The Art of Negotiation: It's simple. Let's give the GOP another TRILLION and then maybe

[BigBearJohn]

they will leave Social Security and Medicare alone; then --

Let's give 'em ANOTHER TRILLION and maybe they will bring back some minimum wage jobs to this country; then --

Let's give 'em ANOTHER TRILLION and they might even allow GAYS to MARRY!; then --

Let's give 'em ANOTHER TRILLION and maybe they'll let us keep the Democratic president in office for another 4 years; then --

Let's give 'em ANOTHER TRILLION and maybe they'll give us back our right to PRIVACY; then --

And let's keep giving more and more TRILLIONS until eventually they finally give us back our COUNTRY; even though by that time there won't be much left to give back!

---

I have to laugh when Lindsay Graham says the Democrats "ate their lunch" -- with a trillion dollar price tag, Graham is probably
crying all the way to the bank!

Wasn't it the Dutch West India Company who approached a group of Indians on Manhattan and traded Manhattan for some beads, cloth, and trinkets worth about 60 Dutch guilders, or about $24? Makes me wonder if we are descendants of the same tribe.

Then again, maybe I should be more thankful -- more grateful -- shouldn't we all be more appreciative for the few crumpets the GOP and rich cats deem suitable for us? At least we are ALIVE.
Gee, ain't life grand?

Isn't this the same way a PROTECTION RACKET works? Pay up or you will suffer BIG TIME. So, people pay up.

Oh well, I'll just shut up and eat my porridge.

"PLEASE SIR, MAY I HAVE SOME MORE?"

[Laelth]

1. I understand that compromise is often necessary in politics.

Like you, I would like to see Obama get a lot more in exchange for what he gives away.

-Laelth

[dkf]

2. Or we could let the unemployed go without and raise taxes on everyone.

[democracy1st]

3. Any democrat talking about cutting taxes,has totally bought into the RW meme!

[sendero]

5. Exactly..

.. just how have those tax cuts for the last 8 years worked out? Where are all of the jobs? Where's the trickle?

Supply side economics might have made a tiny bit of sense in 1980, but not by 1990. At this point to continue with supply-side policies and expect them to actually help the economy isn't stupid, its disingenuous.

EVERYBODY knows that tax cuts aren't going to do JACK SHIT so why are we even talking about them?

[dkf]

6. They aren't creating jobs, but they are keeping some people afloat.

[democracy1st]

8. whats keeping people afloat is SS,medicair etc,and tax cuts are the direct antithesis of social prog

[dkf]

13. SS and medicare don't help support the working age population or their families.

The Population who benefits from the tax cuts are the people who aren't eligible for those programs. And the problem is that people who are employed are stretched thin. Tax policy is the only way to help these folks.

Which doesn't say much for the health of our country in the long run. Eventually these people will be cut off from these funds.

[Cresent City Kid]

10. The only sense trickle down made in the 80's

was that it sounded reasonable in theory, and hadn't yet been proven false by being put into practice. I agree that its implementation is disingenuous, by I think you overestimate the ability of "everybody" to figure this out. We live in a country where everyone can't agree on the age of the earth, or recent history when it comes to economic policy. Maybe everyone here, or everyone with common sense knows the score, but a large chunk of everyone falls for the deception.

[BigBearJohn]

4. If that's the best solution we can come up with, then we truly do get what we deserve.

Problem is, there will still be millions unemployed
and the GOP will still find other ways to tax us and
steal more money from us.

Whatever happened to the principle of "not negotiating with terrorists" --
and sure seems like the GOP is striking terror into the hearts of Americans.

[polmaven]

7. And just let DADT, START,

9/11 responders health bill, and and food safety acts die on the vine.....Who needed any of those things anyway? :shrug:

[democracy1st]

9. They were extremely important,just feel as those should have been addressed earlier

[polmaven]

11. I do not believe

they would have been successful earlier. I really think Republicans would have continued to block anything and everything important without the compromise.

[Go2Peace]

16. The Rich ultimately want those too. That is why when they got the tax bill

they went through.

The Darwinian Capitalists have gay members in their families too. There will be progressive legislation in the new world of survival of the fittest. Thing is, how many will prosper,and how many will suffer?

[frylock]

12. the 99ers are going without

[Go2Peace]

15. That's bullshit. It would have passed alone if we would have allowed

it. The Republicans made a great feint and we fell for it.

Like in Poker, underneath they had a lousy hand. And we are still falling for that argument, I guess because our own players want to save face. But it's simply bullshit.

[Go2Peace]

14. K&R. This is EXACTLY what happened.

[LawnLover]

17. It's simple: you have no idea what it takes to get laws passed

You're dealing with hundreds of people who all have different agendas, half of whom will not budge unless they get come concessions. Grow up. This is the way the world works. We may not like it, but it is what it is. And nothing will change until human nature changes.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. It's a meeting of the Capos to divide up the take.