Your morning jolt: Obama says tea party movement built around people who don’t think he’s a citizen
This from the morning cycle of the Associated Press:
President Barack Obama says he believes the Tea Party is built around a “core group” of people who question whether he is a U.S. citizen and believe he is a socialist.
But beyond that, Obama tells NBC he recognizes the movement involves “folks who have legitimate concerns” about the national debt and whether the government is taking on too many difficult issues simultaneously.
In an interview broadcast Tuesday on NBC’s “Today” show, Obama said he feels “there’s still going to be a group at their core that question my legitimacy.” But he said he didn’t want to paint Tea Party activists “in broad brushes” and he hopes to win over members who have “mainstream, legitimate concerns.”
In his own defense, U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal told investigators with the Office of Congressional Ethics that the allegations against him are rooted in the dynamics of the Republican campaign for governor.
The report, released Monday, can be found here.
Deal is restrained in his language, but the accusations are there. First, the north Georgia congressman takes aim at state Revenue Commissioner Bart Graham, whose meetings with Deal about his auto salvage business have landed him in trouble.
On Page 74:
The commissioner is not backing my campaign for governor and I believe that any press story about our meetings or this investigation probably started with one of my opponents. He is free to do as he pleases but I take offense at any suggestion that I have acted in any improper way.
On Page 75, Deal appears to be drawing a line from Graham to GOP opponent Karen Handel:
Both the Democratic and Republican primary contests are hotly contested. In the GOP primary, the candidates include (i) former Senate President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson; (ii) Commissioner of Insurance John Oxendine; (iii) Secretary of State Karen Handel; and (iv) Congressman Deal. Not surprisingly, each has support among various groups, with one of Congressman Deal’s primary opponents enjoying the support of many of the current GOP governor’s appointees.
Then, of course, there’s the damned newspaper. But it’s a strange and unclear passage. The phrase “same zeal as the maker” is a head-scratcher:
In the context of the election, “ethics” attacks and complaints have been leveled early and often (although this is the only one leveled against Congressman Deal, and he has not leveled any). Of course, the local media has eagerly reported and repeated every attack with the same zeal as the maker and with some embellishment.
The instant matter involves an article which appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (”AJC”) on August 23, 2009, a Sunday edition, on the front page. Other attacks against other candidates have appeared in similar fashion.
As of this morning, we have five candidates who have qualified for the May 11 special election to fill the seat of U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, according to the secretary of state’s Web site.
All are Republican: Chris Cates, a physician; Tom Graves, the former state represenative; Lee Hawkins, the former state senator; Bert Loftman, and Bill Stephens, the former state senator.
The balloting will involve 15 north Georgia counties. The Gainesville Times this morning reports:
The cost estimate for nearly 394,000 voters to take part in a special election in Georgia’s 9th Congressional district could be as much as $240,000.
In an already-tight budget year for most local governments in the state, the 15 counties of north central and northwest Georgia are bracing their bank accounts for an election to fill former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal’s seat in Congress.
DeKalb County will be spending its money on the same day, for a special election to fill the state senate seat made vacant by David Adelman’s appointment as U.S. ambassador to Singapore.
Fresh from Iowa, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks this evening at Emory University before a group of Federalist Society members and college Republicans.
Gov. Sonny Perdue will make the introductions. Romney’s officially on a book tour. But this Monday piece from Politico.com highlights what could be part of the conversation:
In the days immediately before and after passage of the landmark health care reform bill, Mitt Romney responded so forcefully as to suggest his own political fate is tied to the new law.
It may well be.
Just as health care, or “Obamacare,” as it is derided on the right, hangs over this year’s midterm elections, it is already casting a shadow on the 2012 presidential contest — and its GOP front-runner.
What was once thought to be an asset for Romney, his passage as Massachusetts governor of a health care mandate for the state’s residents, now poses a potentially serious threat to his White House hopes.
Perdue is among those who have questioned government’s right to mandate the purchase of health insurance.
Travis Fain with the Macon Telegraph has a good piece on the dead bills that littered the ground after lawmakers left the state Capitol on Friday:
House Resolution 1087 seemed like a no-brainer to many. It called for a voter referendum to change the state constitution and make sure people who don’t pay their taxes can’t hold public office.
