Barack Obama And The Politics Of Fear
by Big Dog on Feb 6, 2009 at 00:27 Political
During the 2004 election Democrats accused George Bush and Republicans of using fear to get the country to vote for them. Bush was reelected and the cries of fear mongering from the left continued. Barack Obama accused Bush of being a fear monger as well. The Democrats made snide comments when the threat level was raised or when elections approached. As the 2004 and 2006 elections drew near Democrats were asking when he threat level would be raised. The insinuation, of course, is that Bush would do that to scare people into voting Republican. During the campaign Obama said:
“They’re trying to fool you. They’re trying to scare you and they’re not telling the truth,” a fired-up Obama declared while campaigning in South Dakota. “But it’s not going to work.”
“Both Bush and McCain represent the failed foreign policy and fear mongering of the past,” Obama said. “I believe the American people are ready to reject this approach and to choose the future.” NY Daily News [emphasis mine]
This was not the only time that fear mongering was raised as an issue. Bush as a fear monger has been part of their overall message for years and the results of the last election confirm that it was effective. The results also show we have a lot of morons who vote (that and the videos showing people who knew absolutely nothing about the election – see the videos bottom sidebar).
One could certainly accept Obama’s words on this as how he truly felt (or feels) if he acted in a way that supported the conclusion. But, Obama has resorted to the politics of fear to get something accomplished. Barack Obama is fear mongering about the stimulus bill and the economy in order to garner support for it from the public.
President Barack Obama warned on Thursday that failure to act on an economic recovery package could plunge the nation into a long-lasting recession that might prove irreversible, a fresh call to a recalcitrant Congress to move quickly. Yahoo News
“A failure to act, and act now, will turn crisis into a catastrophe and guarantee a longer recession, a less robust recovery, and a more uncertain future,” Obama said in his prepared remarks. Breitbart
Barack Obama is using fear, or fear mongering, in order to scare people into supporting the crap sandwich he and the Democrats are trying to feed us. The bill contains almost nothing for stimulus and a lot of liberal projects that have nothing to do with the economy. The liberals who think it will work are delusional. Those who think that the majority of the items in the bill will stimulate the economy are devoid of brain cells and rational thought.
But make no mistake, Barack Obama, who said that fear mongering was part of a failed policy, is using fear to promote a failed attempt at a stimulus plan. This is a direct contradiction of his stated opposition to the past administration and it directly conflicts with what he said he would do when he told us people were ready to reject this approach and to choose the future. It should come as no surprise that Obama changed his tune. He has been in office for a little more than two weeks and he has changed (broken) many of his promises.
He promised transparency but he has chosen not to post some items to the White House website like he said he would. He is so transparent that his Birth Certificate is locked up tighter than Fort Knox so that people cannot verufy his status. He said that bills were run through Congress too fast and that he would post them on the WH website for five days before he signed them so the American public could review them. He has already signed at least one bill into law that was not posted and he is begging Congress to run the stimulus bill through Congress as quickly as possible.
Obama promised he would have the most ethical administration and we have seen four of his nominees plagued with tax problems. He said he would have no lobbyists and the last list I saw showed a dozen of them. It seems that every day he is granting a waiver of his ethical orders in order to get people on board.
Barack Obama is not keeping his word or as the Democrats use to say about Bush, he is lying. He has had a rough start and each day shows more and more his lack of leadership skills. He is a rookie and he is getting his head handed to him.
Obama will likely not get to his aggressive agenda anytime soon and that will tick off the moonbats who support him. He is going to be tied up with a bill that has fierce opposition and is not going to pass as quickly as he would have liked, if at all. It looks like this might have to be a do over if it is to have any chance of getting to his desk.
Obama is expending a lot of time and effort on defending the bill when he knows that it is losing support and contains too much pork. A leader would call the parties together and say that they were starting from scratch and then they would work out a compromise. A true leader would ensure the bill contained only items that would have an effect on the economy and would ensure the nonsense is cut from it.
Instead Obama, who promised no Washington politics as usual, is allowing his Democrats to play politics as usual and allowing himself to be played by them. That and he still supports it as the be all end all of stimulus packages. He believes that it will work and that it should be passed and he will scare you into believing it as well.
Bush was accused of fear mongering but what he did was in response to threats to this country. No attacks since 9/11 though many have been attempted.
