Nancy Pelosi’s back at the negotiating table on debt ceiling ("You Guys Don't Know How To Count")

[kpete]

Source: Politico

Pelosi lit into Obama’s budget director before meeting with the president.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is back at the bargaining table — but it’s not yet clear whether she’s willing to make a deal.

Burned by President Barack Obama’s decision to keep her out of negotiations on last year’s tax deal and this spring’s budget bill, sources close to the California Democrat say she is torn between playing deal-maker on a debt-limit increase and fully protecting the priorities of Democrats’ liberal base.

On Thursday, in advance of a Friday meeting with the president at the White House, Pelosi lit into Obama’s budget director, Jack Lew, in what is becoming a habit of sending sharp messages through his top aides. Pelosi sought to impress on Lew — and no doubt his bosses at the White House — that House Democrats expect to be consulted more now than on past deals and that the president can’t expect to win passage of a debt-limit package without support from House Democrats.

“Don’t insult us,” she said as Lew tried to explain why House Democrats were cut out of the budget bill discussion earlier this year, according to one source who was in the room. “You guys don’t know how to count.” It was a replay of a similar jab Pelosi took at White House economic adviser Gene Sperling during a similar meeting before the budget bill deal was consummated.







Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/58584.html#ixzz1RYCuzJ8S

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Go get 'em, Nancy!

Now, THERE'S a woman with a spine, and a heart!

Recommended.

:mad:

[Divine Discontent]

13. + a brazillion (always wanted to say that, no one better to say it to than you, CP)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

End the wars
Lower the military's budget
Tax the rich to pre-2000 levels
Raise corporate taxes on their profits (I think Exxon can afford it, as $5 million an HOUR profit is a tad bit ridiculous)

[TrollBuster9090]

21. Screw that. Tax the rich all the way to Reagan (1987) Era levels.

Remind them that taxes were higher at the end of St. Ronnie's Administration than they were even during the Clinton Administration.

Sure, Reagan cut taxes in 1981, but we might want to remind conservatives that even though Reagan cut taxes in 1981 the recession CONTINUED TO GET WORSE FOR TWO MORE YEARS. The tax cuts didn't "fix" the economy, or increase revenues, and the conservative mythology claims. And all that so-called economic growth during the Reagan years (not surprising when you're coming back from rock bottom) happened after the taxes were raised again. We could also point out that the economy of the entire world got better after the recession bottomed out in 1983, and none of the other countries had a tax cutting fetish. In fact, the SOVIET economy showed greater growth during the 1983-1988 period than the U.S. economy. That doesn't mean a communist centralized economy is the answer.

[Divine Discontent]

25. + ten brazillion! I agree... they've been getting a free ride, comparitvely speaking.

[HankyDubs]

33. yeah, at least we still have Nancy

[awoke_in_2003]

50. except when it comes to impeachment. nt

[Autumn]

2. Good for Nancy

“Don’t insult us, You guys don’t know how to count.” :rofl: She is stomping all over Obamas advisers. :woohoo:

[mzmolly]

3. Good for Nancy.

:kick:

[senseandsensibility]

4. We won't be fooled a...gainnnnn....

At least I hope not.

[polichick]

5. Hope she "protects the priorities of Democrat's liberal base" - the prez shows...

...serious assholery every time he cuts her out of negotiations.

[onethatcares]

8. ya know, I was thinking something similar today.

I'm tired of hearing "I got this one" and "I'm gonna roll up my sleeves and go to work".

What I'd much rather hear is "WE have to take a firm stand against these policies that are killing us. TOGETHER, WE can do it"

I mean, it's not like he got there by himself.

[polichick]

12. So true...

I actually just posted this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1445906&mesg_id=1445968

[lark]

18. Yeah, he is alone in a room of Dems

being the only Repug there, might be a bit uncomfortable for him.

[TrollBuster9090]

22. Well, certainly if Boehner and "Little Eric" are there on one side, we need Nancy

to call them on their bullshit and put them in their place.

Do you remember that televised round table meeting on healthcare in 2009? When Pelosi and Biden were sitting on either side of Obama, and the Republicans showed up with their props (ie-stacks of books containing the 1500 page health care bill etc.), and Nancy Pelosi kept on interjecting to put John Boehner in his place, and call him out on his lies. The cameras kept cutting to Boehner with an insulted, indignant look on his face. It was hilarious. I think I'd like to see a little more of that in these negotiations. THEN Obama can play the hard cop/soft cop routine, and say "hey look, golfing buddy....you can either make a deal with me, or I can leave you in this room alone with Nancy Pelosi and a nutcracker."

