The President is now siding with Republicans on another Rrepublican issue

[INdemo]

Last edited Mon Jun 1, 2015, 10:04 AM - Edit history (1)

Reduction in Workman's Comp benefits.
Do you still believe this guy is a Democrat? I don't
I think Obama is actually pleased we now have both Houses controlled by Republicans.


President Obama’s administration, with support from House Republicans, is pushing reductions to workers’ compensation for federal employees — to the consternation of fellow Democrats and his union allies.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2015/05/31/obama-administration-clashes-with-friends-over-workers-comp/

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Why do some people think Obama's lying

When he says that he's basically a 1980's Republican?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014336360

[COLGATE4]

3. I for one take him at his word. nt

[Enthusiast]

90. Me too. But it's worse than that.

[bvar22]

116. It IS worse than that.

I think he was lying about being a "Moderate".

[Enthusiast]

119. Excellent point. He's out to prove his loyalty or something even more sinister.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. Maybe because he seems to be turning into

a post-Gingrich Republican?

[A Simple Game]

63. That's what I was thinking too. n/t

[Enthusiast]

94. He was engaged in a masquerade from the beginning.

I was fooled like everyone else. I think Obama is far worse than we will acknowledge.

I think he intentionally threw the 2010 mid-terms. He tried to take a dive in the debate against Romney to pass on a second term. Romney was just too bad so They® were forced to adopt a new plan.

No, Obama is up to his ears in it. He is not innocent in any way.


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[Jackpine Radical]

97. The dismay is spreading.

At this point, nothing about Obama should surprise us, but it’s worth noting that in 2008, as a presidential candidate, he said, “I voted against Cafta, never supported Nafta, and will not support Nafta-style trade agreements in the future.”

Once again, the REAL issue facing all of us is sitting, sadly, quietly and behind the curtain of our denial; climate change/global warming!...

All of which is making for some very odd alliances and demonstrating that “far right” and “far left” labels are increasingly useless. That’s because this is a struggle between transnational corporations and just about everyone else.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/22/opinion/obama-and-republicans-agree-on-the-trans-pacific-partnership-unfortunately.html?_r=0

Of course, some Republican opposition could be crafty positioning, so that when the TPP is found to cost jobs and endanger public health rather than create them and assure it, cynics could simply say, “I told you so.” But in this case Obama has asked for the bad publicity.

And although Hillary Clinton’s husband was the architect of this kind of policy, and she worked hard for the TPP while secretary of state, she’s now backing away from what may well be a losing proposition.

[Enthusiast]

98. More buy-partisanship.

[dreamnightwind]

104. That excerpt from the NY Times you posted nails it - eom

[lark]

107. Love the graphic

When Obama appointed Rubin and Geithner, I wondered what was going on. When he said no prosecutions for the BFEE regime, I became very dismayed. Then, when he put SS on the table with the catfood commission and appointed commissioners who were on the record as wanting to reform, i.e. gut, SS, I began asking have we been fooled, is Obama really the Trojan Horse prsident? Over time, with the increase in drones and privacy violations, I have become convinced that in reality, we gotten taken in by his elegant speeches.

[cui bono]

110. Absolutely. And I was excited to vote for him the first time.

And happy that he won. I didn't realize, as some did, that he was corporate at the time.

But after all these conservative policies and appointments and shunning the base, I had it with him.

[marym625]

123. FISA vote 2007.

Bailout 2008. Turned back on OWS.

We had hope, finally. We were intentionally blind. But it's worse than I ever imagined

Now, with this, we will still see people defend him. Sadly

[Paka]

131. Big Time.

Betrayal one after the other! I was so duped in 2008. Not so much by 2012.

[lark]

166. By 2012, I knew I was voting for the least objectionable candidate.

I wasn't voting for hope or change or transparency, because I had already learned that those didn't exist in reality.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

145. Don't forget public option or single-payer. nt

[salib]

140. Ok, I will say it.

I NEVER trusted him. I always thought he was a tool, at best.

However, even knowing that then, I worked my butt off for him and would do so again if he has the Dem nomination. The alternative is much worse.

Now,having said that, this is why the primary is sooooo important. We have GOT to put someone up there we can truly vote for. If we again fail, we will again be working our butts off for someone we are not really sure of.

Let's do better.

[Jackpine Radical]

198. Time is running out. Change will come.

It will either be somewhat under our control, or it will be a collapse into chaos. Any candidate who does not advocate for rapid change across the full spectrum of environmental issues, civil & social rights issues and economic issues is nothing but a kinder & gentler captain on a rapidly sinking ship.

[appalachiablue]

202. That pseudo Debate almost gave me a stroke. The email I sent to the DNC still burns.

I can see some of the things you say, unfortunately.

[bvar22]

117. His cheering squad promised that we would see the "REAL" Obama after the mid-terms.

Welcome to the REAL Obama, SUCKERS!

New Book:
The Audacity of Scamming Millions

--excerpt: "As soon as I saw George Bush sell the Iraqi War to America,
I KNEW that Americans would BUY anything.
I sold them Hope & Change,
neither one costs the RICH a single penny, but for some reason, hard working Americans will BUY this shit.

[markpkessinger]

142. Indeed they did -- and indeed we have! n/t

[bread_and_roses]

165. Nailed it, bvar

It is so devastating - still! even after all these years! - to feel so utterly betrayed when after an entire adulthood of political cynicism one actually believed in a candidate ...... only to have him days after election (2008) appoint Wall Street vampires and misogynists and third-way sell-outs like Rahm ... and know you were fooled again.

[Puzzledtraveller]

197. Isn't this just neoliberalism?

That may be why it's at times indistinguishable from it's neoconservative counterpart. The corparatism binds them together.

[djean111]

7. I dunno - he said it, but people evidently think he was lying. Why do they think Obama is a liar?

So sad.

