Obama gives Dems marching orders

[geek tragedy]

Seeking party unity, Obama met with congressional Democrats in both chambers to prepare them for the budget battle that will greet them in the fall.

His message was unequivocal: no negotiating with Republicans on a debt-ceiling increase and no reductions in the sequester cuts to defense unless domestic programs are spared as well.

“He’s not going to accept sequestration restoration for the military any greater than in domestic. He’s not going to negotiate on the debt ceiling,” Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.), the third-ranking member of the Democratic leadership, told reporters after Senate Democrats met with Obama in a room off the Senate floor.
...

The president told Democrats that stimulating the economy should take priority over reducing the deficit. He argued that even as the federal deficit has dropped faster than projected, unemployment has remained stubbornly high.

What a rightwingselloutVichyDemausteritylovingtoolofthe1%authoritarian!!!!!!

Update--linkage

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/314907-obama-gives-dems-marching-orders-for-budget-fights-in-fall

[COLGATE4]

1. I'll believe it when I see it. Not before. nt

[geek tragedy]

2. You're denying he told them this? nt

[COLGATE4]

3. No - I'm doubting that he will do this.

[geek tragedy]

4. Do what? Come out on the record against austerity? nt

[COLGATE4]

5. Follow through on what he says should be done. nt

[geek tragedy]

7. Well, he didn't follow through on implementing Chained CPI, but

that hasn't dissuaded his opponents on the left from claiming he wants to starve grandma.

[Skraxx]

16. Indeed, His Words Matter When He Can Be Attacked For Them

When his words are praiseworthy, then they don't matter.

Excellent observation.

[COLGATE4]

22. Let's not decide on chained CPI just yet. I fear

we may yet hear about another 'Grand Bargain'. Our only hope is that the repukes are so wrapped up in their own little uncivil war right now that they won't agree to anything, even if it's something they really want.

[geek tragedy]

23. honest question:

sequestration cuts to social programs vs chained CPI--if you had to take one and only one off the table, which would it be?

[Marr]

34. Already trying to sell Chained CPI, huh? /nt

[geek tragedy]

40. No, honest question.

But, I see you're more interested on sneering and preening than discussion, so of course your answer is the stock "character defects in Democrats are the only reason we don't have a perfect society" fantasy.

[COLGATE4]

43. Sequestration cuts, in a heartbeat.

That's just legislative and what one legislature does, another can undo at some future date. But once you change the formula for SS benefits it's that way forever. And it only gets worse the second time you do it.

[geek tragedy]

45. Thoughtful answer, and a persuasive one. nt

[riqster]

6. You forgot "fascist" and "closet republican".

Boink and rec.

[freshwest]

15. K & R. And left out bankster lover, warmonger, baby killer and forcing people to marry animals.

That *Boink* made me

[Whisp]

26. Did someone say 'caver'.

someone Has to say CAVER! Obama – the biggest spelunker in all of recorded history!

[freshwest]

30. No the Cult of the Cave Bear didn't use those exactly terms... But you know what they mean.

[riqster]

31. I stole the boink. Glad you liked it.

[TransitJohn]

8. He'll sign whatever right wing shit Congress passes.

He always does.

[geek tragedy]

9. Well, that's because Democrats control the Senate, so anything that passes both Houses

is going to be a compromise rather than a pure bill.

[TransitJohn]

10. The Senate is right wing. eom

N/t

[geek tragedy]

11. You're aware that Congress is the branch that has taxing and spending power, right?

Progressives have the same difficulty learning the lesson the Teabaggers are learning--divided government means a full time menu of shit sandwiches for both sides.

[Jamaal510]

37. +1

[GlashFordan]

12. Talk and bluster is cheap

Lets wait and see how the budget negotiations go... Maybe Obama can get his chained CPI through this time.

[geek tragedy]

13. Wait--you claim talk is cheap, but bash Obama over chained CPI.

Which is is--is talk to be believed, or to not be believed?

