'Slash And Burn': Chuck Schumer Accuses Republicans Of Sabotaging The Economy To Hurt Obama

[onehandle]

Source: Huffington Post

WASHINGTON -- Republicans may be slowing the recovery on purpose to hurt President Obama's reelection chances in 2012, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer said in a speech on Thursday.

The speech made explicit a message Democrats have been hinting at for weeks: Republicans are hurting the recovery with their focus on spending cuts, and it may be an attempt to slow "down the recovery on purpose for political gain in 2012."

"Now it is becoming clear that insisting on a slash-and-burn approach may be part of this plan -- and it has a double-benefit for Republicans," Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. "It is ideologically tidy and it undermines the economic recovery, which they think only helps them in 2012."

As proof, Schumer referenced remarks by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who said last year his main aim was to make Obama a one-term president.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/30/slash-and-burn-chuck-schu_n_887648.html

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May be an attempt? It was clear a year and a half ago that this was their central game plan for 2012.

[msongs]

1. good for him. now if we can get obama to say that as well. act like he sticks up for himself nt

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

4. He can't, and you know very well why he can't. The media would destroy him for it.

And sadly, too many Americans are tired of the "blame game." They are hurting.

Obama needs his army--The Democratic Party--to have his back, not sit on the sidelines. He needs surrogates out there like Debbie Wasserman Schultz to be out there doing exactly what Schumer has done.

[JDPriestly]

15. What makes you think that Americans who are hurting are tired of the blame game.

To the contrary, I think that in this pre-election year, the Republicans are trying to focus the inevitable anger that we feel when we are hurt on the Democrats. And Obama is falling for that trick.

Obama needs to find ways to place the blame -- and focus the anger for our economic situation -- where it belongs -- on the Republicans.

Unless Obama fights back and rightfully blames the Republicans for crashing the economy and now refusing to help put it back together, not only will Americans' suffering increase, but he will lose the next election.

Only Democrats are scared of confrontation. Republicans do not run away from it.

Obama needs to stand by the American people and fight. That is what we need now -- a fighter for our economic well-being. Obama is too ready to give our last hope for economic survival away.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

19. I'll give you can example: My boss, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan,

recently appeared on Bill Maher's Show. When he was trying to explain how Bush/Republican policies got us into this mess, Bill interrupted him in mid-sentence and told him to stop blaming Bush.

You don't understand how this Corporate Media has parroted wingnut talking points. Any time a Democrat is interviewed and tries to explain how we got here, he/she is immediately cut off and asked to stop blaming Bush.

And, of course, the 2010 Elections demonstrated how Americans are loathed to revisit history and/or have short memories. They allowed the very people who were responsible for this economic mess to be reelected. That's how you know that Americans don't want to hear about the blame game.

While they may understand that Bush/Republican policies were mostly to blame, many have fallen prey to the meme that Obama "worsened" conditions with his policies, which is NOT true!!

People are misinformed. They don't even realize that TARP was a Bush policy. They don't even realize that the stimulus contained 1/3 tax cuts. They don't realize that the Democrats passed over 400 pieces of legislation through the House in less than two years, most of it stalled in the Senate where it takes ONE SENATOR to place "holds" on bills or filibuster ANY bill.

Because most Americans don't understand--and frankly don't care--about parliamentary procedures in Congress, they are not willing to listen.

All people know is that they are starving; there are no jobs, and no relief coming for the average working American. They don't care about which past party did what; all they care about are the conditions they now face.

As for the Democratic Party, to win, I agree that they must somehow frame the message. They were doing well before the Anthony Weiner scandal. They were winning the argument! The president stood up yesterday. Today, Schumer stood up, Democrats behind him, and shouted the truth: that Republicans are deliberately trying to destroy the economy for political gain. We now need EVERY Democratic surrogate to parrot those same talking points, just as the Republicans have their talking points that they repeat ad nauseum. Obama cannot do it all by himself, nor will the media allow him to "get away with" just blaming Republicans. He needs Democrats out there helping him. He also needs *US* to help him rather than doing what we do here on DU, and that's tearing each other down and playing the president and NOT the Republicans.

