Saturday letters
Drones and Irish in today’s letters to the editor.
Pick of the Day: We’ve elected a Congress that cannot govern
The U.S. Constitution clearly lists powers relating to fiscal, monetary and tax policies as congressional responsibilities (some duties specific to the House of Representatives), and further, does not even require an executive budget. Congress went along with the sequestration without smart cuts. But a weak Congress always shifts blame to a president to mask its own failings.
Ironically, if a president does engage Congress — what lawmakers claim they want — members quickly howl “dictator,” ranting that he tramples their precious legislative authority. They cannot have it both ways. They must actually govern. Clearly, this Congress cannot.
Name-calling, posturing, obstructing, can-kicking and finger-pointing yields lots of toxic drama, but not good governance. Congress hopes grandstanding will fool most while mature, sensible politicians face marginalization even from their own party. Those who remain often retire, largely out of frustration.
Only some, like Sen. Mark Warner, attempt to quietly do the nation’s business. Republicans have given in on taxes? Barely. Democrats reform entitlements? Hardly. Common sense and a balanced approach demonized? Sadly.
But we did elect this illustrious, but failing, body, which now mirrors our own uncivil dysfunction. Perhaps Congress needs a get-real session with Dr. Phil.
E. A. PAULL
AMHERST
March 2, 2013 - 11:36 AM
How many times have we heard the president say “people elected us to do a job, people cannot wait, if congress will not act I will fix it myself through executive order”?
So congress agrees to let the president fix the problem and he declines. Clearly he want to let the cuts occur for political purposes.
Obama also promised to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term, but doubled it instead. It would be interesting to know what Obama really thinks about the people that re-elected him.
Jim, since Washington insists on claiming that an increase in a previous year’s budget is a cut, I’m sure they can apply the same logic and claim they have cut the deficit in half. Doubleplusgood!
Now, wait a minute, are you trying to tell me that presidents do things for political reasons? Are you seriously trying to say that politicians lie? Can you possibly be saying that a president in not the king? Have any of you read ANY history, or did you come out of a 30 year coma in November 2008? There has to be some reason you pretend so many firsts.
Obama doesn’t lie. Most transparent presidency ever.
Your sarcasm is helpful but the truth is that Obama doesn’t lie any more than any other president or for any different reasons. Obama did not create the bitter partisan divide in this nation or in DC and I do not think that a presidency can be “transparent”, that was a naive promise on his part that he has been unmercifully mocked over. When will enough be enough? When will people accept he is the elected leader we have and stop looking for a savior?
Enforcing my point that Obama and his party are no different from his predecessor and HIS party. Thank you for helping to make my point, Sandi.
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A pox on both their houses.
Sandi…I have accepted that the president is not a savior. Its the liberals and media who continue to treat him as a savior.
Other presidents, lets say W, was constantly pressed by the media about his policies. However, todays media repeats the presidents notion that all the worlds problems are due to the GOP.
Stop looking for a savior…
Who claimed that the seas would stop rising and the earth was going to heal itself?
Obama didn’t create the bitter partisan divide….
True dat- but he has made it worse.
When will enough be enough…when he encourages his party to pass a budget would be a fitting start.
Al, why does it not occur to you that if so many journalists and even researchers are saying the problem and blame reside more with the GOTP, that maybe it does?
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“It’s Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism”
http://www.amazon.com/Even-Worse-Than-Looks-Constitutional/dp/0465031331
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And the authors are NOT left wingers Al.
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http://www.amazon.com/The-Broken-Branch-Institutions-Democracy/dp/0195368711/ref=pd_sim_b_1
BUD, should we examine some of Reagan’s hyperbole so you don’t believe only Obama makes grandiose speeches? Did you miss the part where he also said “There is not a liberal America and a conservative America – there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and latino America and asian America – there’s the United States of America.”
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Or when he said, “And, to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president, too.”
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Maybe you just refuse to hear anything that does not comport with ODS.