Obama's Remarks to the Democrats on "Retreat"

You have to read this twice to believe it. This is an address given to the Democrats in Williamsburg, VA at the House Caucus retreat.

I am only providing some excerpts of this speech...to read it in full, go to this post on NRO.

Here is our new leader at his best....the emphases are mine.

Thank you. Thank you, Democrats. (Applause.) Thank you. Please, everybody have a seat. Everybody have a seat. It is great to be here with so many friends. Thank you for giving me a reason to use Air Force One. (Laughter.) It’s pretty nice. (Laughter.)

No concern, of course, about his 'carbon footprint'. Of course, if we all turn our thermostats down, we can help pay for his consumption, including jacking up the White House thermostat. Per David Axelrod, "He likes it warm. You could grow orchids in there." Nice.

I’m glad to see the House Democratic Caucus is getting by just fine without my Chief of Staff. (Laughter.) I don’t know how many of you were at the Alfalfa dinner, but I pointed out, you know, this whole myth of Rahm being this tough guy, mean, is just not true. At least once a week he spends time teaching profanity to underprivileged children. (Laughter and applause.) So he’s got a soft spot.

Nice guy. Teaching profanity to underprivileged children? This is funny?

...We can’t embrace the losing formula that says only tax cuts will work for every problem we face; that ignores critical challenges like our addiction to foreign oil, or the soaring cost of health care, or falling schools and crumbling bridges and roads and levees. I don’t care whether you’re driving a hybrid or an SUV if you’re headed for a cliff, you’ve got to change direction. (Applause.) That’s what the American people called for in November, and that’s what we intend to deliver. (Applause.)

He seems to forget that not ALL the American people voted for him....in fact, about 46% of us did NOT vote for him. And, right now, almost half of the American people do NOT support the 'stimulus' package.

By the way, tax cuts have proven to be the best way of increasing federal revenue...but Barack doesn't care about that. Don't confuse him with the facts when he is just warming up the audience.

So the American people are watching. They did not send us here to get bogged down with the same old delay, the same old distractions, the same talking points, the same cable chatter. (Applause.) You know, aren’t you all tired of that stuff?

The same talking points? The same 'cable chatter'? Why does this guy keep going after the minority conservative media? Doesn't he realize that a LOT of Americans watch and TRUST those outlets? More than the Obama-fawning MSM?

Then there’s the argument, well, this is full of pet projects. When was the last time that we saw a bill of this magnitude move out with no earmarks in it? Not one. (Applause.) And when you start asking, well, what is it exactly that is such a problem that you’re seeing, where’s all this waste and spending? Well, you know, you want to replace the federal fleet with hybrid cars. Well, why wouldn’t we want to do that? (Laughter.) That creates jobs for people who make those cars. It saves the federal government energy. It saves the taxpayers energy. (Applause.)

So then you get the argument, well, this is not a stimulus bill, this is a spending bill. What do you think a stimulus is? (Laughter and applause.) That’s the whole point. No, seriously. (Laughter.) That’s the point.
(Applause.)

Wait a minute? I thought Obama was going to eliminate earmarks? And now ANY earmarks and spending are good? Spending = stimulus? And his comment about the hybrid cars shows his ignorance. The ROI on most hybrid car models (the point at which you actually SAVE enough money on gasoline to make up for the higher purchase price is SEVEN YEARS. Do we actually keep the federal fleet for SEVEN YEARS? If we don't, then we may be saving the government ENERGY, but we sure as heck ain't saving the taxpayers MONEY. (Note that he does not say we are saving money, just energy.)

As I was listening to his speech when he signed the S-CHIP legislation (and whatever happened to the 'five day cooling off' period he promised during the campaign, when the American people could weigh in on any legislation before he signed it into law?) -- it struck me.

The only thing this guy has been REALLY good at in his career is campaigning. That's why he can't seem to stop it.

I am afraid that this bill is going to pass. And there will be no turning back. Batten down your hatches. We are in for rough times ahead.