Obama is about to fold like a cheap suit

[boomerbust]

On Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. You know, that bipartisan thingy. The right wingers smell blood and Obama will fold like a cheap suit.

[SidDithers]

1. ...

Sid

[CanonRay]

2. Sincerely hope you are wrong

but terribly afraid you might be right.

[darkangel218]

3. No he wont.

I know many are worried about it, but I'm positive he won't. Mark my words.

[bowens43]

51. So youre saying he's a liar? He's already offered do it several times.

[darkangel218]

69. Offered to "reform", not cut down peoples benefits.

[AverageJoe90]

85. I'm not so sure, either.

I can still remember the days when people were arguing that he'd fold on Universal Healthcare.....and in fact, I became convinced myself for a while. But we were all proved wrong that time. PBHO is a true adept at the game of 3-dimensional chess.

[darkangel218]

88. Are you being sarcastic?

In all honesty, I wanted Universal Health care more than anyone else, as having to deal with being uninsured for years and years due to the cost. I don't blame Obama for not insisting on it, it would've never passed the Congress IMO. I wonder though if maybe an executive order could've made it happen? I don't know.
Cutting Medicare and SS is a completely different kind of soup. He may change the way things are processed, but that's about it.

[winter is coming]

4. Cheap suits probably fold/drape poorly, because they're not cut on the true. n/t

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

48. Who folds a suit?

I don't get that whole metaphor.

[winter is coming]

50. I've never understood it, either, unless we're supposed to think

that cheap suits hang oddly on the wearer, making the fabric more likely to crease/wrinkle (fold).

[atreides1]

56. Here's one definition.

1. fold like a cheap suit







To give in on something you felt so strongly about only a moment ago.

[Bay Boy]

73. I think everyone understood what it means...

...the just don't understand where that particular term came from.

Lots of old sayings have lost their connection to modern life. For example;
'a flash in the pan'. I think we all know it means someone who starts out doing a real good
job but ends up not doing so good after a time. It originated from flint lock muzzle loaders.

[Justpat]

83. The usual metaphor for this situation is

"He'll fold up like a card table." Makes more sense.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

87. What? Are you crazy?!

You can't wear a card table for a formal occasion!

[blogslut]

61. It's a bad analogy.

If one is attempting to imply that a person will relent easily, "fold like a cheap suit" makes no sense. By any definition a cheap suit folds improperly, inadequately.

Fold like a fan. Fold like a pleat. Fold like tissue paper. Fold like an ironing board.

[dipsydoodle]

5. Didn't know he was one of those

[vi5]

6. Is something specific making you think that?

Or just, you know....that it's Thursday and you're talking about Obama.

[lunatica]

7. Will you bother to give him credit if he doesn't?

I think you probably want him to 'fold' to justify you're dislike of him.

[TheKentuckian]

16. No, no points for TeaPubliKlans not being able to say yes.

George W. Bush doesn't deserve credit for Democrats saying no either.

Obama will get credit for ceasing and desisting with the pursuit of austerity and then he still would really actually be finally folding his Pete Peterson/Turd Way agenda to the will of the people.
Credit being not being a deaf, dumb, and blind enemy of the future of the American people and destroyer of decades of hard won Democratic efforts.

It would also be a story of Democrats holding the line and telling the boss man to shut the fuck up with this agenda. This sellout requires Democrats to follow the leader over the cliff and take the blame for TeaPubliKlan initiatives.

What "credit" do you think is being earned? HE KEEPS PUSHING THIS!!! With each set back he goes back to the drawing board, ever seeking the Grand Bargain.

Chess my ass, the game is about putting our people in check not the opposition other than getting them to come up with some revenues.

[Marr]

39. He's already offered. Repeatedly.

There's nothing left to prove and he certainly doesn't get credit for being stymied by a political opposition that's too stupid and recalcitrant to take "yes" for an answer.

[OldDem2012]

8. Another member of the Obama Haters Club. nt.

[Itchinjim]

9. And it starts.....

You guys are so predictable.

[TheKentuckian]

10. Folding means there is some resistance but he has actually been trying to force peas down

out throats the whole way just as much as he has been trying to force revenues on to the anti-tax crowd or more.

[Buzz Clik]

11. One! More! Time!

Some people just never tire of seeing the same shit posted day after day, year after year.

[JoePhilly]

63. Its hilarious. Chicken little and the Boy who cried wolf have been right more often.

[Tarheel_Dem]

76. It's the new Libertarian/Green/Troll hybrid that now inhabits all of DU.

[forestpath]

12. He always planned to do this.

[JoePhilly]

67. And yet ... each time it has been predicted, it has not happened.

[99Forever]

13. Correction:

Obama will pretend he has been "forced to compromise" by the "evil, heartless Republicans." He "had no other choice."

