Obama 'exasperated' over government shutdown, warns we're 'in trouble'

[Playinghardball]

Source: NBC News

President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he is “exasperated” by the government shutdown and warned Wall Street that the country is "in trouble."

"During the course of my presidency I have bent over backwards to work with the Republican Party and have purposely kept my rhetoric down," he said in an exclusive interview with CNBC three hours before he was set to meet with congressional leaders from both parties at the White House.

"I think I'm pretty well known for being a calm guy...sometimes people think I'm too calm. But am I exasperated? Absolutely I'm exasperated. Because this is entirely unnecessary."

Asked about Wall Street’s relatively calm reaction to the crisis in the nation’s capital, Obama said it was out of step with the reality of the situation.

“I think this time’s different,” he said of the current shutdown and impasse.

He noted he had just met with the Financial Services Forum, a group of high-profile business leaders and heads of major banks and warned them that while partisan disagreement is normal, they should be worried in this case.

"When you have a situation in which a faction is willing to potentially default on U.S. government obligations, then we are in trouble," he said.

"And if they’re willing to do it now, they’ll be willing to do it later.”


Read more: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/02/20788607-obama-exasperated-over-government-shutdown-warns-were-in-trouble?lite

[lostincalifornia]

1. Then exercise the 14th amendment to raise the debt ceiling, and let the chips fall what they may

[Kablooie]

37. If the country DOES default, Obama might be impeached for not upholding the Constitution.

If he takes the action unilaterally to up the ceiling without Congress's consent he could be impeached for not upholding the Constitution.

The GOP has him in their sights either way unless Congress does it's job.

[Ash_F]

2. Lesson: Don't bend over backwards for the Republican party /nt

[DJ13]

4. Im still not sure he understands that yet

[Ash_F]

8. He would not be alone.

Many Dems, including some on Democraticunderground, seem think that servile boot-licking is the way to deal with people who would crush them if they could.

They haven't crushed them yet, not because of appeasement, but because of those who choose to fight.

We need more people who fight.

[stillcool]

10. lesson...

The President does not run the government, and people need to vote, and maybe care about who they elect. I know...too hard. Obama's fault.

[Ash_F]

11. The Democrats started cowering in front of the right long before they lost the house.

They lost the house because of it.

[stillcool]

16. i think we lost the house

because the people who voted, voted for republicans, and many people do not care to participate in elections....when it's not a Presidential year. In my state we elected Scott Brown, which really shocked me. If that is anyone's fault, it is mine and the other people in my state.

[Ash_F]

17. Now is the time to fight

We need all Democrats talking like this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=608833

Now is not the time to get 'exasperated' and give in. I hope Obama takes a stand.

[DireStrike]

36. And why did they vote for republicans?

Maybe because they thought the democrats weren't worth voting for.

Or maybe as you say they just didn't feel like voting because it wasn't a presidential year. They were very happy with the Democrats' general useleness, but just said "fuck it, it's 2010 up in this bitch!"

[Phlem]

24. This is an idealistic lesson at best

As for Obama's fault, who know's? I can say he's done great in areas and abysmal at others, does that mean it's his fault?

To be pragmatic, one would also account the uneducated populous voting, the 1st time voters, rigged voting machines, etc...
I think this list can go for a while.



-p

[mrchips]

15. 14th Amendment

Right on! Should have agreed to use it long ago!

[durablend]

3. Not liking the sound of this

I just hope "And if they’re willing to do it now, they’ll be willing to do it later.” means he knows no matter what he gives them, they're going to want more.

[Swede Atlanta]

23. And that is why having a spine is so critical......

If once, just once, the President said NO and actually refused to negotiate or back down, the other side would learn he was not one they could push around with such tactics.

If he was dealing with adults on the other side of the aisle then reaching out to them would of course be the logical and right thing to do. But he is dealing with children. These are two year olds in adult bodies that haven't even learned to use the toilet yet. And he has been letting them get their way. He needs to do what you do to children, establish who is the parent/adult in the room.

Only when they begin to behave like adults do you let them come to the adult table at holidays and sit and engage in conversation. Until then they are sent to the children's room to play games and be seen and not heard.

[mac56]

5. Good.

He's speaking out about it.

[Liberalynn]

6. I feel for the President on this.

I don't know how we stop this but we have to stop it somehow. Even if theoretically the Dems were willing to give them what they ask, which I hope the Dems won't, The Pukes would just pull another stunt like this to get something else they want.

It will literally never end at that point.

To me I am not reading this as a "The President's ready to cave" story. I'm reading, and I hope I am right, this as a plea for help to the PUKES Wall Street funders to reign them in somehow. I am not all sure they can though. They are a bunch of Frankensteins in full revolt.

[azurnoir]

7. regardless of whether or not the Repubs are attempting to rebrand it

this is over ObamaCare and the Repubs 43 or is it 44 previous failed attempts to shut it down, they can not be catered to, no matter what, to use the budget and the welfare of the entire country in this manner is criminal or should be, they've 'kidnapped' the country and are holding it hostage

[emsimon33]

9. Do not ever give into blackmailers--I hope Obama has leaned this by now

[jberryhill]

12. “I think this time’s different,”

[TBF]

13. About fucking time he acted like a democrat -

up the rhetoric as far as I'm concerned. The very wealthy may have started this class war - but there are many MORE of us than there are of them and we can finish it (and them).

Pedal to the floor Mr. President - keep it up.

[They_Live]

14. "And if they’re willing to do it now, they’ll be willing to do it later.”

They've been doing it EVERY TIME that he has "bent over backwards to work with the Republican Party". Why doesn't he still not understand that you cannot reason with these people? Is he naive?

[Rob H.]

26. ^^This. A million times, this

Even when he acquiesces to their demands, it's still never enough for them.

[bvar22]

18. President Obama should start applying HEAT Upping the Bet.

There was another post at the top of DU this morning about how Obama holds the winning hand. The polls certainly support him & The Democrats.
It is time to apply heat to the Republicans for their stupidity.

Don't just ask politely for a "Clean Bill" anymore.
THAT ship has sailed.
Start adding Democratic Party provisions for every day the Republicans delay.
Start today by restoring funding for Meals-on-Wheels.
Tomorrow, refund Head Start.

From there, go down the list restoring funding for Sequester Cuts to Social Programs one at a time until the Republicans cry"Uncle".

President Obama holds all the good cards.
The Republicans are sitting in a sewer of their OWN making.
Time to make them pay.

[1000words]

29. Hear, hear!

He's got his boot to their throat ... time for the mercy kill.

[Utopian Leftist]

30. YES!

Sometimes I wish there were a "like" feature on DU as there is on Facebook.

The President holds all the cards. For once the Democrats need to stand up to these terrorists. Here is the key sentence:

"And if they’re willing to do it now, they’ll be willing to do it later.”

And every time we let them pull another ace out of their ass, they do it again. The Left must call them out every time or risk the public's perception of our tacit approval of Republican barbarism.

[joshcryer]

35. no negotiation

[1StrongBlackMan]

46. I know many will disagree …

But your suggestion is a perfect example of how to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the court of public opinion.

Why is it so difficult for so many to understand that the ONLY reason that President Obama has a majority of the electorate saying that the modern gop is being unreasonable is because he has cultivated the “reasonable player” imagine for himself (and Democrats).

Should President Obama start “applying HEAT Upping the bet”, he gives the modern gop the opening to say, “see … we want to compromise (i.e., leave ObamaCare in place and funded); but he is piling on his agenda/changing the rules/making unreasonable demands.”

And the public is likely to ask, “why is President Obama changing the terms, he’s about to get what he wants?”, if not, see that as proof that President Obama is just like the modern gop.

[Shireling]

19. I think this means he will stay firm

He is saying that if he doesn't stay firm, they will do this again to both him and a future president.

I hope he stands firm.

What if we do default?

Can he use the 14th amendment?

[Jamastiene]

20. President Obama is right.

He has bent over backwards to work with the Republican Party throughout his presidency. The Republicans have no excuse for shutting the government down when they have someone so willing to work with them like they have always had with President Obama.

[magical thyme]

21. this sentence says it in a nutshell and tells me he'll continue to hold the line:

"And if they’re willing to do it now, they’ll be willing to do it later.”


Exactly. Effing terrorists holding the country hostage.

[Earth_First]

22. Boy, now *this* is the President I like hearing!

[Phlem]

25. How's that Bipartisanship working for you

Mr. President? An abysmal failure? Yea, some of us new that was going to happen.

Might as well listen to your base now that you've tried everything else huh.

You can do it, we've got your back yet again.



-p

[1000words]

27. One small quibble: The country has been in trouble for quite some time.

Otherwise, I love what I'm hearing.

[Phlem]

28. True

There are people that are like my father in-law. He will always vote Republican yet it is impossible for him to communicate why or what his beef is with the Democrats. He an old horse so, yea him and a lot of people like him helped create this fucking mess a long time ago.

-p

[sulphurdunn]

31. Half my family income

is gone do to furloughs. My expenses remain the same. The President needs to call these asshole's bluff, all of them, from the Tea Bag Social Security recipient to the fucking Wall Street banker, and shut the whole goddamn government down until a budget is agreed upon. That would end this Kabuki dance tomorrow. If that does not seem prudent, he should tell the Treasury to keep pumping out the check and tell Congress to go fuck itself. The only non-essential function of government being Congress, it would be a small loss

Congress has already relinquished its war powers and treaty authority, why not its budgetary obligation? If we're going to have a dictatorship in fact, let's have one that has dropped the pretense of representative democracy.

[wandy]

32. "And if they’re willing to do it now, they’ll be willing to do it later.” ..........

Right on Mr. President.

[blkmusclmachine]

33. So much for bipartisanship, and 11-Dimensional Checkers.

[alfredo]

34. When can we start calling this a coup?

[Kablooie]

39. Right now. Damn. They should arrest those Congressmen for treason to the USA.

[alfredo]

43. I think if the drag this out and add it to the debt ceiling, we should start pushing for prosecution

We have enough statements from Republicans like Bachmann, Cruz, and others to build a case to the public.

[olddad56]

40. given that we haven't started calling the Bush Era a coup yet, I doubt it.

[alfredo]

44. We can use his actions and the actions of the Republicans to show a pattern.

[Kablooie]

38. Geez. We might get a revolution but this time coming from Wall Street instead of Main Street.

[olddad56]

42. None of this shit is the end of the world....

so my son goes to barber college rather than a university because the stock market tanks. As long as the banks and the brokers make out, that is what is important.

[DCBob]

41. “I think this time’s different"

I think he really means that line. Its different because he knows he isn't going to compromise and he's afraid the Republicans aren't going to compromise either.

[joshcryer]

47. "This time" the shutdown happened.

And he was able to sleep at night the next day.

Had it happened in previous years, as people lost their unemployment checks, for instance, he would've had too much on his conscious. He couldn't allow it then.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

45. Really fucking sick and tired of this president being blamed for everything!!