[valerief]

13. They want to believe their faith in him wasn't unjustified. They don't want to be wrong. nt

[Freelancer]

106. Because he's a politician - NT

[appalachiablue]

203. Didn't want to believe it, like when told by your sig other that they weren't w/ someone else.

Denial is easier, short term. A common analogy but most people are really fairly basic. Heard every sincere rationale in the book to cover and explain his actions. If it walks like a duck. How disappointing for many.

[PatrynXX]

29. I didn't vote for him because he was an extreme liberal let alone liberal

I voted for him to get things done. Which Bush couldn't do even with a Republican congress. course mind you Reagan had a democratic congress the entire time he was in office. Do I agree with what hes doing? no. now that we got the bad stuff out of the way time to get back to being Liberal (Bernie ) Hillary is to his right mostly on oil and big companies.

[MannyGoldstein]

31. I think that Bush got a lot done

Deep tax cuts, lunatic wars, etc.

[still_one]

35. Unfortunately you are right Manny, bush was a very effective President, with an

awful agenda

[Jackpine Radical]

41. Bush?

[still_one]

64. Bush and the other criminals in his administration. Nice pic

[Enthusiast]

91. Precisely.

[bvar22]

121. Bush "never had 60 votes in the Senate" either, and got almost everything he wanted.

Some are more effective than others.

[still_one]

143. No question about it, there were democrats who were too willing to vote with the republicans

[Art_from_Ark]

39. Those first few months were really horrendous

It was all documented here-- one outrageous act after another, with nothing to stop the juggernaut.

[Jackpine Radical]

66. Remember when some rich contributors got to run a submarine

& sank a Japanese fishing boat by surfacing under it?

[Art_from_Ark]

71. The Ehime Maru incident

That incident cost the then Japanese prime minister his job, because he was too busy playing golf to be bothered by the news

[A Simple Game]

67. He got almost everything he wanted except for privatizing Social Security.

He was a great President, for some, not many.

[roguevalley]

85. his term is nearly over and he's structuring his post presidential

income stream.

[AllTooEasy]

95. BULLSHIT POSTS ALL AROUND! Let's do the math

As stated by the article, the compensation is "tax-free". Incomes $36K to $89K pay %25 federal taxes. Every Federal worker above grade E7(which is practically EVERY Federal worker) makes atleast $36K. So let's do the math and cut the anti-Obama political crap:

Work, and you get %100 salary - %25 Federal Tax = %75 post Fed-tax salary. I haven't subtracted state income taxes yet, (which are high in DC, MD, and VA) or subtracted local income taxes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_income_tax#/media/File:19237_TaxFoundation_v2.gif

I also haven't taken into account the Fed workers who are in higher tax brackets: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/taxes/tax-brackets.aspx

So let's see: %75 tax-exempt salary guaranteed(for no work) vs. %75 (very unlikely max) for working long Fed gov't hours. That sounds right to you?! How is that fair to us non-Federal workers, or the Fed workers who are working? Even Obama's proposed %70 still puts the injury compensated worker financially ahead or his/her working counterpart...but he's a Republican for that?

As stated by the article, Obama's(Labor Dept's) plan will also increase the compensation rate from %66 to %70 for injured workers without dependents. These workers are most likely the youngest workers, and therefore have the lowest salaries. Obama gets labelled a Republican for that?! C'mon!

[SkyDaddy7]

122. Careful with facts...

folks here on DU don't take kindly to them when they're on the warpath! LOL!

Welcome to DU...If you're new. If not, hello anyway!

[Number23]

124. Why present a different opinion to people who are DETERMINED to hear "truth be told, my policies are

so mainstream that in the 80s, I'd be considered a moderate Republican" as "I IS A MODERATE REPUBLICAN. RECOGNIZE, y'all!!"

Every time I see someone here spout that bullshit, every single thing they say afterwards is just noise. And that's putting it nicely.

[Ed Suspicious]

126. He said it! The President himself!

[Number23]

128. RECOGNIZE!!!1 Because "I'd be CONSIDERED a moderate Republican" presumably by the confused masses

is the EXACT SAME THING as saying "I'm all in! Recognize!!! I AM a moderate 1980s Republican and I'm damn proud of it!"

Yeah, baby!

[Ed Suspicious]

132. "I'd be CONSIDERED a moderate Republican"

Exactly. In the 80's he'd have been a moderate republican. Today he's a commie pinko leftist whose policies are in line with moderate, right of center republicans from the 1980s. What are you arguing?

[Number23]

146. Being CONSIDERED something by others is in no way shape or form even CLOSE to saying "I am

something" by people who are honest and have a strong command of the English language.

I don't even know what the point of this conversation is or why you jumped into it. If you guys want to continue to spread the lie that Obama said he was a moderate Republican, knock yourselves out.

[bvar22]

135. I've always known that about you.

(text deleted)

[Number23]

147. You could have deleted that whole post. Because whatever you feel you "know" about me

is something I truly could not give less than a fat, flying fart about and don't even care enough to ask what you're crying about. PLEASE believe that.

[bvar22]

168. I was just validating what YOU said.

If I had wanted to delete the whole post, I would have.
You should seen the part I did delete.
PLEASE believe that.

[Number23]

171. "This post has been edited 0 times."

I am laughing so hard at your pretending to have edited something when the DU code says you haven't actually edited a thing.

I see you have as strong a grasp of technology as you do honesty. Why you feel the need to chase after people with this needless, time wasting stupidity is something only you will know or ever care about.

[bvar22]

173. You have never edited a post before pressing the "post my reply" button?

You should.

You should also NOT post falsehoods to DU, which you just did in the above post.
My bet is that most members edit their posts before pressing the "post my reply" button,
except a handful, but they are easy to spot.

[Number23]

174. Then you didn't actually delete anything, did you? If you never posted it

And you could have posted whatever you erased, underlined it, and put it in 48 point maroon font that flashes every five seconds and I still wouldn't give the first damn about your opinion about anything and especially what you think you "know" about me.

Is there any way I could make that point any clearer to you?

[bvar22]

130. In the 80s, I FOUGHT against Moderate Republicans...

...because I despised their business friendly policies and their hate for Organized LABOR.

NOW, the Democrats are asking me to vote for the same shit I fought in the 80s.
I think not.

[Ed Suspicious]

133. Yes.

[nikto]

156. Me, too ---- Fuck, yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!

[salib]

137. Interesting that "the facts" are a crappy value judgement.

I.e., you ask "how is that fair to us non-federal workers, or the Fed workers who are working?"

Yeah, yeah, yeah. The ultimate right-wing talking point. Set us against each other. Blame those who have been injured and are trying to recover or simply survive unable to work.

Yeah. How is it fair exactly that when you are injured, can no longer get a job like you had in the Govt, and yet still have to make ends meet, you are then told it is unfair for you to be taken care if?

Seriously. Playing workers of against each other. tThat is lower than low.

It is just all too easy, huh?

[Scootaloo]

176. +1

[treestar]

183. comparing the universe of injured workers

why do one set have better expectations? Why is that OK? It is easier to be an injured federal worker than a nonfederal one. Naturally the injured nonfederal workers won't like that.

[salib]

200. Precisely why we should have basic rights on these types of benefits that work across all occupation

In the meantime, it is certainly not helpful to point at other workers who happen to have negotiated or held on to what little they have and say "they got more and I hate that".

It is what the right-wing wants us to do. Fight against ourselves and race to the bottom.

Very bad idea.

I am surprised treestar that you would even light tread down that path.

[cheapdate]

151. Thank you.

For crying out loud. In 2010 Obama went to the mat with Republicans over extending unemployment benefits -- at a time when those benefits were the only income for literally millions of American households who lost jobs in the Great Recession. But who gives a shit? What have you done for me lately?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

161. We don't need to do the math, the people pushing this already did.

He estimated the savings of the labor Department’s proposals would be $360 million over a 10-year period.

How do you 'save' money on salaries? By not paying people. Like it or not, that's 36 million a year being shaved from folks' salaries. Yes, some folks will end up with more, but others with less. And overall, the 'less' is more than the 'more', to the tune of $36 million a year.

[treestar]

182. lol it's funny how many of these outrages have been

invented. Only to have them debunked. They think no one will look into it.

[villager]

109. He's clearly been a "Rockefeller Republican" since his first raft of cabinet appointments

...was announced.

I would like to see what an actual Democrat back in the White House might be capable of.

[Octafish]

114. We need him to be a 1930s style Democrat.

Molded for the times, like JFK's New Frontier: Peaceful and prosperous exploration of outer space, develop and colonize new places for all the good reasons.

[bvar22]

115. Well, he never admitted that until about 6 years into his term,

but I had suspicions when he shot his bird finger to The Left and did this:

[font size=5]
The DLC New Team
Liberals Need NOT Apply
[/font]
(Screen Capped from the DLC Website)

[ladyVet]

129. Yeah, that pretty much told me what was up.

I voted for him the first time because I thought he was someone he wasn't. The second time, I was just going along to get along. I said a few years back that Obama was a Republican at heart, and sadly, I was right.

Now, I'm in no mood for Hilary or any other candidate other than Bernie Sanders. I'm voting with my heart and my conscience. No more holding my nose.

[newfie11]

159. Same here! Nt

[SkyDaddy7]

120. Even FDR had a gut wrenching political side...

FDR abandoned share croppers, sided with land owners over & over, refused to help with anti-lynching legislation, sent Jews back to Europe, etc., FDR, Kennedy, Johnson, Obama all done things that make me want to scream but these men have done a lot of good as well...Far more good than bad.

I guess I am different from many here on DU as I knew I would not agree with everything Obama would do & I would understand some things he would do I would hate but there would be political reasoning behind it...Overall I still would rather had him than Hillary.

I will vote for Bernie as long as he is in the race & if he somehow pulls an upset & becomes POTUS I know he will end up doing things he said he would not & he will do things I disagree with but I am sure I will be happy with him overall. It is called politics for a reason.

[mountain grammy]

149. Well said.

The real world's a bitch.

[sabrina 1]

154. I believe him! n/t

[n2doc]

2. Well I am sure someone will come along to tell us how this is awesome

Or that it is all a lie.

[IDemo]

5. We need to bring workman's comp benefits in line with Malaysia

There ya' go.

[Jesus Malverde]

23. DUZY

Tea party word Salad is missing.

[daleanime]

68. 'Tea party word Salad' keeping your mouth busy.....

while your stomach, and head, are empty.

[CountAllVotes]

38. +1,000 !!!

n/t

[A Simple Game]

69. Free burial when your usefulness is done. What more could you ask for. n/t

[Freelancer]

108. Welcome to Earth, kid -- here's your shovel -- NT

[red dog 1]

111. "Left wing, right wing, chicken wing."..........Woody Guthrie

Is Obama right wing or chicken wing....or both?

(We know he isn't "left wing&quot

[treestar]

186. Post 95 shows why it is another BS outrage.

Only the gazillionth one of DU for the last 7 years.

[HassleCat]

4. Increase for some

For employees without dependents, the compensation rate would go up. It would drop 5 percent for employees who have dependents, and that group is the big majority. Anyway, they should institute one rate for everybody, but it should be 75 percent.