[pampango]

14. My guess is that tea partiers are saying the same about Boehner and McConnell.

They are still mad at Boehner for the his 'fold' in January on The American Taxpayer Relief Act.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act passed by a wide majority in the Senate, with both Democrats and Republicans supporting it, while a majority of Republicans in the House opposed it.

The House passed the bill without amendments by a margin of 257–167 at about 11 p. m. EST on January 1, 2013. 85 Republicans and 172 Democrats voted in favor while 151 Republicans and 16 Democrats were opposed.

All the far-right, tea party congressmen voted against this (40 NO - 6 YES) because they viewed it as a 'cave' to Obama.

[tridim]

17. Obama will fold on Obamacare.

He will never get it passed.

Same with DADT. He'll fold, it'll never be repealed. Not in a million-billion years.

Just trust me.

[Dawgs]

18. You're kidding, right? There is documented proof that he folded on Obamacare.

That's why we have Romneycare now.

It's when so many of us started to realize that he wasn't the progressive hero many of us hoped he would be.

He got DADT right. Of course that was easy compared to this other stuff.

[John2]

32. I know that President Obama

is a Politician, that was a very ambitious young man. He is an American unlike the Birth er's claim and has the values of Americans. He is His father was an African Kenyan but he was raised by his white American mother and her side of the family in Kansas. So they gave him his values. He does not like to talk about or admit the open racism in this country too much. He thinks every American has his best interests in heart but he needs to face the reality of U.S. History. This is not the pure country he thinks it is when some Americans give this holier than thou attitude to others. We have our demons too and need to clean them up in this country before we go preaching to someone else.

That is President Obama's problem. Sure he became President of the United States, but that was mostly due to the changing Demographics and the Liberal minority of whites that are not racists. Those are the people you owe. This is only one of many battles of a continuing War in this country ever since it's existence. All persons were not equal in this country according to the original founders. They meant All white men were equal. We changed that though starting with the Civil War some who fought still resisted by guerrilla tactics like the creation of white supremacists groups like the KKK. They even tried to justify their claims scientifically and rejected the notion of science. If their religion claimed them to be superior then that was their Bible, which I include Brigham Young, co founder of Romney's religion. Religion is based on faith and beliefs, that is part of the President's fabric. He is definitely a Christian to the core but find some parts of his religion troubling when it comes to discrimination against sexual orientation. His religion is suppose to teach Love but is conflicting with hatred language towards certain humans. I remember the World was flat once according to such faiths.

I'm trying to influence Obama to come around, he does not influence me. I see a lotta potential in him. He can't do anything without the support of people like me because we empowered him. We chose him over Hillary Clinton. All the Democratic Representatives we sent to Congress do not toe the line either. They are the people legislating the laws and not President Obama. They are the ones should be held accountable more than Obama. They should be influencing him. I do not accept the notion that some want to blame him by giving certain people in Congress cover to go along.

That whole intentions of the Republican Party to blame the Black President. Place the focus on those Red State Democrats calling themselves moderates. I don't take the position they hold their office just because of the right wing extremists in their states or districts. I'm going to use Senator Hagan as an example. She got a lot of the Liberal and minority vote in her state
also. I would even go further and say the majority of her base comes from those constituents. Regardless of what kind of political fight she will be in, she should be the one held more accountable than President Obama because we have direct influence in saying if you would even be in contention for re-election. She needs to be the one making sure the President toe the line. He cannot do anything without her or any one else in Congress on the Democratic side approval. Boehner needs to be negotiating with them not the President. The President does not legislate anything. He can influence but he has no power to legislate. And pretending that it is all Obama's fault is deceptive.

[tridim]

40. Obama passed comprehensive HCR.

You (and others) are still claiming that he gives up on things that are now law. It's absolutely crazy.

That of course is my point.

[Dawgs]

54. Comprehensive HCR that no Democrat should want.

And he didn't pass many things in HCR that we would've have gotten with a just a little effort and influence from the President.

[Cha]

71. No We Have Obamacare.. A strong Foundation.

And, it wasn't easy.

[RC]

27. Please, do tell us about the 'Public Option'

And why was he NOT pushing for Universal Health care or Single Payer?
Obama Care = Romney Care, almost unchanged from the Heritage Foundation's version. Is it any wonder some of us have some doubts about where Obama is coming from on other subjects? Especially when he puts stuff on the table that should not have even been in discussion. You know, like Social Security!

[tridim]

41. Congress wouldn't pass HCR with single payer.

It wasn't that long ago, did you forget already?