Obama is using fear to get a bill passed quickly so that he can look like he is in charge.
The more people see, the less confidence they have in the bill. We need to keep the bright, white hot spotlight on them to keep them disorganized and at each other. We need to defeat this bill.
So far we are succeeding. If we fail our grandchildren and their children will be paying for this.
Now that is something that should scare you to death.
Related:
Wizbang Blue
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Tags: broken promises, Democrats, fear mongering, lies, Obama, scare tactics, stimulus
I read this the other evening on one of the blogs:
On page 151 of this legislative pork-fest is one of the clandestine nuggets of social policy manipulation that are peppered throughout the bill. Section 9201 of the stimulus package establishes the “Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research.” This body, which would be made up of federal bureaucrats will “coordinate the conduct or support of comparative effectiveness and related health services research.”
Sounds benign enough, but the man behind the Coordinating Council, Health and Human Services Secretary-designate (and tax cheat) Tom Daschle, was kind enough to explain the goal of this organization. It is to cut health care costs by preventing Americans from getting treatments that the government decides don’t meet their standards for cost effectiveness. In his 2008 book on health care, he explained that such a council would, “lower overall spending by determining which medicines, treatments and procedures are most effective-and identifying those that do not justify their high price tags.”
Once a panel of government experts decides what is and what is not cost-effective by their definition, the government will stop paying for treatments, medicines, therapies or devices that fall into the latter category. Initially, this will limit access to very expensive treatments for federal employees, veterans, the elderly, members of the military and their dependents and others who rely on the feds to pay for their health care. But since this would place nearly half of health care dollars off limits for such treatments, the demand for and further development of such treatments would likely dry up. And Daschle wants to expand the Coordinating Council’s power even further, allowing the government to deny tax benefits for private insurance that covers treatments deemed too expensive by the Council. Thus, if a handful of government employees deem a therapy not cost effective, no health insurance will cover it and it will become virtually unobtainable to patients at any cost.
The Lord gives christians who serve Him the discerning of spirits (its in the bible). Obama is showing me more and more that what I discerned about him during his campaign was absolutely accurate. This is an arrogant, lying, controlling and evil man.
So much for the president who in his inaugural address two weeks ago declared “we have chosen hope over fear.”
Victoria – thanks so much for including that and explaining. That scares the living he!! out of me! I don’t like anyone determining my healthcare treatment based on cost-effectiveness or an arbitrary amount that is too high or what THEY decide should or should not be done. That is for me and my doctor to decide. Of course, if this goes through and then they get national healthcare crap going, we’re all to be subject to such determinations. This is beyond obscene.
I heard a statement today from BO that basically said since when has there been a bill of this size passed without some pet projects involved (in response to the amount of pork in the bill). How outrageous – just because it has been done before (and we know that he got in there on hope and CHANGE) does not make it right. Nor does it make the very valid concerns of many citizens (and some reps) over this enormous waste of our money. As far as “compromise,” he is “putting his foot down saying I won and I have the people’s mandate for change.” That is beyond arrogant and dead wrong (not the winning part of course). I think it has been proven by polls and the amount of correspondence received re this bill that most of the American people (that he is paid by and supposed to be representing) are against this bill in a big way.
And – as an aside – I believe that the new cap of $500,000 for Wall Street execs does not apply to the ones that have already received our hard-earned tax money as a handout but any further donations BO determines to be “extraordinary.”
I have a great idea – how about a pay cap and freeze for all of Congress. No more company cars – you buy and maintain your own. No more hotel rooms and meals on the people, you eat, you sleep, your dime. Serving in this capacity is to be an honor, a privilege, not a windfall. If everyone needs to be responsible (per the Messiah) then let’s start with the people up there in his ‘hood, shall we?
I AM SO ANGRY!
Tom Daschle, and Nancy Killefer are two of the finest, and most competent public servants you could possibly hope for in these appointments. They have been assassinated by the Washington healthcare lobby through their paid Bush Republican henchmen in congress. These Bush republicans are the same people blocking the economic recovery plan put forth by the Obama administration.
I am BURNING MAD America. And you should be too. Tome Daschle and Nancy Killefer were exactly what we needed to help turn this country around and fix our economy, and catastrophic healthcare crisis.
