Breaking news. Obama caves.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

I listened this morning to my news radio. The White House confirmed that Social Security and Medicare are now on the chopping block.

After reading so many fucking apologists here, telling me that the rumors were false, that there would be no SS or Medicare cuts, I can tell you I was shocked, shocked I say.

So, I turn on Mourning Joe, and who is there, gloating like a pig who found a brand new sty in which to wallow? Eric Fucking Cantor, refusing to even allow for any tax increase, but smiling because Obama has just fucked himself and his chances for a second term.

SS cuts and Medicare will hurt the lower, middle class citizens, and even more so, hurt the elderly and the sick, the very same people who Democrats were supposed to protect.

These cuts will not only damage the Obama Label, it will hurt millions. Now, and for the foreseeable future.

Go ahead, stay loyal to the president. Ignore WaPo, NYT, and others, simply because you don't want to believe the message. But the fact is, only Nixon could go to China; only Obama could destroy Social Security and Medicare, two of the most successful social programs ever devised in this country.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[myrna minx]

2. Leave it to the Democratic party to kick a gift horse in the teeth.

They did it in 2010 and they're doing it now.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. No kidding. Every poll was behind standing up to this.

Every poll supported increasing taxes on the rich.

So Obama caves, in a quixote-like quest for his Lady Dulcinia of Bipartisanshit?

[Beavker]

88. Add the polls on the Wars to that

and he can't support poll backed, Democratic ideals. Someone got to him. Wall Street? The mob? Did he lie to us in the campaign...probably.

[Jackpine Radical]

183. My theory is simple.

The CIA (i.e. the covert arm of Wall Street) took him into the basement theater of the White House right after the Inauguration and showed him the missing parts of the Zapruder film.

[Melissa G]

231. I agree. n/t

[Remember Me]

250. Close enough

He's certainly enthrall to SOME one or group. I've frequently thought he behaves as if his job is to implement someone else's agenda, not the one he once described, and certainly not ours. Wall Street is one obvious answer, but I'm not sure it doesn't go higher than that. Did we ever find out who Nixon was referring to when he talked about the "higher ups"?

[Tom1960]

286. that makes more sense than anything....

....I've seen today. At this point, as much as I'd like to, there is no way I can vote for a second term. I hope there is a primary challenger.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

290. I wish Obama were stronger. n/t

[chervilant]

356. hmph

I wish he was BRAVER. Our founding fathers put their lives on the line. So must we.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

292. Wouldn't surprise me. Wealth and corporations run this country. nt

[Maat]

347. I agree (n/t).

[Name removed]

254. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

293. Well, I'm unhappy with Obama, but Nader brought us 8 years of pure GOP destruction

So FUCK NADER!

[personman]

301. Please... It takes a Democrat to lose to a Republican.

If we think Republicans are the knuckle dragging filth of the world, what does it say that Democrats lose to them 50% of the time?

If Democrats were truly this wonderful solution to the world's problems, elections would not even be close. Certainly not close enough for Nader to screw things up.

If you need to blame someone, blame the party for being a bunch of sold-out elitist shit bags that reek so badly they lose to Republicans approximately half the time.

The real challenge will be voting Democratic in 2012 and not vomiting all over the booth.

Fuck these assholes. I feel fucking sick.

-Andy

[chervilant]

358. Blame?!

Pointing fingers? Righteous indignation?! How long are WE going to have to whinge on this and other 'left-leaning' blogs about the ignorance, stupidity and utter incompetence of the sock puppets du jour infesting our nation's political offices?!?

We can ill afford all these lovely pity parties, wherein we post clever and witty bon mots slamming people like Obama. Our global economy is crumbling faster than an oreo cookie in a toddler's mouth. Earth is SCREAMING in agony from the multiple burdens of our unfettered hubris. An uncomfortable majority of our children report they don't expect to reach old age. Many think the world will end on December 21, 2012.

And, yet, so very many of us remain ensconced in front of our puters, in our comfortably air-conditioned homes, pouring out our anger and resentment through our keyboards. Oh, lest I forget, some of us--the luckier ones who still earn a paycheck--open our checkbooks and give to 'noble causes.'

Time for change. PAST time for us to get off our collective asses, and hit the streets.

Freedom Plaza, October 6. Please pledge to be there, now. Locate long term parking options and travel routes, now. Make a list of non-perishable foodstuffs you can use over the long haul, now. Encourage your friends, neighbors, and fellow activists to be there for the duration, now. Network with others who've made the pledge, now.

FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN, NOW!!!!

[beardown]

332. Clinton's Penis and Nader's 2000 campaign

Each is a subject that the blind followers of the repubs and Democratic party can't get past and thus are forever doomed to get screwed by their own party. The difference is that Nader had a Constitutional right to run for office.

Nader did not put SS on the table. Nader did not extend the Bush tax cuts. Nader did not abandon the single payer option. Nader did not appoint a host of investment and Wall St hacks into key positions in his administration. Nader did not keep the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nader did not ramp up the war on medical marijuana clinics. Nader did not continue Bush's torture and rendition policies.

For a person that hates GOP destruction you seem to be satisfied if it's a dem following the same policies.

[_ed_]

334. Fuck Nader?

You get shit on day after day by the Democrats in power, and you still say fuck Nader? Next time you get in a car, don't buckle your saftely belt if you think Nader is so bad. You probably don't even know what I'm talking about...

[Plucketeer]

232. Correct!

"Every poll supported increasing taxes on the rich."

And NOT by just a couple of points!

[indepat]

273. Who woulda' ever thunk it, social security and Medicare being destroyed on a Democrat's watch

to fund BHO's tax cuts for the uber-wealthy? Who woulda' indeed thunk it in a hundred years? The elected leaders of this nation are setting us up to achieve a third-world status faster than almost anyone could believe. At least maybe someone will lead us in "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free" albeit poor and with my wife and I not having access to proper medical care during our further venture into the fourth quarter-century of life. My prediction, should the pols commit such an egregious, callous, and depraved breach of faith: America will nosedive much further in all quality-of-life rankings, including longevity, infant mortality, and maternal mortality. Oh the joys of living in a right-wing society wherein leaders of both major political parties are venturing far off the right side of the bell curve, the epitome of what DDE scorned, abhorred, and rebuked.

[newspeak]

83. sometimes, I wonder if the goal is to destroy the democratic party

Remember after Little Boot's basically destroy the economy, lied us into a financial hole war for his war profiteering buddies. I remember gas was at the level it is now and jobs were going bye-bye under Little Boots. He increased the deficit by about 89% and let his buddies have a field day on Wall Street. And the news was the repug party was toast. It's amazing how many people in this country have very short term memories.

And now the "knights in shining armor" the repugs, come riding to the rescue with their sick, greedy, depraved plans to hurt most americans AFTER they are the ones who created this FUBAR. I find it so ludicrous, so sick.

[Jakes Progress]

161. Then, mission accompished.

[jefferson_dem]

4. So you know what this "deal" will look like before it's even been negotiated.

Please do share the details of this ... cave.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[katnapped]

7. Obviously we need to shaddup

And look at the "big picture" and stop looking for ponies we're not getting.

That about the gist of it?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

13. that and those pesky missing unicorns.

The big picture. Obama caves, stabs the middle class and the elderly in the back, AND rewards billionaires and large corporations?
What a pretty big fucked up picture.

[JDPriestly]

173. A lot of people will "shaddup" and stay home in 2012.

But do you think Obama will really care? No. He will have destroyed the Democratic Party, but he, personally, will be a made man -- forever due the adoration of the extreme right -- their hero.

Shame on him. FDR is no doubt turning over in this grave.

The swindle will be, as usual, hidden in the accounting tricks.

Face it. We are checkmated.

And if you were one of the loud, loud DUers who got on the Obama bandwagon and pushed others on. I hope you are happy.

Look at my avatar. I would rather a leader who cheats on his wife than a leader who cheats on the people of America.

[Tom1960]

287. i think you are right...

....and Chris Hedges has basically said the same thing. I don't think I need any further proof that the democratic party is not the party of the people.

It wouldn't be so bad if they would just be honest...then we at least would know what we are getting into.

[MrMickeysMom]

298. If they were honest about their thuggery...

They'd be Republicans.

[INdemo]

379. So do Democrats stay home and we lose or do we organize and

draft a progressive candidate and challenge this Republican or draft an Independent like Bernie Sanders and have a very good Chance of winning..
If Obama,the Republican is on the "Democrat"ticket our party is history,as you suggest will happen..Al Gore would be a good choice to draft at least we know he is a Democrat and after all he was elected President once....We have to start now

[UnrepentantLiberal]

257. PONIES!!!

[Marr]

48. Really? You're really going to try that "wait and see" line again?

For two years, Obama apologists have been mocking everyone who observed that he seemed to be maneuvering himself into a position from which he could make cuts to Social Security and Medicare. They said it was all paranoia, that he'd never touch these programs, etc., etc.

Now they announce that they will in fact do so, and you're seriously going to try that same, tired, "you're paranoid-- just keep quiet and wait" argument again?

[FormerDittoHead]

66. Don't say anything until "the final bill" is completed - 2 minutes before they vote on it. n/t

I'm still worn out from the public option debacle.

Turned out it wasn't even on the fucking table to begin with.

So I'm with you. Past performance IS a good indicator of future results.

[QC]

72. Then it will be time to look forward and not dwell on the past. n/t

[HankyDubs]

134. yup, dwelling on the past is so yesterday.

[QC]

270. The sensible, pragmatic, and grown-up thing is to look forward.

Ever forward.

[HankyDubs]

279. especially when it comes to war crimes and such

Don't ever pay any attention to the past at all. How else can you ignore the lessons of history?

[QC]

281. Especially when it comes to war crimes.

Looking backward is doubleplusungood.

[chervilant]

360. Presuming, of course,

that ANYONE on this OP has a knowledge of our past BEYOND the bland gruel of propagandized, jingoistic 'history' served up by our co-opted system of public education!

