Both the NYT and Wash Post have front page articles on Obama's betrayal

[n2doc]

Obama to Push for Wider Deal With G.O.P. on Deficit Cuts
By CARL HULSE and MARK LANDLER
Published: July 6, 2011

WASHINGTON — Heading into a crucial negotiating session on a budget deal on Thursday, President Obama has raised his sights and wants to strike a far-reaching agreement on cutting the federal deficit as Speaker John A. Boehner has signaled new willingness to bargain on revenues.

Mr. Obama, who is to meet at the White House with the bipartisan leadership of Congress in an effort to work out an agreement to raise the federal debt limit, wants to move well beyond the $2 trillion in savings sought in earlier negotiations and seek perhaps twice as much over the next decade, Democratic officials briefed on the negotiations said Wednesday.

The president’s renewed efforts follow what knowledgeable officials said was an overture from Mr. Boehner, who met secretly with Mr. Obama last weekend, to consider as much as $1 trillion in unspecified new revenues as part of an overhaul of tax laws in exchange for an agreement that made substantial spending cuts, including in such social programs as Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security — programs that had been off the table.

The intensifying negotiations between the president and the speaker have Congressional Democrats growing anxious, worried they will be asked to accept a deal that is too heavily tilted toward Republican efforts and produces too little new revenue relative to the magnitude of the cuts.

Congressional Democrats said they were caught off guard by the weekend White House visit of Mr. Boehner — a meeting the administration still refused to acknowledge on Wednesday — and Senate Democrats raised concerns at a private party luncheon on Wednesday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/07/us/politics/07fiscal.html?hp


In debt talks, Obama offers Social Security cuts


By Lori Montgomery, Published: July 6
President Obama is pressing congressional leaders to consider a far-reaching debt-reduction plan that would force Democrats to accept major changes to Social Security and Medicare in exchange for Republican support for fresh tax revenue.

At a meeting with top House and Senate leaders set for Thursday morning, Obama plans to argue that a rare consensus has emerged about the size and scope of the nation’s budget problems and that policymakers should seize the moment to take dramatic action.

more
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/in-debt-talks-obama-offers-social-security-cuts/2011/07/06/gIQA2sFO1H_story.html?hpid=z1

[StandingInLeftField]

1. I refer all to your last post.

Sigh.....

[Brickbat]

2. You know, I've had people say to me, "do you expect him NOT to work with the Republicans?" But when

I see this:

Congressional Democrats said they were caught off guard by the weekend White House visit of Mr. Boehner — a meeting the administration still refused to acknowledge on Wednesday — and Senate Democrats raised concerns at a private party luncheon on Wednesday.

I have to say, well, he can work with Republicans, but I guess I expect him to work with Democrats, too.

[n2doc]

3. And this is not the first time this has happened with him n/t

[bluethruandthru]

6. He's NEVER worked with Democrats.

He tells them what he's giving away to the republicans and tells them if they don't like it...tough!

[Xipe Totec]

4. Here's the deal: You give me $100, and I'll let you have your wallet back

What could be more fair?

[iwishiwas]

5. Cut the WH health insurance and see how they deal with it. But

of course they are well off enough to absorb the costs.

[xchrom]

7. Recommend

[Poll_Blind]

8. Apparently, there is a small movement to pretend none of this is happening.

And claims that the news articles are all fabrications. (see the responses)

In an entirely different thread about the same subject, someone put it succinctly: "If he's really going to cut their SS, he's a goner. He's done for. People are never going to forget who cut their benefits."

In another, the spectre of the Democratic party being labelled as the party which slashed Social Security.

Oy gevalt. The only thing this achieves is a Pyrrhic victory in negotiations with the likes of Boehner. In every other category across the goddamned board, it's a huge loss for the people, the integrity of the party, and the sustainability of millions of Americans who desperately need their lifelines un-tampered with.