If I were their boss I would tell them to get right back to Washington. And dare congress to not approve them. How ridiculous is it to reject highly qualified people that this country needs just because they made a mistake on their taxes. Don’t stand for that anymore America. They apologized, and paid their taxes, and that should be it. Their country needs them. But President Obama has to do what he thinks is best. I understand that. I’M JUST SO MAD at the anti American Bush Republicans.
Like many of you I have been trying to enjoy the after glow of this Beautiful historic election. But I see that the republicans in congress and their cohorts aren’t going to be good sports, and LOSER’S!
SO BE IT!
In spite of President Obama’s repeated offers, and gestures of collegiality to Republicans. Bush Republicans have seized upon every opportunity to stab President Obama in the back. And by doing so they are stabbing you, and the rest of the American people in the back. Well, you don’t have to put up with that. And you shouldn’t put up with that. President Obama has only been on the job two weeks. And he inherited two wars, and the worst economy since the great depression.
We had an election. And president Obama, and the democrats won BIG. And Bush Republicans lost miserably!
The Bush Republicans are the ones responsible for the worst economic crisis since the great depression. And the Bush Republicans are responsible for the worst healthcare crisis in American history. A healthcare crisis that is killing hundreds of thousands of you every year. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Insured, and uninsured. Men, women, children, and babies.
President Obama, and the Democrats should take back all the concessions they granted the Bush Republicans, and tell them to put up! or shut up!
Everyone, start calling and contacting these Bush Republicans and tell them to stop blocking President Obama, and the Democrats recovery plan. And stop trying to block, and corrupt healthcare reform. Tell them to get on board with President Obama and the Democrats, or GET OUT!!
If these Bush Republicans refuse to cooperate I want all of you to immediately begin the process of removing them from office by every legal means possible. Including impeachment, and recall. I want you to bring the full weight and power of the movement down on their heads that swept President Obama, and the Democrats into control of the whitehouse, and congress. Take no prisoners. Use all the techniques you learned over this past historic election. Be flexible, creative, adaptable, and relentless like you were in the past.
To my cyber warriors I call on you again. You are among the best and the brightest. I call on you to move this fight from the cyber world to the living rooms, dens, and work places of the voters these Bush Republicans misrepresent. I know I can count on you. This is a fight worth fighting.
To my fellow World citizens. As an American I invite, and welcome you and your advise, input, and help. By delaying Americas recovery, and healthcare reform, these Bush Republicans are delaying our commitment to your recovery, and to being the better America for you that we aspire too.
I had hoped it would not come to this after our historic election. I had hoped that the Bush Republicans would respect the overpowering will of the people, and the World. But I guess not. All the Bush Republicans really care about is them-selves. Well, SO BE IT! Lets finish the job.
Sincerely
jacksmith — Working Class 🙂
You have to be kidding me. Bush has his share of faults, but the Dems have had control of Congress since 2006. The housing problem started the economic downturn and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were largely to blame. And who caused that? Watch and learn:
jacksmith, did you happen to watch Obama’s speech to the House Democrats last night?
I’m not sure where you’re coming up with “President Obama’s repeated offers, and gestures of collegiality to Republicans”, but he coasted through the entire speech on nothing but ridicule and jabs at Bush, Palin (excuse me, but the campaign’s over) and Republicans in general.
Bipartisan? Hardly. He couldn’t be more partisan if he tried. Going for a quick lunch and cocktails with a few RINO’s hardly counts as crossing the aisle.
Liberals never made an attempt to work through issues with conservatives, so why are conservatives now expected to bend over and take whatever’s handed to them?
The hypocrisy, if it weren’t so pathetic, might be funny.
Wow…and I thought Adam was the only tool who posted here.
Jacksmith…really? Where to begin…
For starters, the “Bush Republicans” (not that such a thing exists) aren’t blocking anything or anyone. Daschle and Killefer withdrew their names. Had they the courage, they probably would have made it through the process. The reason they bailed is not due to the Republicans but because the American people were starting to wonder about the hypocrisy of the Obama administration. As for the laughingly called “stimulus package” the Republicans certainly aren’t blocking that either. By all accounts…and by the words of Reid and Pelosi…the Democrats have the votes to pass this without any Republican support. So why don’t they? If they are so sure that this is best for the country…if they are so sure that they are right and the Republicans are wrong why don’t they go ahead and pass that piece of crap bill? Because they lack the courage to do so. They want to be able to spread the blame when it fails to revive our economy.
2 more points…
1) I wouldn’t call an election of 53% to 46% an overwhelming mandate for “change”. And I’m quite certain if Obama had run on a campaign promise of “I’m going to spend over 1 trillion dollars of your money in my first two weeks in office” he never would have been elected. At least if he had, that would be ONE promise that he could say he kept.
2) I had to laugh out loud at Obama’s Sat. morning radio address when he said the bill gave tax relief to the middle class of ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS. Wow! You jackasses in Washington want to spend over a TRILLION DOLLARS of OUR money and we should be grateful to get back a thousand? Gee, thanks, oh wise and generous One.
This is just republicans drawing swords. They see what they think is an opportunity, they pounce as usual with self-righteous bluster that has no value. Little thought here beyond that. Best ignored.
The word republican has become synonymous with stupidity. No further need for these people to prove that. Maybe they could show some actual sense for a change.
Well, the foolish thing here, really is that these republicans don’t seem to realize that Barack Obama doesn’t need them, but they sure need someone like him to lead the country. If they deserve someone as generous, HUMBLE and intelligent as him is a different question. Maybe they deserve Bush, so they got him for 8 years. If they still don’t see their mistakes, then why, they can always go back and elect someone like Bush. Who’s stopping them?
I don’t see Obama as a politician first. I admire his huge courage and generosity and spirit of love in undertaking this huge task of re-building America. I don’t think the republicans who are attacking his administration here have any clue of the selflessness and dignity of such an undertaking. They can only look at their own country in terms of the narrowly defined self-interest of the consumer/ small corporatist. If Obama is unsuccessful in bringing about change, it is not due to his personal failure, but due to the failure of a system that has been defined in terms of narrow self-interest for decades and cannot rise to the challenge of responsibility now. All Americans have an equal share in that system, and if they have been traditional republicans, then all the more so. Because republican politics is fundamentally defined by narrow corporate self-interest. It is not surprising that these republicans are unable to see the change that Obama wants to create, because their own ideology is so based in self-interest that anything that is not so exclusively based in self-interest seems like an anathema to them. They have all the time in the world to analyze someone else’s failures, but none to examine their own failures. They grab onto whatever they can, when they criticize Obama’s government, but they lack any insight into Obama or his policies.
>>I don’t see Obama as a politician first.<<
That is a testament to what a good politician he is – you’re talking about a guy that pulled down well over a million dollars last year.
The basic assumption in human interaction is that each is watching out for their own self interest. Otherwise, then you exist simply as a mark for somebody else who will take heartless advantage of the fact that you are not watching out for your own interests.
The “Stimulus Package” doubles the deficit (deficit’s “bad”, remember?) and allocates only roughly .12 cents out of every dollar spent to actual stimulus. It’s a pig. Even the Congressional Budget Office admits it’s a pig. To support it simply on a partisan basis is to commit economic suicide.
The government is “overhead”; they do not create wealth, and they cannot organically create and fund jobs. They have to take their money from the citizenry or borrow it to pay even $100 dollars in salary.
I know you’re about “redistribution”, but the reality is that rich people and companies tend to leave when you abuse them via the tax code. A perfect example is “Mr. Imagine”, John Lennon, who left his home England to avoid the heavy taxes, thereby depriving the desperately poor and snaggle-toothed wretches in England the benefit of his wealth.
Michael,
That is the most mindless twaddle I have read in a while. Your definition of Republican is narrow minded and based more in the Democratic talking points than in reality. We believe in self interests of course (as do all people) but we also believe in self reliance.
You don’t need gubmint to run your life.
You don’t see a politician because he is a well packaged smooth talker but he came from the sewer of Chicago and he is a politician.
You don’t beat the Clintons unless you are.
Mack, you are right on…
Obama Fear Mongering: Bad Tactic, Weak Man…
Economic collapse if we don’t pass a pork laden, free spending, 88% Democratic payoff non-starter of a bill RIGHT NOW? Catastrophe?
I agree with the Big Dog.
Barack Obama is using fear, or fear mongering, in order to scare people into support…
And when is the last time you idiots won an election?