Obama's Olympic pitch draws GOP complaint

[Zombie Acorn]

If you shouldn't do anything because you might fail, then how do you ever do anything?

I am not sure how this was extrapolated. I don't go jump off of cliffs for the chance that I might fly.

[leekohler]

Where do you get this "most of Chicago didn't even want the games there"? You're going to have to cite something or I'll have little choice but to consider it an invention.



Only 47% were in favor of it. I opposed bringing the Games as well. It was an attempted money grab by our crooked mayor and his cronies.

[Gelfin]

If you shouldn't do anything because you might fail, then how do you ever do anything?

"You tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try."
--Simpson

[leekohler]

I am not sure how this was extrapolated. I don't go jump off of cliffs for the chance that I might fly.

That is hardly a comparison. Stay on the plane of reality please.

[Zombie Acorn]

That is hardly a comparison. Stay on the plane of reality please.

The point being risk assessment should be judged before "trying", otherwise we might as well try everything. I would think the President by now would have realized hes going to be bulldogged by the right for any wrong step.

[leekohler]

The point being risk assessment should be judged before "trying", otherwise we might as well try everything. I would think the President by now would have realized hes going to be bulldogged by the right for any wrong step.

He'll be bulldogged by the right for anything he does. Why don't you realize that?

[Zombie Acorn]

He'll be bulldogged by the right for anything he does. Why don't you realize that?

By engaging in activities that have high likelihood for success he shields himself from much of the stone throwing. His public popularity numbers aren't exactly growing.

[leekohler]

By engaging in activities that have high likelihood for success he shields himself from much of the stone throwing. His public popularity numbers aren't exactly growing.

So...he should only attempt projects that are a sure thing? He might as well just sit and twiddle his thumbs in the Oval office for four years. The right will not go along with anything he tries to pass. That is quite obvious.

[Zombie Acorn]

So...he should only attempt projects that are a sure thing? He might as well just sit and twiddle his thumbs in the Oval office for four years. The right will not go along with anything he tries to pass. That is quite obvious.

It doesn't matter if the right goes along with what he wants if the plans work out at the end of 4 years, he is in the running for reelection not immediate gratification.

Up until the next election in a year+ Obama doesn't really need the support of republicans, after that though hes going to have trouble passing anything.

[leekohler]

It doesn't matter if the right goes along with what he wants if the plans work out at the end of 4 years, he is in the running for reelection not immediate gratification.

Up until the next election in a year+ Obama doesn't really need the support of republicans, after that though hes going to have trouble passing anything.

It's not a given that Republicans will become a majority in the next election.

[Zombie Acorn]

It's not a given that Republicans will become a majority in the next election.

Its a given that Dems are going to lose their vast majority though.

[Lord Blackadder]

Only 47% were in favor of it. I opposed bringing the Games as well. It was an attempted money grab by our crooked mayor and his cronies.


Indeed. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090930/ap_on_sp_ol/oly_say_no_to_chicago) Although it's worth pointing out that the "No" vote was 45%, so it's hardly a landslide either way (and it also means that 8% of Chicagoans don't give a toss either way ;) ). The issue of the local politicians being seen as corrupt is a complicating issue.

This is like comparing setting your own goal to run a mile in 4 minutes and having someone else judge your clothing style to see if you are fashionable.

I'm not so sure I'd go that far - besides, it doesn't change the fact that not attempting something because you might fail is a very ridiculous argument.

Not necessarily true especially when the US isn't the only one hurting economically.

Now you're changing the parameters of the discussion. Before, Obama was wrong to promote the Olympics because we might fail, and he was corruptly supporting Chicago, and should have been doing something else anyway. Now all of the sudden you cast him as a miser, stealing money from other more needy bidders. Which is it?

You have a personal investment in Obama, I have nothing of the sort so I will call an ace an ace. I didn't vote for either side in this election.

You should be voting. What difference does it make what you think if you aren't making use of the power you've been given at such great cost and sacrifice over the centuries? Not voting doesn't grant you some special objective status - on the contrary it makes you appear apathetic at best.

