Hippie, I'm no Obama fan but from what I've seen, BO has tried everything the GOP has asked with them not budging on anything that he's asked. He has tried bipartisanship numerous times without any support at all. Again, I'm no BO fan because I think he got into office and either just straight up lied or didn't know what he was doing but to say that he hates Republicans is crazy because from what I've seen, he has tried his all to work with them but has gotten so much resistance that if he hated Republicans today, who can blame him?
I couldn't disagree more.
But it's true.
Take a look at his voting record in the Senate:
- Remember the debt ceiling debacle where he scolded Republicans for not raising the debt ceiling. But he did the exact same thing in opposing raising the debt ceiling back in 2006. He voted against it. Here's his quote back in 2006 explaining why:
"The fact that we are here today to debate raising Americas debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government cant pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Governments reckless fiscal policies.
Increasing Americas debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better."
He didn't even bother voting to raise the debt ceiling back in 2007 and 2008. The only time he voted to increase the debt ceiling under the Bush Administration was a second time in 2008 to authorize TARP.
- He consistently voted against Bush's appointees such as John Roberts and Samuel Alito for the Supreme Court, John Bolton as the Ambassador of the United Nations, Michael Hayden as CIA Director, Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General, multiple judges, etc. The only major Bush appointees he voted for were appointees that ended up with over 85 members of the Senate approving.
- He voted against the implementation of CAFTA, which created a free trade zone between the United States and Central America and opposed a free trade agreement with South Korea. He didn't even bother voting on a free trade agreement with Peru. But now that he's President he has fast tracked free trade agreements with Panama, Colombia, and wow....South Korea.
- Instead of finding a middle ground solution in regards to abortion, Obama decided to side himself with the extremist section of the pro-choice faction in the abortion debate. Even voting against reasonable legislation such as the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act which makes it illegal, excluding the minor's parents, to knowingly transport a pregnant minor across state lines in order to obtain an abortion, as a way to escape state laws requiring parental consent if the minor's life is not in danger.
- He has consistently voted on infringing the Second Amendment. Such as endorsing a ban on handguns in Illinois, holding gun manufacturers liable in things that aren't their fault, calling for a renewal in the Assault Weapons Ban, etc.
- He has consistently voted in favor of his labor allies such as authorizing the unionization of Air Traffic Controllers (even the very pro-union FDR opposed the unionization of federal employees).
- He was often ranked as one of the most liberal members in the Senate from both conservative and progressive groups. He was also called a rank and file Democrat and a Democratic loyalist.
Now take a look at how he's acted when he took over the Oval Office:
- Made no real serious efforts in courting Republican support for his major legislative goals such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He had 256 member Democratic majority in the House of Representatives and a 60 member Democratic supermajority in the Senate. He didn't even need Republican support and any so-called efforts were political theater that weren't really taken seriously.
- Once again provides massive support for his big labor buddies by supporting the Employee Free Choice Act, giving the UAW ownership stakes in the new General Motors and Chrysler, preventing Boeing from opening a plant in a right to work state, allows more federal employees to unionize, etc.
- Tells Republicans to get in the back seat, even though it was conservative Democrats who derailed many of his goals such as the Employee Free Choice Act and the public option.
- Intentionally installs provisions that have no chance of passing in his jobs bill, effectively killing it, just so he can play political chicken with the Republicans.
- Acts like the only adult in the room during the debt ceiling debacle even though he was acting just as childish and ruined negotiations to the point where the Democrats sidelined him out of the negotiations.
- Have you seen his most recent behavior?
Now I'm not saying that Obama is incredibly guilty while the Republicans are innocent. Because the Republicans are almost just as guilty as Obama is. But it's pretty plain, clear and simple that ever since he has been in Washington back in 2005, Obama has been nothing but incredibly partisan and shown nothing but disdain for the Republicans. Someone in his political ideology cannot be a uniter.
