Obama "grand bargain" "everybody's going to have to give" campaign promises shelved

[ZDL]

http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2009/01/obama-calls-for.html

SFW link


In my exclusive interview with Barack Obama airing tomorrow on This Week, the president-elect told me that fixing our economy over the long term will require sacrifice from every American and scaling back some of his campaign promises.

"Our challenge is going to be identifying what works and putting more money into that, eliminating things that don’t work, and making things that we have more efficient. But I’m not suggesting, George, I want to be realistic here, not everything that we talked about during the campaign are we going to be able to do on the pace we had hoped," Obama told me in his first interview since arriving back in Washington, DC as president-elect.

I asked the president-elect, "At the end of the day, are you really talking about over the course of your presidency some kind of grand bargain? That you have tax reform, healthcare reform, entitlement reform including Social Security and Medicare, where everybody in the country is going to have to sacrifice something, accept change for the greater good?"

"Yes," Obama said.

"And when will that get done?" I asked.

"Well, right now, I’m focused on a pretty heavy lift, which is making sure we get that reinvestment and recovery package in place. But what you described is exactly what we’re going to have to do. What we have to do is to take a look at our structural deficit, how are we paying for government? What are we getting for it? And how do we make the system more efficient?"

"And eventually sacrifice from everyone?" I asked.

"Everybody’s going to have to give. Everybody’s going to have to have some skin in the game," Obama said.

Tune in Sunday morning for my entire interview with the President-elect. In his most comprehensive interview since the election, we discussed…

-- objections to his economic stimulus plans from both Democrats and Republicans, and why Obama believes it must get done by President's Day;

-- his plans for the next $350 billion of the TARP

-- the conflict between Israel and Gaza, and his plans for the Middle East, including a potential crisis with Iran;

--the potential for a Mumbai-style terrorist strike here in the U.S.;

--how and when the Obama Administration will revise U.S. counterterrorism policies and close the Guantanamo prison;

--Vice-President Cheney's advice for Obama, and whether an Obama Administration will move to investigate and prosecute Bush Administration officials for war crimes;

--the controversy over Eric Holder's nomination for Attorney General;

--how Obama is preparing for his Inaugural Address and his search for a church in Washington.

The big treat of the day was having Malia and Sasha Obama tour visit our This Week control room. The girls got on my executive producer's headset and gave me the question they most want their Dad to answer. Find out what it was and how Obama answered tomorrow on "This Week."

--George Stephanopoulos

[zippygaloo]

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[bkb0000]

and whether an Obama Administration will move to investigate and prosecute Bush Administration officials for war crimes

sooper... i dont watch the news, so i dont have the broad overview feel for whats going on out there. somebody tell me- is this actually being talked about?

[zippygaloo]

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[rubberneck]

Hasn't even taken the oath of office yet and he is breaking campaign promises left and right. I am shcoked.:rolleyes: The people who bought into his line of bullshit hook line and sinker should promise never to vote again.

[thopkins22]

sooper... i dont watch the news, so i dont have the broad overview feel for whats going on out there. somebody tell me- is this actually being talked about?

It might have been said, but it's not happening. If they were to go through with something like that, many democrats would have to explain how they were complicit. He's voted to fund it every step of the way...any resistance to the war from Obama has been lip service only.

[Jay Cunningham]

Let's try and keep this somewhat on topic.

Let's also keep this in mind:

Please do not post information on illegal modifications to firearms, threats against individuals or government entities, images or links to pornography.

Thank you and please continue.

[Iraqgunz]

Did anyone seriously think that he could deliver on all of his promises? The left is going to be pissed, because they will now have to realize that their thoughts on the way things should be and how they really are, are not the same.

I really hope that they do not waste time trying to prosecute the Bush Adminstration for "war crimes". And if anything is done then every senator and representative who voted for the Iraq war needs to be held accountable as well.

[zippygaloo]

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[Business_Casual]

Well, here's the problem with the left - they are never satisfied. Did Brady go away when they got NICS and the AWB? No, they just tried to get the 50 BMG and the 5.7 FN.

Look at Britain, they banned handguns, full stop. Now they are banning knives. Expect the left to complain and push no matter what they get - because they don't understand what they are doing.

Tax breaks for new jobs? Business don't hire someone and pay them $50,000 to get a $3,000 one-time break. They hire people because they need them.

If spending solved economic down turns, we'd never have had one because Federal spending increases every year. A reduction in the rate of growth is called a cut - so there's your base line right there.

M_P

[LOKNLOD]

"And eventually sacrifice from everyone?" I asked.

"Everybody’s going to have to give. Everybody’s going to have to have some skin in the game," Obama said.


I'm sure I'm not alone, but this is one of those things that's confused -- and bothered -- me all along. He's kept saying that everyone would have to sacrifice, and yet has promised all sorts of stuff to everyone middle class and below...

So, what's being sacrificed and by whom?

It usually seems to be in the context of financial issues so maybe it's just your usual vague code of "we'll eventually have to tax the hell out of the productive people to pay for all the 'change' for the unproductive ones".

Or is something more?

