From Thom Hartmann
The American people have spoken – and it’s time Republicans AND Democrats listen. According to a new ABC/Washington Post poll – 62% of Americans want to see a balanced approach to raising the debt-limit that includes both spending cuts and revenue raisers. And when it comes to what sort of revenue raisers the American people want to see – the Republicans’ heads are about to explode. A whopping 72% of Americans support raising taxes on people who make more than $250,000 a year.
Only 27% oppose.
Not only that – large majorities of Americans also support: raising the Social Security tax cap – closing the hedge fund manager tax loophole – and cutting off taxpayer subsidies for big oil corporations.
So why is it that President Obama is supporting the Gang of 6 plan that includes none of these reforms – and instead cuts $1,300 a year out of Social Security checks – and further lowers taxes for millionaires, billionaires, and corporations?
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Easy - because when it comes down to it he is one of them.
ReplyDeleteIt is disgusting to see what the President is attempting to do; his willingness to compromise everything away without demanding anything in return is unforgivable!
ReplyDeleteThat's right Jack and our side needs to start understanding that it's not going to change but continue to deteriorate. It's worse than disgusting.
ReplyDeleteIs this a rhetorical question?
ReplyDeleteThe persuasive body of evidence accumulated over the past two years argues in favor of only one conclusion:
The difference between this president and the last several other presidents is his ethnicity. Otherwise there's not a nickle's worth of difference.
Jesse Winchester came out with an album during the America Love It or Leave It times after he chose Canada to avoid being conscripted into a war he didn't believe in:
"Learn to Love It", he named the album.
Great album, but the alternative of learning to love it with all the flaws and warts is a big job of work for those not under threat of having to become an expat.
I have been going through the 12 stages of grief for the past two weeks over this slow-mo disaster.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, if you accept Lawrence O'Donnell's analysis, Obama is pulling off one of the most diabolically clever and well-finessed mind-game maneuvers any president has ever done. O'Donnell has plenty of inside experience, contacts and good sense. He's credible and his take on it it plausible.
So, I'm trying very hard to withhold judgment and see what happens.
I can only hope the PResident is seemingly willing to entertain these types of cuts because he knows the Republicans can never accept any compromise.
ReplyDeleteAnd now that Boehner has walked out it has proven the Republicans are unwilling to do what 3/4ths of America wants them to do...
I just wished he'd have his moment and actually say, "Fuck you guys, I'm sick of playing peacemaker! Now, We'll do thing the way I want!"
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone outside the negotiating room really knows what Obama has agreed to. There are just too many rumors flying around. But one thing is a given, the GOP ain't going to agree to anything, period, They have another agenda.
ReplyDeleteJerry: I don't know what happened but your blog seemed to have disappeared from my roll. Have re-added it. ?????
Leslie: The blogger bug strikes again!
ReplyDeleteOne way to raise revenue (a lot of it) would be to reduce the cap on mortgage interest deduction from its present level of $1 million a year to $500,000. That, and I would also have wealthy retirees pay 10% more for their Medicare and get 10% less of their Social Security.
ReplyDeleteThis is Obama's last chance in my opinion. If he does not stand firm, it will show, once and for all, that this democratic White House is as effective at promoting the conservative agenda as the last one was.
ReplyDeleteI will not vote for him if he messes this up. I am not sure he can avoid messing it up. There may not be a right answer; but that fact notwithstanding, I will not vote for a representative of conservative agendas, regardless of the party to which he belongs.
Wealthy and even those maybe not so wealthy already pay more for Medicare. Couples making over $170,000 or singles over $85,000 (about 5% of Medicare beneficiaries) already pay somewhat higher Medicare premiums.
ReplyDeleteRepublican (and most Democratic) politicians don't give a flying f*ck about poll results or what 72% of Americans want. They only care about the 1% of Americans who are financing everyone's election campaigns. And apparently the elite 1% wants drastic cuts to Social Security and lower taxes for hedge fund managers and corporations.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Obama, Jerry. Modestly higher premiums for the wealthier Americans is one of the better ways to ensure the program's solvency.
ReplyDeleteWill "take no prisoners" Hart wrote: "I would also have wealthy retirees pay 10% more for their Medicare and get 10% less of their Social Security."
ReplyDeleteSocial Security isn't a government welfare program. It's a social insurance program wealthy retirees paid into like everyone else. They did so with the understanding that what they paid in would be paid back monthly when they reached retirement age, as it is for everyone else. You can't come along now and change the rules that way.
What could be done is to raise the amount of income on which FICA is withheld from paychecks.
John Myste wrote: "I will not vote for (Obama) if he messes this up."
I understand how you feel, but consider this: Obama messed up last fall when he turned attention from creating jobs, and bought into and thus legitimized the Republicans' agenda, then gave in to their hostage-taking of 14 million out-of-work people so the rich could keep their Bush tax cuts. Obama doesn't want to go from one ugly scene, one knock-down, drag-out fight to another. As if he has any choice.
Yet for all of that, before making sweeping statements about not voting for Obama, we had all better take a deep breath and consider how much damage another Roberts, Alito, Scalia or Thomas, or maybe two, could do. And for how long that damage could go on being done.
No matter who the republican candidate for president will be, if elected, he will be worse than Obama.
ReplyDeleteNot voting is nearly as bad as voting republican.
I hate to say it, S.W. but you are right. I usually campaign for democrats on that basis primarily, that they can appoint life-time judges. I will still vote for Obama, but only because I have no other choice.
ReplyDeleteI would prefer a government shutdown to Obama folding. We may have to endure a severe recession to get the terrorists out of office. If you give in to terrorists' demands, they will continue to demand more.