Educated, erudite individuals may frequent these and other left-leaning sites, but we've yet to develop a strategy to oust the pathetic sock puppets infesting our nation's political offices. We've yet to acknowledge that our economic behaviors du jour have created--and now sustain--the Corporate Megalomaniacs who've usurped our media, our politics and our global economy.

Little did I suspect that, here in my twilight years on this planet, I would be witnessing the impending ecocide of our pathetic, hedonistic species.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

258. PONIES!!!

[druidity33]

280. for your information...

n/t identifies a post that has no text in the body of the message, only the title. Some folks here would pass right by your comment based on the fact that you put n/t in the subject line. I would normally not have read your post, but was interested in the thread, so opened the whole shebang (not worth it on dialup if i'm not really interested).

just sayin'....

[HankyDubs]

132. that's all they've got left

you can't hold it against them. Never mind that we "waited and saw" Obama backstabbing us on every other issue. We still need to wait and see some more.

[Bluebear]

253. +

[_ed_]

53. Oh, come on!

Are you pretending that there's no precedent for Obama completely caving in to the Republicans?

[progressoid]

67. Ya know, you're right. Maybe they will INCREASE S.S. benefits during budget cut talks!

He'll lull the repubs into a false sense of security with talk of cuts to SS, then BAM, chango-switcheroo he'll hit them with an increase in SS benefits.

It's BRILLIANT!!

I'm sure that's what will happen - just like in past negotiations.

[kenfrequed]

149. Exactly that is what happened before.

When I argued on this board about the lack of public option I was told the same thing. Oh just wait and see. President Obama is a strategic genius and we will end up with it later down the road. Even during the lead up I pointed out again and again that the debate should fave started at single payer universal and shifted to a public option and was rebuffed by the usual conservadem trolls.

What kind of stupid strategy is in the works here?

[RaleighNCDUer]

306. Strategery. The word is strategery. nt

[Dutchmaster]

71. You make predictions based on past behaviors.

While not 100% foolproof of course, it generally provides pretty good insight into human behavior. Thus far Obama has not done a SINGLE FUCKING THING to make people who have removed their lips from his ass and opened their eyes believe that this will be anything other than yet another disappointing cave to the right. What a terrible presidency this has turned out to be.

[Melinda]

114. Welcome to DU Dutchmaster. It's a pleasure to have another true Democratic voice in the house.

Oh, and here, here.

[sendero]

244. Exactly.

... Obama will get 1 dollar of revenue increase for every 4 dollars of cuts, and he will strut and declare victory.

And plenty of drooling morons around here will believe him.

[no limit]

80. Hey, check this out. There was this guy named jefferson_dem who in 9/10 said the following...

...when responding about concerns that Obama would cut social security:

"Sorry, I don't share your conern."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Still not concerned? Or do you suddenly not care about these programs?

[Marr]

90. LMFAO.

Nicely done. I'd love to hear an answer, though I expect you'll simply be ignored.

[HankyDubs]

135. nah

more likely reported and deleted.

[Skittles]

145. I CAN EASILY PREDICT THE REPLY

[kenfrequed]

150. Sad.

Seriously is this person going to pop up again, turn and spin, or disappear like the Lieberman trolls did after he ran AGAINST the real Democrat.

[provis99]

359. that guy is DLC. doesn't give a shit about social security.

[loyalsister]

97. Here's one: "Headline Elicits Desired Level of Hysteria"

jeeez The negotiations are not finished and no full plan has been produced.
The media has spawned the outrage that will keep people glued to cable news for talking head speculations of each new headline.
Who really expected that Obama or any other president would be elected and simply tell congress what to do? If disappointed in Obama, a Kucinich presidency would be an even larger disappointment. He would "cave" to one veto override after another.
Doomsday speculation is not going to help move anything in a desired direction.

This is simply a counter to the debt- ceiling doomsday rhetoric. Thank the RW and media for stirring one up to compete.

[bergie321]

107. So we should just ignore it?

We should just sit around while "our" President screws us?

[GOTV]

112. Yeah, and then when it happens you'll be asked "Why didn't you say something?"

[loyalsister]

120. not sure what you mean...

What I do know is that not only have no decisions been made there is not an actual concrete discussion to be had until a detailed plan has been proposed.

[GOTV]

141. I think there are several discussions that can reasonably had at this point ...

One could talk about the likelihood of SS cuts making it into a deal
Or talk about what should be done to prevent a deal including SS cuts.
You can talk about which types of cuts would better/worse.

If you want to prevent something it's better to start earlier.

[loyalsister]

143. I think those are totally appropriate

I only think that it is wise and productive to put aside the doomsday assumptions while doing that.

[RaleighNCDUer]

307. Maybe you don't understand how this works -

there won't BE a detailed plan until it is ready for a vote, and WE will hear no discussion. It will be wham bam thank you ma'am - and then we're done.

This is governing by surprise.

"What happened here was the gradual habituation of the people, little by little, to being governed by surprise; to receiving decisions deliberated in secret; to believing that the situation was so complicated that the government had to act on information which the people could not understand, or so dangerous that, even if the people could not understand it, it could not be released because of national security. And their sense of identification with Hitler, their trust in him, made it easier to widen this gap and reassured those who would otherwise have worried about it."
Mayer, Milton (1966) <1955>. They Thought They Were Free: The Germans, 1933-45

[KoKo]

330. Well said... It's been the pattern and it's been too effective to change it now.

Which is why early push back is so important.

[loyalsister]

118. I didn't say ignore it

I just mean that it might be more productive to pay attention and admit what we have actually heard and not heard.
Reserving judgement and hysteria for the facts.

[JDPriestly]

278. You are still hoping. Well, that is very sweet, loyalsister.

But not at all realistic. Not at all.

[SwampG8r]

339. and it seems a sincere hope

i see many apologists here and i wonder why they so adamantly defend the undefedable

[loyalsister]

350. Because I've been there done that

I had to deal with a Democratic governor who made drastic medicaid cuts. I was very very angry.
In context, he was held hostage by a Republican general assembly, Medicaid was competing with education and especially higher ed (which happens to be a corporate interest).
So, he was primaried a Republican got elected, and people I personally knew died because of the cuts he enacted.
Call me an apologist or naive. I think I am a realist. The Democratic governor left a surplus which he planned to use to restore what he cut. Instead, we got a republican who used it for tax cuts and corporate welfare.

I have seen what happens when the Democrats are deserted. Things have continued to get worse. I have not seen a better outcome where things magically get better because the American people "wake up" after feeling more pain. It may be that that is what happens. But I'm going with real experience.

[The Green Manalishi]

119. Quite frankly, and with all due respect..

ANY message point, utterance or statement *other* than

"we will make no change to Social Security and Medicare, under any circumstances, for any reason and regardless of any other conditions, negotiations, stipulations, demands or threats"

*is* caving. Craven caving. Defeat. Dishonor.

This administration deserves no wiggle room, no latitude and no understanding and no looking at the big picture on these points. No compromise.

[JDPriestly]

175. Let's see how well seniors do when they try to "compromise"

with the gas and electricity and water companies, their landlords or homeowners' associations, the plumber, the supermarket and the hospital.

That's who have to somehow cut back thanks to Obama's weakness or lying and cheating whichever it is.

[Jackpine Radical]

184. Not to worry.

Adjustments are being made to the way inflation is calculated, so price increases will not be a problem. Except for maybe a few pesky volatiles. And of course, when we're eating catfood instead of hamburger, the catfood will be considered the "functional equivalent" of the hamburger, so there will actually be a slight decrease in the price of dinner meat. Then, when catfood prices go up as a result of the increased demand, there's always roadkill.

[FedUp_Queer]

235. The chocolate ration has always been 2.5 grams.

[RaleighNCDUer]

309. No, it has just been increased to 2.0 grams. nt

[SwampG8r]

340. it has always been 2 grams

[JDPriestly]

178. Note. Obama wants long-term solutions right now whil

the Republicans are in power in Congress. Why the rush? Why not wait until Democrats are in?

[hulka38]

224. That's a good point.

One can only conclude that the DLC, or whatever they call themselves now, wants this. Replay that Clinton - Paul Ryan conversation and interpret it in light of what we now know.

[Jackpine Radical]

242. Because he won't get as good a deal from the opposition party?

[RaleighNCDUer]

308. Hear, hear. nt

[chervilant]

361. Defeat... Dishonor...

Cowardice.

[BulletproofLandshark]

182. Or "Headline Elicits DESERVED Level Of Hysteria" n/t

[JDPriestly]

277. Actually, Kucinich showed real bravery as mayor of Cleveland.

Obama has just shown the opposite. I think we will find a challenger, and Obama's time in the White House will end. If he was a trojan horse put in office to end Social Security and forever give the insurance companies and Wall Street control over our health dollars, then he sure has done what he was put there to do.

I'm hoping some brave soul will step forward and announce a challenge to Obama from the true center of American -- which the press characterizes as the left. We need someone fearless.

There is Alan Grayson. There is Anthony Weiner. We need someone really outrageous who can defy the press and just defend the interests of ordinary Americans.

And of course, we could call on John Edwards. He was endorsed by a slew of economists in 2008. In fact, he was the only candidate who, if you watched him carefully, had a plan that might have kept the country out of trouble.

[leeroysphitz]

283. I agree. We need to wait until after the deal is signed before we express our concerns. n/t

[sulphurdunn]

122. Glad to.

The President will agree to eviscerating cuts in Social Security and Medicare and whatever other social cuts he can. For this he will get some revenue enhancement from cutting corporate tax subsidies that the Republicans will reinstate once they again control both houses of Congress. The entitlement cuts will be permanent. Anytime you hear a politician laying fiscal plans for the next ten years you should know you're getting screwed.

[kenfrequed]

146. Any deal...

Any deal that takes increased taxes for the wealthy off the table and puts medicare an social security cuts on the table isn't just a cave, it is an abject surrender on bent knee.

The reality is social security is solvent and the only trouble is that money was borrowed from it to fund Bush era tax cuts and poor spending policy as well as the 2.5 wars. Now the wealthy don't want to have to pay the money back so guess who gets kicked in the teeth? The elderly and the sick.