[bkb0000]

I'm sure I'm not alone, but this is one of those things that's confused -- and bothered -- me all along. He's kept saying that everyone would have to sacrifice, and yet has promised all sorts of stuff to everyone middle class and below...

So, what's being sacrificed and by whom?

It usually seems to be in the context of financial issues so maybe it's just your usual vague code of "we'll eventually have to tax the hell out of the productive people to pay for all the 'change' for the unproductive ones".

Or is something more?

totalitarian governments come in the guise of Savior. sacrifice will be across the board- rich people will sacrifice money, the rest of us will sacrifice freedom.

[rubberneck]

Did anyone seriously think that he could deliver on all of his promises? The left is going to be pissed, because they will now have to realize that their thoughts on the way things should be and how they really are, are not the same.



There is a metric ass load of American's who bought into his bullshit and really believed what he said, and I am not talking about those on the left. Granted not many of them post here but I'd be willing to bet that there is going to be a great deal of buyers remorse over the next couple of months as many independents and moderate conservatives realize that they were hoodwinked into voting for someone who grossly misrepresented their point of view in order to win an election.

[Avenger29]

I can't help but think how the idiots that put him in office will somehow blame something other than him or themselves for the stuff that is about to hit the fan under his pen.


Of course the idiots will not blame him or themselves. Leftists NEVER take responsibility for ANYTHING.

[SoDak]

This is another one that I found somewhat concerning.

"In his most comprehensive interview since the election, we discussed…
the potential for a Mumbai-style terrorist strike here in the U.S.;"

Might Obama's solution to preventing this be a new AWB? I'm not trying to be chicken little here, just worried what the implications of this event might have for us.

[Don Robison]

IMO, Anyone who thought he could/would deliver on what he was promising in order to get elected has jello for brains.

[mmike87]

I priase the Lord every time he says he won't keep his campaign promises. I then rub it in the face of Liberals who I know voted for the guy.

So go on Obama, break those promises - because everything you promised sucked anyway.

[buzz_knox]

This is another one that I found somewhat concerning.

"In his most comprehensive interview since the election, we discussed…
the potential for a Mumbai-style terrorist strike here in the U.S.;"

Might Obama's solution to preventing this be a new AWB? I'm not trying to be chicken little here, just worried what the implications of this event might have for us.

As he loses support on both sides, expect him to return to his roots and go for an AWB to appease the left. He'll (accurately) think that he's got a better chance of regaining their support than anyone who is right of center. If he does it soon enough, he can count on the short attention span of Americans to protect his reelection bid.

[5POINT56]

Did anyone seriously think that he could deliver on all of his promises? The left is going to be pissed, because they will now have to realize that their thoughts on the way things should be and how they really are, are not the same.



They'll be pissed alright...the problem is it's not going to be blamed on "The Chosen One". It'll be blamed on the previous administration and further fuel for "It'll take 8, not 4" and turn in to a two term deal for Obamalamadingdong.

If you think Bill Clinton earned his name "Slick Willie"...you aint seen nothin' yet. Obama's administration will form a human sheild around him and he will be untouchable.

Like GWB or hate him...one thing that can be entirely placed on his shoulders is a complete failure to tend to the future viability of his own party. That didn't get a lot of party attention until the campaign season, and then its was waaaay too late. Thumbing your nose is....fun...until Jan. 20th, 2009. Then, looking back, cocky aint so ****in cute any more. The GOP has never been weaker, the Libs never stronger and you can bet your ass they're getting their pound of flesh and then some.

The blame for the failures to come will absolutely not be placed on Obama. That's part of the pound of flesh...get ready.

[Steelblitz]

Look at Britain, they banned handguns, full stop. Now they are banning knives. Expect the left to complain and push no matter what they get - because they don't understand what they are doing.


I can vouch for the UK continuing to go overboard with this stuff. I have my own molding and casting company and create work mainly for the movie industry in regards to props. Try shipping a rubber blaster prop to the UK, lol. Unless it is painted bright orange, pink, and green, it will get confiscated at customs. They've cracked down on toys with the slightest resemblance to a firearm.

Makes me appreciate my kids being able to get nerf blasters for x-mas and still go around and play 'army' like I did 35 years ago. Not to mention the air rifles Santa brought for them to hone their marksmanship and safety skills. I'll continue to put up a fight against these bs restrictions just so my kids can have the same freedoms I've had. Some day they'll know the small sacrifices I made to get another AK and AR, just to stash them away for their future enjoyment and use, just in case they arent so readily available in the near future. I feel I'm blessed having children, as they provide me the extra motivation in making sure their future is protected for them, especially when it comes to their 2nd amendment rights.

[C4IGrant]

Did anyone seriously think that he could deliver on all of his promises? The left is going to be pissed, because they will now have to realize that their thoughts on the way things should be and how they really are, are not the same.

I really hope that they do not waste time trying to prosecute the Bush Adminstration for "war crimes". And if anything is done then every senator and representative who voted for the Iraq war needs to be held accountable as well.


Yes there are. One even hangs out on this forum. ;)



C4