Barack Obama is gutting the core principles of the Democratic party

[CHIMO]

In 2005, American liberals achieved one of their most significant political victories of the last decade. It occurred with the resounding rejection of George W Bush's campaign to privatise social security.

Bush's scheme would have gutted the crux of that entitlement programme by converting it from what it has been since the 1940s – a universal guarantor of minimally decent living conditions for America's elderly – into a Wall Street casino and bonanza.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jul/21/barack-obama-social-security-cuts

[Autumn]

1. That he is.

rec to 0

[Divernan]

20. Obama's offer of big spending cuts would "brutally fracture the Democratic Party".

http://news.yahoo.com/presidents-debt-offer-risky-could-win-win-211537107.html

Obama's offer of big spending cuts would have "brutally fractured the Democratic Party," and congressional Republicans probably "will come to regret this missed opportunity," wrote David Brooks, a moderate-to-conservative columnist for The New York Times.

[JohnWxy]

28. good point. I've been frustrated by Obama's willingness to leave no value untouched to get a

compromise. What is there to do with this guy. HE's already done so much damage to Democratic party, watching the deficit debate (what ever happened to fighting for growth?) has been particularly maddening. BY flattering the Coporate Lobbyists (rather than attacking their bullshit and disinformation) he has enboldened them and has brought us the Tea-Partiacs, in numbers, in Congress (more than there would have been if he had attacked GOP bullshit since before the mid-term elections).

[ClarkUSA]

2. WtF is the op-ed writer babbling about? Does he have access to the final budget bill?

[readmoreoften]

3. How long are you people going to keep this up?

[bvar22]

6. They will keep it up until the final bill...

...which they will claim is "historic",
and a "step in the right direction",
and then they will have a Victory "Thank Gawd it Passed" Thread.
Then it will be added to The List.

The funny thing is that it matters not at all what is in the final legislation
for the above to occur.

[ClarkUSA]

10. Yes, "they" will keep asking for the facts in the face of demonizing bullshit op-eds like the OP.

[ClarkUSA]

9. Keep what up? Asking for facts? "you people"? Whom are you referring to?

[MissDeeds]

22. +1000

[valerief]

4. Rah! Rah! Rah!

[ClarkUSA]

11. Do you enjoy denigrating Obama supporters on a forum for Democrats?

[The Big Vetolski]

16. That assumes Obama is really a Democrat. He sure doesn't act

like one.

[SusanaMontana41]

30. Agreed. But neither do

a lot of "Democrats" in D.C. Corporatists exist in both parties, and corporatists are the enemy.

Welcome to DU, btw! Looking forward to more of your posts!:hi:

[Divernan]

21. Life imitates art:Like Monty Python's Black Knight -ClarkUSA can't admit defeat

In the film, King Arthur (Graham Chapman), accompanied by his trusty serf Patsy (Terry Gilliam), is travelling through a forest when he enters a clearing and observes a fight taking place between a Black Knight (John Cleese) and a Green Knight (also played by Gilliam) by a bridge over a small stream. As he watches, the Black Knight defeats the Green, throwing his sword straight through the eye slot of the Green Knight's helm (during Arthur's battle with the Black Knight, the Green Knight's body can be seen in a ditch beside the area).

Arthur then congratulates the Black Knight and offers him a place at Arthur's court on the Round Table, but the Black Knight only stands still, holding his sword, and makes no response until Arthur moves to cross the bridge. The Black Knight then refuses to stand aside. Reluctantly, Arthur fights the Black Knight and, after a short battle, the Knight's left arm is severed.

However, even at this the Knight refuses to stand aside, insisting "'Tis but a scratch", later insisting that he has "had worse", and fights on while holding his sword with his remaining arm. Next his right arm is cut off, but the knight still does not concede. As the Knight is literally disarmed, Arthur assumes the fight is over and kneels to offer a prayer to God. The Black Knight interrupts Arthur's prayer of thanks for his victory by kicking him in the side of the head and accusing him of cowardice. When Arthur points out the Black Knight's injuries, the Knight insists "It's just a flesh wound!". In response to the continued kicks and insults, Arthur chops off the Black Knight's right leg. At this point, the Knight still will not admit to defeat, instead he replies by saying, "Right, I’ll do you for that," and attempts to ram his body into Arthur's, by hopping on his left leg. Arthur is incredulous at The Black Knight's persistence, and angrily asks the Black Knight if he is going to "bleed on me" to win. The Black Knight replies by saying, "I'm invincible!", to which Arthur replies "You're a loony!". With an air of resignation, Arthur finally cuts off the left leg, too. After severing all four of the Knight's Limbs, The Knight says that they should "call it a draw". Arthur then sheathes his sword, summons Patsy and "rides" away, leaving the Black Knight to scream threats at him ("Running away eh?! You yellow bastards! Come back here and take what's coming to ya! I'll bite your legs off!").

