Obama Mocked Commissions, Then Established Four

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: White House

President Barack Obama stands with the co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, Erskine Bowles, second from right, and Alan Simpson, right, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010.

(Credit: AP)

President Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is meeting today as part of its efforts to craft recommendations by December on how best to address America's red-ink problem.

Mr. Obama established the commission in February, saying debt and deficits can "hobble our economy" and "saddle every child in America with an intolerable burden."

Yet the president's decision to establish a commission to address a problem he described as potentially catastrophic seems odd in light of his earlier criticism of commissions in general. As Ari Shapiro noted on National Public Radio today, the president mocked the notion of commissions to address problems back when he was a candidate.

Here's Mr. Obama on September 18, 2008, not long after the economic collapse: "Senator McCain's first answer to this economic crisis was - get ready for it - a commission. That's Washington-speak for 'we'll get back to you later.'"

"Folks, we don't need a commission to spend a few years and a lot of taxpayer money to tell us what's going on in our economy," he continued. "We don't need a commission to tell us gas prices are high or that you can't pay your bills. We don't need a commission to tell us you're losing your jobs. We don't need a commission to study this crisis, we need a President who will solve it - and that's the kind of President I intend to be."

To be fair to the president, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform was created after the Senate failed to pass legislation establishing a bipartisan panel that would have been able to force up-on-down votes in Congress on deficit reduction measures. He pushed for the stronger panel before accepting the current commission, which has no enforcement power.

Still, as Shapiro notes, most commissions end up having little real world impact - much as then-candidate Obama suggested. (One notable exception is the Sept. 11 commission.) The deficit commission is just one of at least four commissions set up by the Obama White House: there are also commissions on the BP oil leak, nuclear power and potentially creating a museum of the American Latino.

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Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by bamio July 2, 2010 10:40 AM EDT: "Folks, we don't need a commission to spend a few years and a lot of taxpayer money to tell us what's going on in our economy," he continued. "We don't need a commission to tell us gas prices are high or that you can't pay your bills. We don't need a commission to tell us you're losing your jobs. We don't need a commission to study this crisis, we need a President who will solve it...
_______________________________________________________________
Obamie sure hasn't solved any of those problems. Heck he IS the problem. We need a President who will solve them.; Reply to this comment


by bamio July 2, 2010 10:36 AM EDT: We don't need a commission to tell us that Obamie has been the biggest failure ever to occupy the White House. This kind of hypocritical action, the myriad broken promises and Obamie's hateful divisive "Culture of Blame" render this man a joke to all thinking Americans.; Reply to this comment


by RobAla July 2, 2010 10:22 AM EDT: President Obama mocks and slams all kinds of people, groups, and ideas. I am tired of it, and I am tired of his stupid reforms. He has no real experience to fall back on; all he can do is slam others and push his political agenda. This is his main concern, regardless of any crisis that hits the nation - the agenda is the all important thing with him.

Stop with the stupid reforms. Washington is killing jobs in this country. We heard today that we lost another 125,000 jobs, but that the unemployment rate went down to 9.5%.

How can we explain this? Many Americans have given up looking. Since this President has been in office the highest crisis area of the nation has been unemployment. Washington has failed the American people in creating an environment where private businesses can begin hiring again.

I am not a member of any political party. We don't need stupid reforms, we need relief for business - instead we get a job killing health care bill and more burden on business so that Washington can fatten itself. This nation has dealt with recession many times, and we know what works. Cutting taxes on business and individuals to free up money has helped every time. Instead the President lets the Bush tax cuts expire and adds more taxes and fees with all his stupid reforms. The President can take his agenda and put "where the sun doesn't shine". I am sick of ideology, blame, and talk. I want this President to stop with all the complicated bills, and address the real problems. I am sick to my stomach at what Washington has become.

Having a Congress (both political parties), which has irresponsibly spent the nation into a $13 trillion debt, reform banking and Wall Street - is a terrible joke! But it isn't a funny one. Throw the irresponsible jerks out - no matter which party. If they have been guilty of this massive national debt and growing the federal government at the expense of the people - throw them out!

I want the federal government to do it's job. I want it to stop feeding on individuals and business so that it can expand it's power over the American people. I don't want government to grow, I want people and business to grow. If Washington wants to reform something - it should try reforming itself by reducing itself to a manageable size. Instead of creating even more complicated law, it should try enforcing the laws we currently have (say on immigration). All these current reforms are all about empowering Washington, not the people.

Mr. President - do your job - enforce the existing law. Congress - reduce yourselves so that American business can begin hiring. Stop with feeding on the people. November can't come soon enough. I have had it with the President (all he cares about is his political agenda) - and I have had it with Congress (all those people in office care about is growing the federal government)! It should be about the American people - and this President and Congress have failed us miserably; Reply to this comment

by mrjustice1 July 2, 2010 10:09 AM EDT

[REPEAT THIS CALL FOR OBAMA'S OUSTER
UNTIL LEGAL PROCEDURES ARE WELL UNDER WAY]

IN SUM TOTO OR ANYWAY YOU LOOK AT IT - BASED ON THEIR POLITICAL BELIEFS -
OBAMA'S AND KAGAN'S ACTIONS WILL FURTHER WEAKEN AND DESTROY AMERICA

Hussein Obama is as close to an enemy-president as can be.
His ally, Elena Kagan, is expected to reinforce Obama's philosophies via Supreme Court Decisions well into the future.

That nightmarish, worst-of-all blunders that the electing populace voted into the White House, forces us to live and re-live practically a nightmare a minute, as the results of this genuine Manchurian Incumbent.

HUSSEIN OBAMA: THE GREATEST NURTURER OF DIVISIVENESS SINCE THE U.S. CIVIL WAR

Hussein Obama has divided and polarized our America to such great extent,
that
BREAKAWAY REGIONS AND POLITICAL MOVEMENTS WITH IMPLICATIONS OF ANOTHER U.S. CIVIL WAR have been formed and AND ARE GROWING!

How much more of Hussein Obama's weakening, damage and destruction can America take!?

CONCLUSION:
Hussein Obama continues to work in ANYTHING BUT the good interests of The United States of America.

We MUST act now, to assure us that Obama is ousted from office EVEN BEFORE his term is up.

Denying Supreme Court confirmation to his willfully-conspiring accomplice Kagan,
is essential toward America's survival as a nation!

Reply to this comment


by grit5 July 3, 2010 8:25 PM EDT: It's pretty bad when the CEO of General Electric, Jeff Imlet, finally has the nerve to come out and state Obama is working against the best interest of business. Then General Electric quickly apologizes so they don't get punished by this punitive, Chicago gang of thugs. Who does Obama thinks employs people? The tooth fairy?


by Joutue July 2, 2010 9:01 AM EDT: By Joutue July 2, 2010 7:53 AM

There was nothing to the September 11, comission to be noteable, because they haven't had George Bush and Dick Cheney, prosecuted for creating the illegal wars , and getting thousands of our innocent troops and iraqis killed, not to mention stealing their oil resoures. And creating
dire problems for the united states.; Reply to this comment


by alphaa10000 July 2, 2010 5:46 AM EDT: UP OR DOWN VOTE NOT MANDATED

CBS / Montopoli comments, "To be fair to the president, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform was created after the Senate failed to pass legislation establishing a bipartisan panel that would have been able to force up-on-down votes in Congress on deficit reduction measures. (Obama) pushed for the stronger panel.... "
---

For GOP critics to blame Obama for a commission addressing an issue on which the senate blocked-- all in the spirit of bipartisanship-- is laughable.

In a sense, Obama saved GOP bacon by creating the commission to keep the discussion about fiscal reform alive-- and now the GOP would remind Obama of its enduring gratitude.

The senate action was local politics. Yet, afterward-- In clear deference to the GOP-- Obama created the commission to continue motion clearly unwelcome in a senate filled with defenders of military spending, and other, pet pork.

