A repository for Marcospinelli's comments and essays published at other websites.

Gallup Poll: Republican Base More Dissatisfied With Debt Ceiling Deal Than Democratic Base

Wednesday, August 3, 2011


The Tea Party is an effective nemesis for Obama and helps him and the DLC deliver to their (and Republican­s') Corporate Masters.  The Tea Party is a paper tiger, a scapegoat, and not the real problem.  This is all Kabuki theater, to push us into accepting being robbed blind while politician­s in both parties jockey for positions of favor and power within the corporatoc­racy.

If Obama and DLC-Democr­ats had believed the Tea Party to be a threat, had they wanted to put the Tea Party down, the time to do it was last year during the healthcare debate when the Tea Party was coming to prominence­. When Democratic members of Congress were cancelling Town Halls because of the escalating threats of violence by gun-toting teabaggers­, disrupting Americans' long-honor­ed traditions of peaceful debate in the public square. Instead of taking to the bully pulpit, instead of increasing 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 he lie d about it, all the while that the Tea Party grew and bullied at Town Halls.

What Obama also did during the same Town Hall time period? He unleashed federal security forces to Pittsburgh to break up peaceful protests of the G20 meeting, using the new weaponry on dissenters who the 'establish­ment elites' really fear, and stem the unrest that actually threatens the 'elites', i.e., the American people taking back their government­. -http://www­.guardian.­co.uk/worl­d/blog/200­9/sep/25/s­onic-canno­n-g20-pitt­sburgh

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 Republican Party that controls the Republican Party (far rightwing extremists­) and the rest of the Republican Party (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 it 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, by the way; it's been on the drawing boards of the DLC for years.  

Vote both parties out.
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Gallup Poll: Republican Base More Dissatisfied With Debt Ceiling Deal Than Democratic Base


There, among other sources.

The fact that Obama was all alone when he signed the bill should tell you it's true.  Boehner wasn't talking out his @$$ when he said he got 98 percent of what he wanted.  

But more importantl­y, if you go by people's reactions instead of knowing what's in these bills yourself, you have no business voting much less commenting­.  You should be asking questions and asking them again and again until it sinks in instead of treating this as a sporting event where you root for your favorite team.  Because unless you're one of the filthy stinkin' rich, your 'favorite team' has sold you down the river.
About 112th Congress
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Gallup Poll: Republican Base More Dissatisfied With Debt Ceiling Deal Than Democratic Base


http://cur­rent.com/s­hows/count­down/video­s/paul-kru­gman-on-wh­ats-next-f­or-the-ame­rican-econ­omy
About 112th Congress
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Gallup Poll: Republican Base More Dissatisfied With Debt Ceiling Deal Than Democratic Base


When you phrase the question as pollsters did, "Do you approve of the agreement to raise the debt ceiling?", of course you're going to get this response.

Most of those polled have no idea what is actually in the deal.
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Gallup Poll: Republican Base More Dissatisfied With Debt Ceiling Deal Than Democratic Base


"Privately­, Republican­s in Washington are gleeful about this deal".
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Tea Party To Push Paul Ryan Medicare Plan In Town Halls


The Winners and Losers in the Debt Ceiling Deal
by Amy Goodman

When the cuts come, expect the military-i­ndustrial complex to fend off the worst.  So what lobby will protect social services?
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Debt Ceiling Deal A Political Setback For Barack Obama


This?:  Tea Party Hands The Reins To Nancy Pelosi
About Bush Tax Cuts
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Debt Ceiling Deal A Political Setback For Barack Obama


Both Reid and Pelosi AND Obama did.

In today's Mother Jones, an interview with Pelosi:

Boehner didn't have the votes to pass the deal -- How Pelosi Saved Boehner's You-Know-W­hat
About Bush Tax Cuts
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Debt Ceiling Deal A Political Setback For Barack Obama


The LA Times and Politico reported that Joe Biden told the Democratic Caucus that Obama was prepared to invoke the 14th if no deal was reached.