[jwirr]

19. Family values? sarcasm.

[HassleCat]

25. I'm foggy today

I wasn't very clear. There should not be one rate for a worker with family, and a different rate for others. All workers should get 75 percent. That way, nobody loses. This proposal, evidently supported by the president, will effectively lower the overall compensation rate because workers with dependents get a 5 percent cut, and they constitute such a large group they will pull down the overall average.

[jwirr]

32. My post was directed more in agreement with you than against. Sorry.

[zeemike]

75. That's bass ackwards...cut the ones in most need?

But I guess they figure that the rest of the family can go to work the lazy bastards.

[bettyellen]

70. How much will it raise compensation for singles? Thx

[grahamhgreen]

118. What's a CEO's rate?

[Ed Suspicious]

127. You can't divide with that tactic.

[salib]

141. According to the article it is going to "save Uncle Sam some money"

And this is not so-called "efficiency". Hence, it is a cut.

[Scuba]

8. Hey, he's the most progressive President, ever. Read it right here on DU.

[DrDan]

77. also declared the greatest president ever . . within the first week or so of his first inauguration

my favorite post, however . . . "I not only love my President, I am in love with him"

not sure this is the most objective site for presidential ratings

[Maedhros]

86. Hero Worship is a helluva drug. [n/t]

[earthside]

9. The first two years of a Hillary presidency ...

... are the last two years of Obama's.

The establishment Democrats are moving right and corporate.

It is a plain as the nose on your face.

[L0oniX]

16. I'm sure he's thinking "What would Hillary do".

[donf]

36. He doesn't have to -

they're cut from the same political cloth.

[Cerridwen]

10. Direct link to the statement by Director of Office of Workers' Compensation Programs

STATEMENT OF LEONARD J. HOWIE, III DIRECTOR,
OFFICE OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION PROGRAMS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON WORKFORCE PROTECTIONS
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
AND THE WORKFORCE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 20, 2015

<snip>

Since FECA has not been significantly amended in over 40 years, there are areas where the
statute could be improved. Thus, we have developed a number of proposals to reform and
maintain FECA as the model workers’ compensation program, while producing potential cost
savings of more than $360 million over a 10-year period on a government-wide basis.
After briefly discussing the current status of the FECA program, I am pleased to outline possible
changes to the statute for consideration.

The proposals are based on the results of internal studies, recommendations by
the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the DOL Inspector General, as well as discussions with the
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and other partner and stakeholder organizations over the past 30 years.
Over the past few years, we have shared these proposed changes with staff of
this and other Congressional committees and various outside parties, such as representatives of
Federal employee unions and members of the disability community.

<snip to that's all of the .pdf I'm going to try to freaking format>

[malthaussen]

11. You know, that word "stakeholder."

I'm seeing it a lot these days. Silly me, I always thought the stakeholder was the guy who held the money in a bet...

-- Mal

[Cerridwen]

12. In my experience, it's been used for a couple of decades, especially by gov't and non-profits.

In my experience, it's been used for a couple of decades (longer?), especially by government and non-profits who don't have ~shareholders~ and so have used ~stakeholder~.

I'm born and grew up in Vegas and I never thought of it as "the guy who held the money in a bet." Of course, in Vegas, "the guy who held the money in a bet" is known as "the House." Different perspectives.

[A Simple Game]

74. Shareholders are also stakeholders. Anyone or any entity that can or is affected by the

organization is a stakeholder. That includes but is not limited to the owners and/or shareholders, workers, suppliers, customers, community, and governments.

[Cerridwen]

78. Yes. I was replying to someone who thought it referred (solely?) to gambling.

Yes. I was replying to someone who thought it referred (solely? hard to tell from context) to gambling.

It's why I said "in my experience." It's where I first encountered its use. As with many words, its meaning when used depends on the context, message, tone, etc. Just as with all reading of "texts."

[valerief]

14. It's a commonly used corporatese word. People affected by the

results of a project are stakeholders. We used it all the time in our project planning Powerpoints.

I just did a search and even found this on Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stakeholder_%28corporate%29

[Fumesucker]

17. You could say the inhabitants of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were stakeholders in the Manhattan Project

[Cerridwen]

26. Well, you "could," but I'd be inclined to think you were using hyperbole.

Well, you "could," but I'd be inclined to think you were using hyperbole.

Hyperbole works well to get people's attention or to create controversy. It's a bit less effective if you're trying to have a discussion.

[Fumesucker]

157. I was just going by the definition in the post I responded to

In my view the inhabitants of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were very much effected by the Manhattan Project, about as much as anyone else on the planet.

[raouldukelives]

55. Yep. Or as I watch my natural world die. As fresh water dries up and the climate shifts

I can be assured I am a stakeholder in it. Even though I was never a shareholder in it.

[Bluenorthwest]

27. In business theory, 'stakeholder' is a word we encourage as opposed to 'shareholder'

"Shareholders include those individuals and entities who own a share in a corporation. Stakeholders include all individuals and entities, including shareholders, who are affected by the activities of the organization. Stakeholders include employees, vendors, customers and the community at large."

Stakeholder theory means the neighborhood and workers have a stake in a business even if they own no share of the business.

[jwirr]

21. They have studied this ..... over the last 30 years. Post raygun.

[Jesus Malverde]

24. 360 million?

That's like the f-35s gas bill for a month.

[Cerridwen]

28. Perhaps the US military needs to do it's own "30 years" worth of

Perhaps the US military needs to do it's own "30 years" worth of investigation, study, and working with "stakeholders."

[sorefeet]

15. Workers comp is a rip off

at least in Montana. Just another private insurance company. The employer only needs minimum coverage, like a cheap liability on a car. The Montana State Fund (private company) fights tooth and nail to deny a claim. Called me a nuisance claim. Even though my career was over and I haven't worked since. If it wasn't for SSDI I would have eaten a bullet a long time ago. Maybe that's what they want.