But the measure failed by a few votes as late Friday night became early Saturday morning and “Crossover Day” — the deadline for legislation to clear the House — came to a harried close.
The vote was 117 to 31, with another 31 legislators not voting at all. The measure needed three more votes to pass.
“I cannot believe there are that many people … that don’t want people kicked out of office for (not paying) income taxes,” said state Rep. Calvin Hill, R-Canton, the measure’s sponsor.
But it wasn’t that simple. Some legislators felt the vote wasn’t legal, since it came after a midnight deadline. Others, House Minority Leader DuBose Porter said, were upset that their bills didn’t make it to the floor Friday, making them casualties of Crossover Day.
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73 comments Add your comment
MiltonMan
March 30th, 2010
2:24 pm
Crew, you do know that Murtha ia dead or you just stupid to do nothing more than cut-and-paste?
What a Joke!!
March 30th, 2010
2:24 pm
i’m in love with sara palin.
It’s hard to tell if you are serious or not, but if you are…are you actually stupid enough to think that ALL blacks and illegals are out of work and on welfare?? If so, you are actually dumber that most.
Think for yourself. Get the correct facts and stop listening to other stupid people who have no grip on reality.
Jason T
March 30th, 2010
2:25 pm
No, don’t have a problem with him being a citizen….I have a problem with The Community Organizer being an IDIOT.
MiltonMan
March 30th, 2010
2:26 pm
What a Joke. Congratulations on your screen name & you being one in the same.
What a Joke!!
March 30th, 2010
2:26 pm
i’m in love with sara palin
I KNOW what a Christian is and I KNOW that you are NOT one. I don’t have to judge you. God will do that job just fine.
Joe (Gimme a second and I'll say something reeeeally stupid) Biden
March 30th, 2010
2:27 pm
Hey! I’m 10 times dumber than Sarah Palin!!! Heck, she’s never said anthing like the dumb and crazy stuff I’ve said!!! How can y’all call her dumb?
What a Joke!!
March 30th, 2010
2:29 pm
MiltonBoy,
Thanks!!! Your screen name does not fit, however. “Boy” is more appropriate.
David
March 30th, 2010
2:32 pm
Not everyone who is opposed to this legislation can identify with the “tea party” and I think many will be surprised to learn this come November. My views aren’t represented well by Barack Obama and they aren’t represented well by Sarah Palin. We really need fiscally conservative and socially progressive ideas at the appropriate time for each and I believe the real winners in November will recognize that.
i'm in love with sara palin
March 30th, 2010
2:35 pm
well i hope you are happy paying for obama and the other blacks costing us a trillon dollars. if you are smart you will wake up and come march for your cival rights with the tea party we are all cristians and we love our county and so does sara palin. obama and micane will get voted out in november
American Pride
March 30th, 2010
2:47 pm
This is probably one of the more sensible threads on this site that I’ve seen in some time.
Most rational and sensible citizens of this country understand that our underlying greatness is based upon Democracy in action when trying to perfect our union. Oversimplfying our immense/complex problems with empty rhetoric from both sides only serves to divide us into teams where each side is completely right and the other is completely wrong or “leftists.” Politics, at its core, is not based on wins/losses as seen in sports, but a clear understanding of the issues and the consequences of our actions when allocating our tax dollars. Unfortunately, the mainstream media has done a horrible job in ensuring the public receives unbiased information when landmark decisions are put forth regarding our future.
Pure “Socialism” is just as dangerous as Pure “Capitalism.” Allowing corporations to go unchecked and assuming that their interest is grounded in ethics and promoting the greater good while putting the concerns of their stockholders second, is flawed logic. AIG, BOA, Citibank, Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch among others produced NOTHING tangible that improved the plight of the middle class and everything for the investors in complex financial instruments primarily built on a house of cards. Sensible regulation of commerce is essential to solidify our economic survival. The growth of our economy should never again be tied to bubbles created through speculative investment on Wall Street. Since real wage growth for the American worker has steadily declined over the last 30 years, debt has been the primary means which citizens have improved their lifestyle. Jobs will only be created in this country when their is a demand for the American worker. Creating demand requires that we invest significant resources in education, infastructure and research to create those jobs. Wage growth has a direct correlation with job growth.
The Tea Party issuing a Clarion Call that the spending in Washington and huge amounts of debt for future generations are legitimate concerns for our nation. However, minimizing the impact of previous policy decisions in the growth of our government, tax loopholes and circumventing the constitution highlight the hypocrsy of some in their ilk. It’s easy to assign labels and disregard these people as racists, but it doesn’t serve their cause when they dismiss anything the current administration has done to stop the bleeding of our volatile economy with claims of Socialism.
Art, to answer your question, I think Mitt Romney is the best candidate the GOP can put forward in 2012. But the proverbial elephant in the room is his religion. As long as the Evangelicals in the south view Mormonism as a cult, he will have a difficult time not only raising money but could lose a lot of momentum in the Republican Primary when the south has its say. Religion will continue to be the primary concern for voters in our neck of the woods and low voter turn-out could derail the party not only in the Presidential election but the House/Senate as well. Recent history has shown that total control for either party isn’t good for any of us.
deegee
March 30th, 2010
2:47 pm
I don’t think I have seen a poll yet, excluding the Fox news poll, that shows that most Americans are against the new health reform law. Every poll I have seen indicates that Americans are pretty much split 50-50. If the polls were election polls you would say that there is no clear frontrunner and that the difference is within the margin of error. The same goes for Obama’s popularity polls.
Additionally, if you ask people if they are skeptical of the benefits of the health reform law, I would suppose that you would find a lot of people that would indicate that they are skeptical. A lot of people don’t believe anything til they see it. The tea partiers are mostly middle aged and older. Typically that segment of the population is resistant to change of any form or fashion.
DawgDad
March 30th, 2010
2:53 pm
I am a middle-aged professional with a graduate degree from a well-respected private university. I have equity in my home (my mortgage isn’t upside-down) and I’ve raised my kids. I go to work every day, pay all of my bills, and take care of my family. When I lost a job and was self-employed I incorporated in order to provide good health care coverage for my family.
According to the Democrats I am nothing more than a racist, sexist, homophobic, hateful pig to be scorned and ignored. I AM FED UP with them taking my money to trample on our liberties and freedom and further squander/leverage our national treasures, all the while disparaging me. The only consolation is when the Dems get done with us they will ultimately turn on themselves and destroy the whole country. Listen to them, people. This health care bill is a starting point, and THEY ADMIT IT.
I asked my doctor about the need to provide health care for those who do not have it in this country. He told me point-blank there is NO ONE in this country that needs health care that does not have access, if they seek it. No one. Emergency rooms, free clinics, etc. Could the system be improved? Probably. Does this bill improve it? No, it will erode the quality of care, access, and freedom of choice while draining the treasury, and as they admit, this is only the beginning.
They have awakened a sleeping giant that does not like what they are doing one bit, and they will pay the price because there are millions more just like me.
i'm in love with sara palin
March 30th, 2010
2:56 pm
i will vote for rommey if he will take away the doctors for the blacks. maybe he can run with palin. the south will support this mark my words.
i'm in love with sara palin
March 30th, 2010
3:00 pm
i am with you dawgdad i know what you are going thru. my prayers to you and your familly that these muslims will get out of the health bill and stay in there place. he is not even an american and stole the election.
deegee
March 30th, 2010
3:03 pm
DawgDad, it sounds like you have done well in providing for yourself and your family. If you perceive that someone is calling you something that you are not, then why are you so angry?
American Pride
March 30th, 2010
3:15 pm
DawgDad,
You appear to be educated but you are woefully miseducated in this matter. I applaud you for not resigning you or your family to be included in the growing statistic of the uninsured. You are correct everyone has access to health care. Currently, it is unlawful for a hospital to refuse medical care to any individual. People go to the emergency room in many instances for routine healthcare procedures but have no mandate to pay a bill they incur while hospitalized. So I ask, are hospitals writing off the costs related to the uninsured as bad debt or are they charging $5/pill for those that are insured to make up for this bad debt? I think you would probably choose the latter so access isn’t the issue we are facing but the spiraling costs of healthcare.
