July 29, 2011

What Obama is "getting absolutely no sleep" — and he has a secret plan.

Morsels of info... from Valerie Jarrett and William Daley.
BLITZER:  So what you're saying is the president did present a plan to the speaker, John Boehner.

DALEY:  Yes.

BLITZER:  But - but he didn't...

DALEY:  Right.

BLITZER:  - make it public.

84 comments:

David said...

Transparency!

Paul said...

Secret plan?

Yea Jimmy Carter had a 'secret plan' for saving the hostages in Iran. We see how well that worked out.

His 'secret plan' is passing the buck, if the U.S. had any of them left.

Obama getting no sleep? I'm sure it's cause he hasn't golfed or had an vacation in 2 months.

Look, it's all game for him. He wants to get re-elected so he wants any problems to not crop up till after 2012.

But with this economy, like the Iranian hostage crisis, it will just go on and on.

Hope for some Change in 2012!!

dbp said...

No Bullshit tag?

Shanna said...

DALEY: Yes.
...
DALEY: Right.

Heh. These people are nuts.

Bruce Rheinstein said...

Highly placed White House sources state the plan is on Double Secret Probation.

Carol_Herman said...

Oy, these stakes are so small ... it's like watching two CON ARTISTS having a PISSING CONTEST!

We're being taken to "Christmas Eve." The way we were with the vote on Obamacare.

That's how the donkeys do it.

And, that's why Boehner is just a CON ARTIST who comes riding in on his TARP. Or any of the other big ticket "wins" Congress gave Dubya. And, now? We're beyond Dubya.

What is known? Financially speaking MOST AMERICANS feel the pinch. Along with ALARM BELLS.

And, we're probably going to have DEFLATION ... Because wages were set too high by congress ... to keep kicking this down the road.

In DEFLATION prices (like housing) stay down. Because customers can't qualify. And, the ticket prices look too high, to boot.

In INFLATION what you owe seems small in comparison to what you can buy.

Next time you'll know when you vote in republican candidates ... that a bunch of losers line up for the best office space.

As if you didn't get a clue when Boehner handed the top Energy committee job to the fool who tried to outlaw lightbulbs.

If we're lucky ... the CON ARTISTS will run out of their bag of tricks!

No guarantees, yet. Boehner still keeps changing his ties.

Carol_Herman said...

Anyhoo ... if I had to guess ...

Boehner was out of luck the minute he stepped TWO FEET INTO "COMPROMISE!"

Obama sees the advantage.

And, the GOP is gonna be in disarray.

The hope? Both sides hope the Tea Party People drop dead.

Phil 314 said...

Now irrelevant. He became simply a noisy cheerleader/heckler on the sidelines once it fell back to Boehner and Reid.

But I'm glad he's discovering that its hard work

SteveR said...

'getting absolutely no sleep'

Beyond the hyperbole, I hope she's not wanting us to feel sorry for him or that he's taking some extrordinary measures. This is his creation.

If he has a secret plan to fix the economy, he better bust off with it. Alan Colmes is on FNC blaming Bush, and that the stimuls should have been twice as big. OK.

Henry said...

But the whole point of the doomsday machine ... is lost .. if you keep it a secret! Why didn't you tell the world, eh?

It was to be announced at the Party Congress on Monday. As you know the premier loves surprises.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmCKJi3CKGE, start at 3:45

chickelit said...

Nixon had a secret plan for ending the war too.

Fred4Pres said...

This cartoon says it all! It is not just markets that are about to crash.

coketown said...

This whole fiasco has been painful to behold. We need a safety word. Maybe 'compromise.' Or 'plausible.' It has to be a word neither side would use in normal conversation and/or dirty talk.

Original Mike said...

I'm old enough to remember Nixon's secret plan to get us out of Vietnam. That turned out OK.

rhhardin said...

Obama still has the hat.

bagoh20 said...

I think we all have a secret plan like that.

Carol_Herman said...

Given how small the stakes were set, why the fuss?

Obama is campaigning. And, he's taken a shot across Boehner's bow.

One ship goes down.

But not the economy!

To get back to having an economy we have to start manufacturing stuff, again.

And, who in DC will end the rules & regulations? Just to save money, is NOT a plan politicians buy into.

Which way will Obama's gamble pay off?

If we're lucky ... Boehner has to leave the speaker's office. And, not just so that pelosi can move back in, again.

Boehner's an idiot!

