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October 4, 2011 in Nation/World
Obama knocks GOP leader, says GOP blocks jobs vote
Attendees stand an applaud as President Barack Obama speaks, urging Congress to pass the American Jobs Act, Tuesday, Oct 4, 2011, at Eastfield College in Mesquite, Texas.
(Full-size photo)(All photos)
DALLAS — President Barack Obama is criticizing House Majority Leader Eric Cantor for saying the president’s $447 billion jobs bill will not get a vote in its entirety in the Republican-led House.
“I’d like Mr. Cantor to come down here to Dallas and explain what in this jobs bill he doesn’t believe in,” Obama said in remarks prepared for delivery today at a Texas community college.
Cantor, R-Va., said Monday that while the president’s plan contained elements that Republicans could support, “this all-or-nothing approach is unreasonable.”
Obama is stepping up the campaign for his jobs bills, sharpening his strategy to blame Republican lawmakers if the bill, or at least significant portions of it, doesn’t pass by year’s end. He spoke last month in front of a bridge linking Ohio and Kentucky, the home states of House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Three weeks after Obama sent the legislation to Congress, the proposal has run into resistance from Republicans and even some Democrats.
Ahead of his speech at Eastfield College in Mesquite, Texas, Obama asked donors at a fundraising lunch in Dallas for their support pressuring Republicans to act, complaining that “even in the midst of this crisis, their primary answer has been ‘no.”’
Obama also defended his plan to pay for his jobs bill with higher taxes opposed by Republicans along with some Democrats.
“This notion that folks are inherently selfish, that’s just not true. But you’ve got ask them,” he said. “Right? People don’t voluntarily pay taxes. But if you ask most wealthy folks here in Dallas or around the country, they’ll tell you, ‘You know what? I want to make that sure I’m doing my share so America succeeds.’ But somebody’s got to ask.”
Republicans have identified parts of Obama’s jobs plan they could support, including a payroll tax cut for workers and employers. In a letter to GOP lawmakers, they also listed other forms of tax relief they could endorse.
House GOP leaders wrote Obama on Monday to say they were willing to look for common ground and called on the president to support their efforts to ease regulations on businesses.
White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters traveling with Obama on Monday that Republicans should specify what they oppose in the bill.
“Say so. Vote accordingly,” Carney said. “But don’t hide behind letters you’ve sent to the president. Tell us where you stand.”
Cantor’s spokesman, Brad Dayspring, disputed Obama’s argument.
“If House Republicans sent our plan for America’s job creators to the president, would he promise not to veto it in its entirety? Would he travel district to district and explain why he’d block such commonsense ideas to create jobs?” Dayspring asked. “House Republicans have different ideas on how to grow the economy and create jobs, but that shouldn’t prevent us from trying to find areas of common ground with the president.”
Obama has become increasingly forceful in singling out Republican opposition.
Several of the president’s trips have taken him directly into the backyards of his Republican rivals, including a recent speech in Richmond, Va., part of Cantor’s district
Obama’s visit to a Dallas suburb Tuesday brought him to the district of Rep. Jeb Hensarling, the Republican co-chairman of the special congressional committee on deficit reduction, as well as to the home state of Gov. Rick Perry, a top GOP presidential candidate.
Obama wants to reduce payroll taxes on workers and employers, extend benefits to long-term unemployed people, spend money on public works projects, and help states and local governments keep teachers, police officers and firefighters on the job. He would pay for the plan with tax increases on wealthier Americans and by closing what he considers corporate tax loopholes.
With Congress willing to consider only pieces of the administration’s bill, the White House is making a concerted effort to highlight the individual components of the president’s measure, not just sell it as a full package
Education was the focus in Texas. The White House says the measure would prevent the layoff of up to 280,000 teachers across the country while also allowing states to hire back tens of thousands more. The administration also says new spending would go toward modernizing at least 35,000 public schools and community colleges.
After two fundraising lunches in Dallas, Obama planned to attend a fundraising reception and dinner in St. Louis. Ticket prices for the events ranged from $250 to the legal maximum of $35,800, and together they were taking in a rough minimum of nearly $2 million for the Obama Victory Fund, a joint account of the Democratic Campaign Committee and the president’s re-election campaign.
