against the interests of themselves and most of the population because they are secretly masochistic self loathing Democrats.

[Sheepshank]

22. Please point out where I attacked anyone but the article.

While you're responding, how about answering the 'non-attack' question?

[Better Believe It]

31. So you consider the following a flattering description of the writer or learned rebuttal??

"opinion piece of shit lying, self aggrandizing dribble"

[Sheepshank]

33. LOL RW tactic of parsing sentences...lets see

what I really wrote, "So what is the purpose of posting this opinion piece of shit lying, self aggrandizing dribble?" Nope, still seeing any attack on you.

I understand that you don't want to address the actual question...instead attempt at a diversion. So let me remind you...Here, let me paraphrase a titch: So tell me, why do you post such dribble, what is the purpose?

Thanks.

[Better Believe It]

42. Enough b.s. personal attacks from you. This is a discussion board. Not a trash talk board.

You've just earned a place on my ignore list.

Bye.

[Denzil_DC]

45. Ooh! Ooh! Place me on ignore, too!

But before that, explain why your only input here is to repost a continuous stream of the most negative articles you can find on the interwebs - in this case pre-pooh-poohing a speech Obama hasn't even made yet.

Your fans are keen to know.

[fascisthunter]

47. that's an ignorant statement... he posts very informative articles

and you can't handle the content of those articles or you'd be able to counter it.

[Number23]

51. When you get an answer, can you make it an OP?

Lots of folks are dying for an answer to that question.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

50. I'm sure that breaks his heart

Hypersensitive are you? In no way did he insult you.

[Tesha]

46. (The quiver is empty, ergo...) (NT)

[roguevalley]

39. because Taibi is a good writer and tells a lot of truth. why not tell us

why its what you say it is? Why should we take your word without your facts?

[Threedifferentones]

62. This article is based around two simple facts.

1. All of Obama's economic advisers, and really his whole "inner circle," are from the Washington and Wall Street establishment. None of them were punished for failing to foresee (many would say causing) our economic mess. Instead, they continue to get rich at our expense. If you don't believe me, check out his advisers and research their backgrounds.

Given this first simple fact, the second should not surprise us.

2. Obama's speeches to progressive and labor groups are far more potent than any actual policy he has pursued. He continues to talk the talk when he is considered about next election, but never actually does anything to dismantle our corrupt status quo.

Unlike these simple facts, pro-Obama posts almost all revolve around the same argument: Obama is working as best he can to change the system from within, but even a man of his great intellect can only maneuver the Republicans so much. Often times DUers also claim that those of us who are fed up with OBama just can't see the big picture. They say that if we give him time we will also come to see that what look like big losses for our side are in fact a path to victory. To use the now exhausted analogy, though Obama appears to be losing pieces left and right, he is in fact setting up a trap for check-mate.

Of course you can believe this if you want, I understand how important faith is to avoid depression. But, sooner or later the American people are going to wake up and realize we need big time, fundamental changes, not an endless string of comforting speeches and band-aids. We are going to see that getting money and power back into the hands of the working classes requires drastic action.

The big question no politician is addressing: Since most jobs can be easily outsourced to a place where a lack of unions and safety regulations keep wages at a slave-like low, how do we keep the American workers' standard of living up?

Put another way: America as a whole is still wealthy and profitable, but the working class is struggling more than they have in decades. Given the fact that Americans are convinced the government exists to hinder them and not to help, how can we change this?

[joeybee12]

11. It is painful to listen to him...I switch the radio stations when he comes on...

Just like I did under Bush.

[WDIM]

15. Where are the promises

Obama is proving to be quite the corporatist.
I really hoped for more.
It makes you wonder if it was all just an act or maybe the president is truly powerless and there is somebody else who is pulling the strings. All he has is words.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Autumn]

17. BBI just posted the article. Tabbi is the one

who wrote the article about how he, Tabbi feels.

[MineralMan]

20. Thanks. I doubt I'd ever have been able to figure that out.

Having read most of BBI's posts here, which are almost invariably of writings in opposition to all things having to do with Obama, I believe I understand BBI. But, thanks for explaining.