[chervilant]

362. On bent knee?

I envision the lot of these lily-livered pseudo-dems bent over with hands BRACED on their knees...

[JDPriestly]

171. There will be a change to the way inflation is figured for purposes

of determining whether to give COLAs to seniors. That is an accounting trick that permits our leaders in the Democratic Party to steal from elderly Americans. That is all it is.

[Jackpine Radical]

187. Aw, jeez, see 195 above.

Actually, I think the 2 of us have done this before.

[INdemo]

326. I couldn't find #195

[Jackpine Radical]

338. That's probly because I meant 184.

D'Oh.

[Logical]

180. Logical question Jefferson but let me ask you a question......

Do you think Obama "caved" on tax cuts for the rich. Based on your posting history I am thinking your answer would be "no". And you would say "his hands were tied and he had no other choice".
So if I am right then I do not think you would ever think Obama made a mistake on this topic.
If I am wrong let me know.

[grahamhgreen]

275. Stop dancing on our graves.

[Ganja Ninja]

5. Knew he would. n/t

[leftupnorth]

8. Was there really ever any doubt?

Did we really think this wasn't going to happen, after all the caving that has gone on so far?

I mean, come on. Really?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

9. There are some sad dross-like obama folks

who still believe he can do no wrong.

[Dutchmaster]

73. Remember, 23% still felt Bush was a great president even in 2008 after the country had collapsed.

The sycophants will always be there.

[lumberjack_jeff]

74. I called it in 2008. Caught some shit for that. There's very little percentage in being right. n/t

[chervilant]

363. Yep,

and a BIG factor in why I avoided DU for a LONG time after that...

[SidDithers]

10. Speculative outrage is the best outrage!!...nt

Sid

[Ganja Ninja]

11. Blind loyalty is the best loyalty!!..n/t

[leftupnorth]

12. Yeah, that's what is always said.

Then Obama caves and these folks are proven correct.

Lather, rise, repeat.

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MedicalAdmin]

104. And as one of the resident experts on that topic...

... you are in a good position to comment on the quality of said outrage.

[MannyGoldstein]

14. It's only caving if it's not what you wanted in the first place

http://www.handsoffss.org/what-is-the-deficit-commissio...

[ChairmanAgnostic]

15. That is exactly the point.

We wuz had by this man. To our country's detriment.

[Cronus Protagonist]

124. Ding Ding Ding

Nail, meet hammer.

[SugarShack]

131. Well 88% of people don't want this cave in! You must have lots of money

[lumberjack_jeff]

221. ^-------- this.

[harun]

272. Yah, the caving bit ain't working anymore. This is his policy.

[Whisp]

16. I think I'll wait a day or two. Been through this, what about 78 times.

and two days later, nothing like a frantic OP claims.

[leftupnorth]

19. And you'll be waiting around for the WH

To confirm that fascism has actually arrived in America.

Authoritarians are the real enemy, and they control both parties.

The sooner we realize that, the better off we'll be.

[JoeyT]

78. Yeah, like during the HCR talks.

When everyone was just freaking right the hell out because they thought he was going to sell out to the insurance industry and instead he put the pressure on at the last minute and we got a public option and price controls for drugs. Man that was awesome.

Or how everyone was pitching a fit over how he was going to extend the tax cuts for the rich and level heads told us to "Wait and see.", then he not only didn't extend them, he actually increased their taxes which drastically reduced the deficit. Best chess move ever.

So uh. Which exactly of those 78 times were all the people that said he was going to either cave or sell out wrong?

[hulka38]

229. +1

[Doctor_J]

106. the WH could clear this up in 10 minutes if they wanted to

Just go on the air and say, "Medicare, Medicaid, and SS will not be cut, period". But the WH won't do that, because the programs will be cut.

[bluethruandthru]

17. So what else is new?

It seems Obama will stop at nothing to prove that he's a good republican.

[madokie]

18. I can't believe that so many here are ready to throw in the towel

fuck a bunch of new york times and the washington post. They're not much more than tabloid news anymore anyway. Solidly in the republicons corner. Fuck'm all.

-1

[SidDithers]

20. Many here threw in the towel in 2008...

Or never had a towel to begin with.

Sid

[Marr]

94. Say-- where's your towel?

Oh right. You're not even in the building, much less the ring. Just sitting comfortably on a stool at some neighborhood sports bar, tossing back another brew and complaining about the fight on TV.

[katnapped]

22. De Nile

Not just a river in Egypt....

[ChairmanAgnostic]

24. the White House confirmed it this morning.

What do WaPo's and NYT's multiple failing have to do with anything?
I will type is slower, so you can read it.

The W H I T E H O U S E confirmed it.

[katnapped]

26. Lies!

Obviously a lie! Obama himself didn't say it so it must be untrue!

[madokie]

28. POST A LINK WHERE HE SAYS THAT THEN

otherwise its more bullshit CA

[ChairmanAgnostic]

33. You may not believe WaPo or NYT

But, when several sources confirm the WH press office confirming that SS and medicare are going to be cut, why the hell should I not believe it?

[madokie]

42. You believe what you want

and the others here who are right with you can too but I call bullshit on this until I hear Obama say they are going to cut SS and Medicare. We both know that the washington post and the new york times are in the pockets of the republicon party so why should I believe anything they say. My mother raised a lot of kids and not one of us are fools as so far this would be taking me as a fool if I believe a word of it.

[socialist_n_TN]

47. So, does he actually have to use the specific

WORDS, "I'm going to cut social security and Medicare." before you believe it? What if he comes out and says, "We're not cutting SS and Medicare, we're ADJUSTING SS and Medicare to strengthen it for the long term by raising the retirement/eligibility age to 72."

Because he'll NEVER actually USE the word, "cut" in relation to SS and Medicare.

[madokie]

50. If medicare and social security is cut yes I'll believe it

otherwise not a minute of it.

[no limit]

91. Is increasing the retirement age a cut in your world?

Or are you denial and think that raising the retirement age for serniors isn't a cut?

If you define it as a cut, welcome to the real world. So what does that mean for your support of Obama if he does in fact do this?

[Jakes Progress]

159. Obama can't do wrong. We'll just change definitions, goals, whatever.

Obama can't do wrong. The fact that he does it, ipso facto, means it can't be wrong.

[MedicalAdmin]

105. And likely not even then. n/t

[madokie]

157. You don't read very well do you

[MedicalAdmin]

186. Not today apparently.

I plead migraines and a lack of sleep.

My apologies.

[madokie]

316. No problem

I've had a migraine headache three times and I can attest to what you are going through. I have the aura of migraine pretty regularly but only three times have I had the pain. it's tough, rough and beyond explanation.
Peace
have a good day.

[MedicalAdmin]

337. I'm curious. WTfrak is that picture of in your sig line?

Mobile birthing chair.

[madokie]

351. Its my own personal built yard cart

I built it to help me in my yard work. I've got PAD and can't walk much so I made this cart. I used the motors and controllers from a power chair to drive it. I have a dump bed on it so I can dump anything I load that I want to dump such as dirt, debris etc. I put a chain drive between the motors and the drive wheels so so as to keep the load on the motors the same as if they were still on a power chair. I use it to haul my old ass around in my mushroom foraging too. It has a top speed of 5.2 mph checked by gps and I've found no hill it won't go up with me in the drivers seat.

I plan to build another for sale this winter.

[chervilant]

364. Durn!

I would buy one of those (if I were employed, and had the resources...)!

[Dawgs]

158. So, you're not going to believe it until it actually happens?

Because Obama is president you trust him and are not going to try and prevent it?

[hulka38]

230. How is it to your advantage to hold your breath until you turn blue?

[madokie]

317. Me no do that hulka38

I listen to what the man says not what the tabloids print is the difference between you and I.
Now go out in the yard and play

[progressoid]

77. Obama,"We need to look at entitlements...And that's going to require some modifications"

At his Twitter town hall yesterday, Obama made said a "balanced approach" to reducing the nation's $14 trillion-plus debt means "everything is on the table" -- including cherished entitlement programs, Social Security and Medicare.

"We need to look at entitlements, and we have to say, how do we protect and preserve Medicare and Social Security for not just this generation but also future generations," Obama said. "And that's going to require some modifications, even as we maintain its basic structure."

Obama indicated he will continue pushing a framework he outlined in April, calling for up to $4 trillion in budget cuts over the next 10-to-12 years.

That might not sit well with Obama's Democratic colleagues in Congress who regard Social Security and Medicare as sacrosanct.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/20...

Also:

The Hill: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/170095-obama...

CBS: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20077452-503544....

CNN: http://whitehouse.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/07/deficit-redu... /

etc.

The GOOGLE is amazing.

[truebrit71]

111. "some modifications"....

Quelle surprise....

There should be ZERO cuts and the rich should get taxed back into the stone age...Where the fuck is Candidate Obama when you need him...

Change? Yeah, for the fucking worse...

If I WANTED a republican in the WH I would have supported one...

[beltanefauve]

167. The use of the word

"entitlements" to describe SS and Medicare, programs that people have paid into, is chilling enough. That he has adopted Republican talking points tells me pretty much what he's all about, and where we are going with this so-called "reform".

[snappyturtle]

185. Thank you....it is indeed chilling, the word 'entitlements', i.e. I am more than

disappointed...I am ANGRY. I've been contributing to that 'entitlement' called Social Security for 46 years! If anything, the defense department could only dream of being as well run as SS. If only tptb would cut defense and increase taxes to the wealthy...how hard is that? (Sorry...I'm on a rant today)

[Muskypundit]

217. Why would I trust what the whitehouse says?

They are solidly in the republicons corner.

[DrDan]

27. .

[madokie]

I'm not sure I get what you're getting at there drdan

spell it out so we can discuss it.

[deutsey]

41. Well, when the towel keeps getting pissed on by those supposedly in our corner

I'm not inclined to do anything with it but throw it away.

[madokie]

43. Hey go for it

I'll stay in the Presidents corner for as long as it takes to know for sure. If indeed he does allow cuts then things may, and I say MAY change.