[StarzGuy]

105. I feel your pain...

...I too can no longer work (as a federal employee teacher on the reservation) due to illnesses so I retired and didn't even bother to apply for workers comp because it wouldn't get approved as it would be very difficult to claim it was work related. Try teaching in the middle of no where, where the kids can barely read nor write (sorry, I taught high school geology and astronomy), as a white person being denied even the basic of healthcare, i.e. a flu shot because I'm white, having to drive 120 miles one way to get seen by a doctor, constant sand storms (like in 3rd world middle east countries), etc. And, tell me that stress this causes along with acquiring carpal tunnel (had to have surgery) and small fiber peripheral neuropathy in both feet (no cure), that these conditions were NOT the result of working in such a hell hole for 7 years.

[turbinetree]

18. Just gotta ask

when they (legislatures) take off this year and will only be in session a total of 139 days, why aren't they having a reduction in there compensation to days worked.

I mean they are making $174,000 a year, $14,500 a month.

While on average a federal worker has no social security benefits to live off of. they get a percentage of what there salary is. And most on average make 50,000+ a year in salary, but when they retire there compensation is only around $20,000.
My father made $85,000 in his position and when he retired he got $25,000--------


I'm no right winger, but what's good for the proverbial goose is good for the gander.
They (legislature) get tenure, they get a retirement money out of the same folks pocket that they are trying to displaced.

This is just plain hypocrisy, its attack, attack the worker, at the state and federal level with a continuation at the private level-------------they really have no couth or scruples---------none

Because these folks are still there working a forty + hour work week, and I think over 50+ one voted for Obama in the last election

[CrispyQ]

48. They claim they are working with their constituency when they are not in DC.

You know, going to town hall meetings, getting to know the people they represent. Therefore, it is not vacation time. I think a good number of them are, instead, paling around with lobbyists & trying to set up as cush a deal as they can for themselves.

Yes, I am that cynical.

[turbinetree]

148. I agree

with your post and I also agree.
The system isn't broke its fixed, like Elizabeth and Bernie, Sherrod, Keith and the rets of the progressive say

[fasttense]

20. It's not just tweaks to a 30 year old program

“I am disappointed that the Department of Labor would come forward for the third time in the past five years with a proposal to cut benefits for injured workers that is not evidence-based, and whose justification has been completely debunked by the Government Accountability Office,” said Rep. Robert “Bobby” Scott (Va.), the top Democrat on the full committee. He finds it “incomprehensible that we are now considering” hits to feds “who have suffered a disabling work-related injury while doing their jobs in service to the American people.”

I've been on workman's comp and it was an up hill battle just to get them to pay for the medical costs of sewing my fingers back on. While still in finger splits they commanded me to return to work. So I asked them, "How could I lift 20 lb trays of chicken to slide into the oven when I could not use my right hand? How was I to operate the slicer that had NO guard and that cut off my fingers, when I couldn't use my right hand? How was I suppose to wash bottles and trays when I could Not put my hand in water?" None of that mattered, I had to go back to work with my fingers still in splints and not fully healed. I worked one week and quit. A year later I was back in surgery because my fingers had not healed properly. I threatened legal action when they refused to pay the medical bills. They eventually paid up. But NOT without a fight.

And here is what Obama and some RepubliCONS had to say about the current program.

"Like the Obama administration, Rep. Tim Walberg (Mich.), the Republican chairman of a House Education and the Workforce subcommittee, cited “concerns” that workers’ comp benefits “are too generous and can discourage an employee’s return to work.”"

Really too generous? When they give you barely a week to recover from amputated fingers?

[malthaussen]

30. They're just confused.

They're thinking about Congressional compensation.

-- Mal

[Fred Sanders]

22. More nonsense and ad hominem attacks, this time in the title, this time on President Obama? Clinton attacks got too boring??

Congratulations to some on DU for driving all the RW traffic here along with the thoughts.

Obama has taken a principled approach to ALL issues. If one disagrees, even on one issue, with the anti-Obama/Warren/Sanders Armed Camp, then of course it means that one must be burned at the stake as a heretic, and twice-elected President Obama is the example??....sad and laughable as I thought there were better thinkers at DU.....am I wrong?

At least the O'Malley supporters see no need to lift their candidate by stomping on the others.

[olddots]

33. I'm actually agreeing with Fred Sanders on this

it hurts me deeply and I hope I won't regret it but for now I agree .

[SCantiGOP]

37. I agree with him also

[cali]

34. your extreme partisanship for this president

is a blinding force. And as YOU are not even a U.S. citizen and don't even live in this county, I find it more than a little bizarre and bordering on creepy.

[Hoyt]

152. I think it's good when "foreigners" like our Prez.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

162. Why do you need double quotes

around foreigners if indeed the person in question is a non-citizen who lives abroad?

Isn't that essentially the dictionary definition of a foreigner?

[treestar]

185. yes and they can be more informed than a lot of Americans

on our politics. I always consider that one a cheap shot.

[treestar]

184. really? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black

how is agreeing with the President any wronger or "creepy" the finding him wrong almost all the time?

[JEB]

43. I thought the discussion revolved around

the proposed cuts to workers comp.

[Cha]

45. Too bad the previous poster finds it "creepy" that "you aren't a citizen". We have posters from

all over the world here. But, I don't see anyone complaining when someone from another country is always bashing on President Obama. I know I don't call them out for not being an American Citizen. We're a whole Planet board.. whether they know it or not.

Their continual ignorance of saying the President is not a Democrat says more about them than anything about Obama.

[Fred Sanders]

49. Previous Poster must be one of 38 on my Full IGNORE list....ignorance of ignorance is bliss.

[Cha]

50. Very wise.

[Andy823]

54. Exactly Cha

For some here it's their only goal in live, to paint the president as being "terrible".