[Autumn]

25. Your welcome

just explaining that the words that were so offensive were were not by BBI. I'm glad he posts these articles. They are thought provoking.

[MineralMan]

26. Well, they provoke something, for sure.

Kind of like a finger to the back of the throat for me. We know that BBI didn't write this. That's very clear.

[MineralMan]

19. I doubt that Matt Taibbi ever believed him.

In fact, I doubt that I believe Matt Taibbi about much of anything. It's become almost painful to read him here everytime he types something on his keyboard. I think I won't read him any longer on DU.

[WI_DEM]

21. Day in and day out all you do is criticize Obama--it's rare I see a post by you taking on the GOP

[JoePhilly]

23. Don't expect one.

[MineralMan]

27. Well, to be fair, the OP didn't write this. It's just part of the series

of material written by others opposing President Obama that get posted here on such a regular basis. We don't really know how the OP feels about this, since the OP hasn't written an opinion of the article posted. Yeah...that's the ticket...

[Fumesucker]

28. The OP has an agenda..

Who doesn't have an agenda?

[MineralMan]

29. You don't say...

I just thought the OP was bashful about posting a personal opinion of these articles. It just goes to show; you never can tell. :shrug:

[SidDithers]

34. To be fair, BBI is also critical of the "Da-Lie Lama"...

and the Tibetans terrorizing the poor, defenseless Chinese.

Sid

[Bluebear]

40. The OP never really loved him

:cry:

[Bobbie Jo]

41. Neither did Mitch McConnell.

What's your point?

[Better Believe It]

43. You clearly don't read most of my posts. You're dead wrong.

Do you wish to post a rebuttal of the article or would you rather whine and complain?

[Bobbie Jo]

44. Okay, let me get this straight.

You can copy/paste hit piece after hit piece, without any independent thought or substantive defense relative to what you've posted, and then sit back and DEMAND a rebuttal? Really?

Perhaps it's time to rethink your strategy.

[JDPriestly]

30. You can ridicule all you like, but Matt Taibbi is right,

and the truth he is presenting will become clearer as time goes on.

Obama's first and foremost goal was to pass a big giveaway for the insurance companies. His campaign was, with regard to the public option, a total lie. I will never forget hearing him speak just weeks before the bill was passed -- saying he was for a public option. All the while from what I can tell, his sneaky deals with big pharma and big insurance had been made.

He cannot be trusted. He doesn't even bother to apologize when he fails to do what he said he would do. He doesn't even bother to point a finger at those whom DUers claim force him to act against his will.

I find only two instances in which Obama had the guts to use his veto power:

Barack Obama
Main article: Barack Obama

December 30, 2009: Vetoed H.J.Res. 64, Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2010, and for other purposes. Override attempt failed in House.<32>
October 7, 2010: Vetoed H.R. 3808, the Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act of 2010.<33>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_vetoes#Barack_Obama

The Republicans' hero, Ronald Reagan used it 44 times!

same link.

That suggests to me that Barack Obama is quite happy with the legislation (little as it is) coming from his conservative to neo-conservative Congress.

Sad day for Democrats.

I am disappointed that no liberal Democrat, not one, has seen the handwriting on the wall and stepped forward to challenge Obama.

We are stuck with him. And of course, we will all, like good little sheepies, vote for him. At least I will. I wish I could be proud of him, but I just can't.

Whether he will be elected? Who knows?

[gholtron]

35. Then who should we believe?

Do we believe any of the republican candidates?
Do we believe anyone on Congress?
Who can create these jobs?
I agree that the President can't do it so who then?

[amborin]

37. kr

[Hissyspit]

55. kick nt

[girl gone mad]

59. k & r

Thank you for sharing this. Taibbi hits on one of the facets of Obama's Presidency that frustrates me the most. While the President talked a progressive and moderate game, he filled his cabinet with stale old corporatists and sleazy neoliberal greedbags. The token policy wonks (e.g. Volcker) were promptly stuffed into a broom closet never to be heard from again.

[Chimichurri]

66. It's difficult to believe him and I'm trying very hard to.