[SammyWinstonJack]

41. The prez is a master of assholery.

[mochajava666]

6. Great job Nancy. Way to show some leadership!

If we only had a President that was on our side...

[monmouth]

7. Nancy has been one of the strongest supporters and such a faithful

advocate for POTUS, I am now really, really, ticked with him for treating her in this manner. Perhaps it was Jack Lew that did not want her there but the President had to notice. Grrrrrr.

[DesertFlower]

9. Nancy is a fighter. love her.

[awoke_in_2003]

51. unless you are discussing impeachment. nt

[rosesaylavee]

59. +1000

[Divine Discontent]

10. Thank you, Nancy! Wake Up, Democrats! Unite! WRITE --->>> whitehouse.gov/contact

Any across the board reductions in payment schedules, or raising of the retirement age is unacceptable. Raise taxes on the rich and corporations, close off-shore loopholes to protect our jobs, end the wars, lower the military's budget!

[Liberalynn]

11. I wish she had stood up this hard against his concessions to the Pukes

when she had the majority in the house. The country would be much better off for it. Its nice now don't get me wrong but I wonder if it is too late?

Obama IMHO seems like he is just going to rubber stamp anything the Pukes want and Pelosi doesn't have the power to stop it on the house side.

The only hope as I see it is the Senate, and if past pattern holds true, despite all their rhetoric they will cave as well.

I don't mean to be pessimistic but I'm scared no one will stop this crap.

[awoke_in_2003]

52. bingo. nt

[DeSwiss]

14. K&R

''The problem, really, is idiotic attempts at “triangulation.” When Bill Clinton first adopted the strategy on 1992 and onwards, it worked remarkably well for him, and drove the GOP nuts, because he had adopted and claimed credits for many of their ideas (i.e. Welfare reform) while allowing him to push his own policy objectives (i.e. tax policy).

Since then, however, the GOP has learned to “game” the triangulation strategy. It’s simple. Triangulation is just another word for “meeting the opposition half way.” If you are in the opposition and want to successfully counter (or game) your opponent’s triangulation strategy, all you need to do is move so absurdly to the right that your opponent’s “triangulation” position falls precisely where you want it to fall. Instead of your opponent playing you, you are now playing him.

I only half-blame Bill Clinton for this. He may have been the first to successfully implement the strategy, but it’s a lack of imagination on the part of recent Democrats that they continue to rely on the strategy, even as it’s painfully obvious that it’s working against them.''

http://www.stinque.com/2011/07/08/have-we-been-sold-out-yet/#comment-115858">STINQUE.com - ~Serolf Divad

[tularetom]

15. I'm still pissed at her for not standing up for Weiner, but

if she keeps it up, I think I could overlook that.

She busted her ass to get health care reform through the House so the President could brag about it for a year.

And she gets aced out of the debt limit negotiation process because he's afraid she might not agree with his concessions.

She deserves better and Obama had better recognize it because she has the power to kill this crappy deal.

It's for sure Boner won't be able to deliver 100% of his caucus so the prez needs every Dem vote he can get. Snubbing the House minority leader won't help.

I used to think it was rahm emanuel that was giving him such poor advice but it appears he's making all these horrible decisions on his own.

[BlueCaliDem]

60. x 1000. I agree with everything in your post. Also, Rahm "doesn't believe in bipartisanship"

as is clearly reported here:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/rahm_i_never_believed_in_bipar.html

Rahm makes the claim in interviews with journalist Richard Wolffe, in his new book, "Revival: The Struggle for Survival Inside the Obama White House," which was released today. From page 102:

Unlike his boss, Emanuel wasn't interested in looking reasonable with Republicans; he wanted to look victorious. He didn't care much for uniting red and blue America; he wanted blue America to beat its red rival...

I was pretty surprised reading this since all I heard was how Rahm was forcing President Obama into imbalanced bipartisanship (weighing more heavily against Democrats and Progressives). And then that piece came out.

[Hawkowl]

63. Obama is the Equivocator

Nobody can blame any of his subordinates for "making" Obama cave. He's a natural.

[BlueCaliDem]

66. You got him confused with Bush.

President Obama is the president, not the dictator. If you're going to blame President Obama for being an equivocator then you have to be honest and blame congressional democrats for being equivocators, too.