We need to be united on this one issue. And we're on the same side.

[JDPriestly]

26. We don't need Obama to chastise labor for fighting for union rights

as he did when he answered a question about the NLRB's Boeing decision in his recent press conference. Obama's attitude as expressed in that press conference is inconsistent with the values of the Democratic Party.

Further, Obama should be explaining that if we increased taxes on the rich to create jobs for people, economic activity and tax revenues would increase so the budget could be reduced. He kind of mentioned that in passing, but he still is going along with the Republican claim that we have to cut the budget and that will sort of magically improve the economy.

In fact, Obama should be out their fighting against balancing the budget. It is not the right thing to do now. It was a good idea in the booming Clinton years. It is not good now.

Further, Obama should not cut Social Security and Medicare at this time. He just needs to increase the cap on FICA taxes.

Finally, Obama should not mention Simpson. Alan Simpson has insulted seniors across the country. Obama's friendship with Simpson (or whatever the nature of his relationship with Simpson is) is inconsistent with Democratic values.

I expect a president who claims to be Democratic to speak and act in ways that are consistent with Democratic values. Obama is not meeting up to that expectation. No wonder Democrats who cherish those values criticize Obama. And, by the way, Obama signed off on the TARP deal. He met with Bush around that time and endorsed the deal.

[primavera]

30. All the more reason to start informing the people

You're right - people are misinformed. But the answer to that is not to simply allow them to go on being misinformed. When the media parrots right-wing talking points, they need to be called on it. Passivity is not the solution to this problem.

[jwirr]

10. They will just say he is whining. This is one for the other Democratic

leaders and the left leaning MSM to get out there. If we can get it out I think most Americans will be furious. It is just short of treason.

[LaurenG]

23. Why - it worked very well for Bush. He blamed everything he did

in his first term on someone else, went so far as to repeat 3 times in the debate with Kerry that he was working hard, that his job was hard work and he still beat Kerry. I don't think having Obama poking the r's with a stick would be a bad thing. There are ways to phrase things that make it perfectly obvious who is holding up the process. I mean in reality having people call you a dick for calling them out is really not a bad thing. If the best they can do is call Obama a name, they've already lost.

[patrice]

2. Kick!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

3. If only DU would understand this. They blame Obama for "not doing anything"

and not "exercising leadership," but Schumer is finally explaining that it takes an act of Congress to get anything done. The Republicans are *deliberately* cheering on the impending crash of the economy, knowing fully well that the average American is not politically sophisticated enough to understand that it's NOT the Democrats'/Obama's fault. Americans won't blame Republicans; they blame the party currently in power -- The Democrats!!

Wake up and open our eyes to who the real enemies are: The Republican Party!!

[earcandle]

7. Why does it take an act of congress to get anything done when it comes to us, but not to war

decisions...  I would like Obama to have the same attitude
about domestic issues as he has about war powers he doesn't
have as well.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

9. The U.S. Constitution gives CONGRESS *only* the power to regulate

Interstate Commerce, to levy taxes, to create revenue. It doesn't give the president these powers.

(See Article I, Section VII)

And you're right. The Constitution gives Congress *only* the power to declare war. As for Libya, I don't know enough about the situation to make a sound/credible judgment.

We are talking here about the economy, which in my view, is the most pressing issue that we face.

[jwirr]

11. I do not blame him for not getting anything done but I do have problems

with the fact that he does not often use the "bully pulpit". He should have been explaining to the people why we need to do certain things from day one. Yes, he his NOW at election time but I can tell you that doing it only when there is personal gain is not very reassuring.

