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Re: Out of context...
Speaking of consistency - you posted this comment to the wrong article! In this one, I'm addressing the contradiction between saying he is supposed to manage the financial markets and then saying he doesn't have time to do so.
The post I believe you're commenting on is at http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/WriterofLight9992/600721. Two problems with your comment:
For one, you did not address his remarks concerning earmarks in the Wolf Blitzer interview.
For another, even though you do provide some clarification, thank you, the impression is still left that he intended to ban all earmarks, including those in the legislation that was discussed in the meeting.
Here is the paragraph you quoted:
"We are going to ban all earmarks," President-elect Obama pledged today after a meeting with his economic team, discussing the multibillion dollar stimulus package. (emphasis added)
From your own context, is it or is it not a realistic assumption that he is addressing all earmarks, regardless of what legislation he may have intended to exclude from the promise? Unless you want to get into Clintonian parsing of "is," "all" means all.
And here's a quote from his inaugural address, the entire paragraph if you please:
"And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government."
Did or did not the inclusion of thousands of earmarks in legislation after promising to end them vilolate this promise to restore trust between the people and their government?
posted by
WriterofLight
on March 22, 2009 at 11:56 AM
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Out of context...
There is an extra-warm spot in Hell for people who take quotes significantly out of context so as to change their meaning to agree with their political beliefs. To wit, the ABC News quote of January 6. What it REALLY said was:
"We are going to ban all earmarks," President-elect Obama pledged today after a meeting with his economic team, discussing the multibillion dollar stimulus package. (emphasis added)
He was talking about earmarks in the stimulus package (actually, the Reinvestment & Recovery Bill) NOT the omnibus spending bill you indicated. Not even dealing with the fact that the spending bill was primarily the work product of LAST YEAR'S CONGRESS and to not sign it would have shut down the government (while you might like that idea, millions of people waiting for their Social Security check to pay rent and eat might not).
There are many, many of Obama's policies that we can legitimately disagree on. They are open to fair & honest debate. But you hurt your own case when you are dishonest, lie about the issues, and "cut and paste" quotes about the stimulus package into discussion of the annual budget.
Another hole in your argumentation is a lack of consistency. Concerned about huge budget deficits? So am I. But do I have to go to the archives to discover if you ever, ever complained about the unbalanced budgets of President Bush, especially the 6 years when the Republicans controlled both the White House AND congress? Where was your outrage then? I hear Republicans wailing and gnashing teeth over the size of the stimulus package, and voted en mass against it (all Representatives and all but 3 Senators). But where was their concern over the $700 billion bank bailout? Selective outrage is hypocritical.
I welcome spirited debate; but if you continue to lie and misquote, I'll call you on it. BTW, when you quote someone, ethically, you should attribute the quote so people can check the veracity, both of content & meaning. Mine comes from ABCNews.com
posted by
VanArsdale
on March 14, 2009 at 1:07 PM
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