He could'a cut bait. He could'a just had the House vote on REAL CUTS. A plan that said ... EVERYBODY's getting cut by 1%. Including pensions. Including Medicare. Including free benefits.

BUT. HE. DID. NOT.

Boehner will fail the smell test, first.

Writ Small said...

You know what is really refreshing after a sleepless night of creating secret plans? A Slurpee. Just saying.

Fen said...

Obama Golf Streak Ends at 13
by Keith Koffler on July 4, 2011

"One of the great streaks in the history of sports came to an end today after President Obama cancelled a golf outing at the last minute this morninig, apparently out of concern over threatening skies.

It now appears golf will not be rescheduled for later today.

Obama had gone golfing 13 weekends in row, at least once every weekend since all the way back to April 3."

http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2011/07/04/obama-golf-streak-ends-13/

Mick said...

It's the Marxist way. Present no plan, attack the other dide's plan. Either way, whatever comes out is not good for we the people.

Fen said...

Didn't Kerry also have a Secret Plan? I forget if he pitched it to the Soviets or to Saddam Hussein. Maybe it was both.

BLITZER: So what you're saying is the president did present a plan to the speaker, John Boehner.

JournoLism has become such a pathetic joke.

Hey Blitzer! Get off your knees and wipe your chin, before you choke on it.

Lincolntf said...

Carole, the only avenue to effective power available to the Tea Party is through the establishment GOP. Dopn't have to like it, but you really should know it.

Hagar said...

Do the House Republicans want to do this again in six months?

Yes, they do.

And then again six months after that, and then six months after that again - with a new Senate and quite possibly a new President.

edutcher said...

He has the same plan he had for getting bin Laden.

Panetta will do it and only tell Little Zero after it's over.

Tom from Virginia said...

Bush had a secret plan too. After the election, Bush gave Obama two sealed letters. "Open the first one as soon as you're inaugurated," Bush said. Obama did so. It read "Blame everything on me. And when that stops working, open the second letter." Obama opened the second letter last night. It read "Write two letters pal."

madAsHell said...

Two points:

1. Valerie Jarret oozes stupid.

2. Is Obama bangin' Valerie? How does she know how he is sleeping?

Original Mike said...

"Do the House Republicans want to do this again in six months?"

As often as it takes. As often as it takes.

And besides, what else are they supposed to be doing? Baseball steriod hearings? I think we should lock them in a room and not let them out until we have a balanced budget.

Carol_Herman said...

Actually, Obama is running a campaign. He wants to see the GOP lose.

And, you've just seen the battle of the "piss-ants."

Over such small stakes.

Where Boehner thought he'd CON America ... And, intead?

Well, well, well.

Enough people woke up ... to make some of the old practices in DC ... to be comparable to "WALKING THE PLANK."

Why, oh, why, over such small stakes?

Why didna't the PUTZ Boehner just go for broke? CUT. CUT. CUT. Like a moil does an an 8 day old baby boy.

He had the opportunity.

But he got lax ... to a degree that's very stupid.

And, now you know why ... when Boehner walked into the Speaker's office ... he gave his friend and colleague. The JERK of the light bulb vigilantes ... the top slot on the Energy Commission.

Boehner intends to hold on with both hands!

He's more surprised than anyone that Obama kicked off a grand compromise!

Why get suprised when the stakes were set so low ... they compete with the smells you get out of sewers.

mtrobertsattorney said...

Obama's secret plan is to use the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling.

Whether it is legal or not doesn't matter to him. He will dare any court to rule that his Executive Order is null and void.

In his eyes, he will have, with one fell swoop, finally convinced the public that he is a real leader. And, as his advisors are no doubt telling him, his polls will skyrocket.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Althouse - you got to find the video of Prez Obama last Friday promising to release the "tick tocks" of his negotations with Boehner.

Scott M said...

Valerie Jarret oozes stupid

This. History is going to judge the relationship between Obama and Jerret harshly.

coketown said...

We would have far more success if Michelle Obama mediated the discussions:

"Listen you little pantywastes! Barry's been under so much pressure these last two months that HE CAN'T PERFORM so we're going to cut a FRACKING DEAL WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR or I'm going to PUNCH YOUR FRACKING HEARTS OUT!"

You haven't seen anything until you've seen a sexually frustrated cow. - Rose Nylund.

Anonymous said...

But PBJ told me that Obama told his whole super-secret plan to FOX News, which is now deviously withholding it from the public.

Poor Obama. He tries so hard.