[deutsey]

44. I'd rather have him be in our corner, but maybe I'm just playing semantics here n/t

[grahamhgreen]

276. How many times have we been through this? Iraq. Afghanistan. Health care. Bush tax cuts.

The jig is up.

[RaleighNCDUer]

310. The towel has been in the ring for a long time

and it was not WE who threw it in there.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

21. Dear Mr. President (every person on DU ought to be writing to whitehouse.gov)

EXAMPLE (write your own letter - and don't give me the "oh nobody reads thoooose" whine. Just do it. It may not help, but it can't hurt can it?)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Dear Mr.President,

This is to inform you that if you in any way touch Social Security or Medicare in the form of cuts, including any more "tax holidays" (those are cuts) - you WILL lose my vote.

You may call the cuts something else, such as implementing "chained CPI" - or you may call them "tax holidays" - but they're still cuts.

Cut these programs in any way, anymore and lose millions of votes, mine included. It's that simple.

Most Americans *know* that it is simply unnecessary to touch these programs other than expanding and increasing them. It's morally reprehensible to cut them and economically unnecessary when the richest do not pay their fare share, when we spend trillions of dollars on multiple unnecessary wars, and when corporate tax loopholes and subsidies
eat up billions if not trillions more of our tax dollars.

OUR money is being stolen and given away to the rich and big corporations while our own lives, health, and retirements are sacrificed.

I know that Republicans have been chomping at the bit to decimate and eliminate these programs ever since they were created.

The way they can do that without taking the fallout for it themselves from voters -- is to get a "Democrat" to do it. And you are falling right into their trap. I had considered you more intelligent than that.

From you and every other Democrat on Capitol Hill without exception, I EXPECT a strong, principled stance on this. Absent that, I've no reason to vote for you - any of you.

Democrats do *not* cut Social Security or Medicare. Ever. And I will not vote for a Republican hiding behind a "D".

I've written a similar message to you before. I presume you or your staff received it and that they are tallying these responses.

I'm not alone in this sentiment, I assure you, whether you hear from all who share my feelings or you don't, know that I am certainly not alone.

Touching these programs in any way other than expanding and increasing them ie: raising the 106,000 cap on social security - is unnecessary and unforgivable. Period.

And I'm sorry to say that if you do so you will absolutely lose my support, my small financial and time contributions to your campaign, and my vote.

After all, if these programs are to be cut and decimated in myriad ways, privatized, vouchered, turned into block grants, or otherwise strangled, we may as well let the Republican candidate win. No difference.

Good Day Mr. President,

(edit to correct typo)

[ChairmanAgnostic]

23. beautiful job. Mind if I use parts of it?

(Perhaps, I can remove all my swear words, and insert your far better ones in their stead)

[ProfessionalLeftist]

25. Sure! Be my guest. n/t

[Javaman]

62. Already did...

Basically, I said, if he breaths on, looks at, or even nudges SS and/or Medicare, he has lost my vote.

[HankyDubs]

138. me 3

Not much point in having a democratic president if he is going to act like a right wing republiklan.

[Common Sense Party]

166. So the ONLY action you would approve of to save Medicare is to raise taxes?

It's going to run into trillions and trillions of unfunded liabilities in the next couple decades, and you honestly think raising taxes on a handful of rich people is going to solve everything?

The problem is hyperbole. When some of us hear "modify Medicare" we instantly think that means "make Gramma die."

[kenfrequed]

204. And...

-And end the wars/occupation in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere

-And close 25% of all military bases outside of the US

-And end all subsudies to oil companies

-And cut all tax incentives to companies that are currently outsourcing labor

-And put in contracting language that allows for any private contract that has proven to be more expensive than doing it directly to be terminated(See Thomas Franks "The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Ruined Government, Enriched Themselves, and Beggared the Nation")

-And cancel contracts with any organization that was found to have committed fraud during the Iraq war.

-And actually enforce and collect fines on companies that have poisoned our water, our air, and ourselves.

-Restore the taxation rate on estates worth over $500K, and on capital gains, and end the exemptions for depreciated value of equipment.

I'm willing to bet that we can probably get a lot closer doing this. After this shit if we are still short, then, AND ONLY THEN, do I want to hear anyone babbling about "entitlements."

[Common Sense Party]

239. That is good progress toward shrinking the deficit, and I could get

behind much of that (although it would only be a drop in the bucket as far as the national debt is concerned).

But the deficit is a problem much smaller and quite separate from the underfunded liabilities of Medicare. None of your suggestions will do a thing to make Medicare solvent and long-lasting. We will have to raise FICA payroll taxes--on EVERYONE, not just the richest 2%--AND we will have to reduce/delay bennefits for future retirees like me.

That's what will need to be done if we're ever going to solve the problem. Of course, first we need politicians to actually admit there IS a problem, and we need an educated American citizenry that will acknowledge and care about the problem enough to sacrifice in order to solve it. When we pretend there is no problem and that everything is hunky-dory, we are contributing to the crisis. And we're pushing the problem onto our grandkids.

[kenfrequed]

357. I find it amazing

That people never properly talk about our "underfunded liabilities" in terms of our international adventurism, our contractual obligations to the companies that ravaged us during Bush, or continued depletion of resources and wealth at the hands of the greediest, most pernicious wealthy class since the gilded age.

Most of this SS is broke and Medicare is in trouble comes Directly through the various Koch funded think tanks and the pundit class that follow them. It is a sparkling pile of media retrophagia where a useless tired meme is repeated until even some democrats pick it up and run with it.

Screw that.

Solve the other problems FIRST! Then talk to me about cutting entitlements. And to be honest, other than cuttign medicare, you really aren't putting anything out there. Just more of the usual economic conservative claptrap that passes for conventional thinking these days. Do some homework about this and turn your damned television off.

[Common Sense Party]

373. Pull your head out of the sand.

Your denial isn't helping.

[kenfrequed]

375. And your reliance on Sunday morning pabluum is?

It certainly isn't helping. I mean you may sound all cool and wonky to the people that hang on your words, but it really is the same bloody useless pundits fed the same useless think tanks funded by the brothers koch. And oddly they are all saying the same absurd things about social security and medicare that are completely unsupported by the facts.

Please, go sell this nonsense elsewhere. I hear there is a new website called BlueDogsaboveground or maybe DLCoverall.com.

And an accusation of my having my head in the sand is absurd since you dismissed the long list of money savers I indicated and charged right back at cutting medicare. With friends like you who need republicans?

[Common Sense Party]

377. Read it again. I didn't dismiss anything. I said I could agree with

most of your proposals--but that does nothing to solve the Medicare problem. Pretending that there is no problem is NOT a solution. Attacking the message that you don't like to hear--just because someone you hate spouts a similar message--is a logical fallacy, it's not an argument. There is universal agreement on all sides of the political spectrum that Medicare is in serious trouble unless some significant changes are made--soon.

But you can stick your fingers in your ears and sing kumbaya and pretend that all is right in the world. And then in 20 years when no one will be able to get a dime out of Medicare because we punted on it, you can look back and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

[kenfrequed]

381. yup

both the DLC and republican side both agree that medicare and social security both need to be cut.

[Javaman]

226. You know what?

it appears as if you enjoy hyperbole.

I will now ignore you.

Nothing personal. I just don't care for ridiculous comments.

[Common Sense Party]

236. And another head goes in the sand.

My children thank you for passing on a huge Medicare disaster to them. Way to punt.

[dana_b]

147. I wrote my own but I love yours

thanks for posting it.

[ckimmy57]

348. well said

and I also printed this out and will send a letter in.

[Flubadubya]

29. Oh come on...

Don't you know that President Obama wants to do the right thing. He just has so many "political realities" standing in his way. You know he doesn't control the Congress and he has to appease the Republicans or else they will hold up any and all of those items on his "progressive agenda".

Can't you be more practical and give the guy a break? Sheez... it's not like he's one of them now!

[QC]

30. It's not a cave when someone does what he wanted to do anyway.

Obama's worldview is essentially that of an old-school (i.e., not insane) conservative. There were plenty of clues during the primaries that this was the case, but few could be bothered with such things, as he was so dreamy and was friends with Oprah so we just *had* to elect him.

This is what happens when we treat an election like American Idol.

[Sirveri]

45. Would McCain/Palin have been any better?...?

I'm actually starting to wonder this myself. I'm not even sure if it would be any worse.

[Marr]

52. Yes, actually. McCain would never have been able to cut Social Security.

It would've become an easy political football, as it did under Bush Jr.

[QC]

63. Yes, the entire Democratic establishment would have gone apeshit

if grampa had tried to repeal the last of the New Deal.

[LooseWilly]

263. And McCain would've had more trouble starting a war in Libya too.

... er—initiating a campaign of non-hostile bombings and friendly attempts to assassinate a head of state... is what I meant to say rather than calling it a "war"...

[neoralme]

75. I now think they would have been better, at least indirectly. The

Democrats would close ranks and go against the Republicans. Now, we have Democrats perplexed about whether to go against the President or not.

[Kindigger]

49. Can I Get an Amen

That is all.

[jtown1123]

31. Everyone give the White House HELL. Call the lines. This is unacceptable.

[dana_b]

154. I have been trying for an hour

and can't get through. This is good.

I did write already but I think the phone calls are more powerful.

[Common Sense Party]

168. What, exactly, is 'unacceptable'? n/t

[WinkyDink]

32. Back at the ranch, Bush smiles about his tax cuts. He knew Obama wouldn't touch'em.

[muffin1]

34. Just yesterday

I watched Pat Buchanan say Obama would cave "just like he always does" with that stupid smirk on his stupid face. He was right. I want to

[newspeak]

155. those tax cuts should have been gone

On one hand they're telling us we need to sacrifice, and on the other hand extending tax cuts to those who have had a field day for over eight years. The have/have-nots disparity gap has widened to the point of being obscene. And yet, they allowed an extension, while the greedy unconscionable repugs probably knew if they could extend the cuts, they could find a way to make them permanent. Even though that money has been sat on or shipped overseas, clearly not creating jobs here.

Anyone thinking about not voting in the next election, I'm thinking that's a big mistake. We need to get behind a candidate who is going to represent seniors, labor, education, environment. Just remember that the corporate complicit media will do everything in their power to bring down any candidate who sides with the people and regulation.

