President Obama schooled House Republicans on why they can’t let their disagreement with him turn into hatred that breaks the government, and offered three policy areas where he thinks both sides can agree.
The president said that Republican tactics have repeatedly hurt the economy. He told Congress, “How business is done in this town has to change.” The president said the political class needs to stop focusing on the bloggers, the talking heads, the lobbyists, and the professional political activists that profit from conflict. President Obama said that there are many obstacles, but that doesn’t mean that both sides can’t make progress.
The president laid out three areas where Democrats and Republicans can agree. His first area was passing a balanced budget. President Obama said that, “We shouldn’t approach this process of creating a budget as an ideological exercise.” We need both cuts and growth. The president said that the challenge now isn’t deficits, but protecting Medicare and Social Security for future generations. Obama suggested closing corporate tax loopholes to raise revenue. He repeatedly said the deficits we have are shrinking, and the nation’s problem is long term debt.
His second area was immigration reform. President Obama said that there is a broad coalition of support on both sides for comprehensive immigration reform. Obama spoke directly to the House. The Senate passed their bill, and he said if the House had ideas, let’s hear them.
The president’s third area was passage of a Farm Bill. Once again, he noted that the Senate passed a bipartisan Farm Bill, but it just sitting in the House.
The President said that these things can be done if we focus on the American people.
President Obama was speaking to all of the country, but his remarks were specifically directed at House Republicans. His message to them was to stop holding back on things that both sides agree on because the extremists in their party don’t like compromise.
Obama told House Republicans to stop breaking government because they disagree with a policy, or don’t like him. President Obama told House Republicans that if they don’t like his policies, go win elections. The president correctly noted that this isn’t the way the Founders intended our government to work.
The president said that House Republicans can’t let disagreement degenerate into hatred. He thanked furloughed workers, and closed by quoting the Pledge of Allegiance.
President Obama’s message was Republicans have to stop breaking the government when they disagree. This speech was offering Republicans an alternate route to the path that they have been on. He laid out three policy areas where Republicans can join with him to do good for the country.
The president is offering Republicans a chance to redeem themselves. Whether or not they choose to accept his offer, will be determined by whether or not party leadership continues to let the extremists steer the ship. Obama isn’t offering House Republicans anything, but a chance to get their act together and do the right thing.
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