Hoping for a government shutdown.

[FLyellowdog]

That's what it sounds like the majority of DU is thinking. But I can't for the life of me understand why a compromise at this stage of the game is so bad. It doesn't look like we have much of a choice.

One thing I do know is that I don't believe our President is intent on cutting ANYTHING just so he can destroy the middle class or social security or medicare et al. He's trying to save the American economy and prevent further economic disaster. Forget this "pony" crap talk, forget this "he's not sacrificing anything himself", forget this "caving" scenario...we've got a problem, Houston, and it ain't gonna fix itself.

If I have to have my toenail removed to save my toe, I'll do it. If I have to have my toe amputated to save my foot, I'll do it. If I have to have my foot amputated to save my leg, I'll do it. If I have to have my leg amputated to save my life, I'll do it. Will I like any of those things happening, hell no, but sometimes we have to make difficult choices if we want to survive. That's where we find ourselves today.

Perhaps this is a Pollyanna way of looking at things, but I will put my trust in the person in charge knowing that those with more experience, knowledge, and fortitude than I will make the best decisions for the current circumstances.

President Obama is trying to fix horrendous problems not of his making. The people of this country who voted in the republicans in 2010 share a great deal of the blame for the inability of Congress to come to a resolution and sadly they will not have learned anything from this terrible lesson.

There is no easy answer to the situation we find ourselves in (thank you Shrub) but turning our backs on President Obama will not help in any way. The adults in the room know that often we have to make decisions which the children don't like, but for the good of the family, we have to make them.

What do I want? I want an easy answer to the difficult questions...I want the world at peace...I want the hungry fed...I want the sick healed...I want it all. But I ain't gonna get it. All I can realistically hope for is that my President will continue to work toward keeping our country great...and solvent...and free.

I continue to believe that he is committed to the relief, recovery, and reform ideals that brought us back from the Great Depression. And I believe that's what he's doing with no ulterior motives. And so, I will continue to support him. He's the man I helped to get elected President. He's the person I want in charge because I think he will make the right decisions.



"There is nothing wrong with America that can't be fixed with what is right with America."-Bill Clinton

[elocs]

1. Nobody exactly knows what the majority of DU thinks.

I doubt that there is anyone who even knows what the majority of those who post think.

[kentuck]

2. "President Obama is trying to fix horrendous problems not of his making."

You mean like the Bush taxcuts and the wars in Asia?

[villager]

4. and those crackdowns on medical marijuana, and extensions of domestic spying!

Sheesh, the guy's only been in there three years -- he's hardly responsible for anything!

[bluerum]

3. I vote we cut defense 50% and increase SS, medicare and education budgets.

Otherwise this is near BS.

[TheKentuckian]

5. I'm not overly fixated on intentions but on what is going down.

The faith in his commitment to the New Deal seems absurd on its face.

This is the guy you had still not ended Reagan's WPA ban that requires nothing more than his own Executive Order.

[Ozymanithrax]

6. From the children in the room...

If you cut Medicare or Social Security under the code word of "making it stronger", President Obama, you should pack your bags. If we wanted a Republican President in 2008, we would have elected one.

We have big problems to fix, but cutting life's necessities from millions while asking the rich to forgo a tin of caviar or two isn't the way to do it.

[FLyellowdog]

8. Where have you read any specifics of the "cuts"?

We're arguing over issues for which we have no real facts yet.

One thing bantered about is the raising of the SS age which has been done before. SS has undergone several changes since 1935 and it will continue to undergo changes as the population of retired persons increases.

If there are loopholes in either SS or Medicare or better ways to distribute the benefits, shouldn't changes be made so that the systems work more efficiently?

[Ozymanithrax]

10. The President has said he he wants to trim things.

Democrats in the House and the Senate, who are in a position to know, have come out and said they will not vote for those cuts that we don't know exactly what they are.

The President has said that he is willing to take the heat for changes. If those changes are good, that isn't heat.

The President wants a balanced approach where Democrats and Republicans have to take tough votes that will cost them politically.

Adding to Social Security and Medicare won't hurt Democrats or Republicans.

Wake up and smell the coffee. When we know the specifics it will be too late to make our voices heard. From the things the President has said, Congress has said, the Labor Unions have said, the Senate has said, cuts, trims, improvements, or making it strong is coming. And if its a sacrifice, it isn't good.

In Greece, they are staring Austerity in the face. Their government has passed cuts leaving the people no other recourse than to take to the streets. We the people need to tell the President that there are things he cannot and will not do.

When Bush was going to privatize Social Security to make it better we knew what he meant. We did not say, wait until we get the specifics because we don't know what he really means. We did not have to know the specifics. We don't have to know them now, because the evidence that cuts are coming is there, and they are unacceptable.

[FLyellowdog]

7. I don't believe our President is intent on cutting ANYTHING just so he can destroy the middle class.

My point is...I don't believe Obama is trying to ruin our country...painting him as a republican tool just isn't true. IMHO

[Flubadubya]

9. I certainly hope you are right...

with all my heart, I really, really do!

However, I believe I know one thing for sure. It will not be long before we can say with no small amount of certainty just what quarter Mr. Obama is coming from. The hand he plays in this budget crisis will be the one that defines his presidencey forever, and will also determine his fate in the 2012 election.

'Nuff said.