We need a major grassroots movement. And the tea party movement is NOT a grassroots movement. Being funded by big corporations and the wealthy and given media accessibility even when there's only less than a hundred people present is not a grass roots movement.

[sofa king]

321. They can't be touched until 2013.

They can be further extended before then, but revoking the law is a practical impossibility, and adjusting it upwards is even more unlikely.

So your best bet for killing the tax cuts for the rich, instantly doubling the intake of the treasury, recovering the economy overnight, and re-setting the United States on its course back to We the People will be to vote for President Obama and every Democrat on your ballot in 2012.

Or, you can say there's no difference between the parties and go back to sacrificing your childrens' future with the Republicans.

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

36. you said it better than I.

Unbelievable.

[QC]

40. His purported Christianity only shapes his positions on one single issue,

and we know which that one is.

Christian teaching never enters into his discussions of, say, social justice, war, the environment, etc., but let the subject of you-know-what come up and he's suddenly a tent revivalist filled with the spirit.

Phony as hell, and quite a few people saw through it from the beginning.

[_ed_]

57. Too true

The teachings of Jesus are completely lost on him, but he's well-studied on the proscriptions of Leviticus.

[QC]

58. Interesting how that works, isn't it?

And it's something that was noticed and remarked on quite a bit during the primaries. It's not like this is a surprise.

[_ed_]

60. Yeah, I actually figured he was an agnostic during the campaign,

but now it seems like he actually might believe what he says. He seems visibly uncomfortable whenever he has to talk about gay rights or gay people. He acts... well ... like a conservative christian...

[QC]

65. One does not have to be religious to feel uncomfortable with gay people.

Sure, it helps, it's not a requirement.

[Maven]

125. Yup, we certainly did.

[Number23]

261. Do you not care how offensive your comments are?

Who are you to dictate how a man worships? Who do you think you are?

And what's the "you know what" topic that you're referring to? Gay rights? The topic that Obama has been LAUDED for over and over and over again by so many gay rights groups and advocates it's hard to keep track?

[NMMNG]

193. +1000

I totally love you. No hetero.

[Enthusiast]

37. The unpaid for wars and the Bush tax cuts

created nearly this entire deficit. But instead of addressing these true deficit drivers, the President I voted for has embraced a Republican approach to dealing with the deficit.

There is no way the administration is not aware of polls showing the electorate, by a huge margin, is in favor of raising taxes on the wealthy, ending the wars and protecting Medicare and Social Security.

What can we conclude from this? We can conclude that Obama does not really care if he is re-elected. We might as well plan for an alternative to Obama right now. Sorry to say it, but it is true.

[MedicalAdmin]

108. Meanwhile in Canada.

The only war they were involved in has ended as they pull out of Afghanistan as of now.

Less than 1% foreclosures. Housing prices stable. Unemployment at 4% nationally. National debt low. National health care. And they have reassigned much of their military to defending their actual borders. And their dollar is up about 40% over 5 years ago and is now hovering slightly above par with the US dollar for the first time in over 40 years.

Has sanity ever looked so sweet?

[kenfrequed]

202. Yes!

It is times like these that I wish I could recommend a comment!

[MedicalAdmin]

336. Thank you. What a kind thing to say. n/t

[Enthusiast]

320. PLUS ONE! nt

[chervilant]

365. Yeah,

I suspect it's their SOUTHERN border that needs protecting, from the thousands of US citizens who are unemployed AND can clearly read the writing on the wall...

[MedicalAdmin]

374. I hear from a relative up there that they are concerned,

Especially with yanks coming up fraudulently for health care.

They need to build a big assed wall to keep out the yank-backs. Holy frak, we are the new Mexico.

[Aerows]

38. Sigh

Why is it that Democrats refuse to dance with the ones that brought them? Or do they not think that it's votes that brought them, but the wealthy that bought the position for them?

[ej510]

46. Obama did not cave he agrees with republicans. Just like Bill Clinton

agreed with republicans.

[somone]

51. What's happening is really teamwork, not capitulation

Obama is not a victim of a scam or a bad deal. He is a willing enabler.

[woo me with science]

54. Yup. nt

[QC]

55. Bingo. n/t

[Obamanaut]

59. Teamwork is a good word for it. The President, several hundred

senators and representatives, and nine judges - all on the same team whose goal is to screw as many of the other 300 million of us as they can.

[newportdadde]

56. Only Nixon could go to China.

[Lorien]

84. Yep, and it takes a charismatic " Democrat" to kill the New Deal

If a repug did this there would be protests in the street.

[chervilant]

366. There WILL be

protests in the street! Freedom Plaza, October 6, for AS LONG AS IT TAKES!

[rhett o rick]

127. Would you explain what that means to the slower among us? Meaning me. nm

[Javaman]

61. This isn't pulling defeat from the jaws of victory...

this is pulling out the support columns for a platform.

it seems as if the prez and his dem cohorts enjoy the same game as the repukes. Dumbing down the core platform until it no longer resembles anything like the original.

not a good political tactic to attract supporters who have a long memory.

we are dying.

[dbonds]

64. What else is new.

Totally expected.

[AlbertCat]

68. Seeing Cantor on "Morning Joe"....

.... does not confirm anything! I mean...Pu-leez!

But I will say.... this SS discussion should not even be happening. The grim predictions of the future are informed by past events, and that's the truth, whether you like Obama or not.


And Obama and Cantor can't just do it themselves. Congress makes laws... so if the Repug house comes up with something crappy, does the Senate enact it.... even if Obama wants it?

Jess askin'....

[on point]

69. Obama caves?? That's not news! Would be if he DIDN'T cave!!

I think I finally figured out the Obama circle logo. I thought it was a wave, but no it is the entrance to a cave!

[QC]

76. I have heard that his presidential library will be in Mammoth Cave,

but that is probably just a rumor.

[Cali_Democrat]

218. LOL. n/t

[Dutchmaster]

70. I'm shocked.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

246. I can tell.

[glinda]

79. If so he should be primaried and maybe now is the time for a strong

people's progressive. Someone who can explain things to the public, do the rallying cry and protect the environment. I am sick of this crap.

[Pisces]

81. As I am sick of "this crap" Bernie Sanders would disappoint this crowd. You want a Progressive

Dictator!!! It is too bad that so many are only pure ideologist like the Tea Party instead of pragmatic realist. I am glad Obama is pragmatic, realistic and our President. He will be re-elected in 2012
and continue to do good work.

[dbonds]

86. I would take a progressive dictator over a sell out any day.

[Pisces]

87. What garbage, in 2 seconds you would be calling Bernie Sanders a sellout. It's called democracy and

governing not ruling.

[dbonds]

89. This is NOT Democracy. It is Corporatism.

You assume too much to tell me what I would be doing. Obama has failed the smell test - I originally thought he was the real deal too.

[EFerrari]

95. Um, rich people stealing from you is not part of the democratic process.

Just fyi.

[florida08]

190. +100

[totodeinhere]

353. So you seriously want this country to have a dictator?

Tyranny from the left is as bad as tyranny from the right. We need neither a Hitler or a Stalin. We need a socialist democracy along the lines of the ones in Western Europe.

[dbonds]

355. Swish, the point went totally over your head.

[no limit]

92. The good work of throwing the most unfortunate in this country under the bus

while giving the people that are in the top 2% huge tax breaks and other benefits?

That's what you define as good work?

[MessiahRp]

121. Pragmatism = selling out every longstanding principle of the party you represent.

The New Deal is the entire reason anyone votes for Democrats. It's not "Pragmatic" to crush that to appease Republicans who will never be happy in any negotiation ever. Obama goes into every single negotiation with them, gives them what they want... they pull back and refuse to deal... he gives them more... they pull back and refuse to deal. Rinse and Repeat. And then it gets passed with 1-2 moderate GOP votes from non-expendable Senators like Snowe and Collins and the rest of them can sit back and never have voted for anything and can campaign against it. Obama is the worst Democratic President in the past century.

Rp

[Pisces]

128. In your dim opinion. History will tell a a more objective picture. Obama will go down as one of the

best. Please bookmark this and check back in as little as 10 to 15 yrs. to see how history judges him with a clear eye. He is showing people how to govern in the most adversarial circumstances while
having his life threatened at a level never seen before.

[HankyDubs]

140. bookmark it

and in a month come back after the cuts are a done deal. Then you can tell us how death threats forced him to cut social security.

[bvar22]

206. In the history books, Obama will be put on the same page with...

...Neville Chamberlain.


History has not been kind to Neville Chamberlain.
As the Prime Minister who tried and failed to come to terms with Hitler,
he is seen as naïve, incompetent and, worst of all, the architect of appeasement,
one of the dirtiest words in the political lexicon.


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want a party that will stand up for working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone

[RaleighNCDUer]

313. In history he will be a one-term president notable for two things -

the first black president, and the last legitimately elected president before the collapse of the government.

[Pisces]

346. Tighten up the tin foil hat, it's slipping.

[chervilant]

367. Well, now...

I see you're wrong on issues other than the further decimation of public education by this administration.

Just FYI, the Corporate Megalomaniacs who've usurped our media, our politics, and our global economy just don't give a rat's ass about you or ANY of the Obama sycophants who persist in carrying his water.

[kenfrequed]

210. False...uhm

This is BS. We would settle for a progressive that would actually stand up and fight for progressive ideals. We wasted the first two years of President Obama's presidency with catering to the blue dogs and to Olympia Snowe. Granted, she is reasonable for a republican, but I have never seen so much hay made over trying to woo one vote so frequently.

And obviously Senator Sanders doesn't disappoint. He is actually one of the leaders taht is most respected by "this crowd."

[neverforget]

241. If this were Bush doing this, you would be up in arms and pissed off.

But since it's a Democrat, it's all cool selling Medicare and Social Security out.

Sorry. It's wrong regardless if a Democrat or a Republican messes with Medicare and Social Security.

[IndyMaine]

82. No reason to stay loyal to this President

Unless you're a Conservative Republican who embraces the same Conservative Republican values that Obama embraces.

PRIMARY HIM !!!!!

[divvy]

85. I have had enough. No more money to Democrats, no vote for Obama

I am done .

[VeryConfused]

93. "Go ahead, stay loyal to the president."

That does it I am voting Republican/3rd Party (which is half a vote for a Republican) because they would never ever cut those programs!

[xchrom]

99. ...

[IndyMaine]

129. You're only half right

A Republican in the White House would WANT to cut those programs (just like Bush/Cheney wanted to) but they wouldn't be successful because Democrats would stand up to them in a real, confrontational way.

On the other hand, our so-called "Democratic" president seems to be getting away with doing exactly what Bush & Cheney wanted to, but couldn't get away with. And because Obama has a "D" next to his name a lot of his followers seems to think that's perfectly OK.

And he'll do even more reprehensible things, beyond our wildest current imaginations, if he gets a second term. Mark my words.

[VeryConfused]

142. Your premise is based on the faulty assumption that a minority Democratic Congress

will stop the Republicans like they did with the Iraq war or some of the horrible freedom/American hating judges that Bush nominated.

[RaleighNCDUer]

314. Actually Dems DID stop Bush from privatizing SS.

And they were in the minority when they did so.

[dbonds]

380. Katrina had a lot to do with that.

[pasto76]

96. "only obama could destroy SS and medicare" - bullshit

cause he writes the legislation too doesnt he. How about the 535 legislators that have to go along with that?

Apologists? how about you drama queens? everything is the end of the world. And woa...WH aide saying these reports are exaggerated?

WHODATHUNK???

[dbonds]

98. Exaggerated? Why would that matter.

If this is his direction in ANY way, it doesn't matter if it is an inch or a mile. He should be committed to not giving and inch and moving in the opposite direction. If his direction is to put it on the table then all hell should be raised and it should be raised as loud as we can.

[no limit]

103. Can you give us a preview of what you will say when these programs are in fact cut?

You can blame congress all your want. But the fact is Republicans only hold one chamber of congress, Obama still holds the white house and demcorats control the senate.

Obama can stop any deal he wants. Instead what he is doing (according to reports from both democrats and republicans) is pushing for additional cuts that the GOP didn't even request. He went from a 2 trillion figure to a 4 trillion figure on his own accord. Nobody forced him to do this.

[IndyMaine]

130. A White House aide says the reports are exaggerated...

Oh, well that certainly makes me feel better. If an unnamed White House aide says something, it certainly always turns out to be true.

[bvar22]

208. Is that so?

That wasn't true for other "Democratic" Presidents.





Who will STAND and FIGHT for THIS American Majority?
You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their EXCUSES!

[BOG PERSON]

100. slavoj zizek said something during a wikileaks forum he held last wkend

with amy goodman and julian assange and it has stuck with me since. he said we can learn more from honest conservatives than we can from liberals, because they are less invested in "selling uplifting bullshit". i assume by honest conservatives zizek meant somebody like william safire or v.s. naipaul (or even george will, very rarely), not the average mass market radio hack.

[tavalon]

101. If this is in fact true, and honestly, I have to get to bed because I work tonight,

then yes, Obama, did just end his chances for a second term and because I like his Supreme Court choices, that makes me sad. If this is true, it makes him the worst negotiator ever, but having seen some of his other "negotiations", I may not want to believe this, but I don't find it hard to believe it.

[Phlem]

102. I'm sorry

Obama caves is not breaking news, it's typical news.

-p

[ChairmanAgnostic]

116. I sit corrected

[bergie321]

109. Republican Super Pacs

Probably already have ads ready to go talking about how Obama cut Medicare and Social Security. Obama is an idiot if he agrees to this. I don't vote for idiots. I will stay home next November and try to drink myself into a coma while President Bachmann is elected.

[meegbear]

110. Obama caving is not "breaking news" anymore ...

just another day.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

113. You left out the "again" or "as usual".

[aggiesal]

115. If I wanted a 3rd Bush term, ...

I would have voted for McInsain.

If all this is true, then it looks like Obama will do more damage
to SS and MediCare, then Bush could have ever dreamed of.

Can we still privatize SS?

[Odin2005]

117. Obama = Reagan.

[slay]

179. +1

he's pretty fucking bad indeed.

[eridani]

214. I wish. Give me Reagan-era tax rates any old day n/t

[Cronus Protagonist]

123. YOU GUYS JUST WANT A FUCKING PONY

Can't you wait until Obama's second term where he'll suddenly turn into a Democrat and fix it all because THEN he won't be under pressure for a re-election?



(can the gay community on here get some empathy now?)

[rhett o rick]

126. I hate ponies, I want an Ipad. nm

[ChairmanAgnostic]

318. Got one. Now I want a unicorn

[chervilant]

369. hmph. I just want a fucking JOB! n/t

[creeksneakers2]

133. The latest article from the Times tells a different story

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/08/us/politics/08fiscal....

[WillyT]

136. K & R !!!

[Cereal Kyller]

137. Remember how Obama was urged not to come across as

an "angry black man" during the campaign? It may (or not) have been good advice at the time, but if he wants to win a second campaign, he'd better get angry. Soon.

[bvar22]

196. Who needs a 2nd Term...It is already "DLC Mission Accomplished".

*Made the Bush Tax Cuts for Billionaires PERMANENT,

* Enacted a Republican Health Insurance Scam, but most importantly,
prevented ANY chance of a REAL Single Payer System for at least another generation,

*Transferred BILLIONS of Public Dollars to "private" pockets on Wall Street, but most importantly,
enacted token regulations that will prevent any REAL re-regulation of Wall Street (Glass-Steagall) for at least a generation,

*Increased Military Spending and expanded Shock Doctrine Disaster Capitalism to new & unmined places in the Middle east

*Further undermined Organized LABOR

*Successfully protected the Bush War Criminals/War Profiteers

*Strengthened and Enhanced the powers of the Unitary Executive,

*Strengthened and Expanded the Police State Powers of the Patriot Act,

*Weakened the New Deal (Social Security) and the Great Society (Medicare), and planted the seeds for its final destruction,

*Resurrected and Reinvigorated a Republican party that was DEAD in 2008,
and set the stage for the transfer of power BACK to the Republicans.


I would say, DLC Mission Accomplished!
Good Job!
Much More than we expected in just one term!


The DLC New Team
FDR/LBJ Democrats need NOT apply!

(Screen Capped from the DLC Website)
http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=254886&kaid=86...

All Hail the New Democrat Centrist Party*
We Get "things" DONE!!!!


* The New Democrat Centrist Party is NOT affiliated with the old and discarded Political Party know as "The Democratic Party".

[Vanje]

269. I'd vote for an angry black man!

I WOULD!
Any one know what REverend White has planned for the Fall?

[tavalon]

319. I,d vote for a sentient, intelligent and incensed candidate of any ethnicity

As long as they are by the people and for the people. The people are getting fucked from all angles these days.

[defendandprotect]

139. Great post -- think we all feel the same way .... as for anyone left who still

truly supports Obama after these this record of destruction, I'd not worry about it --

either they will wake up on their own -- or they're only pretending to be asleep!


What we need to devote our attention to is what to do about all of this --

We've had 20 years of Koch Bros. infiltrating the Dem Party via their DLC --

that's a lot of contamination over 20 years. We need to find out what's left of the party.


Keep in mind that Koch Bros. are on the exterme far right -- radical right -- father

founded the John Birch Society. DLC links to "third way" -- PPI and PNAC --

Nor will it end with Social Security, Meci are and PPI and PNAC -- it will continue to

move further to the right.

[Skittles]

144. it's official

no one gives a fuck what WE THE PEOPLE thing

[Dappleganger]

148. K&R

[Clear Blue Sky]

151. Yawn...What did he cave on this time?

Gitmo, undeclared wars, Bush tax cuts...I'm losing count...

[AntiFascist]

152. But what about Casey Anthony, isn't she really guilty?!!!111!1!11!!

[paparush]

153. Quote From TPM

"Multiple senior House Democratic aides tell TPM that caucus members were caught off guard by news stories about President Obama's push for deeper deficit and spending reductions -- and particularly about the White House's willingness to cut Social Security as part of a grand bargain to raise the debt limit."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/sources-hous...

[Name removed]

156. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bobburgster]

160. Jesus, I hope this isn't true!

I'll wait to see what happens before I start going off on him.

[Jakes Progress]

162. Notice that the heavy-hitter apologists are avoiding this.

[JoePhilly]

247. Notice that the knee jerk anti-Obama folks are all over this ...

Kind of like when they predicted Obama was going to announce major cuts to SS during the state of the union.

When it did not happen, the knee-jerk folks dropped it for a while.

Knee jerked again in Feb.

Again in March.

And now again.

Maybe this time the knee-jerkers get their prayers answered.

Who knows ....

[Jakes Progress]

285. You want fries with those words?

Don't worry. I'll book mark it.

I know. You can make me look all bad and stuff if you can just get the president to say categorically that he will veto any bill that defunds SS or Medicare in any way. He should maybe put his hand on a bible when he says this since so many of his other vows have been trashed.

And you can take your own jerked knee and just try to defend what you said would never happen when it happens. I see those big old tears welling up as you come to realize what many of us had to face some time back. After hundreds of hours campaigning for him, after defending him to people who turned out to be smarter than me, I had to face up to it. Now it's your turn.

Wrecking the Democratic party while selling out the people isn't part of my prayers. What will you pray about now?

[Taverner]

163. So the Catfood Comission got their way

How fucking nice

[Redford]

188. Good one

I might have to borrow that....

[avaistheone1]

164. Obama is the best republican to come around in a long time.

Must say the republicans have played Obama well.

[slay]

177. +1

n/t

[nashville_brook]

238. +100

[JDPriestly]

165. Obama was a set-up from the very beginning.

And we would not have been a bit better off with Hillary.

I'm watching Van Jones and plan to go to the meet-up of his organization on July 17.

Van Jones is a better speaker than Obama, and hopefully more honest.

[lordsummerisle]

169. K&R n/t

[disillusioned73]

170. K&R

What a f*%king disappointment....

[DesertFlower]

172. lmoveon is asking its members to post this as

their facebook status.

http://front.moveon.org/a-facebook-status-obama-needs-t...

[alp227]

255. I just signed MoveOn's petition - you can too!

(if you already did I'm addressing other DUers/progressives/outraged people in general reading this)

http://pol.moveon.org/bad_debt_deal/

[KoKo]

265. Move On had the potential to be our Left "Tea Party"...but it wasn't

real. If folks want to sign petitions over there it's fine. I'm done with them and signing petitions.

They got hollowed out from the inside or they weren't real in the first place. Someday we will know the truth of what happened with them. I gave up on them in late 2007 and told them why.

[saras]

174. Give it up. I'm still waiting for Republicrats to admit the Patriot act might be abused

[slay]

176. I am so not surprised - but I am sick of it

and sick of Obama period. what a monumental liar.

[spedtr90]

181. UPDATE 10:38 a.m: White House spokesman Jay Carney commented

UPDATE 10:38 a.m: White House spokesman Jay Carney commented on the reports concerning Social Security cuts Thursday morning.

"There is no news here," Carney said. "The President has always said that while social security is not a major driver of the deficit, we do need to strengthen the program and the President said in the State of the Union Address that he wanted to work with both parties to do so in a balanced way that preserves the promise of the program and doesn't slash benefits."


Doesn't confirm much of anything.

[aggiesal]

189. Republican double-speak ...

Much like Paul Ryan's budget is "Saving Medicare",
Obama needs to "Strengthen the program" and "Preserves the promise".

This is like the owner of a sports team saying 1 day the he has
all the confidence in his coaches, then fires the Headcoach the
following day.

Obama is getting really good at Republican double-speak.

[chervilant]

370. Yeah,

kinda reminds me of that Gary Larson cartoon of the guy fussing at his dog: "blah, blah, blah, Ginger, blah, blah, blah!"

We seldom hear anyone address the now ubiquitous tendency of our sock puppet politicians to assume a patronizing or condescending attitude when discussing the hoi polloi, or when speaking directly to our many disgruntled members.

FAR too many of our elected representatives treat us like fungi--keeping us in the dark and feeding us loads of El Toro Poo Poo.

The obscene wealth of the Corporate Megalomaniacs will not protect them when this lighted match hits the fuse of the GINORMOUS powder keg they've fashioned from the righteous anger of the hoi polloi.

[JoseGaspar]

191. Quick Quiz...

Name a single Republican who has brought up Social Security at all in the debt ceiling debate. As a general question, the Republicans always come back to Social Security... but, even they have not had the stomach to raise it in this particular circumstance.

Name one Republican in the current context... with a citation.

Ryan didn't bring it up; nor McConnell; nor Cantor; nor "The Boner"... not even Rand Paul.

You don't call it "surrender" when he "gives" on the one thing that nobody asked for.

[INdemo]

192. Its obvious Obama is a Republican..

We have to find a real progressive challenger

Does anyone doubt this guy is a Republican?

[Sherman A1]

195. He always was

I knew that when I voted for him in 2008, but "hoped" that he would at least toss us a few bones from time to time.

[BlueJac]

199. Was from the start!

[Mosaic]

289. A Progressive Challenger

Advise to anyone ready to really fight the thugs, police state for a while, until they are brought under control. Guns taken away, they must be neutralized, neutered. Then all their organizations must be stopped and the traitors imprisoned. We want a real leader for the people, the thugs will be stopped with a strong leader. Obama wasn't the man. No balls.

[Sherman A1]

194. Just emailed the White House with my thoughts

I simply will not vote for any Democrat who will support such an ill-conceived concept.

[BlueJac]

198. Waste of time

[Sherman A1]

211. Well, I couldn't think of anything better to do

so I did that.

[BlueJac]

197. That is "NOT" news...........

he has "CAVED" on all Democratic issues. Fuck, I wish I never voted for that asshole.............I want a do over. Never again. I will not vote for the lesser of two evils!!!! Period!!! Call me Independent or Green. Sick of Corporate American politics!!!!!!!!! I am out!!!!

Oh yeah and forget the republican president bullshit!!!!!!!!! FU

[amborin]

200. "breaking" news?! hardly! just more of the same

[blkmusclmachine]

201. This is what drowning the Country looks like.

One "bi-partisan" Deception after another.

First time is chance. Second time is happenstance. Third time is enemy action.

[Jakes Progress]

203. Nixon to open China. Obama to . . . .

[EndElectoral]

205. The only way to stop it is to fillibuster the bill. Can we get 40 Dems'?

[Danger Mouse]

207. I really really hope that this turns out not to be true.

I can't take much more disappointment.

[alp227]

223. in case you/anyone forgot...GW Bush considered PRIVATIZING SS but failed

In the best POV, this SS/Medicare reform is a mere trial balloon, but if not then it's Obama's Watergate

[Danger Mouse]

225. that's true, Bush was taken to task over that one.

people are VERY defensive of their SS, and who can blame them?

i do hope that this is only a trial balloon, then, and that Obama will reconsider.

[Vanje]

271. Dems all over the country were critical of Bush's stance on SS.

....but many of the same characters give Obama a pass.

We've been duped.

[alp227]

304. nonsense, the House Progressive Caucus isn't giving Obama a pass

I saw a soundbite of Rep. Raul Grijalva on PBS Newshour today where he said he is against cutting SS/Medicare. And Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse just introduced a resolution on the same position. Let's call/email the White House comment line and our local congress members and don't let them go by without hearing what WE have to say.

[totodeinhere]

354. Unfortunately the House Progressive Caucus has no power. All they can do is blow hot air. n/t

[N7Shepard]

209. What a chicken? Why doesn't he realize that if he

stands up to these bullies, he'll win? Just like Clinton did with Newt?

[Name removed]

212. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bvar22]

213. Now HERE is an interesting development from MoveON... Do IT!

http://front.moveon.org/a-facebook-status-obama-needs-t...



"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone

[4dsc]

215. When millions of liberals refuse to vote in 2012

then perhaps he'll see the evil of his ways.

[alp227]

222. you mean when Michele Bachmann is elected? N/t

[hay rick]

237. Bachman isn't looking that bad any more.

Not bad enough to persuade me to vote for Obama.

[Whisp]

227. *snort

good gravy you can't mean that.

that is soooooo fucking funny you just don't know

[Blue-Jay]

296. That worked out so well in 2010.

Just ask the citizens of Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida, New Jersey, ect. I believe I'll sit on my ass and let the teabaggers have their way because ... fuck Obama, that's why.

Awesome.

[carolinayellowdog]

216. historians of the future, take note-- this sums it up

DU might not influence anything, but at least we leave a record of protest

[Ozymanithrax]

219. I will vote in 2012...

but I won't vote for a President that Cut social Security or Democrats who vote for such a bill.

Perhaps I'll write in Chairman Agnostic.

[Arkana]

220. Did Social Security and Medicare get abolished while I wasn't looking?

Or did a rather bland statement about negotiations get blown out of proportion by the Washington Post and get so many "true progressives" to shit themselves with indignation?

Get angry when you have proof. Until then you're accusing Obama in bad faith.

[joshcryer]

249. Martial law was also implemented.

Just fyi you cannot leave your house.

[mikehiggins]

228. Its all over now, Mr. Jones

Kabuki play? Yeah, probably. Too late to do anything about it to save our nation from Great Britain-itis? Most likely.

Welcome to the third world, Americans. Lets hope our masters in Asia are kinder than the ones in D.C.

[bowens43]

233. Obama caving is not breaking news

Obama has caved on EVERY issue. The man is a spineless jelly fish.

[blank space]

234. How smart are the bankers

getting a Democrat to do their job. How insanely smart is that ? 3D Chess as they call it.

Well two can play at that game - there is only one way to make Obama stand up and do what is right and that is appeal to one of the things which made him so popular in the first place - his color.

Wrong, I know, really wrong - but if its 3D chess we are playing, then maybe its time to play.


All Democrats need to ask is - "How could a Black man do this to Black people. How could he destroy the hopes and dreams of the poorest, more often than not the black people. How could Barrack utterly destroy all hope of ever having a black president again through such selfish actions?"


Is it wrong ? Maybe, is it true ? Unfortunately it is. Barrack will go down as one of the worst Presidents of all time - from both the left and the right. The right will paint him as weak, easily duped, stupid etc, while the left will portray him as a complete betrayal.

There will be nothing left to say of Obama other than reflect on his wars, torture, assassinations, expanded secret prisons, expanded renditions, secret wars in Pakistan, Yemen, and his total failure on his one big promise which reverberated around the world - shutting Guantanamo. All on top of his failure to prosecute bankers, prosecute Bush - even investigate the truth.

Barrack is not just standing up there as an American, he is standing up there representing the dreams of Black Americans - he has taken those dreams and literally hocked them at a pawn shop for his own greed.


Obama could simply stand firm - let the debt ceiling come and go - order the military home, shut down useless profiteering from arms manufacturing, profiteering from contracts for military services, shut down the fat to red states, remove grants to oil companies.......in fact this debt ceiling issue represents the greatest opportunity in Left wing Democratic HISTORY - to finally take back and restore everything from the simple act of having all the evil wrong things defunded.


Barrack is not just betraying the liberal left and America, but the very dreams he was raised on.

[florida08]

240. `

http://act.boldprogressives.org/survey/survey_obamamedi...

Well it could be a bluff to call..but the facts are the rightwing fascists want to end this presidency and what better way than to turn his constituency against him. If Obama and the democrats agree to this it will be like slicing their own throats. There is also talk of overhauling the tax code. I'll wait for the details but I would not feel good about a 3% increase for the cash cows while 98% of us get age increases, no cola increases or anything like that including reducing medicare and medicaid at a time when we've been attacked financially by hedge funds banksters who have not been held accountable but actually rewarded.

[baldguy]

243. Which way will the 'pukes jump?

They have three absolute, no-negotiate positions: A) No taxes will be raised on the wealthy & especially the mega-wealthy, B) Entitlements & other social support programs must be eliminated, and most important: C) Obama must never, ever be seen to succeed.