[newspeak]

24. the repugs do not care about the american people or

the deteriorating infrastructure. All they care about is how they can further their own corporate inspired goals and winning at all cost. However, when Obama came into office, I was hoping he would clean house of Little Boot's retreads. Everytime there is compromise, the people wind up getting screwed big time. I believe it was Chaffee who admitted on TV, that when Little Boot's was selected, that the repugs were called together and told that there would be no compromising with democrats-that the WH was calling the shots. And his administration bullied in some very harmful policies like the medicare pharma free for all, and a fabricated war, while giving private contractors huge amounts of our money for some crappy services.

My thoughts are that if Obama would have come in with a sweeping FDR style stimulus, like some economists said was needed to turn the country around, and the repugs and DLCers voted it down. Then a massive appeal should have been made to the people, that these people are holding up the changes that must be made for the good of the country. I'd have funneled money on shouting the message 24/7, if the corporate McPravda media wouldn't allow airtime. One way or another, I would have gotten the message out on who is responsible for not allowing these sweeping changes that the country needs to survive.

Timing was everything, and after the election, it would have been easier to make the changes because he did have the majority of people on his side. However, his appointments were very telling. So, now it's "our hands are tied", "we'll have to make concessions to the repugs." Yeah, how many concessions did little boot's repressive regime make to the democrats?

[Skittles]

29. WTF!!!

he COMPROMISES with people who are ACTIVELY TRYING TO DESTROY HIM

[Maccagirl]

5. Gee what's that saying...

No shit Sherlock???

[Johnny2X2X]

6. Of course they are

If we could get this message out it should be common knowledge to the American people. Republicans are trying to screw the Country royally for Political gain, they know it's their only chance next year.

If the recovery picks up steam too soon, they know they are toast.

[julian09]

16. We lost Anthony and guy from Florida

We still have Jarrod Brown and Sanders who will try to speak up for the people.
They have to expose the republican agenda of getting rid of New Deal and Fair Deal policies. People are stupidly voting against their own interests just for spite.
They like to say Dems had control of congress, but the truth is forty one Gop votes trumped the fifty nine Dem votes in senate. Many people know the final score but never watched the game to see what happened.
We need a commentator to explain the obstruction from day one and the one eighty degree turn on policies they previously held and even sponsored. Rachel does a good job as does Keith but their audience is rather small; if only Brian Williams would do same.
That is why they were upset with Obama yesterday because he criticized them on all the major networks including FOX. He can't do it alone he needs help from the Dem caucus.

[DainBramaged]

8. Chuck "I never miss a photo op" Schumer is just now getting this?

:eyes:

[Fozzledick]

12. "Slash-and-burn" economics

THIS is a meme that needs to be repeated! Simple to understand, concise enough to stick.

[Historic NY]

13. Who put the caffeine in his coffee. RipVanSchumer wakes up.

[JAnthony]

17. Absolutely right! We have known this all along...Schumer is....

just waking up to this?

The entire group of Dems in the House and Senate should have known this all along.

[daggahead]

14. Disaster Capitalism. n/t

[Kingofalldems]

18. They also try to sabotage Democratic web sites.

Bottom line: Never trust a republican.

[FreeBillClinton]

20. K&R: keep repeating the truth.

[Corruption Winz]

21. Honestly, this has only been a secret to democrats, apparently...

When someone says, " main aim to make Obama a one-term president," you don't have to do much investigating.

Not to help the country out financially or to stop crime. Or to help the war end in a positive way. No. To make sure that this guy gets out of office after four years.

Really? It took this long?

[marasinghe]

27. sad that Obama himself appears to be in denial, on this issue.

when he should be in these guys faces; showing them up constantly, for the self-serving, power-seeking scum they are - with the least regard for their country & its citizens.

[bobburgster]

22. Totally agree with Schumer!

K&R

[Hotler]

25. No shit Sherlock! eom.

[TomCADem]

28. We Need To Call Out Republicans On This! Great!