The GOP criticism is illogical, on its face, since Obama's action revives their hopes for disemboweling social spending, across the board.

For the GOP to make the commission into an issue is absurd. Most of its members are GOP-affiliated, and lean to the Peter (Petersen) Prescription for fiscal reform-- privatize everything. Known by many as "The Cat Food Commission", the CRDC would gut Medicare and Social Security.

If this bothers any GOP readers with elderly relatives, it should.

Yet, Obama takes all the GOP antics with inner calm-- GOP behavior is typical of an unregenerate political rival with a wish for revenge.

And of all the issues Obama faces after the GOP handed him a buffet table of disasters (take your pick), the GOP refusal to vote bipartisan is the very least on the list.

With future perspective, Obama will be seen as one of the most statesmanly presidents we ever have had, and his conduct has been generally exemplary. Any president under the spotlight and such pressure will generate questions and controversy, and most of us have our pet criticisms. (I have a long list).

But this is nothing like George Bush.

Meanwhile, GOP attacks are both predictable, and predictably mendacious and mean-spirited. From the bogus "Interpol" story floated by the GOP SmearNET to the charge Obama has no American birth certificate, the wild flurry of unfocused GOP attacks is like John McCain failing to respond to any of Obama's campaign questions, continuing to rant the lines he had rehearsed for so long.

It made McCain look awful, and it makes no sense for the GOP of today.; Reply to this comment

by wdh3007 July 2, 2010 5:34 AM EDT

"Obama Mocked Commissions, Then Established Four" what a moron we have for a president. For a guy who points fingers at others he sure knows how to contradict himself maybe he should get idiot of the year award. November cannot get here quick enough!

Reply to this comment


by TVO1CITW July 2, 2010 8:46 AM EDT: We have run out of names to call this president without becoming racist like he is. Keep in mind that 90% of the people who want this done the right way are white Americans tired of the NO RESPONSE of our Democrat Government.


by mrjustice1 July 2, 2010 4:33 AM EDT: [REPEAT THIS CALL FOR OBAMA'S OUSTER
UNTIL LEGAL PROCEDURES ARE WELL UNDER WAY]

IN SUM TOTO, OR ANYWAY YOU LOOK AT IT,

Hussein Obama is as close to an enemy-president as can be.
His supporter, Elena Kagan is expected to reinforce Obama's philosophies.

That nightmarish, worst-of-all blunders that the electing populace voted into the White House, forces us to live and re-live practically a nightmare a minute, as the results of this genuine Manchurian Incumbent.

We MUST act now, to assure us that Obama is ousted from office EVEN BEFORE his term is up.

How much more of Hussein Obama's weakening, damage and destruction can America take!?

Hussein Obama continues to work in ANYTHING BUT the good interests of The United States of America!; Reply to this comment


by schmuck281 July 2, 2010 1:51 AM EDT: With all due respect to the President; Congress IS the "National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform".

This Presidential commission is simply a PR stunt to bring pressure on members of Congress that don't dance to the administration's tune.

NOTHING will end deficits and bring down the debt and the deficits (they are different things) except SPENDING. But that's the plan.

The plan is to increase spending on things the left supports, like "free" healthcare, and goodies for 'the poor'. Of course, all the money will pass through the fingers of political commissars AKA "Czara" and the public employees unions who will assure that the money reaches the 'right people'.

Then, when the deficit gets so high that people demand action they WILL cut spending, on things like Defense, Border enforcement, courts and law enforcement. The increases to fund the left wing wish lists will remain and will be increasing hard to reverse. Anyone that does so will be tarred as a heartless fiend who hates 'the people'.

It seems to be working very well. 2010 might be too late.; Reply to this comment


by shadywms July 2, 2010 1:18 AM EDT: Yeah, we don't need a commission...let's just ask Boehner for his suggestion. I'm sure he'll come up with a brillant one just like he did with raising the age of Social Security. Geez....fools!; Reply to this comment