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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2010 > February > 02 > Entry
Martin Gottlieb: Compromising with Obama, the destroyer of America
Quite matter-of-factly and calmly, state Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights, said at this newspaper a few weeks ago that President Barack Obama is “slowly destroying America.”
So it was striking last week when Obama talked about the people who say that about him.
In his public meeting with House Republicans, his overarching point was that there’s a certain tension between their insistence that they want to compromise with him and their portrayal of him as somebody who’s “doing all kinds of crazy stuff that’s going to destroy America.”
How, after all, are they supposed to justify compromising with somebody like that?
Morgan isn’t in Congress, but the point remains.
On the other hand, perhaps, there’s Congressman Steve Austria, R, of Greene County and Springfield. At least in the wake of the Obama meeting, he was saying, “We are all going to have to take a step back” from confrontation. He embraced the tax credit and capital gains portions of the new Obama proposal on job creation, and he noted with satisfaction what the president said months ago on tort reform.
Asked what he might be willing to accept that he doesn’t like — what concessions Republicans might make — he had no specifics. But he spoke of the need for a “two-way street.” And he refrained from harping on past slights.
So, as a matter of fact, did Republican leader John Boehner, of West Chester, in a post-meeting press conference. Offered a chance to take a swipe at the president’s comments about past Republican practices, he generally resisted, saying only that it was a “frank discussion.”
Still, there’s no question that Republican voices — in and outside of Congress — have been whipping the party’s “base” into a frenzy. The “death squads” charge about health care was launched from Congress. Conservatives got to the point where they’d believe anything, even that the president was going to use a speech to schoolchildren as an opportunity to push his “socialist agenda.”
This newspaper ran a column Monday in which Mona Charen considered the president’s state of the union speech. She said he’s a “left-wing ideologue.”
“Raised in a left-wing cocoon, he has never given evidence of being anything other than a true-believing left/liberal…. He is not going to tack to the political center.”
And yet, in that very speech, he had proposed a tax credit for some small businesses and a capital gains tax break, more nuclear plants, more offshore drilling, a three-year freeze in domestic spending that can legally be frozen, support for more trade agreements that his liberal friends are skeptical of, a rule requiring that any new spending (or tax cuts) be offset by deficit-cutting measures, and a bipartisan commission to propose ways to bring the deficit under control, preferably with a rule requiring that Congress accept or reject the proposals in their entirety.
One particularly illuminating exchange happened at his meeting with Republicans. Their third-ranking leader, Rep. Mike Pence, of Indiana, asked the president why in the world he would enact his $800 billion stimulus when he could have gotten twice the stimulus for half the money with a Republican proposal.
Obama’s response was, why, indeed, would I do that? Twice the effect for half the money would be wonderful. I just consulted with economists from the left and right and found they didn’t believe what you just said.
“I’m not an ideologue,” he said, to some laughter from the Charen-minded in the room.
Many of such bent believe that the answer to Blount’s “why” question is simply that Obama is out to enlarge government. It’s an article of faith, a given. But, most likely, no such goal has ever occurred to him.
For too long before last week, Obama was weak about addressing ideology specifically. Like most liberals, he always brings the discussion back to why specific policy changes are needed. He pays a price for letting charges like “socialism” go unrebutted.
His problems now aren’t just in Washington. As historian Richard Norton Smith says, “If you look at the way the media has been transformed and the way the White House is covered, the bully pulpit itself is in danger of being drowned out by talk radio, cable and now Twitter.”
Obama has talked much about his desire to change the hyperpartisan atmosphere in American politics. Toward that end, he should do more of what he did with the Republicans: engage with and confront his critics in person, publicly, gently.
That might not help him win all his battles, but it’d undermine the most absurd charges. It’d help bring politics someplace closer to reality, to sanity.
Permalink | Comments (40) | Post your comment | Categories: Columns, Locals in national affairs, Martin Gottlieb, National Politics
Comments
By Steve
February 2, 2010 5:41 PM | Link to this
Mr. Gottlieb, If somehow you want to make apologizes for the Obama administration and the democrats still believing that tripling the US budget deficit in one year, increasing that deficit the next year, refusing to interrogate captured terrorists, holding terror trials in New York City, ramming nationalized health care through Congress in closed door meetings, bribing and threatening senators, and spending this countries way out of a recession… (see more of a recession:) If you think these policies are rational decisions that somehow benefit the nation, then you’re more of a moron than I thought you were.
By Keep It Up
February 2, 2010 6:34 PM | Link to this
Compromising with a moron as POTUS doesn’t make an sense for the country or Republicans. To be complicite in the destruction of America isn’t wise for the Rep party. I just want them to stop his madness while there’s still time to repair the damage he’s already done.
