Sanders on What Obama's Biggest Mistake Was

[Indus]

from: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/09/ber...ly-appreciate-how-much-republicans-hated-him/

Bernie Sanders has some fundamental differences with President Barack Obama and his approach to governing in a partisan government. If he were to become commander-in-chief, he would not be as naive as the current president has been about working with a Republican-controlled Congress, the Democratic presidential candidate told a former top Obama adviser this week.

Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont whose policies are left of mainstream liberals, told David Axelrod that Obama made a "mistake" by expecting he could easily charm the other party into negotiating with him. “He thought he could walk into Capitol Hill and the Oval Office and sit down with John Boehner and Mitch McConnell and the Republicans and say, ‘I can’t get it all. You can’t get it all. Let’s work out something that’s reasonable,’ because he’s a reasonable guy. He’s a pretty rational guy,” Sanders said on the debut episode of “The Axe Files with David Axelrod” podcast.

“These guys never had any intention of doing [serious] negotiating and compromising,” Sanders added, according to a Politico report. “I think it took the president too long to fully appreciate that.”

When pressed further about it, Sanders didn't offer an explanation of how he would successfully compromise with GOP lawmakers. The only way things will get done with a divided Congress is if voters pay more attention and demand it, Sanders told Axelrod.

“I don’t have any illusion that I’m going to walk in -- and I certainly hope it is not the case, but if there is a Republican House and a Republican Senate -- that I’m going to walk in there and say, ‘Hey guys, listen. I’d like you to work with me on raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour,’” Sanders said. “It ain’t gonna happen, I have no illusion about that. The only way that I believe that change takes place…is that tens of millions of people are going to have to stand up and be involved in the political process the day after the election.”

Holy fuck.. Hope and Change meets Reality

He's the only person in the field telling it how it truly is without twisting the facts like Trump.

 

[fskimospy]

from: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/09/ber...ly-appreciate-how-much-republicans-hated-him/

Holy fuck.. Hope and Change meets Reality

He's the only person in the field telling it how it truly is without twisting the facts like Trump.

I would agree that in retrospect Obama's repeated attempts to find a compromise solution were too naive. I mean think about it, not only did Republicans categorically refuse to compromise on almost anything for his entire presidency, but conservatives have managed to convince themselves that OBAMA has been the uncompromising one. That doesn't seem like something you can reason with.

I think the biggest shift has been that Republicans are no longer particularly interested in governing. Back in the 90's, the Republican Congress wanted to show that they could pass legislation and make progress. I think the current Republican Congress does not feel the same way.

 

[MovingTarget]

I would agree that in retrospect Obama's repeated attempts to find a compromise solution were too naive. I mean think about it, not only did Republicans categorically refuse to compromise on almost anything for his entire presidency, but conservatives have managed to convince themselves that OBAMA has been the uncompromising one. That doesn't seem like something you can reason with.

I think the biggest shift has been that Republicans are no longer particularly interested in governing. Back in the 90's, the Republican Congress wanted to show that they could pass legislation and make progress. I think the current Republican Congress does not feel the same way.

Pretty much this. But, I'm glad that Obama at least tried to compromise and work with the GOP, even if it was all for naught. They had their chance to govern, and were then given a chance to be an equitable partner in governing once Obama took office. They did neither. History will remember these guys for the Know-Nothings that they are.

 

[Moonbeam]

The current Republican congress is dominated by a bunch of petulant mentally defective vindictive hate filled assholes who need to be destroyed mercilessly and without compromise because that is exactly how they operate, slash and burn, and the only way that is going to happen is via an American Revolution. The voting public will have to either selectively target them as enemy combatants or live in an America of cold hate.

The demonization created by the CBD is not responsive to shame which leaves only the scalpel to cure it's cancer. An implacable can only be dealt with implacably.

Liberals are the last to understand when enough is enough and the gloves have to come off. If you don't want to be demonized for demonizing, don't become a traitor. It is long past time to pretend Republicans aren't mentally sick and a threat to the nation.

And least we go mad ourselves in the process, it doesn't take a lot of brain power to distinguish between conservatives of conservative principle, and the rabid fear-mongering defective sick. America needs to learn to differentiate and treat the former with respect in political discussions and the latter as vermin.

But then we live in a country that has been put soundly to sleep by money, so what chance does Sanders have?

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Pretty much this. But, I'm glad that Obama at least tried to compromise and work with the GOP, even if it was all for naught. They had their chance to govern, and were then given a chance to be an equitable partner in governing once Obama took office. They did neither. History will remember these guys for the Know-Nothings that they are.

Besides calling them out in public speeches, when did Obama try to work with Congress? No, indirect speeches calling people out is not "working with" them - quite the opposite. It makes the opposition have a complete disdain for you because you are obviously too pathetic to talk to people face-to-face and have a real conversation about serious issues.

Just demand and then whine to the public when it doesn't go your way. Sounds like Obama.

 

[fskimospy]

Besides calling them out in public speeches, when did Obama try to work with Congress? No, indirect speeches calling people out is not "working with" them - quite the opposite. It makes the opposition have a complete disdain for you because you are obviously too pathetic to talk to people face-to-face and have a real conversation about serious issues.

Just demand and then whine to the public when it doesn't go your way. Sounds like Obama.

This is what I'm talking about. Do you genuinely not remember 2009? It wasn't THAT long ago. Go look at the actual history and try and say Obama didn't try to work with Republicans in Congress. Just try it.

If you guys genuinely think Obama wasn't trying to work with Republicans during the early part of his presidency all I can do is shake my head. How deluded can people be?

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

This is what I'm talking about. Do you genuinely not remember 2009? It wasn't THAT long ago. Go look at the actual history and try and say Obama didn't try to work with Republicans in Congress. Just try it.

If you guys genuinely think Obama wasn't trying to work with Republicans during the early part of his presidency all I can do is shake my head. How deluded can people be?

The most recent you can post about is 2009? A time in which Obama had a super majority congress?

I think you proved my point :biggrin:

 

[fskimospy]

The most recent you can post about is 2009? A time in which Obama had a super majority congress?

I think you proved my point :biggrin:

The post you responded to and in fact the quote by Bernie Sanders that is the subject of this thread is about how Obama was too naive early in his presidency where he tried to work with the Republicans in Congress.

Did you even bother to read the thing you were responding to before reflexively saying Obama wasn't cooperating with Republicans? Talking about proving someone's point, hahaha.

 

[1prophet]

from: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/09/ber...ly-appreciate-how-much-republicans-hated-him/



Holy fuck.. Hope and Change meets Reality

He's the only person in the field telling it how it truly is without twisting the facts like Trump.

The only reason sanders and trump are so popular is because the people are tired of empty promises and corporate smoke blown up their ass for the last 30 years by the establishment politicians (clinton & bush),

Obama had a chance to change things but he quietly got on the corporate train like the rest of them while pushing wedge issues.

 

[TheVrolok]

The post you responded to and in fact the quote by Bernie Sanders that is the subject of this thread is about how Obama was too naive early in his presidency where he tried to work with the Republicans in Congress.

Did you even bother to read the thing you were responding to before reflexively saying Obama wasn't cooperating with Republicans? Talking about proving someone's point, hahaha.

Analytical reading is not the strong suit of that group.

 

[fskimospy]

The only reason sanders and trump are so popular is because the people are tired of empty promises and corporate smoke blown up their ass for the last 30 years by the establishment politicians (clinton & bush),

Obama had a chance to change things but he quietly got on the corporate train like the rest of them while pushing wedge issues.

What wedge issues do you think he pushed?

 

[MovingTarget]

Besides calling them out in public speeches, when did Obama try to work with Congress? No, indirect speeches calling people out is not "working with" them - quite the opposite. It makes the opposition have a complete disdain for you because you are obviously too pathetic to talk to people face-to-face and have a real conversation about serious issues.

Just demand and then whine to the public when it doesn't go your way. Sounds like Obama.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-A09a_gHJc

:whiste:

 

[Indus]

The most recent you can post about is 2009? A time in which Obama had a super majority congress?

I think you proved my point :biggrin:

58 seats in the Senate is not a super-majority. You need 60. Obama has never had one and there hasn't been one since the Carter days.

 

[fskimospy]

58 seats in the Senate is not a super-majority. You need 60. Obama has never had one and there hasn't been one since the Carter days.

No, he had one as the two independents caucus with the Democrats. That's how he got health reform passed in the face of unanimous opposition by Republicans. While he didn't have 60 during the stimulus debate, his healthy majority helped him pass it in the face of... near-unanimous Republican opposition.

But yeah, why didn't Obama compromise more.

 

[Jhhnn]

Too bad Obama's first 100 days weren't like FDR's. He buried the Repubs for a generation, rightfully so.

As it was, Dems' perceived lack of action created a backlash allowing Repubs to win the 2010 midterms, particularly at the State level, then gerrymander themselves a sweet deal.

Obama wised up in the meanwhile as have Dems in general.

Sometimes I think we made the wrong choice in 2008- Hillary would have fucked 'em so hard they'd still be crying for their mommies. She understands Repubs quite well. The only thing they respect is power.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Sander's is wrong, and he's making the same mistake, which was not Obama's naivety in expecting that Republicans would work with him, but in expecting the media to not be utterly complicit with Republicans operating in bad faith.

 

[woolfe9998]

I would agree that in retrospect Obama's repeated attempts to find a compromise solution were too naive. I mean think about it, not only did Republicans categorically refuse to compromise on almost anything for his entire presidency, but conservatives have managed to convince themselves that OBAMA has been the uncompromising one. That doesn't seem like something you can reason with.

I think the biggest shift has been that Republicans are no longer particularly interested in governing. Back in the 90's, the Republican Congress wanted to show that they could pass legislation and make progress. I think the current Republican Congress does not feel the same way.

Yes, but as a criticism from Sanders, it doesn't carry a lot of weight, because he has no idea what he could have done differently. What does it meant to realize that the other side won't compromise? Pretty much nothing. You have to try. There is no other choice.

 

[fskimospy]

Yes, but as a criticism from Sanders, it doesn't carry a lot of weight, because he has no idea what he could have done differently. What does it meant to realize that the other side won't compromise? Pretty much nothing. You have to try. There is no other choice.

I disagree. If you look at Obama since the debt ceiling debacle of 2011 he's basically given up on compromise and he's advancing his agenda through executive action. There's limits to that of course, but I would say he's been fairly successful even in the face of all out opposition.

Basically I feel like we could have gotten a more successful stimulus and a better Dodd-Frank bill if Obama had recognized earlier that the Republicans weren't interested in compromise no matter what he did. He's still been an extremely successful president from a policy standpoint, but I do feel like he did make a mistake there. (in his defense, I think a lot of people made the same mistake in thinking Republicans would be more reasonable)

 

[BoberFett]

“I don’t have any illusion that I’m going to walk in -- and I certainly hope it is not the case, but if there is a Republican House and a Republican Senate -- that I’m going to walk in there and say, ‘Hey guys, listen. I’d like you to work with me on raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour,’” Sanders said. “It ain’t gonna happen, I have no illusion about that. The only way that I believe that change takes place…is that tens of millions of people are going to have to stand up and be involved in the political process the day after the election.”

No matter how much the Republicans are to blame for not compromising, the Democrat misunderstanding of what the word compromise means is equally astounding.

Democrats: "We want this."

Republicans: "We don't."

Democrats: "OBSTRUCTION!!!"

 

[MovingTarget]

No matter how much the Republicans are to blame for not compromising, the Democrat misunderstanding of what the word compromise means is equally astounding.

Democrats: "We want this."

Republicans: "We don't, if its coming from you. "

Democrats: "OBSTRUCTION!!!"

FTFY

:whiste:

 

[fskimospy]

No matter how much the Republicans are to blame for not compromising, the Democrat misunderstanding of what the word compromise means is equally astounding.

Democrats: "We want this."

Republicans: "We don't."

Democrats: "OBSTRUCTION!!!"

It's always fun to watch you guys try and convince yourselves that Republicans and Democrats have been equally uncompromising.

You forgot:

Democrats: "okay, so what can we give you that you want in order to get there?"

Republicans: "Nothing."

Sane people: "Well, that sure sounds like obstruction to me."

But as always, I'm sure you are just waiting for the opportune time to call out conservatives for being uncompromising. Annnnnny minute now.

 

[ivwshane]

I remember every republican presidential candidate being asked if they would accept a 10 to 1 spending cut to tax increase and the answers were "no".
That's not a "we want this, do you accept" type of "compromise", it's a real compromise and it's clear to all but the righty faithful that the repubs were not going to compromise or even work with the dems one bit.

 

[Brian Stirling]

From even before he took the oath of office Rush Limbaugh and other leaders of the right have been telling there people to deny Obama any victory, to fight everything! Full stop...

The Repubs have demonstrated that they follow the lead of Limbaugh and have, from day 1, obstructed EVERYTHING!


Brian

 

[michal1980]

It's always fun to watch you guys try and convince yourselves that Republicans and Democrats have been equally uncompromising.

You forgot:

Democrats: "okay, so what can we give you that you want in order to get there?"

Republicans: "Nothing."

Sane people: "Well, that sure sounds like obstruction to me."

But as always, I'm sure you are just waiting for the opportune time to call out conservatives for being uncompromising. Annnnnny minute now.

How do you comprise with people when the choice they give you are: 1) shot to the heart or 2) shot to the head?

You dont.

But then the dems scream that your not willing to compromise on how you will be killed.

Or on a more real issue.

1) dems we want to ban guns
2) repubs NO
3) dems ok how about just ban these guns.


What kind of compromise is that? Thats just folding.

 

[fskimospy]

How do you comprise with people when the choice they give you are: 1) shot to the heart or 2) shot to the heart?

You dont.

But then the dems scream that your not willing to compromise on how you will be killed.

You realize that simply repeating that you refuse all compromise is actually proving our point, right?

Why don't you tell me about some compromises that Republicans would have accepted on the stimulus, the ACA, Dodd-Frank, etc? Be specific.