Mr. President,
It's long past time to take that iron fist out of your velvet glove and wage a concerted, disciplined, focused, and relentless ATTACK on the nefarious and contemptuous Republican Party and everything they stand for. Your national and global agenda is far too important, necessary, and valuable to simply placate the Repubican Party and their endless reactionary minions. Clearly, their rancid and destructive game is to absolutely DESTROY you and your administration and the signs are EVERYWHERE that their brazen performance over the first three weeks of your Presidency is only the mere surface of a gigantic political iceberg that the rightwing in this country fully intends to crack wide open and DROWN you and everything you stand for in the frozen sea below.
DON'T LET THEM DO IT!! FIGHT BACK! AND I MEAN HARD--WITH EVERYTHING IN YOUR PRESIDENTIAL KITBAG! You and the Democratic Party and the rest of the entire progressive American citizenry who support you are simply going to have to bulldoze your programs through if necessary because if you don't and you simply roll over and make meaningless accomodations and empty "compromises" the Right will blow you and your administration away for good. The ONLY THING these demagogues care about are the congressional elections of 2010 and the next presidential election in 2012. THEY'RE BETTING EVERY SINGLE CHIP OF THEIR DWINDLING POLITICAL CAPITAL ON THOSE OBJECTIVES ALONE. THEY DON'T GIVE A FLYING FUCK ABOUT THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE LARGER SOCIETY!
You and we can stop their thuggish bullying, lying, and propagandistic manipulation by STANDING ON PRINCIPLE, FIGHTING FOR WHAT'S RIGHT, AND ABSOLUTELY REFUSING TO BACK DOWN.
SO DO IT Mr. President. You need it. Your agenda needs it. And most importantly WE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, NEED IT.
Meanwhile the vicious BULLSHIT continues...
Kofi
February 13, 2009
Judd Gregg Withdraws as Commerce Nominee
By JEFF ZELENY
New York Times
WASHINGTON - President Obama's choice for commerce secretary, Senator Judd Gregg, withdrew his nomination on Thursday, saying there were "irresolvable conflicts" between him and the administration.
"It has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census there are irresolvable conflicts for me," Mr. Gregg said in a statement. "Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns. We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy."
At a Washington news conference soon after his statement was issued, Mr. Gregg said it had become clear that he had made a mistake in accepting the president's offer to join the cabinet. "That was my mistake, not his," the senator said, adding that he admired President Obama and the team he has assembled.
"Bottom line," he concluded, "this is simply a bridge too far for me."
Mr. Gregg said that the Census had been "only a slight issue" in his decision to withdraw. Nevertheless, the Census has been a big issue between Republicans and Democrats for years, and Mr. Gregg has been involved in the dispute. A decade ago, he resisted efforts by President Bill Clinton to increase financing for the 2000 Census.The abrupt withdrawal comes one week after Mr. Gregg was selected to be the third Republican member of the Obama cabinet. And he is the second nominee for commerce secretary to withdraw.
Moments after the stunning announcement, Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, issued a statement that Mr. Gregg had "reached out to the president and offered his name for secretary of commerce."
"He was very clear throughout the interviewing process that despite past disagreements about policies, he would support, embrace, and move forward with the President's agenda," Mr. Gibbs said. "Once it became clear after his nomination that Senator Gregg was not going to be supporting some of President Obama's key economic priorities, it became necessary for Senator Gregg and the Obama administration to part ways."
Although Mr. Gregg, a Republican of New Hampshire, had not resigned his Senate seat, he has been away from the Senate floor this week - presumably preparing for his confirmation hearings - and he did not vote on the administration's $789 billion economic stimulus plan agreed on by the House and Senate.
Last Tuesday during a brief ceremony at the White House, Mr. Gregg stood by Mr. Obama as the president touted his nominee as a fiscal conservative who could help "shore up our financial system and revitalize our economy."
The president selected Mr. Gregg exactly two months after he nominated his first choice for commerce secretary, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who withdrew from consideration because of a federal investigation into state contracts. It was the first of several controversies surrounding the president's top nominees.
In announcing his withdrawal, Mr. Gregg released a statement through his Senate office. The surprising move was not announced by the White House, although aides said the president had been informed of Mr. Gregg's decision.
"Obviously the President requires a team that is fully supportive of all his initiatives," Mr. Gregg said in a statement. "I greatly admire President Obama and know our country will benefit from his leadership, but at this time I must withdraw my name from consideration for this position."
He added: "As a further matter of clarification, nothing about the vetting process played any role in this decision. I will continue to represent the people of New Hampshire in the United States Senate."
The once-a-decade Census has enormous implications, both social and political. It is used to distribute federal money to states and cities based on population, and it is used to redraw Congressional districts - determining how many seats in the House of Representatives that growing states like California and Florida will pick up at the expense of states whose populations are relatively stagnant.
The Commerce Department under the Clinton administration wanted to use statistical sampling in the 2000 to arrive at population figures on which Congressional districting would be based. Republicans resisted furiously, arguing that only a true head count was proper. Political analysts believed that statistical sampling would help Democrats by adding more urban and minority people to the totals.
In early 1999, the Supreme Court ruled that the 2000 census had to be done by traditional head count as far as redistricting was concerned, but that sampling could be used for other purposes, like the distribution of federal money.
In recent days, Republicans have been upset by suspicions that the Obama White House might try to assert more direct control over the Census, a prospect they find troubling, given that the president's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, is a former Democratic Congressman from Chicago.
Mr. Gregg's withdrawal was the latest blow for the White House, which has seen three cabinet nominees withdraw from consideration. In addition to the withdrawal of Mr. Richardson, former Senator Tom Daschle took his name from consideration to lead the Health and Human Services Department last week amid questions about his tax returns.
David Stout contributed reporting.
Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
It's long past time to take that iron fist out of your velvet glove and wage a concerted, disciplined, focused, and relentless ATTACK on the nefarious and contemptuous Republican Party and everything they stand for. Your national and global agenda is far too important, necessary, and valuable to simply placate the Repubican Party and their endless reactionary minions. Clearly, their rancid and destructive game is to absolutely DESTROY you and your administration and the signs are EVERYWHERE that their brazen performance over the first three weeks of your Presidency is only the mere surface of a gigantic political iceberg that the rightwing in this country fully intends to crack wide open and DROWN you and everything you stand for in the frozen sea below.
DON'T LET THEM DO IT!! FIGHT BACK! AND I MEAN HARD--WITH EVERYTHING IN YOUR PRESIDENTIAL KITBAG! You and the Democratic Party and the rest of the entire progressive American citizenry who support you are simply going to have to bulldoze your programs through if necessary because if you don't and you simply roll over and make meaningless accomodations and empty "compromises" the Right will blow you and your administration away for good. The ONLY THING these demagogues care about are the congressional elections of 2010 and the next presidential election in 2012. THEY'RE BETTING EVERY SINGLE CHIP OF THEIR DWINDLING POLITICAL CAPITAL ON THOSE OBJECTIVES ALONE. THEY DON'T GIVE A FLYING FUCK ABOUT THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE LARGER SOCIETY!
You and we can stop their thuggish bullying, lying, and propagandistic manipulation by STANDING ON PRINCIPLE, FIGHTING FOR WHAT'S RIGHT, AND ABSOLUTELY REFUSING TO BACK DOWN.
SO DO IT Mr. President. You need it. Your agenda needs it. And most importantly WE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, NEED IT.
Meanwhile the vicious BULLSHIT continues...
Kofi
February 13, 2009
Judd Gregg Withdraws as Commerce Nominee
By JEFF ZELENY
New York Times
WASHINGTON - President Obama's choice for commerce secretary, Senator Judd Gregg, withdrew his nomination on Thursday, saying there were "irresolvable conflicts" between him and the administration.
"It has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census there are irresolvable conflicts for me," Mr. Gregg said in a statement. "Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns. We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy."
At a Washington news conference soon after his statement was issued, Mr. Gregg said it had become clear that he had made a mistake in accepting the president's offer to join the cabinet. "That was my mistake, not his," the senator said, adding that he admired President Obama and the team he has assembled.
"Bottom line," he concluded, "this is simply a bridge too far for me."
Mr. Gregg said that the Census had been "only a slight issue" in his decision to withdraw. Nevertheless, the Census has been a big issue between Republicans and Democrats for years, and Mr. Gregg has been involved in the dispute. A decade ago, he resisted efforts by President Bill Clinton to increase financing for the 2000 Census.The abrupt withdrawal comes one week after Mr. Gregg was selected to be the third Republican member of the Obama cabinet. And he is the second nominee for commerce secretary to withdraw.
Moments after the stunning announcement, Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, issued a statement that Mr. Gregg had "reached out to the president and offered his name for secretary of commerce."
"He was very clear throughout the interviewing process that despite past disagreements about policies, he would support, embrace, and move forward with the President's agenda," Mr. Gibbs said. "Once it became clear after his nomination that Senator Gregg was not going to be supporting some of President Obama's key economic priorities, it became necessary for Senator Gregg and the Obama administration to part ways."
Although Mr. Gregg, a Republican of New Hampshire, had not resigned his Senate seat, he has been away from the Senate floor this week - presumably preparing for his confirmation hearings - and he did not vote on the administration's $789 billion economic stimulus plan agreed on by the House and Senate.
Last Tuesday during a brief ceremony at the White House, Mr. Gregg stood by Mr. Obama as the president touted his nominee as a fiscal conservative who could help "shore up our financial system and revitalize our economy."
The president selected Mr. Gregg exactly two months after he nominated his first choice for commerce secretary, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who withdrew from consideration because of a federal investigation into state contracts. It was the first of several controversies surrounding the president's top nominees.
In announcing his withdrawal, Mr. Gregg released a statement through his Senate office. The surprising move was not announced by the White House, although aides said the president had been informed of Mr. Gregg's decision.
"Obviously the President requires a team that is fully supportive of all his initiatives," Mr. Gregg said in a statement. "I greatly admire President Obama and know our country will benefit from his leadership, but at this time I must withdraw my name from consideration for this position."
He added: "As a further matter of clarification, nothing about the vetting process played any role in this decision. I will continue to represent the people of New Hampshire in the United States Senate."
The once-a-decade Census has enormous implications, both social and political. It is used to distribute federal money to states and cities based on population, and it is used to redraw Congressional districts - determining how many seats in the House of Representatives that growing states like California and Florida will pick up at the expense of states whose populations are relatively stagnant.
The Commerce Department under the Clinton administration wanted to use statistical sampling in the 2000 to arrive at population figures on which Congressional districting would be based. Republicans resisted furiously, arguing that only a true head count was proper. Political analysts believed that statistical sampling would help Democrats by adding more urban and minority people to the totals.
In early 1999, the Supreme Court ruled that the 2000 census had to be done by traditional head count as far as redistricting was concerned, but that sampling could be used for other purposes, like the distribution of federal money.
In recent days, Republicans have been upset by suspicions that the Obama White House might try to assert more direct control over the Census, a prospect they find troubling, given that the president's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, is a former Democratic Congressman from Chicago.
Mr. Gregg's withdrawal was the latest blow for the White House, which has seen three cabinet nominees withdraw from consideration. In addition to the withdrawal of Mr. Richardson, former Senator Tom Daschle took his name from consideration to lead the Health and Human Services Department last week amid questions about his tax returns.
David Stout contributed reporting.
Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