[Cha]

60. I tell ya one thing, Andy.. whomever wins the Dem Nom will want the Obama Coalition.. they

will want that "not a Dem&quot lol) to be campaigning with them and for them.

And, the accusers won't be having much fun then.

"A Tidal Wave Of Good News In Iowa: Hillary Clinton Soaring and Obama Beloved by Democrats"

snip//

Starting off with asking likely Democratic caucus-goers to rate their feelings from very favorable, mostly favorable, mostly unfavorable, or very unfavorable about prominent Democrats, President Obama topped the list of 89% favorable to 9% unfavorable.

http://www.politicususa.com/2015/06/01/good-news-poll-obama-beloved-iowa-dems-hillary-clinton-soaring.html

[sheshe2]

93. Tidal Wave!!!!!!

Great poll Cha.

Thank you so much for posting.

[cali]

113. having fun with your broad brush?

[treestar]

187. The double standards

you are right Cha. If they are bashing on President Obama they are golden and that's not "creepy" at all.

IMO it is creepier to be so incessantly negative.

[jeff47]

57. Tip: You should actually cite something when you claim the OP is wrong.

At least if you want to make a convincing argument.

The proposal is from the Labor Department to cut workman's comp. The Labor Department works for Obama. Any proposal from the Labor Department either goes by him, or goes by his legislative aides. So either Obama wasn't paying attention and his aides slipped something by him, or he approved the proposal.

Either way, Obama can kill this proposal right now. It's his Labor Department.

[arcane1]

79. The message is not that it's wrong, but that we're supposed to shut up and pretend to like it.

Not me.

[Broward]

72. RW traffic? Look in the mirror.

[arcane1]

73. Is the information in the OP incorrect?

Lots of emotion in your post but not really any contrary information.

[rhett o rick]

102. The President is joining the Republicons in cutting workers benefits. How is disagreeing with that

"nonsense and ad hominem attacks"? In fact doesn't your post meet the definition of an ad hominem attack by attacking "some on DU" ...." and not addressing the issue).

How can objecting to the president siding with the Right Wing be a Right Wing attack?

Looks like no one here that are strongly defending the President are showing why we should support the president's position.

[DiverDave]

158. I bet you never had to deal with a workplace injury

I have, and the ways they try to screw you are just despicable.
This IS a betrayal of workers. period.
And to say different is just as sickening
Try and pay your hospital bills that the insurance denies
Try and talk to them about a charge from the hospital A YEAR LATER
That was part of the procedure to fix the injury THEY
admitted was work related.
Oh, and the calls from collection agents for bills THEY should have paid.
It's a pleasure when things go to shit, just because you got hurt at work.
Yeah, this is just bashing...get a clue.

[Scootaloo]

178. Armed camp? Burned at the stake?

Also PLEASE learn what 'ad hominem' means. I know that on the internet some people think flinging the term is 'instant win" but it's not and they need to stop

[Fred Sanders]

191. For you and everyone on the Internet.

dictionary.reference.com/browse/ad+hominem

ad hominem [(ad hom-uh-nem, ad hom-uh-nuhm)] A Latin expression meaning “to the man.” An ad hominem argument is one that relies on personal attacks rather than reason or substance.

[Doctor_J]

192. right wingers are complaining about benefit cuts?

Link please

[groundloop]

40. I don't get how Dept. of Labor = Pres. Obama

So, the Department of Labor makes a proposal which most of us disagree with - all of a sudden that means that President Obama is an evil right winger?

Instead of bitching about how horrible Obama is (which he's not - remember all he's done to promote LGBT equality, civil rights, gender equality, etc. etc.)... why don't we email, write, and call the Department of Labor and tell them this proposal is wrong and that instead of cutting Workers Comp insurance they should strengthen it.

[Cha]

42. You are radically practical, groundloop. But, so much more fun for

the seethers to pronounce him "not a democrat".

Let them have their online ignorance.. means NOTHING.

[rhett o rick]

138. He is trying to say that Pres Obama isn't responsible for what the DoL does. Not really correct.

In fact here is an OP that says the DoJ wants to regulate guns and apparently the DoJ = Obama. Funny how that works.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141107595

I am disappointed that you didn't want to discuss the issue of a Democratic president cutting benefits for American workers. "Hey look over there it's the bad, bad Dept of Labor."

[INdemo]

44. I said "another Republican issue"

The TPP,the legislation that weakened the Dodd-Frank law,and now this Workman's Comp Issue.
It sure as hell not what we would expect from a Democrat.
Or just maybe some expect Democrats serving in Congress are just Corporatists or Republican lites and they have accepted that.
No..Obama's actions are not what we should expect from a Democrat and I think he is in 7th Heaven with a Republican controlled Congress.

[Fred Sanders]

46. Obama is overjoyed to the point of heavenly Rapture... with a Republican Congress??...you made me laugh!

[INdemo]

181. Check out the legislation that he has signed since Jan '15

all bills were Republican sponsored and were Republican issues.

He signed legislation giving banks more leeway to the already weal Dodd-Frank bill
And just how many Democrats are supporting his TPP agreement? All Republicans fell in line for this.

So yes I would say President Obama is very happy to have a Republican controlled Congress to work with.

[aggiesal]

96. You forgot Social Security Chained CPI ...

But I wouldn't say "... he is in 7th Heaven with a Republican controlled Congress. ..."

I do believe that he and Hillary are corporatist's.

[jeff47]

53. Who do you think the Department of Labor works for?

If Obama didn't want this proposal, he could have killed it. He still can kill it. It's his Labor Department.

[randome]

83. He has not in the past shown that he enjoys micro-managing all govt agencies.

So until he makes a public statement saying this is what he wants, this thread is full of rotten statements with no basis in fact.

Just as those accuse Obama of being 'overjoyed' to cut Worker's Comp, there are DUers who are 'overjoyed' to bash him at the slightest pretext, deserved or not.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.[/center][/font][hr]

[jeff47]

84. Again, his Labor Department. He's responsible.

If his Labor Department is doing something he doesn't want it to do, he can stop it at any time.

If he was surprised by this maneuver by the Labor Department, he can still stop it. He does not have to make a statement supporting it to show he supports it. All he has to do is not stop the Labor Department.

[Efilroft Sul]

92. So much for "The Buck Stops Here," eh?

Instead, President Obama is supposed to be Colonel Klink rather than Harry Truman.

"I know nothing!"

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

163. Sergeant Schultz was actually the one who constantly said 'I see nothing!' nt

[Efilroft Sul]

167. Ach! Schultz it is! No wonder I flunked German!

[treestar]

188. There are only 24 hours per day

There are many government agencies. Yes, he does have to let them do their thing to a large degree. When something comes to his attention (like what he did with immigration) then you find out how he thinks about it. It's too easy to comb through the things all government agencies are doing to find something like this.

Heck on DU I even see demands that the Justice Department stand down completely and never even defend the government's actions in court - which is its job. It should apparently agree with every single legal assertion of any defendant as to any legal issue or President Obama is deemed to agree with the "police state" or whatever it is they are saying is so terrible.

[arcane1]

80. You're in luck! The OP doesn't say "President Obama is an evil right winger" or anything close n/t

[rhett o rick]

103. Be glad to help. The Dept of Labor answers directly to the President. They wouldn't

go public with this if the president didn't approve.

This proposal is a low, underhanded piece of Republicon garbage and I am disappointed that the Obama Administration (includes the DoL) is joining the republicons on this.

[totodeinhere]

144. It's President Obama's Labor department. He appointed the Secretary of Labor.

His administration sets the Department of Labor's policies. As Harry Truman would say, "the buck stops here."

[Phlem]

47. Careful what you say

I suggested a long time ago Obama never wanted control of both houses, it would make his job harder, the beating I took here on DU.

Watch yer back.

[jamzrockz]

175. This

I think the whole thing is a big good cop vs bad cop routine. The democrats blame the republicans and the republicans blame the democrats and yet the keep pulling the country down. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, the military budgets go higher and higher and the wars never stop regardless of which party is in charge.

I am not even all that outrage with this particular story. Its just the govt trying to play with numbers to see what works. For me, my break with Obama came with the Libyan war, a war which some in the republican party condensed to Hillary Benghazi scandal instead of the administrations illegal war and support for radical jihadists who then plotted to do the same in Syria. The president not seriously bombing ISIS, not sanctioning the countries we all know support ISIS tells me all I need to know.

The older I get, the more cynical and disillusioned I get. I don't think anything will change even if Sanders wins the presidency. I have too noticed that he is too quick to blame the world on republicans even when the democrats share a sizable part in creating the mess we have today.

[Phlem]

177. Agreed.

I do believe the reason he's not badmouthing the Democratic party is because he's running for their nomination.

Don't want to fuck with the hand that feeds you, or in this case, starves you.

I don't think I'm that cynical but when you can call the play before they hike the ball then, for me, it's just glaringly obvious.

Bernie is an anomaly. Either he"s the most excellent liar I've ever heard utter a word, or he genuinely honest. There's no calculation for him either. It's just glaringly obvious.

It's the people who play musical chairs with the glaringly obvious that make's me dubious.

Any way, been watching it for a while. I remember when Obama gave his acceptance speech after winning the presidency, "I am a New Democrat".

Oh shit moment lasted but a millisecond and the Fu*K!, Fu*K!, Fu*K!, lasted his presidency.

What are ya gonna do.

Cheers bud.

[jamzrockz]

179. I don't for a second think

he is part of the game. There are people in Washington like Elizabeth Warren, Wayden, Franklin et al, who are not exactly in on it. But Bernie needs to realize this and call out the people in the party who are actively working for the 1% and hurting the poor. Call out things like asset forfeiture laws that the democrats are in charge off now, call out the silly war on drugs that again the dems are fighting real hard for, the defense budget the same thing too.

I am afraid if he is this soft with the party now, I fear he will be captured when he wins the nomination and will be absorbed into the machine.

[Phlem]

180. Maybe

But he was pretty firm w/ Katie Couric and very approachable.

His long records of "action" show that he supports workers and families and pretty much anyone in need. He's the opposite of the establishment right now and I have more fear that neither Dems or Ridiculous Republicans will cooperate.

He could be on his own but that doesn't seem like Bernie. I think he'll beat them over the head with their own fuck sticks and make them cry uncle. He's been doing this a while and if he's some wannabe, he'd be gone a long time ago. Only his success gets him here. He's on a role. I'm going to support him with all I can muster.

Right now I've got a lot of right wing friends on FB. It takes patience but the ideas seep through as long as it's not overwhelming. I'm working on flipping voters.

Wish me luck!

[azmom]

51. I read the article and I am deeply disapointed with President

Obama. This hurts the working class and it's just not right.

[Historic NY]

52. NY revised the way compensation is awarded and it was cut drastically...

since 2007 it goes a max of ten yrs depending on the type of disability .

[fredamae]

56. It's just that "Umpity Multiple Dimensional Chess"

many praise him for...but he must be losing the game because the GOP holds Great Dominance over our government...pretty much for the entirety of his two terms.

Go figure, huh?
Promised to don those walking shoes for unions/workers etc..but couldn't find those shoe-laces for Occupy? But, for the TPP he In it like I Wished he'd been "in it" over the Single-Payer, Sequester, Austerity, War, Wall Street, Bankers etc.