[RC]

45. And did Obama ever say anything favor of such?

The answer is "No" there too.
He even backed off on the the Public Option, which is another reason we don't have that either. What did he go with? A Republican hatched plan, backed by the insurance companies.
We can't get what our leaders don't want. Did you not know that?

[loyalsister]

75. Do you think he wouldn't have signed a bill with a public option?

really??

[Carolina]

35. He did fold on the public

option! Health insurance is not health care!

[tridim]

43. The public option was removed by Republicans in congress.

[Carolina]

44. and your point!

He still didn't FIGHT to put it back in (line item veto).

He wouldn't even speak up about the public option that he and those dastardly repukes he continually tried to appease (sheesh) ENJOY! And this after stating he'd veto any legislation that did not include a PO.

Puhleeze, spare me.

[sabrina 1]

68. They wouldn't have removed it if there had been a fight over it.

FDR would never have allowed them to remove it, IF he wanted it. Nor would LBJ.

He caved on Offshore drilling also, and was tragically proven wrong only 18 days after slamming liberals who had fought Republicans for 30 years to keep that ban in place.

However, I agree, he didn't cave on any of these things, he, as he said about Offshore Drilling eg, 'was convinced by those who he viewed as experts (you know, the oil guys) that Democrats were 'out of date' by claiming that it was unsafe, he was told by them that Rigs are no longer dangerous, we have moved into the future so he rejected his own party's decades long fight to stop offshore drilling.

I wonder if he ever apologized to the 11 men who lost their lives because as it turned out, those 'old-fashioned Liberals he bashed and rejected, were tragically right after all.

But then again, it is 'pragmatic' to not worry about or even mention 11 dead men, or how every many have died because those Liberals were right. I don't recall him apologizing for that so-wrong claim made just 18 days before he and his experts were proven to be so wrong.

[treestar]

90. +1

[Comrade_McKenzie]

19. Link? nt

[spanone]

20. prove it.

[theaocp]

46. He doesn't need to prove it

when Obama is going to get cuts as he has intended and been telling us for a long time.

[Javaman]

21. So where it this crystal ball of yours?

Over the last 4 years, I have heard this stated over and over and it has yet to happen.

Like all things, I will believe it when I see it.

[90-percent]

22. Social Security

The SS insurance fund is self funded by workers. IT DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE A DIME TO THE NATIONAL DEBT!

Why the fuck is it even "on the table"? And why the fuck is all of MSM talking about it like cutting it will fix all our national debt problems? And why the fuck does MSM call it an "entitlement" when in fact it isn't?

Like George Carlin said; "And now they're coming for your SOCIAL SECURITY. And they're gonna GET IT, TOO!"*

-90% jimmy

*see "corporations OWN YOU" from George on youtube

[Dustlawyer]

23. He was purchased a long time ago. In our system, they do not allow you where he is w/o owning you!

This will make some mad but if you look, he has given everything important to them. Bail out of WS, renewed Patriot Act, no indictments for crash or foreclosure mess, and something I know a lot about, BP oil spill. We really need to force Congress into real campaign finance reform! We need to "take back" our representative government! When no one can "legally" bribe our elected officials and they are not forced to spend 3/4 of every year fund raising, they could focus on helping us and running the country! I mean, in what world would we have prisons privatized and pay more per inmate to run them and their attendant corruption to have more people, including youths arrested and sentenced to longer terms were it not for this rush to "privatize" everything. Just one example!

[Sheepshank]

24. Like every other time the subject has come up?

and recs coming from a pretty predictable crowd.

Perhaps a "Hate Obama...no facts needed" site may enhance your sense of posting satisfaction.

[JoePhilly]

64. Manufactured outrage widgets don't just make themselves!!!

[SidDithers]

84. Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!...

Gotta keep pumping them out.

Sid

[Skittles]

77. yes; just because he constantly brings it up

gutting, er cutting, er, REFORMING Social Security and Medicare, doesn't mean we should worry our pretty little heads about it. Now look over there!!!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

25. Ohhhh noes........

[Rabid_Rabbit]

26. Really?

What clues are there to even remotely suggest this?

[FSogol]

28. Unrec. You came out of the woodwork to tell us this?

[abelenkpe]

29. If Obama folds

those posting you are a hater will suddenly have new reasons for seeing this as a victory. If he protects medicare and social security they'll crow about how wrong you were.

Fact is we shouldn't even be having the discussion at all. Social Security has been the only thing that has kept the majority of seniors out of dire poverty. It is needed doubly so today in a world where workers have lost their pensions and/or had a lifetime of irregular insecure employment with little or no benefits. The way the entire debate is framed is false. We don't need to cut entitlements. We could raise the cap and be fine but no one is discussing that at all. Instead, we have a government deadlocked in a battle where both sides have staked out positions destined to fuck over the average person while letting every other pressing issue go. Its a win for the top 1 percent and corporations though.