When the costs of keeping us healthy makes up 17% of our GDP and growing, suggesting the private health care system is working and is the best in the world only homongenizes a serious issue with baseless assertions. Our current structure doesn’t serve the less-skilled workforce that can’t afford the skyrocketing cost of an individual plan or the small business that can’t afford care because they shoulder the burden of group costs. These tax-paying citizens are the voiceless that help provide the great health coverage for Chambliss, Gingrey,, Perdue and other politicians that seek to deny them that very same opportunity.
Of course, this is the fundamental “taxation without representation” that you and others in the tea party are advocating for.
DawgDad
March 30th, 2010
3:26 pm
American Pride:
Appreciate your thoughtful response. I would point out, every healthy adult citizen in this country has the same opportunity I had, and in many cases the unhealthy can do just as well. I started out my working life essentially with nothing; no education beyond high school, no money or wealth. I had good health, yes. The “less skilled workforce” in many cases (virtually any union worker) has better benefits than I do. I see ABSOLUTELY NO REASON for taking non-indigent health care into the public sector, unless you are intent on grabbing power and my freedom. I guarantee you there is NO public official interested in my personal health care, and if they were, they wouldn’t get very far with me.
i'm in love with sara palin
March 30th, 2010
3:32 pm
dawgdad you should move to georgia where we think like you. you are not alone and you are not a rasist just because you dont want to pay for the blacks doctors. i dont want to pay it neither but now that muslim president is making us spend a billion dollars to support them. i dont work hard all my life just to support the blacks. move to georgia brother and we will start a tea party here and get our county back
Republican turned Democrat
March 30th, 2010
4:24 pm
Thank God you didn’t have a pre-existing condition DawgDad, things may have turned out different for you and your family!
American Pride
March 30th, 2010
4:39 pm
Dawgdad,
I think we agree on some basic principles the primary one being individual responsibility. Ultimately, it’s required of everyone to do what’s necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle in the pursuit of happiness. We disagree on a few other basic principles related to how health care costs should be controlled
At 35, I have no health-related issues, exercise 5 days a week and eat organic foods despite the premium on costs that I pay for this. I work for a large employer in the state of Georgia that offers healthcare coverage through multiple healthcare providers. On the surface, to many this is the epitome of free enterprise. However, all of the providers have the SAME premium for my family with very few discernable differences in each plan. This can be attributed to either 3 things: 1) My employer is heck of a negotiator with securing the best group coverage 2) there is collusion in pricing or 3) they all use the same risk-based model to determine costs. This doesn’t completely debunk the myth that having competition keeps cost down. Because healthcare providers are for-profit institutions, I’m sure they aren’t going to forego the obligation to their shareholders to hold down costs for little old me. If they were concerned, we would have statistical evidence to back up this notion but what we have is statistical evidence that shows the cost of care will not go down any time soon. Also, the assumption that because I have the freedom to select who my employer chooses cements my freedom to choose my doctor, is false because the dynamic of the relationship is out of my control.
The policy debate to develop healthcare legislation was never intended to address ever dilemma in our current system. However, reigning cost without circumventing the private market was the basic mandate for which the current law was established. Frankly, no legislation is perfect at its inception. There will always be opportunities to poke holes in the final product. But the shining example of our democracy is that any policy can always be strenghthened or watered down based on who we elect and the conditions we are facing at that time. Hopefully, the mandate to establish that policy will always have the benefit of the people at its core. To otherwise suggest that an attempt to reign in costs of a broken system that can cripple our economy, as an overt attack on our democracy rings hollow and is clearly unsubstantiated.
pete
March 31st, 2010
4:48 pm
Obama is half white to and do not forget it, his white side is good old hard fighting Irish and we love him.God bless the Obamas.
Suki
March 31st, 2010
11:58 pm
Sara Palin? You have got to be kidding me. Her tea party is just a band of rednecks mad that they lost the last election. Who exactly are the tea partyists? A bunch of loonies and uneducated to boot. LMAO again.
Look before I leap
April 1st, 2010
4:18 pm
Anyone else thinking that “I’m in love with Sara Palin” actually IS Sarah Palin?