dagblog - Comments for "The Whatever-Partisan Commission On Economic Progress"

"14 Dems, fer chrissakes";

we are stardust — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 15:30:16 +0000

"14 Dems, fer chrissakes"; yeppers, and not all Big Tent ones at that! You may take note that both Colorado Senators are signatories...asshats. [snip: phone call]

I keep hearing Talking Heads, completely bumfuzzled by some of this; questions about the all-over-the-map incoherence of Obama's moves, signals, deals, for instance. they'll ask each other: Is he captive to the R's? Is he captive to 'bipartisanship'? They never, ever ask, "Does he subscribe to that form of policy, driving capital upward and inflating the deficit long-term, and ruining the economy for the rest of us, and destroying the economic future of the nation?"

The same for the many Dems in the same ideological camp or making decisions based on the wrong political moves. Simply stunning by now.

Got an email from a friend saying that "Even Daily Kos is becoming a bit less enamored of the President and Dems". Whoa, Nellie!

Being from Wisconsin, right

SleepinJeezus — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 06:27:02 +0000

In reply to Now that I think about it the

Being from Wisconsin, right now "Fighting Bob" LaFollette could get my vote as the very first Republican I have ever voted for. If the Republicans can somehow spawn such a man in this day and age, he's got my vote! I'd greatly welcome the opportunity!

You know what? I am a

SleepinJeezus — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 06:17:24 +0000

In reply to From thehill.com14 Dems want

You know what? I am a lifelong Democrat. A Yellow Dog who never voted for a Republican in my lifetime. I've spent my lifetime working hard on behalf of the Democratic Party and the New Deal principles that have formed much of its foundation throughout my lifetime. The principles remain with me stronger than ever.

All that being said, I'm really beginning to think I'd prefer the Repubs in charge right now rather than continue this agonizing struggle with this iteration of Dems, including Obama.

Make no mistake about it, I am well aware of just how irresponsible the Repubs would be in power and I carry no misunderstanding of the damage they would visit upon this country.

But these Dems offer virtually nothing in opposition, really. We head in the same direction toward the establishment and consolidation of the oligarchy and the disappearance of the middle class. It is death by a thousand cuts. 14 Dems?!?! YeeGads! 10% unemployment, and they choose to scream about the deficit as our legislative priority. As a party, we've moved to the right of Herbert Hoover himself, despite his failed record of progress when confronted with circumstances as dire and similar as those we face today. Unbelievable!

The opportunity cost of putting in place these Palooka-Dems who will not stand and fight on our behalf is simply too agonizing to support any longer. Far better to simply take our drubbing at the hands of the owners with a hope that the Dem Party will thus be motivated at last to put in place REAL Democrats who will actually come out and fight.

It's time to create a second political party. Let the Republicans maintain their position as the prizefighter with the men in fancy suits and fat wallets as their corner men. But let's reinvent the Democrats as the party of FDR and the New DEAL, ready to land a few roundhouse blows right in the kisser of the opponent. Given what life on the street is like today for hundreds of millions of Americans, my money is on the fighter in the ring who has the working man in his corner and who refuses - passionately! - to pull any punches.

And in anticipation of those who would chide me that the polls show no electoral support for any such action, I ask you to show me where anyone has received opportunity to register support for any such leadership as I suggest. FDR won in blue states, red states, even paisley states, I reckon. Indeed, in 1936 it was said of his opponent, "If Alf Landon would have only given a couple more speeches, FDR would have taken Canada, as well!"

People would respond to strong leadership in opposition to the oligarchs. I know this in my bones, because I live with those who suffer daily at the oligarch's excessively repressive rule and ownership of Washington. Offer the people a legitimate opponent who will stand tall on heir righteous behalf, and we Dems can at last kick some ass.

The alternative? 14 Dems, fer chrissakes.

Well, Claire McCaskill needs

Oxy Mora — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 05:05:42 +0000

In reply to From thehill.com14 Dems want

Well, Claire McCaskill needs every bit of ammunition she can muster down in Missouri. As for the trade deal, I once sold a machine to a firm in Korea................fax...........fax............fax...........fax.............fax.............fax, my damned plant filled up with fax paper.

From thehill.com14 Dems want

we are stardust — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 04:46:51 +0000

In reply to The Whatever-Partisan Commission On Economic Progress

From thehill.com

14 Dems want deficit action despite failed fiscal commission vote

By Michael O'Brien - 12/03/10 11:08 AM ET

A group of 14 Democrats pressed for a congressional action to address the deficit despite a failure by President Obama's fiscal commission to achieve enough votes to send its austerity plan to Congress for a vote.

A group of Senate centrists asked Obama and the top party leaders in both chambers of Congress to push ahead with legislation to address deficits and debt.

"Prompt action is needed to bring the country’s deficit into balance and stabilize our debt over the long term," the group wrote. "Regardless of whether the Commission’s report receives the support of at least 14 of its 18 members, we urge legislative action to address these problems."

The group's letter came as the president's 18-member fiscal commission fell short of the 14 vote necessary to approve the report and send it to Capitol Hill, where leaders had guaranteed it an up-or-down vote if it had been approved.

One commission member, former SEIU President Andy Stern, an opponent of the plan, has urged a vote on the proposal anyway.

The 11 commissioners who did vote for the plan includes a mixture of liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans. The bipartisan vote has spurred hopes that a plan in the mold of the fiscal commission's recommendations might come up before Congress, especially with a GOP-held House eager to enact spending cuts.

The 14 senators hailed the commission's recommendations on Social Security, healthcare, and tax reforms — three cornerstones of the plan on which support for a plan could hinge.

"There is no easy way out, and Washington must lead the way," they said. "The strong bipartisan support its recommendations have already received demonstrates we can, and must, come together to solve this impending fiscal crisis. Every day that we fail to act the choices become more difficult."

The signatories were Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.), Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Michael Bennet (D-Colo,), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.).

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And: The Korean Free Trade Deal may be a go after all...

http://firedoglake.com/2010/12/03/uaw-to-support-nafta-style-korea-free-trade-sells-out-taxpayers-who-bailed-them-out/

Now that I think about it the

Oxy Mora — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 04:17:27 +0000

In reply to Jeezus, you hit the key

Now that I think about it the thing the Democrats ought to fear most is a latent Teddy Roosevelt somewhere out there in the Republican ranks--slouching toward the White House.

Jeezus, you hit the key

Oxy Mora — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 04:12:25 +0000

In reply to I've got Hacker and Pierson's

Jeezus, you hit the key point, which is that the job of pols of both stripes is to divide and conquer the plebs. The Tea Partiers simply did the best job of it this last election, winning that set. And the myth continues, that the rich provide jobs. I think the only focus that's going to work is a Teddy Roosevelt anti-trust approach to break up the big banks. Since there is historical precedent for trust-busting it could probably be revived in a context that would unite voters of different sides. Seems to me that being against big banks is something different than the tread worn arguments that focus on the "rich".

What I meant was that even

Oxy Mora — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 04:02:16 +0000

In reply to And, appreciate it, might get

What I meant was that even with your fine tutorial my ineptness will inhibit my ability to carry it out.

Well then, pay the goddam

we are stardust — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 03:59:30 +0000

In reply to Actually I am,

Well then, pay the goddam cashier already! Oy! ;o)

Actually I am,

Oxy Mora — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 03:57:33 +0000

In reply to So glad to see you're not

Actually I am, grateful, sorry.