PB

[jtown1123]

23. Seconded. This is a disaster. The Democrats are finished.

[malaise]

9. And both promoted Bushco

Just saying

[fasttense]

10. Let's all vote for Obama who will cut Social Security and Medicare only some.

Those RepubliCONS will cut Social Security and Medicare a whole lot.

Yeah, that's a winning political slogan.

:sarcasm:

Snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory.

[tularetom]

11. The whole deficit argument is a fucking straw man

The republicans have maneuvered Obama into arguing about something that doesn't really matter.

The question everyone should be asking but is never heard is what is all this noise about budget deficits, spending cuts, tax increases and debt limits doing to reduce the country's toxic unemployment numbers?

Nobody gives a shit about jobs anymore. The republicans never did and Obama has been finessed out of caring by all the budget bullshit.

Playing tiddly winks while his opponents are playing poker.

[madokie]

12. I wonder if its not that they want him to do this rather than him actually doing it

We know that the print news is in the pocket of the republicons so this would be 'news' that would have an effect on how the people out here are thinking of the President. All I know is I've heard him say that he wasn't going to touch either SS or Medicare and so I read what these assholes are writing with a grain of salt.
I simply don't believe a word of it and won't until I hear it from the horses mouth.
In other words I'm solidly in President Obama's corner. Fuck what the washington post or the new york times has to say.

-1

[Ineeda]

14. I'm with you. n/t

[sammytko]

15. I agree with you -

[Fumesucker]

16. I know that when the millionaires and billionaires got a huge tax cut..

I got a tax increase..

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/us/politics/08impact.html

Although the $120 billion payroll tax reduction offers nearly twice the tax savings of the credit it replaces, it will nonetheless lead to higher tax bills for individuals with incomes below $20,000 and families that make less than $40,000. That is because their payroll tax savings are less than the $400 or $800 they will lose from the Making Work Pay credit.

“It will come to a few dollars a week,” said Roberton Williams, an analyst at the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, “but it is an increase.”

[madokie]

19. Funny how that works huh

Too many here are believing total bullshit

[myrna minx]

13. What's the point in the Democratic party again?

:puke: We're on our own, yet our votes are taken for granted. Screw them. .

[Marblehead]

17. Obama and Boner

sittin in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. I think my head is going to explode.

[fredamae]

18. I am one of Obama's biggest critics and I'm

worried, nay----near panic---when considering his history in Caving..but, we all need to wait and see What this becomes Before we react.

Remember this is the Media--they Live for this shit--getting the public all worked up etc..they don't KNOW the outcome either.

Obama's Continual Caving due to his Denial of circumstances and republican behavior will be his water-loo, not the Affordable Health Care Act.
Obama has NEVER Trusted "us", to have his back--polling demonstrates, he has Won the argument, will he Again throw his Win, in this argument????
He will instantaneously lose 2012 if he caves one iota on this.

[MilesColtrane]

24. Even if it turns out that Obama is willing to sell the farm...

that's no guarantee that Congressional Democrats are going to sign off on it.

Most of them are smart enough to know that cutting SS is signing their own political death sentence.

[fredamae]

26. I called Reid's ofc this AM and asked what

they could do to over-ride a budget bill pushed from the oval office--he said there was little they could do in this case.

[spedtr90]

20. Need a debt limit deal, Mr. Obama? Agree with repubs' $2T increase

Their budget raises the debt limit in 2012 to $16.2 trillion — nearly two trillion higher than now. By 2021 they are fine with $23.1 trillion — nearly $9 trillion higher than now.

Obama had suggested a ceiling of $15.9 for 2012.

Agreeing with the debt ceiling republicans voted on with a resounding YES would be a win for Democrats. On this Obama is silent.

I really think he and republicans are just smoking cigars and shooting pool in those private meetings. Just switch parties and get it over with.....

[BeyondGeography]

21. The only detail I have seen is recalculating COLA's for SS

This does not rise to the level of "betrayal" in my book.

Best to wait and see.

[still_one]

22. Can the Democrats in Congress overrule the administration on this? /nt

[Shagbark Hickory]

25. Oh dear. nm