[valerief]

24. Brilliant scene! nt

[saras]

5. Who cares? Are you suggesting the final bill will come out to the left of Obama's starting position?

If not, then Obama failed by starting far too far to the right. If the Tea Party is going to self-destruct, there's no reason to give them ANYTHING before they self-destruct.

[ClarkUSA]

12. You don't care about what's in the actual final bill as long as you can blame Pres. Obama for it?

Is that right?

[The Big Vetolski]

17. Sounds to me that what she cares about is actually what is in the

final bill, not whether or not Obama can be blamed. I would love to see Obama back something that is in my, and most of the American people's, interests. So far, there is no indication that he will do so.

Are you so wrapped up in a cult of personality, as illustrated by the picture in your tag line, that you can't see this point of view? Even your logo is a failed one. Is that not what the Democrats used in 2010? That worked real well, didn't it? At least the team with my logo won the World Series in 1948. Truman won the White House then, too. BTW, he was a DEMOCRAT.

[Knight Hawk]

18. Yes

"Give them hell Harry"was a real fighter for the little guy AND most definitely a true democrat.

[leveymg]

7. Won't it be too late once we "have access to the final budget bill?"

The logic of your position can't be reconciled with we've heard from all sides about Obama's bargaining position: SS and/or Medicare benefits cuts; tax breaks for the top bracket; a general wipeout of middle-class tax exemptions, such as the home ownership exemption.

How can that be construed as anything but a further shifting of the burden downward and an attack on the middle-class?

[ClarkUSA]

13. "too late"? Your doomsday assumptions are ridiculous, given the lack of any evidence.

There's been plenty of spin by MSM whores, but that's about it. And lest you forget, Congress has to pass any deal.

[leveymg]

14. I'll buy drinks if the Grand Deal ends up substantially better than the Catfood Commish report

:eyes: :spray:

[Divernan]

19. Speaking of spinning and whores . . . . . .

As you so often do . . . . your Freudian defense mechanisms are showing.

[Cherchez la Femme]

29. That's why he pushes it.

[The Big Vetolski]

15. Even Bill Clinton said all Obama has to do is to invoke the 14th

Amendment and say the debt ceiling is null and void because it is unconstitutional(right here on DU, yesterday). The debt ceiling is, and always has been, unconstitutional. And Obama, the constitutional scholar, does not know this? Right. He's not doing it because he DOESN'T WANT TO. Because he wants to rape social security just like his Wall Street Banker bosses want him to. He has not done so. Gee, what does that mean?

WTFU. Please.

[bvar22]

26. If THIS guy was President, we would have access to that information:

Transparency
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5t8GdxFYBU

[Doctor_J]

33. One of the comments

Biggest political disappointment in my lifetime and that goes back to President Truman. Obama completely wasted one of the greatest political opportunities ever given a politician. His political epitaph will be, "He shrunk from history." His idea of being some sort of transcendent figure is a complete joke. Republicans steal this fool's lunch every day and his only reaction is to pack them another lunch. Hell, Obama is at the point now where he asks the Republicans what they'd like for lunch.

:thumbsup:

[Doctor_J]

32. The final bill will come out to the right of Obama's current proposal,

which cuts (maybe even slashes!!) SS, Medicare, HeadStart, child care, etc., and cuts middle class tax exemptions, while it cuts upper-class taxes. So regardless of how it comes out, it is going to really, really, suck. And, the op-ed writer doesn't have to read the finished product to know that Obama has pissed all over the legacies of the 20th century Dems who fought off right-wing psychopathy to put these things in place. So regardless of your sputtering, this op-ed is right on the mark.

[demosincebirth]

8. Matter of opinion.

[MissDeeds]

23. Indeed he is

K&R

[TwentyFive]

25. Repeat of 1994-2008? Democrats forced to cut Safety Net, so Republicans can spend it

We did this back in 1995. Republicans forced Clinton to accept welfare reform and cuts to education and the middle class to balance the budget. And for what? So, BushCo could spend it on tax cuts for the wealthy, wars, corporate welfare, etc.

This will happen again. Obama will balance the budget (thanks to us) and Republicans will steal the next election and go on another spending drunk. Watch it happen.

[blkmusclmachine]

27. Yep, deja vu.

[SusanaMontana41]

31. Fantastic read! Comments from readers also are worth reading. n/t