[Fred Sanders]

59. The Commoner's List of Obama-Whining is short, not to mention untrue, compared to the litany of achievements, no?

[LittleBlue]

58. He told us he is a moderate Republican from the Reagan era

And that's pretty much how he's acted

[neverforget]

61. I trust the President to do the right thing

and kill this proposal from the wayward Department of Labor. That Department must be infested with Republicans from the Bush Administration who burrowed in deep and are now proposing cuts.

[bvar22]

136. It is the President's job to weed out incompetents (all Republicans)..

..and replace them with people who believe in government.

Obama "forgot" to do this.

[Myrina]

62. ... and yet uneducated Tea Masses continue to call him a Marxist ...

as if.

[MisterP]

88. so ironically people who don't have all the time to burn on newsfeeds just assume

that if he's being attacked by the dregs of political discourse then he must be doing something right--in turn letting him do GOP policies that would've caused riots under president McCain

[MohRokTah]

65. It's good to see DU get off the bash Hillary binge...

and get back to it's true purpose of bashing Obama.

[Cha]

76. Thanks

[rhett o rick]

101. Anything substantial to say about the OP? Do you support the Republicon efforts to cut benefits

for Federal workers?

[zentrum]

81. Oh for God Sakes.

Not bashing her. Bashing her policies. Why on earth wouldn't we critique policy and record? Responding to the populist point of view is deeply Democratic and democratic.

Just because a person has the name of our team after her name is not the spirit of the Democratic party. The true roots of the party are truly pro-worker, pro-middle class, pro-regulation, and anti-Wall Street.

The HRC people, for the most, are acting only tribal. Besides, this vetting is what the primary process is for. Are the HRC-ers also against that? We should just crown her? Not ask about her Iraq vote? Where she stands on the TPP? NSA? Or to name an actual amount for minimum wage? What she will do about income disparity?

This is the time and the season to ask all those questions.

[arcane1]

82. Is the information in the OP false? n/t

[DisgustipatedinCA]

87. You won't get an answer, at least not a straight one.

Welcome to the new DU.

[Fred Sanders]

89. Yes, good thing 'progressives' are back to focusing on the no good evil-doer twice elected fellow in the WH!

The wall to wall Clinton-bashing, to fly "true progressive" colors being the intent I am guessing, that was just a passing fad?

[rhett o rick]

100. Do you have anything substantial to say about the OP? Do you support the President and the

Republicons efforts to cut American worker benefits?

[rhett o rick]

99. But how do you feel about this issue? How do you feel when Pres Obama sides with the Republicons?

And tries to cut benefits to American workers?

[bvar22]

169. No skin in the game,

why should he care?

[rhett o rick]

170. Anything but discussing actual issues. nm

[red dog 1]

112. K&R

[Skittles]

125. the real politican comes out when they no longer need votes

[tiredtoo]

134. And this is why we all have to get behind Bernie Sanders EOM

[Stinky The Clown]

139. I am not one bit surprised. I made him for a ConservaDem before he won the primaries.

He's no more liberal than the man in the moon. Never has been. Only Fox Nooz and his fan club think he's liberal.

[Puzzledtraveller]

195. I have been saying that too.

I think it's funny how the right think he's a socialists, or a communist. He is anything but. He is a very successful corporatist. Even on the social issues of the day he was late to come around on.

[glinda]

150. I lost faith in him since he opened the Arctic, gave away public lands for coal, etc.....

I really do not know who he is anymore but what I see I dislike immensly.

[JDPriestly]

153. I generally like Obama, but cutting back on Workman's Comp is barbaric.

[nikto]

155. Oh, no no no, it's just stereophonic, mega-digital, harmonic-converging 3-dimensional Chess

[Puzzledtraveller]

196. That's right, he's master of the rope a dope

and he will get them with his knockout uppercut in his last year in office, it' going to be epic, he's been saving that hook for years.

[nikto]

204. He's playing rope-a-dope ...

And We The people are the dopes!



Would you like some privatized public schools with your TPP, sir?
Oh, and we're having a special on drones today.
How about some Wall Street Bank$ter NON-Prosecutions for dessert?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

160. Why DIDN'T I rec this highly recced OP?

Because I believe the President is indeed squarely in that sector of the Democratic party that holds traditionally Republican views on things like the purpose of the economy, 'homeland security', the military industrial complex, and education. (Note that I say 'traditionally', because Republicans as a whole have gotten even goofier on all of those, trying to distance themselves from him.)

Like it or not, there is a large contingent of people who use the Democratic label who would have passed easily as Republicans 30 years ago, but now are 'Democrats'. 'Big Tent' winds up diluting your principles when you simply invite everyone in, without actually first convincing them to take up YOUR principles. Instead of more Democrats espousing Democratic values, you wind up with divides, and 'Democrats' who espouse Republican values.

[blackspade]

164. WTF!

[Blue_Tires]

172. You're trying too hard

Nice try, but not playing

[Doctor_J]

189. by agreeing with the republicans again, he's showing how radical they are, so people won't

vote for them! Either jujitsu or chess. Or both. And as a lame duck, he's releasing his liberalism. All of those.

[thesquanderer]

190. What bothers me most...

...isn't that he's acting on issues where there is strong Republican support, but rather that he doesn't extract anything from them in exchange. This is a moderate change, not something a liberal dem would want, but not so terrible... and I would be okay with it if it came with some other benefit where the Repubs had to give on something Dems actually want. It's like all the compromise comes from one direction, that's what I see as the real problem with this and some other recent issues.

[Doctor_J]

193. that's because he's one of them (republican). I think he just ran as a democrat to get elected

He'll change soon.

[Puzzledtraveller]

194. What does the BOG think of this?

[Doctor_J]

199. They think the wh Easter pictures are adorable

And that you should have voted for Willard Romney if you don't like it

[orpupilofnature57]

201. No aisle, No debate, No transparency, a

Political Society .

[JEB]

205. Fuckin' A, man. This sucks. eom