[tridim]

42. The people who post these sky-is-falling threads are ALWAYS wrong.

I don't need to wait to declare victory.

Obama has said many times that SS and medicare benefits will not be cut.

[Skraxx]

70. Yup, The Same People Also Said He Would Never Let the Bush Tax Cuts Expire

Yet he did, and taxes were raised on the wealthy, just like he said he they would be.

[jberryhill]

30. Time for another thrilling visit to....

[MjolnirTime]

31. Sounds like you're the one who folded. And I bet it was pre-2008.

[Nite Owl]

33. Sadly I agree

Sadly I agree with you. I thought the second term would be different. No one wants cuts to SS or Medicare, it's not just the 'base'.

[Marr]

34. "Fold"? He's been very anxiously pushing for these cuts for a long time.

Beginning with his adoption of the fraudulent corporate frame of the issue that Social Security somehow contributes to the deficit, continuing with his Simpson/Bowles commission, and on and on. These cuts would be the feather in his Third Way cap.

[Romulox]

36. Wrong. It's been a game of "Good Cop/Bad Cop" all along. Duh. nt

[Catherina]

37. Rec'd but the folding is an illusion. This is what he wanted all along

and if you look back, you'll see the signs were always there.


Hat tip to JSR for this timely link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/15/AR2009011504114.html

Obama Pledges Entitlement Reform
President-Elect Says He'll Reshape Social Security, Medicare Programs
By Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 16, 2009

President-elect Barack Obama pledged yesterday to shape a new Social Security and Medicare "bargain" with the American people, saying that the nation's long-term economic recovery cannot be attained unless the government finally gets control over its most costly entitlement programs.

That discussion will begin next month, Obama said, when he convenes a "fiscal responsibility summit" before delivering his first budget to Congress. He said his administration will begin confronting the issues of entitlement reform and long-term budget deficits soon after it jump-starts job growth and the stock market.

"What we have done is kicked this can down the road. We are now at the end of the road and are not in a position to kick it any further," he said. "We have to signal seriousness in this by making sure some of the hard decisions are made under my watch, not someone else's."

[theaocp]

47. It will take a Democrat to cut SS

how unbelievably stupid can one man be? I guess we're going to find out.

[avaistheone1]

52. That it will. The Democratic Party as we know it will be toast if they do cut SS.

The idea of such a thing happening makes me question everything about the Democratic party.

[SidDithers]

38. Speculative outrage is the best outrage...nt

Sid

[Hekate]

53. Finest kind of all. nt

[JoePhilly]

65. This is it!! Here it comes!! Any second!!!!!

[snooper2]

49. Good Job POST AND RUN

I used to think only around 10% of people are tools...

It's probably more like 30%

[Kolesar]

58. He moved onto whine about Harry Reid

before his Mom called him to breakfast
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=292473

[Hekate]

55. This constant refrain is kind of like Alexander Pope's "Hope springs eternal" in reverse

Hope springs eternal in the human breast
Man never is, but always to be, blest.

Gloom springs eternal -- despair springs eternal -- man never is, but always to be, betrayed. It could happen! Any day now! We're gonna see that Grand Betrayal Bargain from the Prez!

Oy.

[Ganja Ninja]

57. You know it's coming.

If he says he'll cut it then he'll make the deal just to say 'see I was bipartisan even if they weren't.'

[Kolesar]

60. Huh? eom

[JoePhilly]

66. When? Its been "coming" for about 4 years now ...

at least that's been the "regular as clock-work" prediction here on DU.

[Kolesar]

59. You can't even compose sentences...eom

[JoePhilly]

62. I love this prediction. Only abouy the 10th time we've seen it

in the last 4 years.

Wrong every time so far.

But hey, maybe you'll be right.

[Skittles]

78. yup

we should wait until it actually gets cut before we talk about it

[lonestarnot]

80. Could you just kick some ass right damn now.

[JoePhilly]

81. There is a difference between talking about something and ...

[Skittles]

82. there's a difference between having your head in the sand

and being suspicious of someone who brings up cutting those programs over and over again

[JoePhilly]

86. So this time its going to happen, right?

The OP has predicted that it is about to happen.

You seem to agree.

It won't happen.

But this same prediction will occur again, and again, and again.

Here it comes, any second.

And then ... nothing.

[Skittles]

89. WHO KNOWS???

THAT IS THE FUCKING POINT - IT SHOULD NOT BE BROUGHT UP AT ALL, EVER

[Cha]

72. .. The only thingy Cheap around here are

the Ignorant pot shots.

[Zax2me]

74. No no no he isn't.

How do you figure?

[lonestarnot]

79. I won't believe it until he does it.