Obama: ‘I Would Be Considered a Moderate Republican’ in the 1980s"

[No Elephants]

Obama: ‘I Would Be Considered a Moderate Republican’ in the 1980s
By Elizabeth Harrington
December 14, 2012


President Obama told Univision 23 that his policies are “so mainstream.” (AP Photo)
(CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama says he would be “considered a moderate Republican” in the 1980s because his policies are “so mainstream.”

In an interview with Univision 23 on Thursday, a Spanish station based in Miami, the president was asked about the perception among some Americans that he has a socialist vision for the country.

“One issue that Cuban-Americans are worried about is, they believe that you favor a socialist model for our country,” Obama was asked, according to a transcript of the interview compiled by The Hill. “Cubans and Venezuelans especially because of what they have gone through. What do you think of that?”


<snip?

“The truth of the matter is that my policies are so mainstream that if I had set the same policies that I had back in the 1980s, I would be considered a moderate Republican,” he said.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-i-would-be-considered-moderate-republican-1980s


What a very startling statement for a Democratic President to make. Too bad Obama did not admit this back in 2007. Yet, Hillary was to his right.

So, who the hell is a Democrat supposed to vote for anymore?

[Contrary1]

1. I consider him to be a "moderate Republican" now.

Better than the alternative, but I long to see a real die-hard Democrat run. I probably won't live that long.

[No Elephants]

2. Better than which alternative?

Jill Stein? Rocky Anderson?

Democratic and Republican were not the only two choices on the ballot.

And are you sure voting "moderate Republican," something that you would never have done in the 1980s, is actually better?

Bush said he would "reform" OASDI, aka Social Security. He failed because Democrats opposed him.

Obama made the same pledge and is on the road to succeeding because Democrats, both those in office and Democratic voters, are supporting him.

I am beginning to see the "more effective evil" argument, but the LOTE (lesser of two evils) argument works for Democratic candidates just as much as the "yellow dog" argument ever did.

It's odd: Republicans insist on voting for what they actually want, while Democratic voters talk about yellow dogs and lesser of two evils.

And, btw, some of Obama's positions have been to the right of those of moderate Republicans in the 1980s, certainly to the right of Nixon--and I am guessing that you would not ever have considered voting for Nixon, either.

What would happen if every Democrat who talked that way voted for what they wanted, instead of voting out of fear that a Republican who is honest enough to admit to being a Republican might win? (Notice, Obama was not honest enough to make this admission until he had nothing to lose.) For instance, wWhat would happen if every Democrat who talked that way voted, say, Green?

Would that at least finally wake up Democratic politicians who think they have nothing to lose by going further and further to the right--that they can lose only by leaning left? If not, how and where will it finally stop?

P.S. If I get banned for this post, happy holidays and a good 2013 to you all, unless, of course, the Mayans are correct, in which case, I'll see you all soon in Mayan heaven (if they have one).

[formercia]

5. The local Democratic Party called me before the Election for help

I said I could not.

Then they asked me who I was going to vote for, and I replied: :The best candidate for the job."

I told them I would vote for the Independent Angus King.

The Dem Party once offered me a position as a field operative. I turned it down because I felt that I had enough of this Good ol' Boy, sneaking around and screwing with people to last several Lifetimes.

The last thing I want to hear someone say is: "Who else you gonna vote for?"

Don't take my vote for granted.

Poppy Bush had his operatives destroy my life because I had the nerve to question the legality of what they were doing in Central America. I paid the price for my beliefs. I swore to defend the Constitution, not some other flavor of Corporate Whoredom.

My 2 cents.

[No Elephants]

6. For an indie to win an election with 53% of the vote is very impressive.

Reminds me of Senator Sanders, who won when he ran for Mayor, even though Democrats and Republicans joined hands to back one candidate against him.

Also like Sanders, King will caucus with Democrats.

Seems more like Sanders than like Lieberman.

According to his wiki, there were rumors that he had made a deal with Dems, though he denied that.

Sounds as though he will be very interesting to watch.

Since 2010, when Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, I have refused a few requests for donations on the ground that the Democratic Party has gone much too far right for my tastes.

[Enthusiast]

3. The President says that as if it is a good thing.

It is not a good thing. Unfortunately the President does not appear to recognize this.

Reagan put us on a course that severely damaged the American middle class. It started with his attack on the air traffic controller's union. Then, under Reagan we started this massive wave of mergers, acquisitions, downsizing and outsourcing that cost hundreds of thousands of American workers their long term manufacturing jobs. And the nation has continued on this path of destruction ever since Reagan.

Keeping jobs in this country has not been a priority for the "job creators". This cavalier attitude toward the American worker has been aided and abetted by politicians of both parties. I remember listening to a Dubya Bush economic adviser on TV actually arguing that outsourcing jobs was beneficial to the nation.

So being a moderate Republican is certainly nothing to brag about as their policies have been a complete failure to anyone less than the very wealthy. The President needs to rethink his position on the issues. I suggest he get started soon before it is too late.

[No Elephants]

4. I don't think he will be changing his mind.