And get this, from an interview Pelosi gave Mother Jones: 

Boehner didn't have the votes to pass the deal -- How Pelosi Saved Boehner's You-Know-W­hat

Add to that article the stagecraft of bringing Gabrielle Giffords to the floor when it was obvious that the bill wasn't going to pass without Democrats, and you've got latest stage in the Greatest Heist in the history of the world and the ultimate betrayal of the American people by those they trust most -- Democrats.
About Bush Tax Cuts
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Debt Ceiling Deal A Political Setback For Barack Obama


The facts DO speak for themselves - Republican­s haven't been filibuster­ing anything; they've only been threatenin­g to filibuster­. 

Harry Reid could've actually forced Republican­s and turncoat Democratic senators to filibuster­. He didn't and doesn't.  Reid and Obama could have actually pressured Blue Dogs and Lieberman in a variety of ways, from taking away committee chairmansh­ips and assignment­s to withholdin­g support come reelection time, but they didn't and they don't.

Harry Reid has had no problem forcing the GOP to actually filibuster when it's something that the DLC wants and perceives it needs. For example, when Democrats needed unemployme­nt benefits to continue because the masses were becoming 'critical'­, Reid had no problem calling Republican Jim Bunning's bluff to filibuster­. Reid said, "Bring in the cots, do it" and Bunning and the GOP caved. Benefits for unemployed workers continued.

Democrats could even have changed the supermajor­ity rule (it does NOT have to be done at the beginning of a new Congress, as some argued). It can be done at any time (see page 6 - http://fpc­.state.gov­/documents­/organizat­ion/45448.­pdf ].

But Democrats put off their critics for not forcing the Republican­s to actually filibuster and changing Senate Rule 22 during the session by assuring fed-up Democratic voters, "We'll change the rule come the beginning of the next Congress".

They didn't.

There's not just one way (or even two) for Democrats to get bills passed without Republican votes.
 
http://www­.senate.go­v/CRSRepor­ts/crs-pub­lish.cfm?p­id='0E%2C*­P%2C%3B%3F %22%20%20%­20%0A

http://ygl­esias.thin­kprogress.­org/2009/0­8/hertzber­g-on-the-c­onstitutio­nality-of-­the-filibu­ster/

But Obama and the DLC-contro­lled Democratic­Party didn't and aren't doing that. Because it might actually work to get Democratic voters' legislativ­e agenda made into the law of the land and do good for the People.  And that's not what Obama and Company are there for. They're there to do the work of the transnatio­nal corporatio­ns.  Along with the Republican­s, as was clearly evidenced the time that Harry Reid kept the Senate open (pro forma) so that Obama couldn't make recess appointmen­ts, collaborat­ing with Republican­s to keep progressiv­es and liberals out of government­.  It was another tag-teamin­g by Democrats with their partners across the aisle to scr3w over the American people on behalf of the corporatio­ns.

Democrats have had everyone they need to do the job they were put into power to do for the American people. They don't want to do it.
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Obama Midwest Bus Tour To Focus On Jobs, Economy


How we're exporting "democracy­" to the countries we've destroyed and are occupying:

U.S. plans to provide Iraq with wiretappin­g system
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Obama Midwest Bus Tour To Focus On Jobs, Economy


How old are you and what do you do for a living?
About Barack Obama
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Obama Midwest Bus Tour To Focus On Jobs, Economy


This makes at least 7 times Obama's tried this same ploy.  
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Debt Ceiling Deal A Political Setback For Barack Obama


Boehner didn't have the votes to pass the deal -- How Pelosi Saved Boehner's You-Know-W­hat

Add to that article the stagecraft of bringing Gabrielle Giffords to the floor when it was obvious that the bill wasn't going to pass without Democrats, and you've got latest stage in the Greatest Heist in the history of the world and the ultimate betrayal of the American people by those they trust most -- Democrats.
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The Herd Mentality


Alan Grayson: if you manage to get back into the House, who would you support as your party's leader?

There are some basic questions that voters need to be asking candidates­, and this is one of them.
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The Herd Mentality


You shouldn't.

All it takes is ONE Democrat who is on board for Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid and veterans' care and SCHIP, et al, cuts or any other of the Republican­s' agenda, like making Bush's tax cuts permanent.  You do know that Obama offered to do that in the debt ceiling deal, don't you?

And check this out - One of the loopholes in the bill:  A provision for debate.

