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Obama On Boehner's 'Ant' Remark: I'm 'Stunned' He's That 'Out Of Touch'
President Barack Obama
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President Obama will say that he "was stunned to hear the leader of the Republicans in the House say that financial reform was like using a nuclear weapon to target an ant," according to his prepared remarks for a Town Hall event today.
Boehner said in an interview Monday that the financial reform bill is like "killing an ant with a nuclear weapon," and is now taking his lumps for the remark.
President Obama is the latest to fire back at Boehner (R-OH). According to a press release from the White House, in a town hall event today on the economy in Racine, Wisconsin, Obama will say he was:
stunned to hear the leader of the Republicans in the House say that financial reform was like using a nuclear weapon to target an ant. That's right. He compared the financial crisis to an ant. The same financial crisis that led to the loss of nearly eight million jobs. The same crisis that cost people their homes and their lives savings.
And this: "If the Republican leader is that out of touch with the struggles facing the American people, he should come here to Racine and ask people if they think the financial crisis was an ant."
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sangsue
June 30, 2010 12:38 PM
Who lit the fire under President Obama's ass? Go Obama!
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The BBQ Chicken Madness
June 30, 2010 12:59 PM
Great line. Now how about you use that sort of rhetoric to pass some legislation that will actually help the unemployeed. I've grown weary of the GOP blocking everything and getting away with it. It's time for Dems to punch the bully in the nose, I'd rather see them lose than never fight for us.
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chameleon
June 30, 2010 1:33 PM in reply to The BBQ Chicken Madness
Yeah losing will help them fight for us. That will work out just great, won't it.
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FreeRider
June 30, 2010 1:49 PM in reply to chameleon
Thank you! These folks who value "losing" are the Jim Demints of the democratic party.
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chameleon
June 30, 2010 2:22 PM in reply to FreeRider
I mean how fricking stupid is that statement? Makes one's head spin
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The BBQ Chicken Madness
June 30, 2010 2:36 PM in reply to chameleon
You misunderstand my comment...I'm not talking about elections.
I'm talking about legislation. It's pathetic that the GOP hasn't paid a political price for their historic obstruction. Last time I checked, if the bill fails to get cloture, then Reid can change his vote and bring it up again later. I'd rather see them TRY to pass stronger legislation, and fail, because then they can ravage the GOP on denying help to the American people - while they try continue to try and work deals to pass it.
Believe me, I'm not the DeMint of the Dems. But I'm sick of us being the Charlie Browns to the GOP's Lucy.
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chameleon
June 30, 2010 2:44 PM in reply to The BBQ Chicken Madness
I know from your posts your not, but that's not what you said and that's why I "misunderstood" your comment. Wanting us to lose is not the answer - no matter how you look at it. We cannot afford to let these bastards back in office no matter what!!!
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Viva!America!
June 30, 2010 1:36 PM
More like he's stunned that boehner said it out loud.
The GOP is just really going for it this year. No shame. No regrets.
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red cabbage
June 30, 2010 1:40 PM in reply to Viva!America!
If by "it" you mean the bottom, then yes, they are going for it.
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Signalman
June 30, 2010 1:51 PM
If the GOP really thinks that the private sector will create all these jobs and put everyone back to work, then why won't the Democrats ask them why those selfsame industries haven't been *creating any freakin' American JOBS* for the past ten years?
If the private sector wants some tax breaks, then let's see them put some Americans back to work first. They've had enough tax breaks for a generation, I says. Time for those pigs to put some Lunchpail Joes on the payroll as payback for all the largesse We The People have showered on them.
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Shrubbit
June 30, 2010 2:28 PM in reply to Signalman
Oh the private sector HAS created plenty of jobs. It's just that they're slave wage jobs in developing countries that can be easily exploited.
The GOP is great for the multinational corporations. And dictators. Just not AMERICA. The world's greatest superpower takes a back-seat to the Corporate Global Industrial Complex.
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Signalman
June 30, 2010 3:20 PM in reply to Shrubbit
That's why I specified *American* jobs. But I like the cut of your jib, sir. ;)
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Hobbes83
June 30, 2010 2:30 PM in reply to Signalman
I think that what we're seeing right now is Reaganism coming back and biting us in the ass. People refuse to see that de-regulation and tax breaks for the wealthy to create jobs only has the slightest of anecdotal evidence in favor of those ideas. Supply-side economics were a failure, and a return to them now demonstrates the lack of ideas and critical thinking that perfectly describes the state of right-wing politics.
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Shrubbit
June 30, 2010 2:51 PM in reply to Hobbes83
"Supply-side economics were a failure"
Wrong. Supply-side economics was a HUGE success.
For multinational corporations.
Supporters of Reaganomics -- willingly or ignorantly -- SUPPORT multinationals and global corporate industry more than they do the United States of America.
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Hobbes83
June 30, 2010 4:20 PM in reply to Shrubbit
I stand corrected.;)
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NerdRage
June 30, 2010 1:57 PM
now listen...lets not use boehner as a punching bag too much...
the guy's been very busy
selling off all his BP stock, working on his spraytan, killing jobs bills to help stall the economic recovery...
you know...the important stuff most americans really care about
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
June 30, 2010 3:59 PM
What's really stunning is that the Republicans killed unemployment benefit extension "because it wasn't paid for" in the face of 10% unemployment, and all the MSM will say is that "the bill stalled in the Senate" without mentioning who stalled it. What's stunning is that the Democrats aren't screaming about that 24/7. What's stunning is that Republicans are openly arguing that there are plenty of jobs to be had and the problem is that these no-good, shiftless deadbeats, who are, after all, entirely to blame for having gotten fired in the first place, just aren't willing to take a pay cut until we force 'em off the taxpayers' teat.
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tradeshoes14
June 30, 2010 11:07 PM
Hello,everybody,the good shopping place,the new season approaching, click in. Let's
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JDRCRASHER
July 8, 2010 1:56 PM
The only real reason why his poll numbers have been down is because he hasn't had the balls to silence the cronies of the Grand Old Party. But that might finally be starting to change.
And it's about time.....seriously, I'VE JUST ABOUT HAD IT. I'm tired with the nonsensical obstruction from the GOP when it comes to helping out the millions of people that are unemployed and are about to run out of benefits. I'm tired of Republicans like Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, and Eric Cantor wasting the American peoples' time poisoning them with lies about what Obama is trying to accomplish by calling him a socialist. I'm tired of Republicans defending CEO's and then backing such positions with the piss-poor claim that they're trying to "save jobs". I'm tired of them claiming that tax cuts to wealthy fat cats are going to create middle-class jobs. I'm tired of them failing to look at the fact that ever since the stimulus was passed, the monthly drops in unemployment have cratered.
And most importantly, I REALLY am getting sick and tired of the GOP claiming to be the mouthpiece of the American people. Their poll numbers are even worse than Obama's.
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