"bipartisan debt commission will give Obama political cover on where to suggest unpopular cuts"

[Better Believe It]

Obama likely to focus on deficit in next 2 years
By BEN FELLER, AP White House Correspondent
October 24, 2010

WASHINGTON – Preparing for political life after a bruising election, President Barack Obama will put greater emphasis on fiscal discipline, a nod to a nation sick of spending and to a Congress poised to become more Republican, conservative and determined to stop him.

He is already giving clues about how he will govern in the last two years of his term.

Obama will try to make gains on deficit reduction, education and energy. He will enforce his health care and financial overhauls and try to protect them from repeal should Republicans win control of Capitol Hill. He will use executive authority when blocked by Congress, and steel for scrutiny and investigations if the GOP is in charge.

The president has signaled that at the start of the new year, he will speak more directly to the country about the financial choices ahead. "If we're going to get serious about the deficit, then we're going to have to look at everything: entitlements, defense spending, revenues. ... And that's going to be a tough conversation," he said.

It's one that will be framed by a bipartisan debt commission, whose ideas this December will give Obama political cover on where to suggest unpopular cuts.

Read the full article at:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101024/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_how_will_he_govern

[Larkspur]

1. I hope the progressive groups give obama hell if he tries to raise the retirement age

or privatize Social Security.

I expect his deficit focus will lead to higher unemployment. The only thing that will offset high unemployment is the 99r's falling off the chart because they've exhausted their claims. So higher homelessness will be the real indicator of unemploymenh.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

2. "Obama likely to focus on deficit in next 2 years" If true, it would be inefficient

Obama will still be commander in chief.

It would be much quicker and easier to simply nuke a few American cities. It would accomplish roughly the same effect as getting "serious" about the deficit in the next two years and would be better television.

[county worker]

3. Where are the posts that tell us that the cat food commission is only suggestive and means nothing?

I mean I doubt this guy knows what's going to happen any more than we do but I really like the posts that tell me that social security cuts are not on the table.

[Better Believe It]

5. Congress will not have hearings nor will it accept amendments to the deficit commission proposals.

The proposal to ram it past Congress without hearings and amendments has already been agreed to by Nancy Pelosi and Senator Reid.

And the plan is to have this up and down vote during the lame duck session in order to get it passed quickly.

I haven't heard any threats yet of a Democratic procedural "filibuster" to stop the cuts. Have you?

[donco6]

6. They're hiding, hoping you don't remember.

But I do.

[gratuitous]

4. Well now that can't be true

Because all us dirty fucking hippies who were talking about this all summer long were told in no uncertain terms that it was just alarmist poppycock, and that nothing of the sort was contemplated, and we were getting all exercised about nothing. It was rank demagoguery of the worst sort to suggest that this was an ass-covering commission designed to provide political cover for lowering government benefits (under the guise of "entitlements") while avoiding raising taxes on the overrich or blowing the lid off the social security earnings tax.

This is obviously just not true, and I fully expect a heated dispute to come from the commission and the White House. I'm just not sure whether to hold my breath waiting for the denial.

[jaxx]

7. The election isn't until November 2nd.

The AP continues to write it's rightwing mantra....don't vote, it's already lost.

This same crap was posted yesterday and it's just as much bullshit today as it was then. The election is yet to happen, the results are not known and the AP is sucking repuke teats.

[Better Believe It]

8. Please try to stay on topic. Your post has nothing to do with the article.

Thanks!

Now if you wish to comment on the article and refute any of the comments made please do so.

I'm listening.

Thanks again!

[jaxx]

9. I did refute it.

It's one more AP article that says the same thing. I refuted it yesterday too.

You're welcome.

[Better Believe It]

10. We all know the election is November 2nd. Pointing that out is hardly challenging the article.

But, if that's the best you can do, I understand.

[blindpig]

11. Your mistaken assumption...

is to assume that any criticism of this Administration is 'right wing'.

As is the implicit assumption that this Administration is anything like 'leftwing'.

I don't think there is anything surprising in the AP article, the Administration has pretty much written the script itself.

[Lasher]

12. Jesus Christ on a trailer hitch, I wish there were an actual Democrat around somewhere to vote for.

"If we're going to get serious about the deficit, then we're going to have to look at everything: entitlements, defense spending, revenues. ... And that's going to be a tough conversation," (Obama) said.

I really want to go out as I have during every single election for the past four decades to vote a straight Democratic ticket. President Bipartisan is doing his best to convince me I shouldn't and it's sinking in. What thinking person can deny the oncoming catfood commission butt fucking?

[Better Believe It]

13. "What thinking person can deny the oncoming catfood commission butt fucking?" Answer: None.

[Raksha]

14. If he really meant it about cutting "defense" spending

he wouldn't have to talk about cutting anything else, especially not "entitlements." I put both words in quotations marks, but for different reasons.