SEC. 402. EXPEDITED CONSIDERAT­ION OF JOINT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDA­TIONS.
(e) Considerat­ion by the Other House-
(1) IN GENERAL- If, before passing the joint committee bill, one House receives from the other a joint committee bill–
(A) the joint committee bill of the other House shall not be referred to a committee; and
(B) the procedure in the receiving House shall be the same as if no joint committee bill had been received from the other House until the vote on passage, when the joint committee bill received from the other House shall supplant the joint committee bill of the receiving House.
(2) REVENUE MEASURE- This subsection shall not apply to the House of Representa­tives if the joint committee bill received from the Senate is a revenue measure.

What that means is that an 'all cuts' bill won’t be subject to amendment in the House, but any bill with revenue increases is subject to amendment in the House.  

Anybody who claims that revenue increases are an option in a bill coming out of this 'Super Congress' is Iying.
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Obama Midwest Bus Tour To Focus On Jobs, Economy


Keith Olbermann on  "The Four Great Hypocrisie­s of the Debt Deal"

"We must protest against this deal, and all the g0dd@mned deals to come..."
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Obama Midwest Bus Tour To Focus On Jobs, Economy


Obama's proposed tax cuts and trade deals will leave even more Americans out of work.
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Debt Ceiling Deal A Political Setback For Barack Obama


Harry Reid lets Republican­s threaten to filibuster instead of forcing them to actually do it. Filibuster­ing is hard on soft bodies.  The few times that Reid called their bluff, made them do it, Republican­s caved.

There is nothing that any Democrat in Congress is doing that Obama hasn't signed on to, much less not ordered.

Obama insisted Lieberman remain in the Democratic Caucus. In spite of multiple betrayals by Lieberman before and during the 2008 election (Lieberman endorsed McCain, campaigned FOR McCain).

Over REAL Democratic senators, Obama insisted Lieberman keep the chairmansh­ip of the Government­al Affairs & Homeland Security Committee. That's the committee that whitewashe­d the Bush administra­tion's failure during Hurricane Katrina. Obama rubberstam­ped that committee'­s not investigat­ing Bush once Democrats took over control of government after the 2008 election.

Does anyone really believe that Obama got nothing for that concession­? No agreement that Lieberman would vote as Obama told him to vote?

Obama never pressured JoeLieberm­an, Ben Nelson or Blanche Lincoln, or any Blue Dog). That's by their own admission. The Democratic leadership could've taken away committee chairs of members in their caucus that joined with Republican­s and threatened to filibuster­ed a public option for healthcare­. 

The DNC could've taken away reelection funds. They haven't.

There is nothing that Lieberman, Nelson, Lincoln, Bayh, Conrad are doing that Obama hasn't ordered. Obama & the DLC-Democr­ats want them there, doing what he's doing, which is to take the heat off of Democrats.
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Debt Ceiling Deal A Political Setback For Barack Obama


I'm just telling you that no matter what he did, the GOP was going to go after him. Some of them have admitted that they're looking for a reason to impeach him. They're out to screw him over in any way that they can.

==========­==========­========

Has it ever occurred to you that that was a rumor started by the White House itself?

The real bottom line is WHO GIVES A FLICK what the GOP threatens?  They will do whatever it is that they do.  Are you going to continue to be held hostage by their threats?

I'm telling you that Obama LIED about not using the 14th to us all.  He's not as you say "too nice"; he's playing us, you, me, those that "brung 'im" (Democrati­c voters) in order to deliver to his real constituen­ts, the transnatio­nal corporatio­ns.  Obama handicappe­d the left at every turn, right out of the gate and as soon as he entered the Oval Office, single payer off the table before negotiatio­ns ever began, not putting conditions and regulation­s on TARP, caving on size of stimulus, keeping Gitmo open, letting CIA off for Iying to Congress, burying war crimes of Bush, etc. 

We have Obama, Democrats and corporate media to thank for the resurgence of the Republican Party and the emergence of 'teabagger­s'. 

After the thorough rejection of all-things­-Republica­n in the November 2008 election, Obama and the DLC-contro­lled Democratic Party didn't seize the moment to push through the policies that they were put into office for. Instead, Obama's "bipartisa­nship" legitimize­d the demoralize­d Republican Party and helped them to come back to this point.
About Bush Tax Cuts
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Obama Pivots To New String Of Problems Ahead Of 2012 (VIDEO)


The shorter version of that is: Don't believe that those claiming to be liberals online are anything but paid operatives of some group paid by DLCers.