[Cali_Democrat]

14. If the "talk" can be used to bash Obama, then it is to be believed

If the "talk" can't be used to bash Obama, then it's cheap.

See how that works?

[Cha]

18. Either way.. it's Obama Bashing Time ..because

that's what they're here for.

"I don't believe it" "It's true"

[Maximumnegro]

42. LOL!!!

[JoePhilly]

21. Chant with me ... "Bull Pulpit", "Pretty Speech", "Bull Pulpit", "Pretty Speech" !!

"Obama never says what I want him to say, except when he does say what I want him to say, then I hate him for it!"

[freshwest]

17. Oh Dark Lord, we hear and obey!

Last edited Thu Aug 1, 2013, 10:14 PM - Edit history (1)

If only it were that simple...

[Cha]

19. Mahalo for the article.. is there

a linky?

[geek tragedy]

20. added! Thought I had already included it thx for the reminder nt

[rug]

24. The headline is backwards.

[geek tragedy]

25. No, it is not. Copied and pasted. nt

[Larkspur]

27. Sounds to me like Obama got his marching orders from his Progressive critics

If what he said is true, then good for President Obama. It's about time he fights for the Middle Class and not his Wall Street buddies.

[geek tragedy]

28. Obama taking marching orders from progressive critics?

[freshwest]

35. Obama is the last progressive President. Libertarians are not Progressives.

Last edited Fri Aug 2, 2013, 12:24 AM - Edit history (1)

A progressive is not an anti-government anarchist. Anarchism is right wing in effect, with only the strong in command, many times with guns or religion.

It is now, because of its being marketed as the only true way to be free, called the wave of the future, but leads to feudalism.

People should not delude themselves by calling themselves progressives when they hate all government in knee jerk fashion. We The People government is not made of people who want it small enough to drown in a bath tub so they can ignore it.

We The People folks get into it and change it and don't call for its demise, as it is their vehicle to resist the forces Libertarians believe should rule us when government is gone.

They'd leave all needs to the church, and allow private business to do as they please with their faith it will make all rich, when it clearly is not organized for that purpose.

When that fails to create peace and prosprity, as it always has, they will protect their property with guns, etc. It's useless to indulge those who have a position in life that gives the luxury to argue semantics.

Obama is seeking results, the talking heads seek to get more attention for the billionaire libertarian media owners. EOM.

[Jamaal510]

38. +1

[freshwest]

39. Thanks, Jamaal. (And we should value this man while he's in office.)

[liberal_at_heart]

29. and not too long ago he was telling us we must reconsider cherished priorities.

He talks out of both sides of his mouth and then signs bills that favor the rich.

[forestpath]

32. +1000

[ProSense]

33. I'd say

"He talks out of both sides of his mouth and then signs bills that favor the rich."

...he gives great speeches, and his actions are reflective of his goals. It's going to take time to reverse a decades-old trend, and especially in the aftermath of an economic crisis that exploded the problems.

"The day the right lost the economic argument...President Obama's speech clinched the case..."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023344918

<...>

Perhaps the best prism through which to see the Democrats’ gains is inequality. In the 2008 campaign, Mr. Obama said that his top priority as president would be to “create bottom-up economic growth” and reduce inequality...In the 2009 stimulus, he insisted on making tax credits “fully refundable,” so that even people who did not make enough to pay much federal tax would benefit. The 2010 health care law overhaul was probably the biggest attack on inequality since it began rising in the 1970s, increasing taxes on businesses and the rich to pay for health insurance largely for the middle class.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/03/us/politics/for-obama-fiscal-deal-is-a-victory-that-also-holds-risks.html

Krugman: Obama and Redistribution
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022224304

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau gets busy
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023372682

Also as the health care becomes more accessible and affordable, and the effects will become even more noticeable.

The data presented here are from the Current Population Survey (CPS), 2012 Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC), the source of official poverty estimates. The CPS ASEC is a sample survey of approximately 100,000 household nationwide. These data reflect conditions in calendar year 2011.

