This is not what leadership looks like

[Conan71]

Geez..you can't even remember two years ago.  Obama was the one who compromised - wrongly - on extending the Bush tax cuts.  Stupid thing to do at exactly the time when expiration would have been a good thing for our economy.  Except for the even better time about 2 years after they were first made.

Ummm, he had a majority in the House & Senate.  They were expiring with a bunch of lame ducks in the House who had been fired by the voters in November. 

He lacked the balls to do it.  Talks a good game though.

And according to most economists and even former President Clinton it would have been bad timing in terms of a recovery.  But what do they know?  I'm sure your engineering degree makes you a better expert on economic issues.

[RecycleMichael]

Ummm, he had a majority in the House & Senate.  They were expiring with a bunch of lame ducks in the House who had been fired by the voters in November. 

He lacked the balls to do it. 

He tried to work with republicans. What a mistake.

[nathanm]

As I recall, the legislation that would have kept the Bush cuts for the under $250,000 set while letting the rest expire was filibustered, and being after Kennedy died, they couldn't do anything about it without a crossover Republican. The entire package was extended because that's what could make it through the Senate. I suppose Obama could have pulled out a set of brass balls (you know, like the ones the Baldwin brother had in Glengarry Glen Ross) and beaten Senate Republicans over the head with them until one or more of them voted for cloture, but I suspect the commentariat would have found it unseemly.

[erfalf]

He tried to work with hang republicans. What a mistake.

Fixed it for you.

[erfalf]

As I recall, the legislation that would have kept the Bush cuts for the under $250,000 set while letting the rest expire was filibustered, and being after Kennedy died, they couldn't do anything about it without a crossover Republican. The entire package was extended because that's what could make it through the Senate. I suppose Obama could have pulled out a set of brass balls (you know, like the ones the Baldwin brother had in Glengarry Glen Ross) and beaten Senate Republicans over the head with them until one or more of them voted for cloture, but I suspect the commentariat would have found it unseemly.

You know the filibuster only works when you are trying to keep something from being passed. The thing was that the tax cuts were going to expire. If that's what the Dems really wanted, they would have let them filibuster until the cows came home.

[nathanm]

You know the filibuster only works when you are trying to keep something from being passed. The thing was that the tax cuts were going to expire. If that's what the Dems really wanted, they would have let them filibuster until the cows came home.

Yes, at the cost of increasing taxes on the very people they promised would not see tax increases.

[erfalf]

Yes, at the cost of increasing taxes on the very people they promised would not see tax increases.

If it was so important, why did they wait until after mid-terms, with no alternative in hand? Oh yeah, leadership...  

[nathanm]

If it was so important, why did they wait until after mid-terms, with no alternative in hand? Oh yeah, leadership...  

Kennedy was largely incapacitated even before the stimulus was passed not a month after Obama was inaugurated. He died in August that same year, after months of absence from the Senate. When, pray tell, should the Democrats have passed this legislation with their easy 60 votes?

[erfalf]

Kennedy was largely incapacitated even before the stimulus was passed not a month after Obama was inaugurated. He died in August that same year, after months of absence from the Senate. When, pray tell, should the Democrats have passed this legislation with their easy 60 votes?

The same time they passed plenty of other legislation. It's not as if there was nothing passed from 2009-2010. You know that.

Edit:

Plus, there were at least two time spans where there were 58 dems plus the 2 independents, one spanning from September 25th 2009 to February 4th of 2010.

[Conan71]

The same time they passed plenty of other legislation. It's not as if there was nothing passed from 2009-2010. You know that.

Edit:

Plus, there were at least two time spans where there were 58 dems plus the 2 independents, one spanning from September 25th 2009 to February 4th of 2010.

Come on Erf that flies in the face of everyone wanting to make excuses for poor leadership.

Do you ever recall people being so defensive for some of the boners Bush pulled in office?  I sure don't.

[nathanm]

Do you ever recall people being so defensive for some of the boners Bush pulled in office?  I sure don't.

People were defending Scooter Libby for outing Valerie Plame on this very forum. And people were sure as smile defending the Iraq War. Any other faulty memories we need to clear up before the election?

[erfalf]

People were defending Scooter Libby for outing Valerie Plame on this very forum. And people were sure as smile defending the Iraq War. Any other faulty memories we need to clear up before the election?

That Obama has been good for the economy. 

[nathanm]

That Obama has been good for the economy.  

On what planet is going from losing 800,000 private sector jobs a month to creating an average of 155,000 private sector jobs a month over the past year a bad record?

[Gaspar]

On what planet is going from losing 800,000 private sector jobs a month to creating an average of 155,000 private sector jobs a month in the past year a bad record?

The planet where at the same time 368,000 dropping out of the labor force completely is an issue. 

[erfalf]

On what planet is going from losing 800,000 private sector jobs a month to creating an average of 155,000 private sector jobs a month in the past year a bad record?

First, it was tongue in cheek. Supposed to be funny. But in all seriousness, what did Obama propose or do that created any of those jobs?