Maybe he should declare Martial Law and become the dictator you seem to want him to be.

[Hawkowl]

67. Bullshit

Although Obama does have Bush's penchant for disregarding the wishes of the American people e.g; a public option for healthcare, ending warrantless wiretaps, the Patriot Act, Guantanomo, leaving Social Security alone, taxing the rich, etc.

You don't have to be a dictator to stand up for principle. I don't expect him to win every fight, I just expected him to fight--and not against the members of his own party.

Besides I hate Obama far more than Bush. Bush made it clear he was my enemy. Obama pretends to be the progressives friend and then repeatedly stabs them in the back.

Four more years! NOT!

[BlueCaliDem]

68. Nope. Painful in-your-face truth.

But you can't handle the truth. Fine by me. The majority of Liberals, Democrats, and Independents will vote for President Obama because their need for a President who is actually doing whatever he can to save this country from catastrophe, is stronger than their personal, puritanical pride.

FOUR MORE YEARS - YEAH! WE GOT THIS!

[Hawkowl]

70. Yeah just like the midterms

Good luck with your DINO.

[BlueCaliDem]

71. President Obama ran in the 2010 midterms?

You know how silly your comment is, don't you? Yeah. You do.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

16. Can't blame her. Pretty shitty of Obama to slam Dems out of the room while...

....he makes deals with Teapublicans. I thought it sucked when it happened - and I do now, too.

[FreakinDJ]

17. Nancy signaled they want to raise the cap and pocket the surplus

in her presser today

They need to get rid of the Bush Tax Cuts and be done with it

[SharksBreath]

27. They should have did that the first day in office.

2009.

Repealing the Bush tax cuts would have been like adding a yearly stimulus to our country every year.

Actually it would be twice as big as the stimulus because half of it was tax cuts.

875 million a year cash pumped into our coffer's if they would have got rid of the Bush tax cuts day one.

[lunatica]

19. Thank goodness she finally got angry!

Nancy, keep us informed! Let the public know what's going on.

[awoke_in_2003]

53. false anger....

nothing more than crocodile tears

[TrollBuster9090]

20. Damned right. We cannot allow this to be seen as a compromise between Senate Democrats and

House Republicans. Or as a compromise between Obama and Senate Democrats on one side, and House and Senate Republicans on the other.

If Obama wants to be seen as the great mediator, let him mediate between right wing whack jobs that are so far out there nobody can even see them anymore, and REAL progressives like Pelosi, Kucinich and Sanders. I don't know why anybody is surprised that the Overton Window keeps moving further and further to the right when these "compromises" are always made between CENTRIST DEMOCRATS and RIGHT WING EXTRIMISTS.

Let the damned compromise be made between the right and the REAL left.

[smiley33]

23. At least she gives a damn

I hope Pelosi can speak to the part of Obama that isn't in the pocket of big business. If any Democrat touches Medicare or SS, I'm ready to form a Workers' Party.

[Ikonoklast]

24. Politico? Please.

Unnamed sources, some people say...Politico is a Republican mouthpiece.

[dgibby]

26. Nancy doesn't get it.

There's no room at the table for other Dems in "his" administration. Everything is "I", "me", "my", and "mine" with him.

[Harriety]

28. Ata girl! Nancy

[tblue]

29. Hey, Obama! This is what BALLS look like! And PRINCIPLES, INTEGRITY, SPINE!

Does it take a woman?

[dotymed]

30. At least Jimmy Carter had scruples and stood on principle.

He was an ineffective President (my first Presidential vote...) but he was acting in good faith. He was a one term President. President Obama allies himself with mainly bankster advisors and IMO has not acted in good faith to anyone except corporate America. He has been a sell-out since day one,. at the very least, he should be primaried if we are to keep faith in the Democratic Party as the peoples party.

most of us are sick as hell of this shit

[sunnystarr]

31. looks like Pelosi isn't torn anymore and has sold us out ...

surprise surprise

For the first time today, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi did not rule out changing the way the government calculates annual cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security recipients. The possible change, adamantly opposed by progressives in the Democratic caucus, could make payments to retirees smaller.

...

When asked if changing the Social Security formula for cost of living adjustments was a de facto benefit cut, Pelosi did not directly answer.


