Associated Press | President Barack Obama is telling voters in
the Midwest that unless lawmakers tighten controls on Wall Street,
there’s no guarantee another economic crisis won’t hammer the heartland.
Making that link as he sells the Democrats’ financial regulatory reform
bill is a political imperative for Obama as well as an economic one.
He’s not on the ballot this fall, but his fellow Democrats face a tough
landscape brought on in part by the public’s wariness of his handling
of the economy.
The economic situation is getting back to normal on Wall Street, White House spokesman Bill Burton told reporters traveling with Obama Wednesday, “but if you look around Main Street and rural America, where we’ve been, we’re far from a normal that should be acceptable to anyone.”
On the issue of financial regulations, Obama and Democratic lawmakers see an opportunity to paint Republicans as obstructionists who stand on the side of Wall Street bankers, not middle-class America.
On Tuesday, the first day of a three-state economic tour through rural America, Obama ripped Senate Republicans for blocking debate on a bill that would impose greater federal control on the nation’s financial system.
“It’s one thing to oppose reform, but to oppose just even talking about reform in front of the American people and having a legitimate debate, that’s not right,” Obama said in Ottumwa, Iowa. “The American people deserve an honest debate on this bill.”
On Wednesday, before scheduled appearances in Missouri and Illinois, Obama made a surprise lunch stop at Peggy Sue’s Cafe in Monroe City, Mo. He ordered a cheeseburger and french fries to go. Much like Tuesday’s stop for pie and coffee in Iowa, it had trappings of a campaign event, with Obama shaking hands and making small talk with awe-struck bystanders.
Later Wednesday he was expected to continue his efforts to frame his administration’s agenda – from the $862 billion recovery act to the health care overhaul — as part of his plan to put the economy on a path toward a more sustainable future.
Obama appeared to relish the opportunity to get outside the nation’s capital this week. In Iowa, the state that jump-started his 2008 presidential bid, he made a surprise visit to a 140-acre organic farm, stopped for pie and coffee at a family owned restaurant, and shook hands and posed for pictures with the impromptu crowds that gathered as his motorcade sped through the state.
The president’s Midwest tour comes as economic forecasts show some signs of progress: The nation added jobs at the fastest pace in three years last month, the manufacturing industry is growing at a steady pace and new claims for jobless benefits have declined.
But 15 million Americans remain out of work, and most economic forecasts suggest it could be months or even years before the nation’s unemployment rate returns to more normal levels.
Barry Hussein, get your ****** @** back to Washington.
“On the issue of financial regulations, Obama and Democratic lawmakers see an opportunity to paint Republicans as obstructionists who stand on the side of Wall Street bankers, not middle-class America.”
Therein lies the problem. The OA and the democratically controlled Congress put together their version of what they deem is “appropriate” legislation. If one happens to oppose that legislation, they get labeled as an obstructionist by the POTUS and Congress. It seems to me that this is bullying/extortion. “If you don’t do as I say, I’m going to drop a label on you. If you don’t do as I say, I’m not going to have “the party” support you”.
Whatever happened to the campaign promise of transparent, bi-partisan government?
Financial reform is needed, but we don’t need more government (Consumer Financial Protection Agency) to provide it. Nor should we be allowing Congressional staff, who received (campaign) donations from the financial industry, the authority to draft legislative reform measures. The risk of unethical behavior by the lawmakers is too great.
Start over.
I have never seen a president that has to constantly “sell” his agenda to the AMerican people. I don’t understand why he feels he has to do this, afterall it is nothing more than a public relations trip. He has a more than enough lapdogs in Congress to do what he wants anyway.
They are blocking the discussion of reform. That’s the idiotic. At least have the reform discussion.
Thanks for the awsome comment J from KC. You sound like a very good person to have a discussion with.
roundlaketom – my suspicion is that obama is constantly ’selling’ his agenda because it works. stimulus bill – check. health reform – check. financial reform – almost there.
i just wish he would make saving the planet as much a priority.
Obama. All campaign, all the time. Sell Sell Sell. At some point, one would hope that President Training Wheels will actually stop selling and do something right…
Check out today’s piece in Politico.com. It describes how hard the Admin. comes down on those news outlets that dare disagree with the official line and how it doles out favoritism to media who will uniformly agree with them. Interesting stuff.
Great Country. Great President. Go Dems Go.
Obama is not a socialist.
Obama is a Corporatist.
Any person who believes that he is a Democrat, or that he is actually fulfilling his vow to preserve and protect the Constitution of our Constitutional Republic, is a person who is sadly deluded.
The whole “Dem v Rep” thing is simply a way to get people fighting against each other rather than standing against the travesty of our country being sold out to the big corporations over the last 30+ years.
People, get smart: Don’t buy into the B.S. Unite, and let’s throw the bums out in November.
Go home, you’ve earned enough money, and no one wants to pay for your services anymore. Enjoy retirement…please.
When will everyone stop piling on Wall Street and start piling on government? Talk about financial mismanagement, they’ve run almost everything they’ve touched into the ground. Run out of money? We’ll just raise taxes or print more.
With business, we can vote our disapproval by not buying their products or services. Government? Have to vote ‘em out, otherwise they’ll keep raising our taxes to cover their mistakes and corruption.
BO’s master plan is to legalize the “12 million” (in reality 30 million plus) illegal felon aliens (in exchange for filling out a democrat voter registration – probably will then give them a free ipod and a tax rebate like the rest of people who don’t actually pay federal taxes). When that happens – goodbye middle class, prosperity and basic freedoms we currently enjoy.