And I can tell you right now that I have no great personal investment in Obama, though it is true that my reaction to him thus far is pretty positive. Who are you to say so? Supporting his administration's policies as opposed to the GOP policies is not automatically a personal investment in a president, though it would be very convenient for you if it was. Presently I agree much more with his policies than with those espoused by the McCain campaign and subsequent Republican opposition in congress. There are a number of things I disagree with too. Those who oppose the Obama administration keep trotting out the trite old accusations of personality cult worship. I'm sure there are people who love him, but you are painting with an excessively large brush here.

[Zombie Acorn]

I never asserted that you should never try anything for fear of failure, merely that you should do a risk assessment of what you are attempting. If we would have not made it to the moon it would have been a good try with huge advancements in technology regardless. If we would have got the Olympics the upside wouldn't have been that great, on the other side the downside was more than enough to not attempt an unprecedented move by president when we were low on the totem already. He can run his presidency however he wants, I just don't think it was a smart move.

You should be voting. What difference does it make what you think if you aren't making use of the power you've been given at such great cost and sacrifice over the centuries? Not voting doesn't grant you some special objective status - on the contrary it makes you appear apathetic at best.

I voted in the primaries which took a 45 minute drive to do, and I also voted in the general election, I didn't vote for either major party because I know they are both full of horse manure polished up by multi-million dollar campaigns.


And I can tell you right now that I have no great personal investment in Obama, though it is true that my reaction to him thus far is pretty positive. Who are you to say so? Supporting his administration's policies as opposed to the GOP policies is not automatically a personal investment in a president, though it would be very convenient for you if it was. Presently I agree much more with his policies than with those espoused by the McCain campaign and subsequent Republican opposition in congress. There are a number of things I disagree with too. Those who oppose the Obama administration keep trotting out the trite old accusations of personality cult worship. I'm sure there are people who love him, but you are painting with an excessively large brush here.

The personal offense that seems to linger on these boards towards anything anti-Obama makes it fairly clear that he has been taken on as a personal attribute of liberals on these boards. Its like criticizing apple when they mis-step.

[leekohler]

The personal offense that seems to linger on these boards towards anything anti-Obama makes it fairly clear that he has been taken on as a personal attribute of liberals on these boards. Its like criticizing apple when they mis-step.

And this is what you are completely wrong about. Most of us here criticize Obama quite a bit. I've started threads criticizing him several times. What is irritating is stupid, petty BS criticism like this from the right. We're sick of it. And you should be too. There are plenty of other things of substantial importance to criticize him about. This isn't one of them.

We're tired of the pettiness of the right- that's what this is about. Nothing more.

And if you don't think I criticize Apple, you don't read my posts in other areas of this website. I haven't had a lot of good to say about them for a while.

[Zombie Acorn]

And this is what you are completely wrong about. Most of us here criticize Obama quite a bit. I've started threads criticizing him several times. What is irritating is stupid, petty BS criticism like this from the right. We're sick of it. And you should be too. There are plenty of other things of substantial importance to criticize him about. This isn't one of them.

We're tired of the pettiness of the right- that's what this is about. Nothing more.

And if you don't think I criticize Apple, you don't read my posts in other areas of this website. I haven't had a lot of good to say about them for a while.

If Obama has a good idea I will like it, if he doesn't then I won't. Its about as simple as that for me. I have no opinion on the person himself, and I would probably go have a drink with him if given the chance The mainstream right has distanced themselves somewhat from the center and its not in a good way. I would not consider myself a mainstream right winger, in fact the only reason I am registered republican instead of independent is because I wanted to vote for Ron Paul, at least he brought a genuine message that he seemed to actually believe in.

[hulugu]

...The personal offense that seems to linger on these boards towards anything anti-Obama makes it fairly clear that he has been taken on as a personal attribute of liberals on these boards. Its like criticizing apple when they mis-step.

If I disagree with your characterization of Obama, or Apple for that matter, can't I say so without being accused of taking it as a personal attribute. Obviously there are those who will defend Obama, or Apple, regardless however there are also those who will attack both at each and every turn regardless of the merit of the mis-step.

[leekohler]

If I disagree with your characterization of Obama, or Apple for that matter, can't I say so without being accused of taking it as a personal attribute. Obviously there are those who will defend Obama, or Apple, regardless however there are also those who will attack both at each and every turn regardless of the merit of the mis-step.

Don't be silly. You're just being sensitive. :rolleyes: