Government Shutdown Threat Prompts Obama, GOP To Scramble To Strike Budget Deal

The house must originate all money bills. The President can only veto it. He will never get a budget to sign unless the House originates it.

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Each side came to the table and Obama and Democrats caved to 78 percent of what Republican­s demanded -- That $31 billion figure has, overnight, jumped to $78 billion.  

There was 88 percent of the budget that was off-limits­, as per John Boehner's demand.  Think about that -- 88 percent of the budget, which included military expenditur­es, Republican­s refused to touch.  AND DEMOCRATS WENT ALONG WITH IT.

This is not the way to fix the economy.  This is how you bring the economy down.  It's exactly what happened during the Great Depression in 1937 when Congress did the same thing, and it's exactly what has sent Great Britain's economy back into the gutter.  Last year Parliament did exactly what the US Congress is doing, and it's tripped the British economy back into the drink.
About Harry Reid
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Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards: We're Not Going Anywhere

Democrats caved on EVERYTHING that Republican­s came to the table wanting.  AND MORE.  And it was AFTER Democrats caved, after Democrats agreed to $31 BILLION in programs and services that are vital to the poor and middle classes, that Republican­s reneged on the deal and said, "That was easy....We want even more."

We're hearing now that Democrats caved yet again, and last night agreed to $78 BILLION in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes.


$78 BILLION.


That means that no matter how this ends, the best that the People can hope for is that it's ONLY $78 billion in cuts to essential programs and services that they need.

I have a question for Democratic voters:


Did you put Obama and Democrats into office to cave to Republican demands, and enact Republican legislatio­n?


Right now, if Republican­s drop these latest riders, their latest demands (defunding Planned Parenthood­, EPA regulatory capabiliti­es, etc.), Democrats in Congress will go ahead with what's been negotiated so far: The $78 billion in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes.     

Do you support Democrats doing that?
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Government Shutdown Threatened By Republicans Over Planned Parenthood

Democrats caved on EVERYTHING that Republican­s came to the table wanting.  AND MORE.  And it was AFTER Democrats caved, after Democrats agreed to $31 BILLION in programs and services that are vital to the poor and middle classes, that Republican­s reneged on the deal and said, "That was easy....We want even more."

We're hearing now that Democrats caved yet again, and last night agreed to $78 BILLION in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes.


$78 BILLION.


That means that no matter how this ends, the best that the People can hope for is that it's ONLY $78 billion in cuts to essential programs and services that they need.

I have a question for Democratic voters:


Did you put Obama and Democrats into office to cave to Republican demands, and enact Republican legislatio­n?


Right now, if Republican­s drop these latest riders, their latest demands (defunding Planned Parenthood­, EPA regulatory capabiliti­es, etc.), Democrats in Congress will go ahead with what's been negotiated so far: The $78 billion in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes.     

Do you support Democrats doing that?
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Government Shutdown Threat Prompts Obama, GOP To Scramble To Strike Budget Deal

Democrats caved on EVERYTHING that Republican­s came to the table wanting.  AND MORE.  And it was AFTER Democrats caved, after Democrats agreed to $31 BILLION in programs and services that are vital to the poor and middle classes, that Republican­s reneged on the deal and said, "That was easy....We want even more."

We're hearing now that Democrats caved yet again, and last night agreed to $78 BILLION in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes.


$78 BILLION.


That means that no matter how this ends, the best that the People can hope for is that it's ONLY $78 billion in cuts to essential programs and services that they need.

I have a question for Democratic voters:


Did you put Obama and Democrats into office to cave to Republican demands, and enact Republican legislatio­n?


Right now, if Republican­s drop these latest riders, their latest demands (defunding Planned Parenthood­, EPA regulatory capabiliti­es, etc.), Democrats in Congress will go ahead with what's been negotiated so far: The $78 billion in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes.     

Do you support Democrats doing that?
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

Democrats caved on EVERYTHING that Republican­s came to the table wanting.  AND MORE.  And it was AFTER Democrats caved, after Democrats agreed to $31 BILLION in programs and services that are vital to the poor and middle classes, that Republican­s reneged on the deal and said, "That was easy....We want even more."

We're hearing now that Democrats caved yet again, and last night agreed to $78 BILLION in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes.


$78 BILLION.


That means that no matter how this ends, the best that the People can hope for is that it's ONLY $78 billion in cuts to essential programs and services that they need.

I have a question for Democratic voters:


Did you put Obama and Democrats into office to cave to Republican demands, and enact Republican legislatio­n?


Right now, if Republican­s drop these latest riders, their latest demands (defunding Planned Parenthood­, EPA regulatory capabiliti­es, etc.), Democrats in Congress will go ahead with what's been negotiated so far: The $78 billion in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes.     

Do you support Democrats doing that?
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

By the way, SinglePaye­r universal healthcare was the compromise­.  It wasn't our first, best proposal.  We've already been denied our first best proposal:  A level playing field where we all could rise and share in the obscene corporate profits that come at the expense of so many people's lives. We've lost to a corporate mentality that it's a 'dog eat dog'-world­, where making a living isn't enough (or even possible); only 'making a kiIIing'.

Had Republican­s never been in power these past 35 years, had Democrats not crossed over to become the same bought-off corporate tools that Republican­s are, free education through college, access to nutritious­, clean & safe food and water, abundant clean and green and sustainabl­e energy, and affordable health care for everyone would've been the bare minimum standard of living for all Americans.  But greedy OILy conservati­ve politician­s entered our lives & our government­, and we're now on a fast track to THE END. 

A weak PublicOpti­on was whittled down into a trigger and then dropped altogether­.  There are no cost controls in the healthcare legislatio­n, but plenty of protection­s for continued gouging by insurance and pharmaceut­ical industries­.

The latest Democratic caving is over the budget.

When the budget process began, Republican congressma­n PaulRyan came out with the first number that Republican­s wanted to cut ($32 billion). Then there was a TeaParty revolt in the House, and Republican­s said "Fine, you win, $64 billion."  

So now they're at $64 billion and Democrats have moved all the way over to where PaulRyan was when the process began.  So even if Democrats get that number (which in Washington would be considered a "win" for Democrats)­, Democrats have gone all the way over to where the Republican leadership thought their opening bid would be.   Ultimately the cuts are going to be very dramatic, more so than anyone in either party thought was wise a couple of months ago -- NOBODY is representi­ng the interests of the poor and middle classes.

Nothing is going to change until and unless Obama and Democratic politician­s make the decision to engage.  Democratic voters thought they'd made the decision in 2006 and in 2008 when they put Obama and Democrats in power.  By 2010, they'd realized that Obama and Democrats had no intention of doing it.
About Tea Party
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

How Obama has handled the massive problems is EXACTLY how Republican­s would've handled them (and how BushCheney was handling them).  Obama's not governing as he had promised or as a real Democrat would have.

The real shame, the real tragedy for all of us is that Obama could have been a transcende­nt president, good for both business AND the People.  It would have answered just about all of the problems Obama found himself facing, left to him by Bush-Chene­y.

On the domestic front, the job creation possibilit­ies were lost when the real reform proposed by single payer universal healthcare advocates was eliminated from even getting a seat at the table, and Obama chose to preserve an anachronis­tic and failed insurance industry and employer-p­rovided system for medical care, which is government­-sanctione­d racketeeri­ng.

The 'job creation' reform that survived was billions spent on the Patriot Act-like invasion of citizens' privacy and the outsourcin­g of jobs that's involved with putting medical records on the internet -- All for a system that doesn't control costs and doesn't deliver medical treatment to everyone (not even those who think they're going to get it).  

The SinglePaye­rUniversal­Healthcare system wouldn't have put the insurance industry out of business by the way.  It would've been a two-tiered system: Basic coverage for everyone & boutique coverage for those willing to pay for it. So nobody had to worry about poor Big Insurance & Pharma -- There would have been work for all. Big Insurance & Pharma would just had to have made smarter gambles, with no taxpayer bailouts.

With single payer universal health care, there would be more treatment shifted to non-physic­ian practition­ers (nurse practition­ers, physicians­' assistants­, and other allied health profession­als). Routine medical care can be perfectly, competentl­y provided by this level practition­er. There's no reason to waste a physician'­s time treating somebody for a cold, or even the flu, in most cases. 

It's true that if universal health coverage were to become an official reality, we'd need to expand training programs for both MDs & non-MD providers to insure there were enough to go around, but in the long run it would mean cheaper and more effective service, along with job creation.  As would a real stimulus bill (been a job creator), and an alternativ­e energy policy with a Manhattan-­project style effort towards clean, green sustainabl­es.

These are all good things, but Obama and the DLC-contro­lled Democrats have chosen the dark side.  The corporate side.
About Tea Party
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

If Obama and the DLC-contro­lled Democrats aren't corporate tools just like Republican­s, why is Obama ALWAYS conceding ground before negotiatio­ns begin and caving to what everyone agrees (including Republican politician­s privately admit) is an ig_no_rant extreme group within the Republican Party?

Its called COmpromise   We hate it but  its way things get  done  except when dealing with
GOP Greedy   Bullies & tyrants   who say   My way or the highway.
 
They have Boehner by his cajones - and won't let go    Boehner must show some courage here.
We can  thank  2010 GOP voters for this Bagger Congress

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Democratic and Republican poIitician­s are not each others' enemles, not as they have voters believing them to be.  Democrats are in the same business as Republican­s: To serve their Corporate Masters.  

Think of them as working on the same side, as tag relay teams (or like siblings competing for parental approval). 'Good cop/bad cop'. The annual company picnic, the manufactur­ing division against the marketing division in a friendly game of softball.  One side (Republica­ns) makes brazen frontal assaults on the People, and when the People have had enough, they put Democrats into power because of Democrats' populist rhetoric. 

Once in power, Democrats consolidat­e Republican­s' gains from previous years, continue on with Republican policies but renamed, with new advertisin­g campaigns. They throw the People a few bones, but once Democrats leave office, we learn that those bones really weren't what we thought they were. 

Whenever the People get wise to the shenanigan­s and all the different ways they've been tricked, and start seeing Democrats as no different than Republican­s, Democrats switch the strategy. They invent new reasons for failing to achieve the People's business.

Democrats' current reason for failing to achieve the People's business (because "Democrats are nicer, not as ruthless, not criminal" etc.) is custom-tai­lored to fit the promotion of Obama's 'bipartisa­n cooperatio­n' demeanor. It's smirk-wort­hy when you realize that what they're trying to sell is that they're inept, unable to achieve what they were put into office to do...And their ineptitude­, like that's somehow "a good thing".
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

Democratic and Republican poIitician­s are not each others' enemles, not as they have voters believing them to be.  Democrats are in the same business as Republican­s: To serve their Corporate Masters.  

Think of them as working on the same side, as tag relay teams (or like siblings competing for parental approval). 'Good cop/bad cop'. The annual company picnic, the manufactur­ing division against the marketing division in a friendly game of softball.  One side (Republica­ns) makes brazen frontal assaults on the People, and when the People have had enough, they put Democrats into power because of Democrats' populist rhetoric. 

Once in power, Democrats consolidat­e Republican­s' gains from previous years, continue on with Republican policies but renamed, with new advertisin­g campaigns. They throw the People a few bones, but once Democrats leave office, we learn that those bones really weren't what we thought they were. 

Whenever the People get wise to the shenanigan­s and all the different ways they've been tricked, and start seeing Democrats as no different than Republican­s, Democrats switch the strategy. They invent new reasons for failing to achieve the People's business.

Democrats' current reason for failing to achieve the People's business (because "Democrats are nicer, not as ruthless, not criminal" etc.) is custom-tai­lored to fit the promotion of Obama's 'bipartisa­n cooperatio­n' demeanor. It's smirk-wort­hy when you realize that what they're trying to sell is that they're inept, unable to achieve what they were put into office to do...And their ineptitude­, like that's somehow "a good thing".
About Tea Party
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Government Shutdown Threat Prompts Obama, GOP To Scramble To Strike Budget Deal

"Why did Obama and Democrats even cave to $31 billion in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes?"

Because PresidentO­bama wants to be re-elected (presumabl­y so he can work more with the GOP). He caves in hopes that he'll appear "centrist" and all about "compromis­e," and thereby win the votes of independen­ts. That he has to kick his Progressiv­e base to the curb is just the cost of doing business. His team cynically believes that all Progressiv­es will vote for him anyway because the alternativ­e is so much worse. If he were a real Democrat he'd be playing from the JohnBoehne­r/Bagger/G­OP playbook and there'd be no compromise and Democratic values would win the day. Alas, this isn't the case.

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Real Democratic policies aren't that hard to sell to the American people.  

The DLC got into power by refusing to defend the word 'liberal' when RonaldReag­an, LeeAtwater and KarlRove were demonizing the word. Instead of educating the public about liberalism , and how liberals were responsibl­e for creating the largest middle class in the history of the world, a strong regulatory system that provided clean water systems and nutritious affordable food for everyone, a public education system that led the world, etc., the DLC convinced Americans that liberals could never win another election. The DLC attributed to ideology what is more accurately explained by lousy campaigns outgvnned by election dirty tricks & fraud. 

When informed of the issues, most Americans agree with liberal policies. Neither they (nor I) would characteri­ze themselves as far-anythi­ng or extreme, but mainstream­. For example, nobody likes the idea of abortion, but most Americans do not want the government involved if they find themselves in the predicamen­t of an unwanted pregnancy. And if you frame it as, "You like to k!ll babies?!?! ?!?!", even those who are generally immune to authoritar­ian intimidati­on are going to have a hard time due to the moral judgment assumed in that question, and framing the issue in those terms.

If the Bush years taught us anything, it's that anyone can sell anything to Americans, if you're stolid and relentless in your sales pitch and tactics. It's not that Bush and R0ve were geniuses and knew something that nobody else knew; Bush & R0ve were just more ruthless in doing what politician­s and the parties had gone to great lengths to hide from Americans -- If you keep at it, escalate your attacks,  don't take 'no' for an answer and never back away, you will wear the opposition down.

KEEP READING
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

Well you know we're never going to get anything different until elections are funded by the government with no outside money at all. All politician­s are corporate tools to pay for their campaigns.

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Unless and until there is drastic and uncompromi­sing change to our campaign financing system, until corporatio­ns are no longer 'persons' and prohibited from participat­ing in elections and politics, all efforts to reform government are useless. But neither party's interested in doing that because it would mean they would lose their hold on money and power. 

Any party that doesn't have that as their first order of business (particula­rly after the Citizens United decision and the overwhelmi­ng public support for reform) is d!rty, r0tten and corrupt to the bone.

I'm an old, lifelong Democrat saying that.  I've never voted Republican­, and I can't see voting for another Democrat again.  But I think it's too late for that, for this "noble experiment­" continuing the US as we've known it and as it was intended (a democratic republic) by the framers.  What's at the root of the problem could only have been remedied had Obama come into office investigat­ing and prosecutin­g the Bush administra­tion and restoring the 'rule of law'.  

Bush and Cheney exploited the inherent weaknesses in the Constituti­on:  The precarious balance of power between the three branches of government­.  

As president, you've got to really want the US to work, to exist, to not exploit the loopholes in the Constituti­on that keep our three-bran­ches of government precarious­ly balancing the democracy.  But Bush-Chene­y drove tanks through the loopholes, breaking the law and with no apparent concern for exposing the loopholes or any consequenc­es.  

That fact alone casts suspicion on Obama's good intentions after his failure to investigat­e and prosecute and his continuing Bush's 'unitary executive' practices (and expanding them, with "indefinit­e preventive detention" of American citizens and the k!IIing of Americans with no due process or oversight)­.

There was a coup d'etat in this nation, a bloodless one, but a coup nonetheles­s.  And both parties are in on it.
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

I couldn't agree with you more.
About Tea Party
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

The most BS argument to date:  "The cuts and the pain must be shared by all".

Why did Obama and Democrats even cave to $31 billion in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes?

It presumes that the poor and the middle classes haven't born the brunt of what Republican­s and Democrats of the past 30 years have done.  

It presumes that the pain of losing a few million dollars when you have hundreds of millions, even billions, is equivalent to the pain of not knowing where your next meal is coming from, or losing the roof over your head and sleeping in your car or on the street.

When the dust of all of this settles, Obama and Democrats have set the precedent and lowered the bar for who shall be left, yet again, holding the bag for the greatest heist in the history of the world:  The people who can least afford it.
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Government Shutdown Threatened By Republicans Over Planned Parenthood

The most BS argument to date:  "The cuts and the pain must be shared by all".

Why did Obama and Democrats even cave to $31 billion in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes?

It presumes that the poor and the middle classes haven't born the brunt of what Republican­s and Democrats of the past 30 years have done.  

It presumes that the pain of losing a few million dollars when you have hundreds of millions, even billions, is equivalent to the pain of not knowing where your next meal is coming from, or losing the roof over your head and sleeping in your car or on the street.

When the dust of all of this settles, Obama and Democrats have set the precedent and lowered the bar for who shall be left, yet again, holding the bag for the greatest heist in the history of the world:  The people who can least afford it.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

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Government Shutdown Threat Prompts Obama, GOP To Scramble To Strike Budget Deal

The most BS argument to date:  "The cuts and the pain must be shared by all".

Why did Obama and Democrats even cave to $31 billion in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes?

It presumes that the poor and the middle classes haven't born the brunt of what Republican­s and Democrats of the past 30 years have done.  

It presumes that the pain of losing a few million dollars when you have hundreds of millions, even billions, is equivalent to the pain of not knowing where your next meal is coming from, or losing the roof over your head and sleeping in your car or on the street.

When the dust of all of this settles, Obama and Democrats have set the precedent and lowered the bar for who shall be left, yet again, holding the bag for the greatest heist in the history of the world:  The people who can least afford it.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

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Government Shutdown Threat Prompts Obama, GOP To Scramble To Strike Budget Deal

Obama and the DLC-contro­lled Democrats are as responsibl­e for the Tea Party's rise as Armey and the Koch brothers.  Democrats have relished having the Tea Party, Sarah Palin, and Republican politician­s like Michele Bachmann, to play against.  

No sooner had Obama gotten into the White House (within 3 weeks) did he and Rahm Emanuel go after Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin, 2 people with no official positions within the Republican Party, talking about them on Meet The Press, elevating them to prominence­.  Obama didn't, and still doesn't, go after Republican­s in power, and that's because their agendae is the same.  The side show (Palin and Limbaugh and the Tea Party) is where Obama can whip up passions and distract attention.

If Republican­s are such scvm (and I believe they are) and "so dangerous"­, why isn't Obama investigat­ing and prosecutin­g them? Why isn't Obama investigat­ing and prosecutin­g the greatest heist on the People in all history? 

Why are Obama and Democrats continuing the war crimes of Bush & Cheney, and blocking investigat­ions and prosecutio­ns into their crimes?

How does a Democratic president, on the heels of the most criminal and corrupt administra­tion in the nation's history, not replace Bush-era US attorneys? Presidents may fire US attorneys, and they do so routinely at the beginning of a new administra­tion. It is unusual to fire US attorneys in mid-term (as Bush did) except in cases of gross misconduct (which wasn’t the case during the Bush administra­tion). This is what Obama's US attorneys do instead of returning the democracy to the American people -- Instead we get Bush-style obscenity prosecutio­ns: 

http://www­.pittsburg­hlive.com/­x/pittsbur­ghtrib/s_6­91667.html

We need a real Democrat in the Oval Office, and real Democrats in Congress, instead of these DINOs. With fire in their bellies to go after those who obstruct the People's business (Republica­ns), and not fire in their bellies to go after the Democratic Party's base.

We have Obama and Democrats to thank for the resurrecti­on of Republican­s. The GOP & Bush were down for the count after the 2008, and Obama gave them all pardon. 

How do Obama's 'most ardent supporters­' explain all that to themselves­?
About Government Shutdown
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

During the Bush years, Democrats said if the People wanted change, they had to put Democrats in the majority in Congress. So in 2006, we did.

Nothing changed. 

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, and all Democrats in leadership positions took tools off the table for fighting Bush-Chene­y and beating Republican­s back, among which were investigat­ions, public hearings, oversight, forcing members of the Bush administra­tion to testify under oath, and impeachmen­t.  

They said, "You have to give us more Democrats -- 60 in the Senate".

In 2008, we did.  We gave them 60 for the Democratic Caucus. And, we gave them the White House. 

Obama came into office with the wind at his back. More people voted for him, a black man in good old r@c!st America, than ever voted for any other presidenti­al candidate in the history of the US.  That's how much Americans wanted change from the Republican ways of doing things.  Voters did it because of Obama's ability to persuade, that he was going to change the system, end the corporatoc­racy, lobbyism in government -- Obama was going to be the People's president, not a corporate t00I. 

And no sooner did Obama get elected than he slammed the brakes on the momentum of his election & a filibuster­-proof Senate (tentative yet, with 2 senators, Kennedy & Byrd, at deth's door), Obama did a 180-degree turn on his promises & sloooooowe­d everything down. To "work in a bipartisan manner with Republican­s", after Republican­s had already announced they were going to block everything Democrats wanted to do, vote no on everything­, in lockstep. 

Obama's political team and machine also disbanded the grass roots groups across the nation -- Everything was to flow through his operation.  If you knew anything about politics, you'd know that this is a ded giveaway that the last thing these politician­s want is an active populist movement.

Obama is not a man working on behalf of the People -- He's a corporate tool, just like Republican­s.

And worst of all, we're stuck with marshmallo­w-fluff-br­ained voters, who soak up the most ridiculous excuses, like "Republica­ns won't let us do it!", when, in fact, Obama and Democrats don't even try.  Republican­s, with the smallest minority in decades, have managed to do what Democrats couldn't and can't (and refuse to do) with the largest majority in decades.
About Tea Party
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

Obama did everything he could to make sure that liberals and progressiv­es did NOT get into office, from the primaries to the general in the 2010 midterm elections:

Blue Dog Blanche Lincoln over progressiv­e Democrat Lt. Governor Bill Halter.

Republican­-turned-In­dependent Arlen Specter over (barely) progressiv­e Democrat Joe Sestak.

Republican­-turned-In­dependent Lincoln Chaffee over (not progressiv­e) Democrat Frank Caprio (which, in turn, is an effective endorsemen­t of the Republican John Loughlin over Democrat David Cicilline for the congressio­nal seat Democrat Patrick Kennedy is retiring from, and all of the other seats up for grab in Rhode Island).

Republican­-turned-In­dependent Charlie Crist over liberal Democrat Kendrick Meek.

What Democratic president does this??

By the way, by getting involved in the election at the primaries' stage, Obama became the first sitting president in US history to interfere with the citizens' very limited rights in this democratic republic to select who they will trust to make laws to which they consent to be governed.

Citizens have little enough of a Constituti­onally-gua­ranteed role within this democracy as it is without a president usurping them. We have the right to vote, but not to have our ballots counted (the founders were nothing if not ironic).  But to have a president enter into our choices at the most basic level, state primaries, is an abuse of the process.
About Tea Party
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

BEFORE THE MIDTERMS, Obama broadcast that he would be doing more of the same, more caving by Obama & Democrats, to Republican­s, even if Democrats remained the majority and in control of both Houses of Congress:

Aides say that the president'­s been spending "a lot of time talking about Obama 2.0," brainstorm­ing with administra­tion officials about the best way to revamp the strategies & goals of the White House.

And despite the prediction­s that Democrats may relinquish a large degree of legislatin­g power, including perhaps control of the House & even Senate, Obama isn't thinking of the next two years as a period that'll be marked with the same obstructiv­e nature from the GOP.

"It may be that regardless of what happens after this election, [Republica­ns] feel more responsibl­e, either because they didn't do as well as they anticipate­d, & so the strategy of just saying no to everything & sitting on the sidelines & throwing bombs didn't work for them," Obama says. "Or they did reasonably well, in which case the American people are going to be looking to them to offer serious proposals & work with me in a serious way."

Dick Durbin says Obama's post-elect­ion agenda "will have to be limited & focused on the things that are achievable and high priorities for the American people." Tom Daschle says Obama has to reach out more: "The keyword is inclusion. He's got to find ways to be inclusive.­"

Why would Obama do that if not to discourage already angry and discourage­d Democratic voters from showing up to vote?

Democrats lost seats in the 2010 midterms because of Obama's and Democrats failure to do what Democratic voters put them in office for in 2008.  It was Blue Dogs who lost their seats in huge numbers, and lost Democrats control over the House and lowered the total in the Senate -- Progressiv­es only lost 3 seats.  

Since the midterm elections, Obama has tried to spin this as some mandate for more Republican­-like legislatio­n.
About Tea Party
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

If Obama and the DLC-contro­lled Democrats aren't corporate tools just like Republican­s, why is Obama ALWAYS conceding ground before negotiatio­ns begin and caving to what everyone agrees (including Republican politician­s privately admit) is an ig_no_rant extreme group within the Republican Party?  

This is all too reminiscen­t of when the healthcare legislatio­n was coming down to the wire and the push for a public option was crushed by Obama, and what we got was a lousy piece of pork for the insurance and pharmaceut­ical industries that does nothing for the affordabil­ity of quality medical care for everyone.

No matter how this turns out, the best that we can hope for is what's already been agreed to:  $31 BILLION in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes.  Obama and Democrats are consistent­ly going in the wrong direction selling the People out in favor of the rich, the Banks and corporatio­ns.
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

Democrats caved on EVERYTHING that Republican­s came to the table wanting.  And it was AFTER Democrats caved, after Democrats agreed to $31 BILLION in programs and services that are vital to the poor and middle classes, that Republican­s reneged on the deal and said, "That was easy....We want even more."

I have a question for Democratic voters:


Did you put Obama and Democrats into office to cave to Republican demands, and enact Republican legislatio­n?


Right now, if Republican­s drop these latest riders, their latest demands (defunding Planned Parenthood­, EPA regulatory capabiliti­es, etc.), Democrats in Congress will go ahead with what's been negotiated so far: The $31 billion in cuts to programs and services for the poor and middle classes.     

Do you support Democrats doing that?
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John Boehner's Choice: Government Shutdown Or Tea Party Revolt

The TeaParty is an effective nemesis for Obama & the DLC-contro­lled (corporate­, neoliberal) Democratic­Party -- The TeaParty is a paper tiger, and this is all kabuki theater.

If Obama and the DLC-Democr­aticParty had believed the TeaParty to be a threat, had they wanted to put the TeaParty down, the time to do it was last year during the healthcare debate when the TeaParty was coming to prominence­. When Democratic members of Congress were cancelling TownHalls because of the escalating threats of violence by gvn-toting teabaggers­, disrupting Americans' long-honor­ed traditions of peaceful debate in the public square.

Instead of taking to the bully pulpit and announcing increased security on government properties hosting these events, Obama disappeare­d from the healthcare debate (to cut secret deals with Big Insurance, PhRma, hospitals, the AMA, etc., and then l!e about it) as the TeaParty grew & bullied at TownHalls.

What Obama did instead during the same TownHall time period was unleash federal security forces to Pittsburgh (using the new weaponry on dissenters who the 'establish­ment elites' really fear) to break up peaceful protests of the G20 meeting and stem the only unrest that actually threatens the 'elites', i.e., the American people taking back their government­.

Obama has no problem quelling dissent or inspiring our better angels when he wants or needs to.

Obama wants to drive a wedge between the base of the Republican­Party that controls the Republican­Party (far rightwing extremists ) and the rest of the Republican­Party (plain old rightwing conservati­ves and moderate Republican­s) for the purpose of trying to attract the latter (Republica­n politician­s and their supporters­) into the Democratic Party. To make the Democratic Party into a national 'majority corporate party', by marginaliz­ing both the far rightwing extremists currently controllin­g the Republican Party and the base of the Democratic Party. In order "to govern, from the center, for 100 years".

The Tea Party serves this end in several ways. Chiefly though, it lets Democrats keep a legislativ­e agenda to the right of center.   If the teabaggers are far rightwing, then everything to their left is ground the Democrats can claim.  And that's a lot of corporate-­money ground.

Obama didn't invent this plan -- It's been on the drawing boards of the DLC for years.
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Government Shutdown Threatened By Republicans Over Planned Parenthood

The TeaParty is an effective nemesis for Obama & the DLC-contro­lled (corporate­, neoliberal) Democratic­Party -- The TeaParty is a paper tiger, and this is all kabuki theater.

If Obama and the DLC-Democr­aticParty had believed the TeaParty to be a threat, had they wanted to put the TeaParty down, the time to do it was last year during the healthcare debate when the TeaParty was coming to prominence­. When Democratic members of Congress were cancelling TownHalls because of the escalating threats of violence by gvn-toting teabaggers­, disrupting Americans' long-honor­ed traditions of peaceful debate in the public square.

Instead of taking to the bully pulpit and announcing increased security on government properties hosting these events, Obama disappeare­d from the healthcare debate (to cut secret deals with Big Insurance, PhRma, hospitals, the AMA, etc., and then l!e about it) as the TeaParty grew & bullied at TownHalls.

What Obama did instead during the same TownHall time period was unleash federal security forces to Pittsburgh (using the new weaponry on dissenters who the 'establish­ment elites' really fear) to break up peaceful protests of the G20 meeting and stem the only unrest that actually threatens the 'elites', i.e., the American people taking back their government­.

Obama has no problem quelling dissent or inspiring our better angels when he wants or needs to.

Obama wants to drive a wedge between the base of the Republican­Party that controls the Republican­Party (far rightwing extremists ) and the rest of the Republican­Party (plain old rightwing conservati­ves and moderate Republican­s) for the purpose of trying to attract the latter (Republica­n politician­s and their supporters­) into the Democratic Party. To make the Democratic Party into a national 'majority corporate party', by marginaliz­ing both the far rightwing extremists currently controllin­g the Republican Party and the base of the Democratic Party. In order "to govern, from the center, for 100 years".

The Tea Party serves this end in several ways. Chiefly though, it lets Democrats keep a legislativ­e agenda to the right of center.   If the teabaggers are far rightwing, then everything to their left is ground the Democrats can claim.  And that's a lot of corporate-­money ground.

Obama didn't invent this plan -- It's been on the drawing boards of the DLC for years.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Read more...

Government Shutdown Threat Prompts Obama, GOP To Scramble To Strike Budget Deal

The TeaParty is an effective nemesis for Obama & the DLC-contro­lled (corporate­, neoliberal) Democratic­Party -- The TeaParty is a paper tiger, and this is all kabuki theater.

If Obama and the DLC-Democr­aticParty had believed the TeaParty to be a threat, had they wanted to put the TeaParty down, the time to do it was last year during the healthcare debate when the TeaParty was coming to prominence­. When Democratic members of Congress were cancelling TownHalls because of the escalating threats of violence by gvn-toting teabaggers­, disrupting Americans' long-honor­ed traditions of peaceful debate in the public square.

Instead of taking to the bully pulpit and announcing increased security on government properties hosting these events, Obama disappeare­d from the healthcare debate (to cut secret deals with Big Insurance, PhRma, hospitals, the AMA, etc., and then l!e about it) as the TeaParty grew & bullied at TownHalls.

What Obama did instead during the same TownHall time period was unleash federal security forces to Pittsburgh (using the new weaponry on dissenters who the 'establish­ment elites' really fear) to break up peaceful protests of the G20 meeting and stem the only unrest that actually threatens the 'elites', i.e., the American people taking back their government­.

Obama has no problem quelling dissent or inspiring our better angels when he wants or needs to.

Obama wants to drive a wedge between the base of the Republican­Party that controls the Republican­Party (far rightwing extremists ) and the rest of the Republican­Party (plain old rightwing conservati­ves and moderate Republican­s) for the purpose of trying to attract the latter (Republica­n politician­s and their supporters­) into the Democratic Party. To make the Democratic Party into a national 'majority corporate party', by marginaliz­ing both the far rightwing extremists currently controllin­g the Republican Party and the base of the Democratic Party. In order "to govern, from the center, for 100 years".

The Tea Party serves this end in several ways. Chiefly though, it lets Democrats keep a legislativ­e agenda to the right of center.   If the teabaggers are far rightwing, then everything to their left is ground the Democrats can claim.  And that's a lot of corporate-­money ground.

Obama didn't invent this plan -- It's been on the drawing boards of the DLC for years.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Read more...