AlterNet: Obama Strikes Back, Plans Payback for House Republicans

By Steve Benen, Washington Monthly
http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/123725/

The White House has invested quite a bit of time and energy reaching out to congressional Republicans. Late yesterday, the president's efforts were rewarded with exactly zero GOP votes on an economic stimulus plan. The Politico reported that when Republicans announced their opposition, the minority party "slapped" Obama's "outstretched hand" as part of a "coordinated effort to embarrass" the president.

We're starting to get a sense of how the White House plans to respond.

Pushing back against the unanimous House Republican vote against President Obama's stimulus plan, the White House plans to release state-by-state job figures "so we can put a number on what folks voted for and against," an administration aide said.

"It's clear the Republicans who voted against the stimulus represent constituents who will be stunned to learn their member of Congress voted against [saving or] creating 4 million jobs," the aide said.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the lawmakers will have to answer to their constituents. A Democratic official added: "We will run campaigns in their districts."

What's more, Greg Sargent reports that a coalition of groups and unions, including Americans United for Change, MoveOn.org Political Action, AFSCME and SEIU, are launching a new television ad targeting Republican senators and pressuring them to vote for President Obama's stimulus package.

The spot shows some arresting images of the recession -- chained up factories, empty warehouses -- and features Obama talking about our dire economic times and his economic package, an effort to harness Obama's popularity to push the plan at a time when Republicans are training their fire on House Dems, rather than the White House.

The ad is set to air in four states, targeting Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Judd Gregg (New Hampshire), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Olympia Snowe (Maine). Three of the five -- Grassley, Gregg, and Murkowski -- are up for re-election next year.

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The people teach their leaders how to lead

From remarks at an Inauguration Day Assembly at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, Tenn.

Pablo J. Davis - We'll hear much, rightly, about Barack Obama's becoming the first president of acknowledged African descent.

We'll hear much of his electoral mandate, the strongest of any first - term president in two decades. And his thoughtful, cool, and unflappable bearing, reassuring to so many in these difficult times.

We're right to consider this day historic. But if we see the Inauguration as the end of the story, we'll be making a great mistake. We need to think of this moment as a beginning.

Why? A character in one of German dramatist Bertolt Brecht's plays laments, "Pity this land, that has no hero." To which another character replies, "Pity the land that needs a hero."

Many people, fearful of the times and dazzled by the president - elect's qualities, see him as a political savior.

But there's a trap in such thinking. The presidency is hugely important, but presidents do not achieve by themselves, or strictly from above, or following a detailed plan.

Lincoln's emancipation of enslaved Americans, Teddy Roosevelt's progressive reforms, FDR's creation of safeguards for old age and widowhood - none of these goals sprang fully - formed from the brow of any of these men, great as they were. In each case, strong pressure from the people forced greater goals on the president.

Often in history, the people have led and the leaders have followed. Or, if you prefer, the people have taught their leaders how to lead.

This president, like all others, will on Day One find his desk piled high with IOU's from people and organizations of great wealth and power.

But will he hear from all of the people? Only if we see democracy as more than just elections - as 365- days- per- year dialogue and work between the people and the government.

What I say applies to those who supported Obama in the election and those who didn't.

The issues aren't abstract. Will you have decent work in coming years -- or, indeed, any work? Will you be able to stay in your home? Will you have access to health care? Will the country continue to wage wars, and to what ends? Will our political liberties survive?

Like it or not, government's actions, in our names and with our tax moneys, will have much to say about all this.

Stay informed. Learn about public - policy organizations. And above all let the new president and the Congress hear - - by letter, by phone, by email - - from you, from us, from "We, the people."