Palladian said...

I can see the press conference now:

Sir! I have a plan!

Scott M said...

DICK: I have a plan...

SALLY: We can't vaporize anybody!

DICK: ......I have another plan...

DADvocate said...

Uh huh. Oh, yeah.

His plan is so secret, he doesn't even know what it is.

We need an adult in the White House.

Matt said...

I sort of feel sorry for Boehner because he seems to want to bargain in good faith but the tea party Republicans absolutely will not bargain.

An absolute right wing plan or an absolute left wing plan will not work. But more importantly can not work because the votes are not there.

Time to compromise. We've been doing it since 1787. It is why America is a great country.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Matt:

Compromise, along with accounting gimmickry, is how we got to $50 Trillion in unfunded liabilities.

The Crack Emcee said...

We've all got a secret plan.

The Drill SGT said...

I could believe LBJ got little sleep as he planned bombing targets to "send messages"

I bet Jimmy lost sleep when the helo's were launched to Desert One.

O'bama? Losing sleep over his election chances, sure.

making a deal on the debt? He could have one today.

Original Mike said...

"Compromise, along with accounting gimmickry, is how we got to $50 Trillion in unfunded liabilities."

Yeah. One side wants $48T in unfunded liabilities and the other side wants $47T. We are so screwed.

Matt said...

Some Republicans understand what is at stake and how to make deals.

"It’s a national and international crisis. Members of Congress in my view should stop playing around with theory and ideology and look at reality," said Charlie Kolb, president of the Committee for Economic Development.

"Some of these holdouts have been pennywise and pound foolish, and I think it will hurt Republicans,” said Kolb, a former staffer in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations. “Independents are breaking more with the Democrats, in terms of who’s taking a responsible approach. You can’t let ideological rigidity get in the way of a practical outcome."

The Tea Party claim they want to help America. They do not. They live in an ideology. Not in the real world.

Scott M said...

We've all got a secret plan.

Mick comes to mind immediately.

sorepaw said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Scott M said...

Not in the real world.

You mean the real world where our government is in danger of it's very sovereignty is threatened because of unsustainable nanny-state promises? That real world?

sorepaw said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
I'm Full of Soup said...

http://www.redstate.com/gawken/2011/07/23/mr-president-wheres-the-tick-tock/

Joseph of FP said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Scott M said...

is=being

It's late on a Friday...gimmie a break.

Matt said...

sorepaw

I live in America. Common sense tells you there are only two choices:
1) Both parties need to work together and find a solution to this debt ceiling issue.
OR
2) Both parties have a stand-off which will most likely really f*&k up the economy and lending and business and wall street and benefit payments...etc.

Which would you choose?

Sure, not all compromises are perfect or even preferable. But by and large they are the ONLY way to get things done.

The current congress simply cannot work with ONLY a right wing or ONLY a left wing solution. It is impossible. So it is time to reach for the possible. [And btw there isn't even a left wing solution on the table].

Partisan ideologues do not understand this. They think that because their little corner of the world is all liberal or all conservative then the entire US needs to suck it up and accept their political vision. It's absurd. We need more adults in Washington and elsewhere.

Original Mike said...

Matt - What's the left wing solution for $50T in unfunded liabilities? Seriously. What do you think we should do?

Jason said...

The 3/5ths compromise was a good deal. It helped prevent the spread of slavery. It was the best thing that was possible at the time, if we were to have a nation.

Remember, since we did not have black suffrage at the time, the 3/5ths compromise limited the allocation of Southern representatives. It was a very pro-abolitionist passage in the Constitution at the time.

SPImmortal said...

The current congress simply cannot work with ONLY a right wing or ONLY a left wing solution. It is impossible. So it is time to reach for the possible. [And btw there isn't even a left wing solution on the table].

--------

Since the left has no solution, there can only be a right wing solution.

You have destroyed your own arguement in the space of two sentences.

SPImmortal said...

I live in America. Common sense tells you there are only two choices:
1) Both parties need to work together and find a solution to this debt ceiling issue.
OR
2) Both parties have a stand-off which will most likely really f*&k up the economy and lending and business and wall street and benefit payments...etc.

-----

Please go away with your bullshit, concern troll, war against math posts.

If we don't get a handle on entitlement spending, and soon, the whole country is fucked.

gadfly said...

The fight about the artificial debt limit here in the US is much-to-do-about-nothing.

Propping up the euro will crush us all.

