Obama Gives 'Em Hell

by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist

Still being a full-time employee, it is rare when I get to watch any television during a work day.  But yesterday while waiting for an appointment in one of our personnel offices, I had the opportunity to sit and observe part of the President’s news conference.    And, oh my, what a difference an election (or perhaps an Hawaiian vacation) can make!   President Obama was focused, articulate, and eloquent as he told Republicans in Congress that they could either man up and do the job that the country elected them to do (pay the nation’s bills) – or wreck the economy.   It was their choice, but he, and the American people, were not going to be held hostage to their whiny and petulant demands.

Giving in to terrorists is a losing proposition, and the President made it clear that he is firm in his resolve to make them do their job.

The core of President Obama’s directive was this:

“Republicans in Congress have two choices here.  They can act responsibly and pay America’s bills, or they can act irresponsibly and put America through another economic crisis. But they will not collect a ransom in exchange for not crashing the American economy.  The financial wellbeing of the American people is not leverage to be used.  The full faith and credit of the United States of America is not a bargaining chip.  And they better choose quickly, because time is running short.”

The President spoke calmly and with the quiet assurance of a man who knew and trusted the cards he held.   He was speaking to all of us in language we could understand.   It was a Harry Truman moment.