A Republican-aligned group planned to follow Obama’s travels with critical ads in cities where the president pitches his jobs plan. The group, American Crossroads, began with ads in St. Louis attacking Obama’s plan to raise tax revenue to pay for his jobs plan.
© Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Stocks plummet as outlook in Europe dims 
WHS on October 04 at 12:55 p.m.
Good! Nice to see President Obama taking a hard line for a change… Because as we have seen, being reasonable and compromising means nothing the radical right tea bagger gop republicans. And as always, they say they can support only part, which is the part they agree with, but to heck with what you may want. That is not being reasonable. Had the right been more forthcoming previously, this probably would be much easier. But they have proven, time and time again, they dont care about America, they only care about one thing… Money.
WHS
The_Seer on October 04 at 1:12 p.m.
Hank Williams Jr. was right, Obama is Hitler.
Wasn’t that too much? Not only that Hank said what he said but that he’s a panelist on Fox News! Who’s next, Minne Pearl?
Scoutster on October 04 at 1:15 p.m.
Cantor says: “this all-or-nothing approach is unreasonable.”
When did that attitude start, Eric?
tobiasg on October 04 at 1:26 p.m.
One of the few parts the Republicans like is one of the parts I do NOT like. Reducing payroll taxes means less funding for Social Security, which means more cries of “it’s a Ponzi scheme!” and “Social Security is going bankrupt!”…because essentially, that’s what it is setting it up to do.
tobiasg on October 04 at 1:28 p.m.
Oh, and Hank Williams Jr. is a lowlife redneck (not that all rednecks are lowlifes, before anyone rushes to attack me). I don’t care what he thinks and quite frankly, he’s an entertainer at best and his opinions mean about as much to me as the opinions of Chuck Norris.
slamdunk on October 04 at 1:35 p.m.
Hank Williams Junior is nothing but a rich, brainless, BIG MOUTH!!!!! As for ole Mr. Cantor, with-holding funding for disaster aid is a lot to be proud of. It’s high time the Democrats exhibited some backbone and went after culls like Cantor, McConnell, Boehner, and Ryan. If these guys have their way, we will all be working in the fields for a dime an hour. The ONLY people who don’t like the jobs bill are those that have nothing to worry about. So, SEER, when you lose your job we will all you hear you whine and complain about no one supporting you. get a life….actually, you need to get some compassion for those less fortunate then your self.
jdodgion on October 04 at 1:40 p.m.
Obama doesn’t have a clue about the Jobs Bill or how to even get it passed.
tobiasg on October 04 at 1:42 p.m.
jdodgion, and your solutions would be? Cut taxes for the wealthy, increase taxes on the poor and middle classes and somehow that’s going to create well paying jobs and everyone will be happy?
We’ve tried this…that is why we’re having this discussion.
jddavis on October 04 at 1:48 p.m.
This is the same plan Obummer floated and his Democrat controlled House AND Senate rejected.
Now the Repulicans hold majority in the House, it is suddenly their fault?
Perhaps you hard-line Liberals should research which Democrat Congressmen and Senators DO NOT support Obummers plan, and let them know how you feel.
Pass it now! Then we’ll see what’s in it! Please…
MikeA on October 04 at 2:06 p.m.
Thomas Friedman said it very concisely in his September 23 blog post “Help Wanted - Leadership”:
“…“we the people” are having an economic crisis and “you the politicians” are having an election — and there is frighteningly little overlap between the two. ”
Intelligent people just don’t join political parties…period.
DeadHandsofChe on October 04 at 2:09 p.m.
Obama is a lousy president; however, everyone saw that one coming (at least everyone who was rational and sane during the 2008 election).
MrNatural on October 04 at 2:10 p.m.
Lead…Follow…or get the heck out of the way.
Republicans are nothing more than do nothing obstructionists who want control over this nations weath for their personal private gain. It’s like having a whole room full of little Gordon Gecko’s
Full steam ahead Mr. President!
rshroll on October 04 at 2:12 p.m.
Why has the political climate in this country gone so far to the right? Obama makes Nixon look liberal. The top 1% has done very well indeed during this recession. They now hold about 40% of total wealth. Higher than at any time in history. They buy media conglomerates. They buy politicians. Their continued rampage on America appears to be at the expense of the middle class, and they want us snuffed out now! The anti-separation of news and entertainment has confused anything one hears and sees on mass media. Dig down on nearly any problem and you wind up at money. The marching on Wall Street and elsewhere is a great start. People are finally figuring it out. Another good start is this: WWW.getmoneyout.com
Charlie on October 04 at 2:18 p.m.
How come Sen. Reed(D) won’t even bring it to the senate floor for a vote? He says he has more important things to do and he doesn’t have enough votes to pass it. This bill is nothing but pure partisan politics, both sides have played this game from time to time.
kma on October 04 at 2:21 p.m.
DeadHandsofChe……………… really, really, really DeadHandsof……..
Obama is a lousy president; however, everyone saw that one coming (at least everyone who was rational and sane during the 2008 election).
Really DeadHandsoChe………….really, really, really?
Al_Loysius on October 04 at 2:25 p.m.
Like Charlie points out, the dirty little secret here is that he does not even have Democratic support in the Democratic Senate. Senate Majority Leader Reed knows that and knows it is dead on arrival in that body.
Charlie on October 04 at 2:34 p.m.
Just read that Sen. McConnell(R) tried to bring the JOBS bill up for a vote in the senate, guess who blocked it, Sen. Harry Reid(D). There be a bit of obstruction going on here by the party of no, the democrats.
Justsayin' on October 04 at 2:42 p.m.
None of these clowns want to lead or to follow. They just want to be re-elected. Yes that includes your wonderful mr. president… It isn’t about the country, it’s about them, our “servants” I wish I could afford servants like these. It is pretty much a given that after two terms, these clowns are owned by whom-ever bought them. Wouldn’t it be nice if our representatives took as good care of us as they do themselves? By the way, do any of you have names? What are you afraid of? Man up! Don’t insult each other, then hide your identities… Just sayin”
Gary Garrison
jddavis on October 04 at 2:47 p.m.
MrNatural: “Republicans are nothing more than do nothing obstructionists…”
I know you may have meant this in a general sort of way, however, if you look at it politically you have it wrong.
The Democrats control the Senate, the Republicans control the House. Do you care to state which body of Congress has put forth more bills to the other? Do you care to state which body has refused multiple times to consider (let alone vote) bills from the other?
The Democrat leader of the Senate doesn’t want to put Obummas Jobs Bill up for a vote. I think that BOTH houses should vote on the bill NOW, not wait until Obummas deadline of the end of October.
MrNatural on October 04 at 3:06 p.m.
Well jd…if the vote was 51-49 then I believe things would be different. I guess I’m just a bit miffed because the R’s got…what 98% of what they wanted in the last session and golly bob howdy it sure did help the average American condition.
Why not let the president lead the nation as he was elected to do and if he fails vote him out and find the next flunky…
jddavis on October 04 at 3:19 p.m.
MrNatural, not sure if any party much of what they wanted last session, other than Obama Care.
I wish the President would lead and do what he is supposed to do. He is not the “uniter” so many had hoped for, as evidenced by his frequent actions/statements on class and race.
Both parties have reason to be called out; and I hope they answer up to their performance(s). To say that one party is obstructionists while giving the other a pass is not objective.
MrNatural on October 04 at 3:26 p.m.
Well I’ll grant you that jd…Obama does need to do much better in aspects of leadership and uniting…or herding the cats…pardon my bias :)
johnclarke on October 04 at 3:33 p.m.
jddavis, I hear and see many offers to work together from the President. I hear and see many examples of pure obstruction from the Republican party. What, do I have to go dig up proof? I think all one has to do is pay attention.
dataxman on October 04 at 3:34 p.m.
The Democrats don’t want this dog either - that is why no democrat in the House bothered to introduce the bill. That is right - the bill the Owebama wants passed can’t get a member of his own party to sponsor the bill. Tells you what a pathetic excuse of a leader this guy is.
jddavis on October 04 at 3:47 p.m.
JC—the title of this story is “Obama knocks GOP leader, says GOP blocks jobs vote”.
Now with the knowledge you have, why would you supposed Senator Reid (the ranking Democrat in the Senate) will not bring President Obama’s Jobs Bill up for a vote?
I am not asking you to dig up proof of anything on this matter—I am confident you already know the truth.
If Obama is so willing to work together on so many issues as you state, why isn’t he willing to work with Repubilcans AND Democrats on a bill so important as this Jobs Bill? When he rolled this plan out, he said “pass this bill now” what, 17 times? He has given the Congress a deadline of Oct 31st to pass it? Seems he has lost that “work together” mentality you mention.
detroitdude on October 04 at 3:51 p.m.
Agree with JC.
I am not a huge fan of Mr. Obama, he’s not the same person who ran for President. However, to say he has not tried time and time again to work with the GOP and find some common ground or some sort of meeting of the minds is just plain not true.
The whole debt ceiling nonsense, not Obama’s fault. You have a speaker of the House who, his own words, says his primary goal is to make Obama a one term President. Protect your political ideals by all means, but is the US EVER going to come first in the eyes of these morons? Nope, it’s election season, and Obama is definitely one of them when it comes to campaigning and fundraising.
The question I ask here to Mr. Boehner and the GOP is, why? Why all of the obstruction? And JC is correct in saying all one has to do is pay attention.
Jesus, put people to work, lets re-pave our roads and fix our bridges and renovate our office buildings and schools. This is money for labor to the company that wants to take on these projects. But no, no, we get more of the GOP/Tea Party mantra of “Come Hell or high water, with God as my witness, we MUST DEFEAT the black guy who holds the office of the President!”
detroitdude on October 04 at 3:57 p.m.
@ jddavis: After nearly 4 years of TRYING to work with a bunch of special needs curmudgeons, should the President really be playing patty cake with these fools??
Go for broke I say, be the man you campaigned as, take a hard line against these conservative zealots and bring some real progressive thinking into the arena. You all hate on Obama like he is the Antichrist, all he needs is the Michael Jackson disease and you have GWB, who’s just a tad more eloquent.
jddavis on October 04 at 3:59 p.m.
Detroit—Why must you make it a racial issue when it is not? Certainly the GOP/TEA Party members who support Herman Cain for the Republican nomination must be racist too?
Ahh, the debt ceiling fiasco. Congress doesn’t exist to fall in-line with what the President wants. Our government functioned as it was supposed to, although ugly and to the disgust of many.
I would tell you that Obama IS the same guy who ran for President! He has shown himself unable to deliver on many of the promises he made to his supporters…as grand as they were. Right or wrong, good or bad, you are seeing Obama for what he is.
jddavis on October 04 at 4:02 p.m.
Detroit—for the first 2 years in office, Obama had a captive Congress with Democrat majorities in both the House and Senate.
As a side note—Obama lost “me” in ‘07 when he stated the US Military was targeting women and children in the villages of Afghanistan. So, I don’t know if “hate” is the appropriate term for my feelings towards him.
dataxman on October 04 at 4:03 p.m.
Detroit - there is precious little money to repave roads in this ‘jobs’ bill. The bulk of the money goes to payroll tax cuts (of questionable value) and to State/Local gov’ts to retain civil servants. $50 billion is for infrastructure - which, as Owebama found out, takes time to get into the hands of the contractors (“Shovel-ready was not as … uh .. shovel-ready as we expected.” Barak Obama - 6/13/11)
detroitdude on October 04 at 4:06 p.m.
@jddavis: I’m not expecting Obama to deliver on every single thing he blathered about. Expecting that out of anyone, regardless of party is not realistic, these people are bought and paid for by corporations and lobbyists, you know, the so called “job creators” LOL.
It IS a racial issue, it has been from the get go. The worst are those who try to neglect it. Yeah, yeah, Herman Cain is popular with the Tea Party, conservative values, nasty ass pizza, etc, if that’s the case, it ought to be him and Obama debating eventually, right? That won’t happen, mark my words. If it does, I’ll buy you a drink and personally apologize for being wrong.
detroitdude on October 04 at 4:07 p.m.
@dataxman: OK, fair enough. At least he is trying to do SOMETHING, why defend the fools who want to do NOTHING?
detroitdude on October 04 at 4:09 p.m.
And just for giggles, the last stimulus that Obama passed, DID create jobs, and most economists say the reason it was so weak is because not enough money was spent.
jddavis on October 04 at 4:11 p.m.
Detroit—I would like to see that debate! Perhaps if it happens, we watch it over food and drink? 8>)
dataxman on October 04 at 4:16 p.m.
detroit - so judge his actions not the results? More money is not the answer - reducing onerous regulations is (especially ObamaCare).
MRH1949 on October 04 at 4:22 p.m.
No Democrat will even introduce this bill in the House.
Reid introduced it in the Senate without any co-sponsors. Apparently, no other Dem Senator would put their name on it.
When the GOP told Reid to bring it to the Senate floor for a vote, he refused.
No one is blocking it. The Dems simply either wont introduce it (House) or vote on it when the offer is made to do so (Senate).
For the Obama supporters out there, you might want to get even some of your very basic facts straight.
detroitdude on October 04 at 4:47 p.m.
@ MRH: It is DOA in the House, or have you not been paying attention since 1/20/2009?
dataxman on October 04 at 4:51 p.m.
detroit - it was not even introduced as a bill in the House - something any democrat rep could do!
johnclarke on October 04 at 6:37 p.m.
@jddavis
Now with the knowledge you have, why would you supposed Senator Reid (the ranking Democrat in the Senate) will not bring President Obama’s Jobs Bill up for a vote?
So, I can go look jd, but I’m going to take a wild guess and bet the the Republicans either stripped the bill or attached some right wing nonsense. Is that worth a look?
“Republicans have identified parts of Obama’s jobs plan they could support, including a payroll tax cut for workers and employers. In a letter to GOP lawmakers, they also listed other forms of tax relief they could endorse. ”
oops, I only had to look in this article.
This issue, meaning the economy and/or jobs is pretty simple. If we go the GOP approach we will be a smoking hole just like Japan. This is no time to reduce the debt. Every living breathing economist that is not a right wing shill agrees. The government must keep borrowing and spending or the economy will shrink. Everything else is politics. The GOP is on the wrong side of this thing, because it’s really simple math and clearly that can’t do math. They are not interested in serving the public, just themselves.
misjustice on October 04 at 6:45 p.m.
If it is true that Reid is with holding the bill from the floor, it is because there is politicin’ goin’ on behind closed doors; it’s called “whipping”…
The Dems are in control in the Senate, when you are in control you control the agenda and the order that bills are brought to the floor for consideration and debate (called calendaring). He won’t bring the bill to the floor until he knows that he has the votes needed to pass it.
I like it when Cantor opposes the President of the United States of America, Barack Hussein Obama; it helps to fill the President’s re-election coffers with $$$$$. And as we all know, ‘Merican political contests are all about the Benjamins!
Cha-Ching!
Where’s my tax cut?
: 0
bdr on October 04 at 6:50 p.m.
I agree with Mike-a, Thomas Friedman for president.
Friedman predicted our demise in the book Hot Flat and Crowded.
Now for the hillbilly’s thinking Obama is Hitler ??????
who is he rounding up to kill=NO ONE
Is Obama planning expansion of the military ? NO hes actually hosting the idea of cutting 400 billion out of it.
My god these people are so goofed up in the head I cant even believe I’m in the USA?
We need to be more like Brazil and let the rest of the world take care of itself (if that means we pop oil up to 6 bucks a gallon) then so be it. No one strikes Brazil because they think their low renters! BOY are they WRONG.
straightshooter on October 04 at 7:07 p.m.
Same old obstructionist mentality…. They will do anything to bring this president down. Even sacrifice this country for the good of their party.
DeadHandsofChe on October 04 at 7:21 p.m.
kma - Really?