Original Mike said...

In thinking about the way Matt has framed the question, it seems to me the Democratic solution is to do nothing. No structural changes to entitlements. The Republicans solution is way too tepid to get us where we need to ultimately go, but at least they acknowledge that there needs to be changes.

Carol_Herman said...

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. All you want. I think Boehner's gonna come back, now, with a harder approach ... and "less compromise."

He will do this for his own political survival.

And, this is a good thing.

Even in pissing contests, you get to root for a winnah. And, obama may not have the luxury of picking anything up, this time around?

We're not at Christmas Eve. And, people don't want another obamacare plan passed.

Someday people may ask why didn't Obama just grab the compromise?

Perhaps, he thought he'd get Reid's plan?

Before we get to vote again the politicians will have to pick.

And, nobody wants to be Russ Feingold!

Matt said...

SPImmortal

You clearly are not paying attention are you? Watching only FOX News again? The Democrats have numerous plans. One recent one was even more ambitious, was longer term, did not raise taxes and would save more money than the GOP plan. Please do some research.

Matt said...

Original Mike

Seriously, are you kidding?! Dude, get on Google and look up the Reid plan or the Democrats' plan. Sometimes you guys just make up your own facts. Here is a link.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/07/29/news/economy/debt_ceiling_reid_boehner/

SPImmortal said...

SPImmortal

You clearly are not paying attention are you? Watching only FOX News again? The Democrats have numerous plans. One recent one was even more ambitious, was longer term, did not raise taxes and would save more money than the GOP plan. Please do some research.

---------

I was quoting you saying there was no "left wing plan" doofus.

And if you're talking about the Reid plan, you're a complete fucking joker. It's all fake savings along the lines of "Well, we were going to spend x trillion dollars in some science fiction future on something, but now we won't do that and call that a "cut".

His plan is a sham and your pox on both houses concern trolling is a sham too.

Original Mike said...

Matt - You're missing the point of my question. $1T, $2T, $3T is chump change. What do you, as a liberal, think we should do to fix the $50T (I actually think it's over $100T) in unfunded liabilities that AJ brought up.

This debt ceiling issue is a side show compared to the real work that must be done.

SPImmortal said...

Original Mike

Seriously, are you kidding?! Dude, get on Google and look up the Reid plan or the Democrats' plan. Sometimes you guys just make up your own facts. Here is a link.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/07/29/news/economy/debt

-------

Please stop embarrasing yourself. Reid's plan is a red herring filled with nothing but fake savings based on wars that wouldn't be fought anyway.

Fen said...

Let it all fall. No more entitlements means no more Dems bribing Americans to vote for them.

Let the parasites die off. We can rebuild a better America after.

Thats my "compromise".

SPImmortal said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
SPImmortal said...

There are no real democratic plans. If there were then they would have already been voted on in the Senate. Any plan created without being put to a vote is just fake talking points.

The democrats don't want to do anything, they're statists through and through and they're engaged in a war against math they think the problem will just go away if they wish hard enough.

Original Mike said...

"[The Democrats are] engaged in a war against math they think the problem will just go away."

That seems to be the case. Unfortunately, the need to compromise with them (they do control 2/3rds of the government) means the Republican proposals are way to tepid to make the real changes that need to be made.

Matt said...

Original Mike
SPImmortal

I'd start by raising taxes. Then end the tax cuts for the wealthy, raise the age for Social Security and Medicare benefits. Wouldn't hurt to end the wars we are in either. There are many other cuts to programs but a good number are negligible. That's a start.

What would you do? Cut every single program and take us back to 1775 so we can all pretend to be self sustaining agrarian farmers with nothing but a military?

bagoh20 said...

If Dems really think the Tea Party is gonna ruin the nation by preventing a bill they could just vote for it. So either they don't care, or they are lying. OK, maybe both.

NitneLiun said...

I thought Valerie Jarrett had fallen out of favor after advising Obama not to approve the mission to kill Osama bin Laden. It seems she has been rehabilitated with astonishing speed.

bagoh20 said...

Both taxes and defense spending are in line with historical norms. Entitlements, government employee benefits, and subsidies are what are out of line. I'm willing to cut everything, but priority should be where we spend more than we did in the past (as % of GDP) when the nation was stronger.

Matt said...

bagoh20

The nation was stronger [and strongest] when taxes were higher and there were more entitlements - such as the GI bill, which helped build the middle class.