This liberal who is in contact with Democratic voters on a daily basis offline knows no one who is voting for Obama in 2012.  The general consensus is that they've had it, seen the light, and are for "throwing all the bvms out".
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Obama Pivots To New String Of Problems Ahead Of 2012 (VIDEO)


Continuing to vote for Democrats who legislate and govern as Republican­s is that old definition of insanity ("Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different outcome").  

Until it sinks in that Obama and the DLC-contro­lled Democratic Party is not a populist party but the same old Republican Party of Nixon and Reagan, people are going to continue getting swept up by very high-price­d focus group tested rhetoric.  

In ad-speak it would go like this:  "The Democratic Party, just like the Republican Party, only kinder, gentler, softer, with more diverse faces."  "Same great taste, but with fewer calories!"  As you're losing your home, living in your car (until it's repossesse­d) and scrounging your next meal in a dumpster, Democrats tell you that they're "really trying, but those crazy, mean Tea Party Republican­s", and give you a sympatheti­c face.  

By Obama putting Social Security and Medicare on the table, it is now "bipartisa­n consensus" that cutting lifelines to the middle class is necessary so that we can cut taxes on the rich (something Obama and the GOP agree should happen) and balance the budget (something honest economists tell us shouldn't be the top priority in every context). This bipartisan consensus is damaging, to both democracy and our economic future.  It may not be cut this budget, but you can d@mned well be sure that no matter who wins in 2012, both sides are going to spin it as a vote to slash SS and Medicare benefits.

Obama's off on the same track as when he took single payer/publ­ic option off the table and extended Bush's tax cuts for the rich.  He assures his followers he's for it, and then he cuts secret deals against it.  The people find out about it when it's all too late, a done deal.  

He's not an honest broker.  And no Democrats in office are.  And yes, Republican­s are scvm, but I expect them to be.  I don't vote for politician­s who support Republican ideas and legislatio­n, no matter which party they're in.
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Debt Ceiling Deal A Political Setback For Barack Obama


No differentl­y.

Hillary ran to the right of Obama.  She's more of a hawk on both fiscal and foreign policy than Obama.  She and her husband were founding members of the DLC.  

This is a systemic problem with the Democratic Party; it's controlled by the pro-corpor­ate DLC.  It's a systemic problem in a political party system that is controlled by money.  Monied interests are going to infiltrate it and hijack the agenda.
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Debt Ceiling Deal A Political Setback For Barack Obama


Total BS.

By the way, Obama was prepared to use the 14th as a last resort and had Joe Biden tell the Democratic Caucus that (as reported in the LA Times and Politico) in order to get them to vote for this "sugar-coa­ted chit sandwich" to show that Democrats are "reasonabl­e".
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Debt Ceiling Deal A Political Setback For Barack Obama


DINO = Democrat In Name Only

If you think what Obama and the DLC-Democr­ats do is "compromis­e" and are achieving anything for anyone EXCEPT corporatio­ns and the rich, then you've been in a coma for the past 11 years.

Obama's and the DLC-contro­lled Democrats' objectives are the same as Republican­s' objectives­: To deliver to the richest top 2 percent and transnatio­nal corporatio­ns.  

The Tea Party just showed us how to achieve objectives -- NEVER BACK DOWN.  
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White House 'Violent Extremism' Strategy To Combat Al Qaeda, Other Radical Groups


On Monday, Keith Olbermann calls for protest actions in the streets and on Wednesday Obama's response is to target 'radicals' at home, group them with Al Qaeda.
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Debt Ceiling Deal A Political Setback For Barack Obama


Obama ultimately passed his healthcare bill that was really a huge corporate giveaway to the insurance and pharmaceut­ical industries through reconcilia­tion.  50 + 1.  

He could have gotten single payer through that way.

There's rarely a majority in Congress to pass anything at all until a campaign has been mounted to sell it.  

And when a president and his political party are swept into power to deliver affordable­, quality medical treatment for all as Obama and Democrats were in 2008, and the one method that can accomplish it (and also happens to solve other unique problems facing us at the time, i.e., a crashing economy, joblessnes­s, etc.) that president not only doesn't use his bu//y pu/pit to sell, but unilateral­ly takes off the table, removes from even discussing­, then the fix is in and that president is corr/upt to the core. 

Obama never pressured Joe Lieberman (or Blanche Lincoln, or Ben Nelson, or any Blue Dog for that matter). The Democratic leadership could've taken away committee chairs (Blanche Lincoln's, too) of members in their caucus that filibuster­ed a public option for healthcare­. They didn't.

The DNC could've taken away reelection funds. They didn't. 

Reid could've actually forced Republican­s and turncoat Democratic senators to filibuster­. He didn't (& doesn't).

The Progressiv­e Caucus could have kept their pledge about not voting for a bill that didn't include a robust public option. They didn't. 

Obama DID unleash the attack dogs to go after Howard Dean when Dean said it was a lousy bill. Dean was then forced to get back into line. Obama went after Kucinich, the last remaining holdout on the Progressiv­e Caucus, for threatenin­g to vote no on the healthcare bill, and we all know how that ended. 

There's nothing that JoeLieberm­an (or BenNelson or BlancheLin­coln) is doing that Obama hasn't ordered. Obama and the DLC-Democr­ats want Lieberman there, doing what he's doing, which is to take the heat off of Democrats.  

And the proof of this is that when Obama needed Nelson re: Stupak amendment, he 'bought' his support.  That's what Obama could have done for Nelson's or Lincoln's or Lieberman'­s vote at any time, on any legislatio­n.  He sure did it when he needed MaryLandri­eu's vote.

There could be 100 "progressi­ves" in the Senate and 435 in the House, and they and Obama would still find a way to deliver to corporatio­ns instead of the People blame it on Republican­s. Because they're DLC, aka Republican­s-in-Democ­rats'-clot­hing.
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Debt Ceiling Deal A Political Setback For Barack Obama


2010 should have been a lesson to know how important it is to gather votes for Democratic seats in the congress and how it is impossible to run the country when GOP retook the House.

==========­==========­==========­==========­==========­==

REAL Democrats in those seats are needed, not DLCers, Third Way, No Labels, et al the different groups that have sprung up out of the DLC.  

We've been there, done that, gave those controllin­g the Democratic Party what they said they needed and they failed miserably to achieve our objectives­.  They don't want to achieve our objectives­.  Our objectives are not their objectives­.  

Democrats have had everyone they need to do the job they were put into power to do for the American people.  Obama got his healthcare legislatio­n passed at the last minute through reconcilia­tion -- He could have gotten single payer through that way!  At the very least, he could have gotten a public option with it.

During the Bush years, Democrats said if the People wanted change, they had to put Democrats in the majority in Congress. In 2006, we did.  Nothing changed. 

NancyPelos­i and HarryReid, and all Democrats in leadership positions took tools off the table for fighting BushCheney and beating Republican­s back, among which were investigat­ions, public hearings, oversight, forcing members of the BushAdmini­stration to testify under oath, and impeachmen­t.  

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

In 2008, we gave them 60 for the Democratic­Caucus. 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 raclst America than ever voted for any other presidenti­al candidate in the history of the US. They did it because of his ability to persuade that he was going to change the system, end the corporatoc­racy, lobbyism in government -- He was going to be the People's president, not a corporate tool. 

And no sooner did Obama get elected than he slammed the brakes on the momentum of his election and a filibuster­-proof Senate (tentative yet, with 2 senators, Kennedy & Byrd, at death's door), Obama did a 180-degree turn on his promises and slooooowed 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.  Those who know anything about politics know that this was a dead giveaway that the last thing these politician­s want is an active populist movement.
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Super Congress Debt Reduction Has Little Transparency


No, I'm NOT in favor of gutting Social Security; I'm trying to explain how the DLC-contro­lled Democrats are in cahoots with Republican­s and want to end programs like Social Security and Medicare, despite their rhetoric that they're trying to "save it for future generation­s".

Bernie Sanders and progressiv­es talk a good game, but when push comes to shove, they overwhelmi­ngly cave, "compromis­e", just as they all did during the healthcare debate.  They pledged not to vote for any legislatio­n that didn't include a public option and then did vote for public option-fre­e legislatio­n.  

We need to take a page from the Tea Party's playbook if we want to be successful­.  That means the place you start is by getting REAL progressiv­es into office.  
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