You need to read this: from Matt Stoller

[edhopper]

Opinion: An excuse for slashing entitlements

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=72684506-E406-4D40-9B9F-7B1846067E9A

"What’s really happening is an attempt by both parties to justify slashing Social Security and Medicare. Republicans have long wanted to roll back the New Deal. What is relatively new is that a Democratic president is now dead set on cutting these programs as well."

It is why so many of us are disappointed in Obama and the Dem Leadership.

[polichick]

1. The two parties are one in many ways that count, including fake wars and this.

[elocs]

2. Obama & the Democrats should be like Gandalf facing down a Republican balrog

making Social Security and Medicare a line they cannot pass or touch. But alas, that apparently is not the case. It clearly should be without it having to be questioned.

[kenny blankenship]

3. Disappointed is not really the word.

[sendero]

4. When Obama gets done..

.... he will have killed the ONE ISSUE that Democrats have been winning with for decades, their unwillingness to jack with SS.

It is going to do irreparable harm to the party as now the average inattentive American will see what many of us have seen for a while, when it comes to economic issues there is no practical difference between the parties.

Sure Obama bleats on and on about what he is going to do but never accomplishing it makes his words ring hollow.

[GeorgeGist]

5. The Grand Bargain ...

is the Final Solution? God I hate STUPID.

[DURHAM D]

6. I have resisted saying this regarding Obama but

he has done exactly what I thought he would do. I knew in 2007 he was not a democrat or liberal or progressive. I wanted to be wrong. I really hoped I was seeing him all wrong.

He has destroyed the Democratic party, but he did not do it without help from the party elites.

So many just liked his personality and could not hear his policy positions and more importantly, could not hear what he did not say. At the time I just thought he had no core values. Now I know he did but managed to hide them.

That said - I have no choice but to vote for him for re-election as the opposition is worse.

[Awsi Dooger]

7. Stoller was a petulant jackass at MyDD years ago

Beyond laughable what we would do when he was caught in an error or misrepresentation. He whined and whined, campaigning to get me banned when I pointed out his mistakes. Bowers overruled him.

Not going to read anything from that guy. I wouldn't have enough respect for him to get through it.

[edhopper]

8. So you disagree with the

quote I posted?

Or do you agree that the Dems should be attacking entitlements?

[Hotler]

9. Not a dimes bit of difference. n/t

[Hydra]

10. This part is important too:

In effect, there seems to have been a merger of both parties into a single force advocating for the interests of bondholders and the cutting of Medicare and Social Security. It’s why both Republicans and Democrats are now blaming each other for the downgrade — as though the downgrade were to be taken seriously.

I literally can't tell the difference now. We have a sitting Dem President BEGGING the Repubs to take his offering of Social Security/Medicare...but they would rather vote against it and sit piously as it destroys the country, just as they did with Romneycare.

How the hell did we end up here?

[WillyT]

11. Thank You !!! - K & R !!!

:kick:

:hi: