So Boener, predictably, said "no" -- this is the part where Obama uses the bully pulpit and says...

[phantom power]

"America, why does the GOP not want you to have a job?" "Why does the GOP love child poverty?" "Why do they hate America?"

This is where you don't back down, and make the GOP own their shitty attitude and shitty policies.

Because the alternative is to validate their shitty attitude and shitty policies. Explicitly or implicitly.

[WCGreen]

1. I think president Obama thought he would give a speech and it would

all fall into place.

He always sets the stuff on the table and them kind of leaves it as is.

I like that he is going out and trying to sell the plan, and it does look like he is putting his presidency on the table...

But I think he set a dangerous pattern back with Health Care.

He needs to get an army of political people out their talking in unison like the GOP does.

Don't apologize and always mover forward...

[phantom power]

2. Obama's stance on this so far is encouraging to me.

It may be too little too late, but either way, this is what I keep hoping to see from him.

[frazzled]

3. That army of people it would seem should be Democrats ... BUT

the only Democrats who have opened their mouths so far pretty much have been ones criticizing it for "singling out" the poor oil and gas industry for higher taxes, or treating wealthy people unfairly. Honest.

It won't matter how hard Obama fights for it and how many Americans think it's a good idea. The Republicans (and some Democrats) are going to say no. And without any Democrats openly fighting for it, it's doomed for failure.

The lesson from this is: it doesn't matter what the President says. The bully pulpit is largely a myth. If Boehner wants to say no, that's the way the ball is going to bounce. There are only two things to do then. Let them kill it, or change it enough to get some votes out of them. Neither is a good solution. Neither is Obama's fault.

[RaleighNCDUer]

10. The bully pulpit is NOT a myth. If he speaks strongly and convinces

a couple million people to write to their congresscritters DEMANDING they support his plan or risk losing their next election, those people will be listened to. That is the entire purpose of the bully pulpit - to get the public to override congresscritters' personal agendas.

Boehner is NOT more powerful than the President. Unless the President allows him to be.

There IS a world outside the beltline, you know.

[TheWraith]

15. The "bully pulpit" as you imagine it is, and always will be, a myth.

There are already millions of people writing to their congresscritters. It doesn't make a difference, because the Republicans don't give a shit.

Case in point: Obama is touring the country right now, hammering this bill everywhere he can, but you still imagine that he's "not using the bully pulpit" because it's not working the way you think it should. But it just doesn't.

[msongs]

4. this is where Obama says "If you love me you will pass this bill" pathetic ent it? nt

[gratuitous]

5. This is called follow through

Will the President, who golfs and plays basketball, realize the importance of following through on his proposal? Yes, the time is now (and has been for too long) to tie the Republicans' negativity around their scrawny and not-so-scrawny necks. "What we've been doing hasn't worked, and the Republicans want to keep doing it! I say, and the Democratic party says, we need to get the people who've been riding in the luxury compartment out of the wagon and get them to help pull it!"

But that's probably not sensible. And certainly not very bipartisan.

[SidDithers]

7. "who golfs and plays basketball"...

Holy Christ!!! He golfs and plays basketball!!!!

Elevenses!!1!1

Sid

[gratuitous]

9. Shoulda expanded it for the physics-challenged

By mentioning the President's ability at golf and basketball, I meant to say that just like a golf swing or a jump shot, follow-through is crucial in politics. If you don't have a follow-through on your golf swing, you'll lose a considerable amount of distance. If you don't follow through on your jump shot, you'll think your name is "air ball" from the crowd chants. In politics, if you don't follow through on your proposals, you'll find that they go nowhere, exactly as you would expect in golf or basketball.

Does that explain it, or should I post some You Tube videos?

[Itchinjim]

16. You're my hero SidDithers!

Jim

[Bandit]

6. Guess what Obama will do then...

:shrug:

[ItNerd4life]

8. Democrats aren't supporting his 'bill' either.

So does this mean Democrats have shitty policies too? Maybe it's Obama's policy that is shitty.

[AndyTiedye]

11. The Repiglickins effin OWN the Bully Pulpit!

The "bully pulpit" is the Tee Vee. The Repigs OWN all the Tee Vee stations.
Yes, they'll still let Obama on for half an hour or so to give a speech once
in a while, but the other 167 1/2 hours of the week belong to the Repigs.

Some stations won't even break away from their regular programming to put O on the air.

[ThomWV]

12. And if he caves on this one, then what?

[Lionessa]

13. Y' think? I'm sure it's what he SHOULD do, but to date this is when he rolls

over and gives in, otherwise referred to as caving.

Now the other problem is that he's been cowing to Repubs and Wallstreet for almost three years, we truly cannot wait, as he said, another 14 months to get a stimulus bill through.

So I don't know. I was a puny stimulus again anyway.

[dtexdem]

14. "I'm caving. America doesn't need jobs."

Oops, did I get the script wrong? Well, actually, I hope so.