• In 2011, the official poverty rate was 15.0 percent. There were 46.2 million people in poverty.
  
  
• After 3 consecutive years of increases, neither the official poverty rate nor the number of people in poverty were statisti¬cally different from the 2010 estimates1
  
  
• The 2011 poverty rates for most demographic groups examined were not statistically different from their 2010 rates. Poverty rates were lower in 2011 than in 2010 for six groups: Hispanics, males, the foreign-born, nonciti¬zens, people living in the South, and people living inside metropol¬itan statistical areas but outside principal cities. Poverty rates went up between 2010 and 2011 for naturalized citizens.
  
  
• For most groups, the number of people in poverty either decreased or did not show a statistically significant change. The number of people in poverty decreased for noncitizens, people living in the South, and people living inside metropolitan statistical areas but outside principal cities between 2010 and 2011. The number of naturalized citizens in poverty increased.
  
  
• The poverty rate in 2011 for chil¬dren under age 18 was 21.9 per-cent. The poverty rate for people aged 18 to 64 was 13.7 percent, while the rate for people aged 65 and older was 8.7 percent. None of the rates for these age groups were statistically different from their 2010 estimates.2

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/about/overview/

Go to the "Publications" tab for more information.

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2011
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb12-172.html

Sex

• The poverty rate for males decreased between 2010 and 2011, from 14.0 percent to 13.6 percent, while the poverty rate for females was 16.3 percent, not statistically different from the 2010 estimate.

<...>

Health Insurance Coverage

• The number of people with health insurance increased to 260.2 million in 2011 from 256.6 million in 2010, as did the percentage of people with health insurance (84.3 percent in 2011, 83.7 percent in 2010).
  
  
• The percentage of people covered by private health insurance in 2011 was not statistically different from 2010, at 63.9 percent. This was the first time in the last 10 years that the rate of private health insurance coverage has not decreased. The percentage covered by employment-based health insurance in 2011 was not statistically different from 2010, at 55.1 percent.
  
  
• The percentage of people covered by government health insurance increased from 31.2 percent to 32.2 percent. The percentage covered by Medicaid increased from 15.8 percent in 2010 to 16.5 percent in 2011. The percentage covered by Medicare also rose over the period, from 14.6 percent to 15.2 percent. The percentage covered by Medicaid in 2011 was higher than the percentage covered by Medicare.
  
  
• In 2011, 9.7 percent of children under 19 (7.6 million) were without health insurance. Neither estimate is significantly different from the corresponding 2010 estimate. The uninsured rate also remained statistically unchanged for those age 26 to 34 and people age 45 to 64. It declined, however, for people age 19 to 25, age 35 to 44 and those age 65 and older.
  
  
• The uninsured rate for children in poverty (13.8 percent) was higher than the rate for all children (9.4 percent).
  
  
• In 2011, the uninsured rates decreased as household income increased from 25.4 percent for those in households with annual income less than $25,000 to 7.8 percent in households with income of $75,000 or more.
  
  <...>

- more -

http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb12-172.html

Dire information, but I would say a decrease in the poverty rate among most groups between 2010 and 2011 is big news, as is the information on health insurance coverage.

Single Payer movement in the era of Obamacare
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023372091

[99Forever]

36. Yeah... sure...

... whatever.

Ever read "The Boy Who Cried Wolf "?


Apparently not.

[Number23]

41. He also appointed someone as head of ATF that is strong on gun control

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/31/b-todd-jones-confirmed_n_3684678.html

And appears to be thiiiiiis close to saying no to Keystone http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/07/30/obama_keystone_pipeline_not_a_jobs_plan.html

But of course, none of this means anything to the Perpetually Petulant and their socks around here.

[Safetykitten]

44. To the ramparts! Fight! *Obama in distance on hill, talking to republicans*

[Zorra]

46. Hoping for the best, as always. nt