Bernie Sanders on Gang of Six -- "This should be rejected"

[Armstead]

http://www.thenation.com/blog/162166/gang-six-plan-not-so-fast-says-bernie-sanders

'Gang of Six' Plan? 'Not So Fast,' Says Bernie Sanders
By John Nichols

Excerpt:

...But the one senator who has stood most steadily in defense of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid—and for fiscally sound budgeting—is not joining the mob.

He is objecting. And he says the American people should join him in challenging a a plan that he says would result in devastating cuts to needed programs.

“While all of the details from the so-called Gang of Six proposals are not yet clear, what is apparent is that the plan would result in devastating cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and many other programs that are of vital importance to working families in this country. Meanwhile, tax rates would be lowered for the wealthiest people and the largest, most profitable corporations,” says Sanders.

“This is an approach that should be rejected by the American people. At a time when the rich are becoming richer and corporate profits are soaring, at least half of any deficit-reduction package must come from upper income people and profitable corporations. We must also take a hard look at military spending, which has tripled since 1997.”

MORE

[gateley]

1. Here - kpete posted a letter from Bernie and a link to sign

a petition:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1530128&mesg_id=1530128

It's so good to have Bernie representing us all. I don't need to try to plow through piles of arguments to understand an issue, I just see what Bernie (and a couple of others) do, and I know that's how I would vote were I in their shoes.

[MissDeeds]

5. Thanks for the link

I signed and forwarded the petition.

:hi:

[merbex]

2. As a Democrat I have already come down on the side of what Bernie has written

which means I strongly oppose the coupling of the debt ceiling with ANY cuts.

I am against the idea of a 'grand bargain'.

It is immoral.

What I would like to see is putting state and local Democratic officials on the line with their opinions regarding this 'grand bargain' because the Democratic Party is wounding itself with this concept of a 'grand bargain' and will pay at the polls.

I strongly believe that all Democrats but especially elected Democrats at every level have a seroius choice to make - we either become as irrelevant as the Whigs or we reject this unnecessary 'grand bargain'

[Armstead]

6. It doesd make it difficult for Democrats to cast themselves as fighting the GOP...

and the repressive policies of the corporate elite, while simultaneously saying their ideas are valid and they are supporting them.

[merbex]

8. Oh yea, what we are witnessing is the blending of the Democratic Party

into the Republican Party's economic policies from the Bush era.

Those Democrats that want to 'stick around' in the 'new reality' that Obama is shaping have to shed the last vestiges of the New Deal and Great Society from their rhetoric.

Some will not( like me - a peon in a local Dem organization) and since nature abhors a vacuum, it is entirely possible that a new coalition modeled on the FDR coalition will begin to materialize.

If enough presently Democratic St. Reps, and State Senators and maybe a few brave Congress men and women( drawn no doubt from the Progessive caucus) realize this and set themselves apart we will witness the death of the Democratic Party and the beginning of a new Party a la the Whigs.

The recent Canadian election is VERY telling in this regard.

These State Reps and St Senators don't realize how significant their role is at this moment.

They have a major decision to make.

If I were an elected official it would an easy decision for me.

Easy peasy.

Buh bye, Corporate dems!

[Atman]

3. I thought rich white people were afraid of gangs?

:shrug:

At least they're not black or Hispanic, I guess.

.

[Armstead]

7. The pharase is based on discredited leaders in Chine during the Cultural Revolution

THe Gang of Four are former leaders who were later put on trial for instigating chaos during the Cultural Revolution.

Maybe it's an appropriate name after all

[FreeStateDemocrat]

4. If Obama cuts SS which is a solvent program he will be a weak, forgettable one term president.

Please tell me why this will not happen outside the pukes nominating a real wacko like Bachmann?

[Telly Savalas]

9. I'm not well versed in Senate procedural voodoo

But are there levers he can pull to obstruct this if necessary?

From a bland non-sexy pragmatic technocratic centrist standpoint, the Gang of Six proposal is fucking awful. With power being split between Democrats and Republicans, it makes sense for there to be a bipartisan compromise. I'm just having a real hard time finding anything of substance that the GOP is giving up here, so it's kind of hard to call this a compromise.

[Armstead]

10. Without the support of Democrats, he can't do squat about it

But at least he can be a voice of reason