By Keep It Up
February 2, 2010 6:34 PM | Link to this
Compromising with a moron as POTUS doesn’t make an sense for the country or Republicans. To be complicite in the destruction of America isn’t wise for the Rep party. I just want them to stop his madness while there’s still time to repair the damage he’s already done.
By S. Freud
February 2, 2010 6:40 PM | Link to this
Mr. Gottlieb, Many of us are concerned that you will not be able to cope with the coming election debacle this fall. The Republicans have some frightening idealogue boogiemen, but so do the Democrats. Please consider taking a few days off.
By Dave
February 2, 2010 6:40 PM | Link to this
It’s so nice to see this rational and measured discussion. No wonder Washington works so smoothly, with such a groundswell of mutual respect and civility.
By dd
February 2, 2010 8:31 PM | Link to this
I agree with Mr Freud - We will even set your return —- 12th of never
By Concerned
February 2, 2010 10:36 PM | Link to this
I recall candidate Obama exclaiming “Words, just words!” Clearly his don’t mean anything by his own admission.
By Ridiculous
February 2, 2010 11:38 PM | Link to this
hahaha…these comments are ridiculous and hilarious. full of emotion…”destroying the country!” socialist!” SHUT UP! You are ridiculous! all of you!
By Philman
February 3, 2010 6:00 AM | Link to this
TO Marty & Mr. Ridiculous, have YOU read any of the books that Obama’s czars have written,why do they all have the same pro communist hate America theme, none of these books were found in the Fiction section. so it must be what they really feel,even Obama’s books are filled with socialist communist leanings.. SO WHAT ARE WE TO THINK? if a Republican wrote a book about some extreme right wing position you can rest asured that marty would be reporting on it , on the front page ..
By in defense of sister
February 3, 2010 6:12 AM | Link to this
As a sister of someone with developmental disabilities it is apparent that this administration may care little about what anyone feels so don’t justify anything. The president so casually made the “Special Olympics” quip. Now we learn from real news sources that Rahm Emanuel calls people retarded and gets a pass on it being even mentioned in the DDN. It’s time we let this administration stand on its own accord, stop making excuses for them and let the voters decide who is worthy.
By parental
February 3, 2010 7:15 AM | Link to this
I believe that our President is from the far left of our political spectrum. Denying this is a mistake. I don’t believe he wants to destroy America. I do believe he is wrong on many things and like most politicians will lie when it helps him. When he says “I am not an ideologue”, Obama is telling one of those lies. Mr. Gottlieb is also from the left so he sees little wrong with what Obama has done and is doing. His columns are plainly labeled opinion. He has his opinion and I have mine. Facts are not changeable. The fact is, Obama’s plans haven’t done what he said they would. The HUGE piles of money were not spent the way we were told they would be spent. Obama’s economic policy is that of a hard left politician. Obama says he wants ideas from the right….he has been given some, so lets see what he does with them. I think he’ll ignore them like he has for the last year.
By Raoul
February 3, 2010 7:34 AM | Link to this
Martin, clearly a lot of people in this country are vehemently opposed to the type of liberal, big government, anti-banking, anti-Wall Street, vision of our current President. His words have meant nothing, so even his liberal followers can’t defend him. You seem to want to frame the current partisanship in terms of mean old Republicans trying their best to undermine the President. You, and the maintstream media have been getting away with this crap for way too long, and the tide is turning. Spending our way out of a recession is sheer lunacy. Freezing spending that was just increased by a substantial amount is not even a clever way of ‘acting’ as a budget hawk. “Never let a crisis go to waste” may be the comment that best encapsulates what the Democrats are doing. Republicans and conservatives that oppose are beyond being partisan; they are concerned about our great country and it’s postive role in the world. Liberals have long claimed a special right to vocalize dissent with their government. Well, back at you.
By davidss2
February 3, 2010 8:22 AM | Link to this
If a republican used a “retarded” label in referring to the socialists lefties and one of their plans, the DDN would be screaming to run him out of town on a rail. —————————Our major problem is that the guy is run by some behind the scenes people with extremely disrespectful views of US citizens, Emanuen, Axlerod, and the old media thinks it must keep on protecting Obama and the democrats from the broken promises that they used to help get him elected.
By joe_mamma
February 3, 2010 8:45 AM | Link to this
What Seth Morgan said about destroying America is correct. My only quibble would be that President Obama and the Democrats are not the only guilty parties. The Republicans are also guilty. Both parties are run by people who think that government needs to take a bigger role in steering and controlling the American people’s lives. The only difference between them is how fast you get there. I just wish our politician’s would be honest about their beliefs concerning the role of government in our lives. For Martin to argue that President Obama does not want to extensively expand the role and control of government over the economy and consequently our lives is utterly silly. Even in citing the President’s reaching out to Republicans through tax credits shows that the President is comfortable with the government controlling who wins and loses. That is because the tax credits only go to certain small businesses, not all businesses. Martin can try to make himself and the President sound reasonable, however the underlying truth is that they both believe the government needs to take a larger role in the citizen’s lives. I hope that most Americans don’t agree with them.
By FAM
February 3, 2010 9:25 AM | Link to this
I get depressed when I read so many comments that so clearly demonstarte that the authors’ minds are closed. Rather than arguments based on facts and reason, I read a procession of labels (i.e., Leftist, socialist, communist, right wing, etc.) that are presented as if they are self evident facts.
By Stephen Lahanas
February 3, 2010 9:30 AM | Link to this
It’s ironic that the GOP which through Nixon reached out to both the USSR and China cannot manage to support a single thing that our President is talking about, a man elected by a significant margin of Americans. It’s even more ironic that the GOP has the nerve to complain about partisanship. They are in fact the poster kids for what’s wrong with our partisan system.
By Stephen Lahanas
February 3, 2010 9:30 AM | Link to this
It’s ironic that the GOP which through Nixon reached out to both the USSR and China cannot manage to support a single thing that our President is talking about, a man elected by a significant margin of Americans. It’s even more ironic that the GOP has the nerve to complain about partisanship. They are in fact the poster kids for what’s wrong with our partisan system.
By Stephen Lahanas
February 3, 2010 9:32 AM | Link to this
It’s ironic that the GOP which through Nixon reached out to both the USSR and China cannot manage to support a single thing that our President is talking about, a man elected by a significant margin of Americans. It’s even more ironic that the GOP has the nerve to complain about partisanship. They are in fact the poster kids for what’s wrong with our partisan system.
By null
February 3, 2010 9:44 AM | Link to this
Stephen, The non partisan reaching out you yearn for was a non starter until the Democrats lost the Mass. Senate seat last month.
By FAM
February 3, 2010 10:14 AM | Link to this
null. The non partisan reaching out started when the president was sworn-in, and he and others (i.e.,Sen. Baucus)reached out to the GOP to get cooperation on items like Health Insurance reform. GOP leaders (i.e., McCain, McConnell, etc) have reversed positions that they had supported in the past, when the current administration expressed support of the same position.
By dhampton100
February 3, 2010 11:02 AM | Link to this
We cannot run a nation when your opponent is spewing lies and disingenuous tales. Most of the comments on this article are based in pure ignorance. This is the point the President was making on Friday. The Republicans pump their constituents full if misinformation, wind them up like dolls and send them out to attack. Is MR. Obama perfect? NO Is any human being? But his faults do not reach anywhere near the scale of the folks commenting on this article. Nobody’s destroying America. He is not an ideologue, if anything, in my opinion, he is not liberal enough. After what they did to this country I wouldn’t give the Republicans a voice on anything. That’s probably why I am not President. After 8 years of Republicans stealing and lying to the American people they have the unmitigated gall to claim Mr. Obama is destroying the country. What do you call the condition when are in now and who was in control just recently. Please!
By JG
February 3, 2010 11:12 AM | Link to this
Mr. Gottlieb’s comment was a refreshing contrast to the hate-infused string of distortions and invective from Ms. Charen. For you Sarah Palin fans, invective means “abusive language.”
By Always Blaming Someone Else
February 3, 2010 11:27 AM | Link to this
Martin, you, along with the party you see no faults (democrats) have no one, I mean no one to blame for this countries problems. The Democrats have controlled the House and Senate since 2006. Nancy Pelosi already stated one record that they don’t need the Republicans to pass legislation. How have all the bills passed over the last year made this country better? All it has done is divide this country more and the debt is skyrocketing. You and the left wing media continue to make excuses for bad leadership and bad policies. You should focus your time more on criticizing democrats and not using the republicans as a “scape goat.”
By null
February 3, 2010 11:32 AM | Link to this
FAM, I had an opportunity to watch several of the Senate committee meetings regarding health care. I can not recall one Republican amendment that was not voted down by the majority in committee. The Democrats and the President also spent the first ten months of his presidency playing the blame game at the same time they said they want to reach out.
By Rod
February 3, 2010 1:16 PM | Link to this
Mr. Gottlieb, Your article does a great job of narrowing the problem which we see following the recent SOTU: 1. The President is completely ignorant of economic facts, or… 2. The President understands the facts and is blatantly lying to America (hoping that they are ignorant) You attempt to show him as moving toward the right because he “offered” ‘tax credit for some small businesses and a capital gains tax break.’ If you, or other citizen believes this, then you are completely without a clue regarding small business. Most small businesses are taxed as PERSONAL income- they file just like most of us. This means that most will show an income over $200,000 and fall into the administration’s crosshairs for tax increases. Also, capital gains comes from profits realized from the sale of stocks, bonds, precious metals, and property. In other words, the vast majority of small businesses don’t pay capital gains. Do you and the President actually believe that these promises are valid or are you content to pull the wool over American’s eyes? The POTUS has never had a real job in the private sector, never filed a tax return for a business, and never run a business. You honestly believe this man when he says, “I’m not an ideologue.” You obviously have not read his book. Until you show that you have a better grasp of truth/facts, we would all be better off trusting Mona Charen.
By Rod
February 3, 2010 1:18 PM | Link to this
Mr. Gottlieb, Your article does a great job of narrowing the problem which we see following the recent SOTU: 1. The President is completely ignorant of economic facts, or… 2. The President understands the facts and is blatantly lying to America (hoping that they are ignorant) You attempt to show him as moving toward the right because he “offered” ‘tax credit for some small businesses and a capital gains tax break.’ If you, or other citizen believes this, then you are completely without a clue regarding small business. Most small businesses are taxed as PERSONAL income- they file just like most of us. This means that most will show an income over $200,000 and fall into the administration’s crosshairs for tax increases. Also, capital gains comes from profits realized from the sale of stocks, bonds, precious metals, and property. In other words, the vast majority of small businesses don’t pay capital gains. Do you and the President actually believe that these promises are valid or are you content to pull the wool over American’s eyes? The POTUS has never had a real job in the private sector, never filed a tax return for a business, and never run a business. You honestly believe this man when he says, “I’m not an ideologue.” You obviously have not read his book. Until you show that you have a better grasp of truth/facts, we would all be better off trusting Mona Charen.
By 57th state
February 3, 2010 1:46 PM | Link to this
That’s an outrageous statement by Morgan. Obama is not slowly destroying America. He is actually going about the task of destroying America quite rapidly and efficiently.
By Morgan
February 3, 2010 2:59 PM | Link to this
…”outrageous statement by Morgan.” Over your head, 57th state?
By FAM
February 3, 2010 4:15 PM | Link to this
null- There is a utube clip of a hearing chaired by Sen. Dodd (7/15/09)on Health Insurance Reform. Sen. Dodd tries to accept 64 amendments from the Republican members, along with 17 Democratic amendments. They said NO! When Dodd offered to limit the approval of just the 64 Republican amendments, the Republicans said NO! How can there be any cooperation or compromise with such positions?
By null
February 3, 2010 6:21 PM | Link to this
FAM, I was unable to find the hearing you refenced. It was nice chatting with you. Our points of view are different,but your civility is appreciated.
By bstew
February 4, 2010 8:00 AM | Link to this
all you fox news zombies sure have a short memory. at the end of 2008 the republicans had held the presidency for 20 of the last 28 years. from 2000 to 2006 they held both houses in congress and the presidency. the situation this country is in one would have to believe is rooted in this time period as things in government certainly do not happen overnight. these republicans you would like to elect back into office have no solutions, their only agenda is to keep anyone from fixing the problems their party created. i remember back to the last summer when the major whine from the right was how little obama was doing now i read from some how he is systematically and quickly “destroying america”. thats pretty heavy stuff, please give me some examples. by reading some of these comments i can see how fox news has such high ratings, they tell a certain portion of the population what they want to hear and they present it as news. they also package it in a way that even the less bright among us can regurgitate it with little thought or energy and feel like they actually have something to say. that’s the american way, keep the masses focused on the insignificant while the political class robs us blind.
By Dan
February 4, 2010 9:32 AM | Link to this
BStew, Keep getting your facts from CNN and the DDN. If you can’t see the obvious, then you’re as blind as this article writer. At least the economy grew when republicans were in office. At least republicans aren’t looking to triple the deficit over next 10 years. What has congress or the president done over the past year as 3 million americans lost their jobs?