Taxes now are quite low. Cutting entitlements is one step but why is it that conservatives want poor and elderly people to feel the pain but they want the wealthy to get off easy? It's odd. I thought the Republican party was trying to reach out to working Americans. Instead they are showing their Harding & Hoover trickle down tendencies - which have never worked.

Original Mike said...

Matt - Well, I'd start by acknowledging that you can only fund government to the tune of 18% of GDP. (You want me to compromise? I might be willing to give you 19 or 20% to get the rest of what's necessary.) That will define the level of taxation. I would not tax people's savings. In fact, I'd restructure the entire tax code. I would do away with corporate welfare and subsidies.

I'd dispense with baseline budgeting. I would require the government to stick to a balanced budget, though exactly what that means is open for discussion (capital budgets, operating budgets, etc.). I'd eliminate counterproductive agencies like the Depts. of Education and Energy.

I'd restructure SS to give people title to their own money. I'd let them invest that money themselves in "safe" vehicles, if they want.

I'd go to Ryan's Medicare plan.

And on the 7th day, I would rest.

Original Mike said...

"...but why is it that conservatives want poor and elderly people to feel the pain"

You really believe that? Yes or no.

I'm Full of Soup said...

I was talking to my liberal nephew yesterday. He believes everything they fed him in college.

I told him we have banned ordinary light bulbs. He did not believe me.

He claimed the govt did not give any subsidies to wind or solar power. I said you are way off - there wouldn't be any wind or solar without govt subsidies.

Third, he said Japan got most of its energy from geo, wind and solar- I said you are wrong again.

Finally, I suggested he google to see if I was right. He found I was and O said "you are O for 3. What else you got?!". Yes I am a ball buster.

sorepaw said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Original Mike said...

"there were more entitlements - such as the GI bill, which helped build the middle class."

Wow, how'd I miss that? Me thinks Matt and AJ need to sit down in front of google.

traditionalguy said...

It turns out that we have all been put on double secret probation by Dean Wormer.

A stray thought: If no one knows the plan, then a secret inside disclosure to Soros and his friends will allow them to make a killing in the currency exchange business, which is all they have ever done.

Anonymous said...

The secret plan on both sides is to continue the decades long game of Kick the Can Down the Road. Almost all of these pols are primarily interested in getting re-elected. All else falls by the wayside.

SPImmortal said...

I'd start by raising taxes. Then end the tax cuts for the wealthy, raise the age for Social Security and Medicare benefits. Wouldn't hurt to end the wars we are in either. There are many other cuts to programs but a good number are negligible. That's a start.

------

That's great that you have a plan, too bad your party masters don't have one because they got gimps like you shilling for them at every opportunity.

It's funny how you try and pretend that you're a serious person when you're just flailing about, talking raising the minimum age for social security while in the next post lamenting how Republicans are picking on poor and old people.

Stop. Just stop. You and every other Democrat are just throwing any old bullshit out there that you think will get you by. Your president is at the forefront of this sort of kinetic non-action.

You guys have no plan for the debt that is crushing this nation and the entitlement crisis that is going to swallow up Social Security and Medicare. You schmucks have been busy for the last three years exacerbating the entitlement crisis with Obamacare.

You've got no credibility left.

Blue@9 said...

'Won't everyone just take it up the ass so the President can get some sleep? What are you, racist?'

I'm Full of Soup said...

Matt - if there was one great thing about the GI Bill, it was all vets got the same damn benefits no matter if it was GHW Bush or my father, a coal miner's son. That helped foster continued brotherhood after the war among vets.

As was mentioned here today, most social programs [vet benefits are probably the exception] have been bastardized because so-called need and income are used to determine who gets how much and so people figure out how to game the system and the system now employs a million or so social workers. Gah!

Libruls f-up almost everything they touch.

Michael said...

Everyone realizes that "cuts" do not mean the same to these people as to thee and me. If we are now spending one million but are projecting to spend one million two hundred thousand a "cut" may mean we will only spend one million one hundred thousand. That is a "cut" in DC. More but you call it less. The Republicans cant even change the vocabulary of the debate, much less win it.

5% across the board for all programs, all salaries all wages all benefits in the Federal sector. If the general public can be 9% unemployed they can begin to feel the pain too. And then we go from there. In the future all Federal agencies will have to track unemployment both up and down

Henry said...

I just want a tax on false alternatives.

Bill said...

— and he has a secret plan.

So Obama is a Cylon?

(I know, that's so 2009.)