Did you get a chance to watch President Obamas attendance at the House Republicans retreat today? He spoke for a bit then to my surprise the cameras stayed on and he took QUESTIONS from the repubs, are ya shocked?? I mean with the cameras? The White House asked if the cameras could stay on and the repubs agreed, BUT... afterwards, according to Luke Russert, GOP aides said it was a mistake to allow cameras into Obama's QA with GOP members. It allowed Obama to refute GOP talking points for 1.5 hours on TV. I think it was a great idea! I hope you will try and watch it on C-Span, it was a good showing of Obama and his defending his agenda while also letting the American people know he IS listening to the GOP even if they cry he isn't. He let them know just because they offer up suggestions does not mean they will be included in policy making if they don't work. The right and left have goals in common but also differ greatly on some policy. President Obama will not pander to the right when he feels their ideas are WRONG for the country.
Obama said a GOP-driven "politics of NO" was blocking action on bills that could help Americans obtain jobs and health care. He accused Republicans of portraying health care overhaul legislation as a "Bolshevik plot," saying that strategy, when they talk to their constituents, doesn't give them any room to negotiate. There were moans and groans from the repubs after that remark! But it's the truth, don't they remember last summer and the death panels discussions?? How quickly they forget!
During the sometimes-barbed exchange, he said some in the audience have attended ribbon-cutting ceremonies for projects funded by the stimulus package they voted against. Obama also questioned why Republicans have overwhelmingly opposed his tax-cut policies, which he said have benefited 95 percent of American families. One repub asked Obama if he would agree to an across the board tax cut. It's always about taxes for them isn't it! I don't get it! Anyway, Obama said he could not see giving a tax cut to those like Warren Buffet, the billionaires don't need tax cuts! (you will NEVER convince a repub of that though!)
Afterwards an Arizona republican spoke, he said last year President Obama promised to work in a bipartisan way but he has not kept his promise. Total bullshit again from the whiny repubs. Obama has tried and will continue to try to work with the GOP. It's time for them to realize they are the minority. It can't always be about them.
Great job Mr. President!!