"No. Cutting benefits is exactly that. Cutting benefits," Pelosi said. "There's concern in my caucus about what would happen with the CPI (consumer price index). Some think it is a benefit cut, others do not."

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20077942-503544.html

[Liberalynn]

32. No doubt the Dems in the Senate will sell us out too.

:banghead: It seems a lot of our supposed representatives don't have a spine or a place to put one.

Millions of Seniors and Disabled in Poverty but oh well lets look at the bright side. The lastest Mrs. Trump will be able to build another closet for her hand made foreign shoes to put on her pampered feet. Yippeee!! That will create millions of American jobs not. :shrug: :cry: :sarcasm:

[MisterP]

37. that was FAAAAAST, stunnystarr (or should I say Pelosi?)

[eilen]

48. lol I know sunnystarr and if she was Nancy Pelosi

she would still be Majority Leader.

[No Elephants]

39. Wow. How cynical. When your check is smaller, your benefits have been cut.

No wonder everyone is saying D.C. is out of touch with America.

[craigmatic]

34. Pelosi >Obama

[Plucketeer]

35. Damn!

Someone STILL speaks for us. :kick:

[WCGreen]

36. You go Nancy....

perhaps president Obama doesn't feel he needs to consult the peoples house unless of course they are white men from the GOP...

[ProgressIn2008]

38. Meh, I guess one of the most obscenely rich members of Congress would know. nt

[SammyWinstonJack]

40. LOL! Obama knows how to count.

*wink wink*


He is bought and paid for.

[No Elephants]

42. D.C. Democrats are crazy to let Republicans hang cutting OASDI and Medicare around their necks.

Most Americans do not follow the day by day, blow by blow events. All they'll know, all they'll remember, is that the Obama administration made the cuts. And, lest they forget, Republicans will remind them.

[No Elephants]

43. D.C. Democrats are crazy to let Republicans hang cutting OASDI and Medicare around their necks.

Most Americans do not follow the day by day, blow by blow events. All they'll know, all they'll remember, is that the Obama administration made the cuts. And, lest they forget, Republicans will remind them.

[Doctor_J]

44. She's pretty tough

going to the table with Boner AND the president against her.

[AllyCat]

45. Democrats are routinely cut out of bargaining/negotiations by Republican Presidents

I'm not understanding why she is surprised.

[Jakes Progress]

46. Why consult? This deal's got nothing to do with Democrats.

[JJW]

47. Enough

Pelosi always talks tough, right before she turns into a jelly fish.

[awoke_in_2003]

49. Impeachment is off the table. nt

[deacon]

57. Omg. Isn't it about time to shelve this bullshit? n/t

[Hand_With_Eyes]

62. NO

Because it enables the GOP crazy train. Excusing war crimes guarantees that the next GOP president will be worse than Bush. War crimes and torture are the new GOP baseline for republican presidential behavior.

Why do you think the GOP governors are going so absolutely crazy? Impunity. Nothing happens to republicans when they lie cheat and steal.

Impunity leads to dictatorship.

[awoke_in_2003]

65. thank you...

welcome to DU :hi:

[awoke_in_2003]

72. like someone else said...

until we start holding our politicians accountable for their actions, then it will just get worse- and we are all complicit in it. Punishing war crimes is NOT bullshit, saying shit like we have to move on is.

[tcaudilllg]

54. Obama's legacy is ruined. Whatever good he might have done, will be overshadowed by his sin

of the past several days.

Anyone ready for Gore?

[Harry Callahan]

55. Some gals don't know how to count either...

The health care bill will create 4 million jobs, 400,000 jobs almost immediately ~ Nancy Pelosi

[deacon]

56. Hang in there Nancy. If you do you may get my write-in vote in 2012. n/t

[SharksBreath]

58. No one in DC can count.

If they could the Bush tax cuts would have been voted out years ago.

[sulphurdunn]

61. Obama's reelection hopes

rest with his ability to raise corporate money, not the wishes of his base. Those spending the most money usually win elections. Modern history is fairly clear on that point. Obama knows that his corporate funding depends upon faking left and running right. He may be willing to sacrifice control of both houses of Congress to do that since a Republican congressional majority in both Houses would make it even easier to push his corporatist agenda.

[and-justice-for-all]

64. claws out and go for the eyes!!! nt

[Stinky The Clown]

69. Dear Nancy, If you stand (y)our ground on this one against Obama, all is forgiven on that earlier

"off the table" shit you pulled.