If they take the deal, they lose on A, win on B and lose on C and in the process lose their Teabagger base that hates taxes, lose their senior base that likes SS, and lose their paleo-Republican base that hates Obama.

If they reject the deal, they lose on A, lose on B and lose on C, in the process losing the Teabaggers who hate SS, they lose their business base that wants the debt limit increased, and they lose the undecided middle that will blame them & not Obama for the entire debacle.

[larwdem]

245. obama

dont piss on my back and tell me its raining

[McCamy Taylor]

248. Associated Press says GOP "flexible." DU says Obama "caves". This is how to rich control

this country.

[lobezen]

251. Dear President Obama,

When I am 70 years old and working 7 days a week in order to pay my bills and keep my job which offers me the only health insurance I can afford, I am pretty sure that I will not be thinking, "thank God President Barack Obama and the Republican Congress were able to work in a bipartisan fashion back in 2011!!!

[chervilant]

371. And,

when I take my Kevorkian Kocktail--because I haven't had a job in ten years, and I'm tired of mooching off of family and friends--I won't be thinking, "Thank GOD I voted for the lesser of two evils!"

[Eko]

252. The sky has not fallen!

At the outset this sounds pretty bad, and people have a legitimate reason to be upset about this direction and to protest it. But please, it has not happened yet so quit acting like it has. If and when it happens then you can be betrayed or whatever else you want, but until then lets not freak out over something that has not yet happened.

[lib2DaBone]

256. Yes..please ignore this until its passed and law.. then it will be too late to complain...

Pete Peterson gets his way. Goldman Sachs is happy.. and Obama has Koch Bros on his speed dial.

[Eko]

260. Not quite what I said.

No, I never said to ignore it. Frankly I would like a stronger stance from the president on defending Medicare and Social Security and it upsets me also that these things are considered. By all means protest it and make your voice heard, but dont act as if it is already a done deal and we have already been betrayed.

[lobezen]

284. Don't you get it?

The fact that he even put it on the table IS betrayal. The rest of the Democratic leadership are stunned by what President Obama has offered the Republicans and scrambling to figure out a way to deal with this.

[lobezen]

268. No offense

but isn't this EXACTLY what he did when he let those heinous Bush tax cuts he promised to NEVER extend get extended?! COME ON ALREADY. If I have to hear one more Obama apologist use the Checkers vs Chess analogy or "he HAS NO CHOICE the Republicans are crazy", one more time I will vomit. He has sold out the Democratic party and thrown his base to the wolves and the sooner we come to terms with that the sooner we get to work on salvaging our country's future.

[Palmer Eldritch]

259. did you not think to provide a shred of evidence for your claim??

[gtar100]

262. How is this breaking news? I thought caving was what Obama did on all really important issues.

He might think of it as the art of compromise but to those of us who have to suffer the consequences of his decisions...he's caving.

Why can't he see the republicans for what they are: terrorists.

[McCamy Taylor]

264. Reminds me of the good old days at DU with its "Pelosi Knew" extravaganza.

Why does the right wing have to bother attacking us when we devour our own?

[Kumbricia]

372. "Our Own" are devouring us

[lobezen]

266. Send a postcard to the WH

with this or a similar message:

Dear President Obama, When I am 70 years old and working 7 days a week in order to pay my bills and keep my job which offers me the only health insurance I can afford, I am pretty sure that I will not be thinking, "thank God President Barack Obama and the Republican Congress were able to work in a bipartisan fashion to raise the debt ceiling back in 2011!!!

[Divine Discontent]

294. comment kick! so true. I wrote the white house, I certainly expect everyone else to

[Botany]

267. just a matter of time before he caved

[unkachuck]

274. "...Social Security and Medicare are now on the chopping block."

....complete and utter betrayal of Democratic Party ideals and of the people who elected him in good faith....disgusting

[Swede Atlanta]

282. Obama is weak...........

Yes, he has accomplished some good things like the HCR bill, advancements for GLBT, etc. but when it comes to the budget and things that hit people directly in their pocketbooks he is a light-weight. If he caves on SS and/or Medicare he can count on me sitting out the 2012 Presidential election while I determine which other 3rd world country I want to live in.

[Name removed]

288. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[somone]

297. WTF

[Divine Discontent]

291. cumulative rec #300

for truth... I cannot believe more burden is being planned for the lower working class...

[Beacool]

295. What's breaking about it?

He always caves. The surprise would be if he actually fought for anything. That is, anything that doesn't personally involve him.

[MrMickeysMom]

299. Maybe we need to re-think the name of this discussion board

to Democratic Way Fucking Underground to China?

How much more can the party be buried?

[personman]

300. WTF did I even vote for? I should have stayed home and masturbated like Carlin. nt

[madamesilverspurs]

302. Laughing his ass off at us here at DU.

Frank Luntz, that is. Look how many times he's gotten DUers to use "cave" when referring to Obama.

Hook, line, sinker.

Pafuckingthetic.


-

[personman]

303. You're right, he didn't cave. He never stood up in the first place.

Uncle Tom WANTS YOU!... to want very little.

[Supply Side Jesus]

305. PRIMARY PRIMARY PRIMARY PRIMARY!!!!

[Inuca]

327. Wake up! Wake up! Wake Up! n'/t

[Supply Side Jesus]

378. indeed, wake up

[BrightKnight]

311. Either he is governing like a spineless cave-man or he isn't

working for the people that elected him.

[Tx4obama]

312. Unred. Time to stop listening to the FALSE info being pushed by the media. n/t

[shireen]

315. what? more multi-dimensional chess?

I'm losing track of the dimensions.

Politics keeps pushing the insanity envelope.

[BrightKnight]

376. Perhaps he is framing the debate? He needs to learn to keep it simple. - n/t

[WVRICK13]

322. I Am So Disappointed

I don't know why. Usually disappointment is because the unexpected happened. What was unexpected about Obama caving? I campaigned, volunteered, donated and worked for Obama. It is a shame to say but 2012 will be the first election I will not vote in since I turned 18. I just can't.

[INdemo]

323. Progressives can win in 2012 and we need to primary Obama

because either way he just became a 1 term President..In fact he should never have become President because he was way out of his league..

[INdemo]

324. Obama will probably go after unions next

He has two more years, plenty of time to finish destroying everything it took Democrats 75 years to build.

[INdemo]

325. I remember a speech Obama gave about two months ago

when he promised "As long as I am President Soc Security will not be cut"
This guy is worse than George W..Bush

[EFerrari]

352. Talked to any teachers lately? n/t

[Name removed]

328. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LoisB]

329. Obama caves???

WOW!!! This is news??? This president is the wimp-in-chief. He's not caving; he's doing exactly what he wants - he is a Republican after all.

[certainot]

331. left can't blame obama until they get his back

many of us can and have done many things we could call getting obama's back but for 20 years, since reagan killed the fairness doctrine, there has been NO organized effort by the collective left to mount any challenge to the right wing radio monopoly that takes pot shots at their reps all day.

while the left complains about obama's balls and spine, the right gets its balls from limbaugh, and the radio monopoly. and for those who would argue why would they get his back, if he spits on them, i would say again, the collective left that pledged to get his back never did in respect to teh right's most important weapon.

and all because there is NO mainstream liberal organization or dem effort doing anything to monitor the radio as it has been creating this alternate reality and intimidating media and politicians, or doing ANYTHING to get in their face and end their free speech free ride. occasional quotes of limbaugh's racism or lies don't count.

democracy and free speech can't last if the corporations and billionaires can create think tanks that can coordinate and feed a lineup of professional lying blowhards and give them a guaranteed free speech free ride on 1000 radio stations protected by call screeners and paid callers, reaching 50 mil a week.

those limbaugh megastations are the political power centers in this country , from which made-to-order national constituencies (called dittohead teabbaggers) can be created in days and weeks to stop or push anything the think tanks want. they will continue to take the US to the edge of fascism until the left starts picketing them and shaming their local sponsors, including the universities that endorse them by broadcasting sports on those stations.

the GOP HAS to take it to the edge because limbaugh and hannity have been telling tens of millions there is no problem not raising the debt ceiling and the GOP pols know if they don't go along they will be named. and they are also emboldened by the fact that if there is a meltdown the loudest voices in the country will still be their paid blowhards, lying and inciting and blaming and distorting and deflecting and excusing with no worries of being challenged by the left, who know nothing of what is happening outside of TV and print.

obama's opponent in this is team limbaugh and the GOP teabaggers and its media they have educated and enabled, and he can sit in his easy chair and say anything he wants while the left plugs in their iPods and blogs about obama's corporatist balls.

there IS a possibility of default if the ignorant GOP limbaugh dittohead base has it's way, that is the pressure on much of the GOP, and obama has and avoid that possibility and maybe give the idiot fucking republicans something to save face , even if the left is going to whine he has no balls while not getting his back where it counts the most.

[NorthCarolina]

333. "Obama caves"; at this point is that really considered "Breaking News" anymore? n/t

[blindpig]

335. This has been in the cards

Ponies for the ruling class.

[slipslidingaway]

341. Just curious as to why this remains at the top of the greatest page after 27 + hours. n/t

[Name removed]

342. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[olegramps]

343. We waited knowing the our Chess Champ would prevail:

He would protect us and get effective financial reforms. He would get us comprehensive medical care and fairly priced pharmaceuticals. He wouldn't support anymore of those treaties that resulted in massive out-sourcing of jobs. He was going to rescind the rip off taxes breaks for the wealthy. Rather than rescinding the tax breaks for the wealthy he agreed to lowering the inheritance taxes so the wealthy could keep more of the money that they stole from the working class. He really came through in protection of union workers by applauding the firing or every everyone of the teachers at a school without cause. Now he is going to protect Social Security and Medicare...

What is it about fool me once...

[Harriety]

344. not necessarily

[L0oniX]

345. No link = epic fail

[go west young man]

349. Damn how annoying. I, like many others here, was right again.

We need to change the name of the White House to "The Cave".

[awoke_in_2003]

368. too late to rec...

but here's a kick.