Absolutely. President Teleprompter spent a boat load of money (more in 1.5 years than that lousy President Bush did in 8 years). President Teleprompter got us involved in a brand new war in Libya and a couple more covert wars in Yemen and Pakistan (predators strikes). President Teleprompter didn’t end the war in Iraq and he increased troop levels in Afghanistan. He also didn’t close Gitmo. The economy still stinks and it got even worse under President Teleprompter.
In your delusional world that might be deemed a success; however, in the real world that means the president is in way over his head. Then again, the guy’s only executive experience was being editor (president) of volume 104 of the Harvard Law Review. Community organizers, state senators, and part-time lecturers at University of Chicago Law Schools aren’t administrators. President Obama’s lack of experience is apparent.
You can dust off your Shepard Fairey posters and replay your Obama Girl Youtube videos in a desperate attempt to bring back 2008; however, it won’t hide that fact that Obama is a lousy president.
DeadHandsofChe on October 04 at 7:28 p.m.
bdr - Yeah, it is terrible that some idiot is comparing the President of the United States to that genocidal mass-murderer Adolf Hitler.
Too bad some of those on the left didn’t condemn those Hitler comparisons 9 or 10 years ago because the current outrage sounds a bit contrived and opportunistic.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 04 at 7:34 p.m.
No money for it. Obama knows that. He’s just trying to divide the country against the GOP and rich people (whatever they are). It’s an election tactic….and the usual stunts. Expect much worse. It’s going to be the worst election mudslinging event we will see.
Makes HIM look bad. it’s the warfare he thinks he needs to be re-elected. Don’t be distracted from what he’s done in his years so far. He’s generated the highest unemployment rate in nearly 30 years . Highest debt in history. He’s spent like a drunk sailor. Sad too….it’s what he came to do: Change the country or ruin it.
Verner with a short haircut (lolol). Wait till the gun runner scandal is brought to light. Solyndra’s bad enough but at least nobody died as a result of it.
pjc on October 04 at 7:39 p.m.
Thomas Friedman is a hack writer who is a bit too enamored with Chinese authoritarianism.
http://tinyurl.com/3whpzeq
Friedman’s last several books have been a collection of cliches.
http://reason.com/archives/2005/08/01/capturing-tom-friedman
misjustice on October 04 at 7:45 p.m.
Aww, give ol’ Hank Williams Jr. a break; he was drunk when he said that. And he’s already apologized!
; )
jddavis on October 04 at 10:08 p.m.
That’s correct MisJ (6 something pm). Reid won’t bring it to a vote because not enough Democrats support it! Why won’t they support their Democrat President on this bill? Because the bill is not good.
pjc on October 05 at 12:45 p.m.
misjustice - keep drinking that kool-aid.
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/185577-senate-dems-buck-obama-on-jobs-plan
misjustice on October 06 at 11:02 p.m.
“He won’t bring the bill to the floor until he knows that he has the votes needed to pass it.”
I heard on the radio, today, that Reid will be bringing the bill to the floor…he must have whipped those Ds into supporting it and now thinks he has the votes to pass it.
How is that drinkin’ Kool-aid?
It’s how politicin’ works…Boner does the same thing in the House, he won’t bring a vote to the floor until he whips his caucus and thinks he has enough votes to pass the bill.
There are many reasons why individual Senators, or Representatives may/may not support a bill. How the heck do I know what particular reason any single member may have concerning any single proposed piece of legislation?
Do you all know?
Didn’t think so.
Maybe those opposed don’t think the bill goes far enough, or goes too far. Or maybe they don’t like how it is paid for. Or maybe they want to change certain parts of it before they will support it. I dunno…just guessing. Maybe you know????
I know that I did not support the Health Care Reform Act because I wanted a single payer option to be part of it, and it wasn’t.
As for the Jobs Bill, I don’t think that there are enough incentives for small bidness…but that’s just me. All I know is that we have to do something to try and create jobs. Just opposing a plan is not enough; just sayin’ “NO” is not a solution.
Oh, and speakin’ of Jobs, I hear that Hank Williams Jr. is lookin’ for one; his lil’ song got removed from that Monday Night football thingy. Maybe he can write a new country song about it?
; )