By bstew
February 4, 2010 10:49 AM | Link to this
hey dan, enlighten me with your ideas on employment. you can copy straight from fox news if you like. i will recognize if you do because i actually watch from time to time. i don’t remember hearing much about deficits from your side of the fence the last 8 years when we were were running up debt at an amazing rate with two wars, a prescription drug bill for seniors designed solely for political reasons and unfunded tax cuts for the richest americans which were supposed to create jobs. guess that didn’t work out so good. i stand by my earlier comments, the last 30 years of of overwhelmingly republican rule has lead us to where we are not one year of obama. republicans should change the slogan to “government does not work, elect us and we will prove it”. seems to fit.
By bstew
February 4, 2010 10:51 AM | Link to this
hey dan, enlighten me with your ideas on employment. you can copy straight from fox news if you like. i will recognize if you do because i actually watch from time to time. i don’t remember hearing much about deficits from your side of the fence the last 8 years when we were were running up debt at an amazing rate with two wars, a prescription drug bill for seniors designed solely for political reasons and unfunded tax cuts for the richest americans which were supposed to create jobs. guess that didn’t work out so good. i stand by my earlier comments, the last 30 years of of overwhelmingly republican rule has lead us to where we are not one year of obama. republicans should change their slogan to “government does not work, elect us and we will prove it”. seems to fit.
By scoobydo
February 4, 2010 11:02 AM | Link to this
The failed tour of Bush. After two wars started and never finished, torture, trashing of the constitution, illegal wiretaps, loss of freedom, economic catastrophe totally egnored until the TARP funds, going from a national surplus to a 1.3 trillion deficit, 2,973 victims of 9-11, 5317 troops killed in the two wars, and 849,845 Iraq and Afghanistan civilians dead. About 283 times as many people have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq than in the ghastly attacks of September 11, 2001. More than 121 times as many people have been killed in these wars and occupations than in all terrorist attacks in the world from 1993-2004. Makes Obama look pretty good.
By davidss2
February 4, 2010 1:22 PM | Link to this
Scooby: If Bush was so wrong about the war, why has Obama continued it and increased the troop count? If Bush was wrong with Guantanamo for war prisoners, why is it still open and Obama is likely going to move the latest terror trial to Guantanamo. If the economic disaster up to TARP was so known, why did Dems keep increasing the inflamatory spending on housing mortgages with government buying up mortgages from their buds in the mortgage business? If Bush was spending too much, how about Obama’s tripling the yearly deficit and now wanting to waste even more on pork since the first pork round didn’t satisfy the democrat legislators? Gotta buy more votes for November in at risk districts? Trashing constitution? Don’t I see a headline about gov. cozying up with Google for search record information on individuals? And you thought what you posted on the internet was safe—that they don’t know you IP even for posts here on DDN?
By Kurt
February 5, 2010 6:02 AM | Link to this
All downhill folks, since 2006 when the communist took over both houses of Congress, and with the community organizer, Katie bar the door. President Bush, 4.8% unemployment, 13,200 stock market, strong dollar, 1 trillion in debt, and no attacks for 7 and a half years, do you miss him yet folks?
By bstew
February 5, 2010 8:01 AM | Link to this
kurt, nice stats. now take a look at those same stats from mid january 2001 and compare them to the numbers from mid january 2009. keep in mind who was in complete control from 2000 until 2006 and still held the presidency until 2008. also keep in mind who was in office on september 11, 2001. while you are at it, check and see how many american jobs left this country between january 2001 and the end of december 2008. miss george w. bush? hardly. love the irrational ramblings from the teabagging right? absolutly.
By I am just saying
February 7, 2010 12:34 PM | Link to this
Ok DDN, I have had about enough. It is about time U morons put a conservative voice in the OP-ED department to level teh playing field. this left leaning immitation of toilet paper is fraudulent if you dont. The bearded wonder Gottleib and his partisan opinions should have a “other side of the coin” opinion. We need a Dan Ackroyd to Gottleib’s “ignorant sl-t”
By scoobydo
February 11, 2010 9:16 AM | Link to this
It must be awful to have nothing to base your politics upon except the failure of the current President. “If the price of certainty is essentially for us to adopt the exact same proposals that were in place for eight years leading up to the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression — we don’t tinker with health care, let the insurance companies do what they want, we don’t put in place any insurance reforms, we don’t mess with the banks, let them keep on doing what they’re doing now because we don’t want to stir up Wall Street — the result is going to be the same,” Obama said. “I don’t know why we would expect a different outcome pursuing the exact same policy that got us into this fix in the first place.” President Obama’s agenda, ambitious as it may be, is responsible for only a sliver of the deficits, despite what many of his Republican critics are saying. About 7 percent comes from the stimulus bill that Mr. Obama signed in February. And only 3 percent comes from Mr. Obama’s agenda on health care, education, energy and other areas.