Should the Democrats in the Senate endorse the "Gang of Six" Plan?

[kentuck]

As has PResident Obama?

Of course, it will only take a few of them to jump ship for the other side to have a working majority. Unless Democrats request a 60-vote tally to stop debate? Can they get that many to agree?? I suppose most Republicans would agree to it?

Sorry. Here's a link:


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43807163/ns/politics-capitol_hill/

[jaxx]

1. Does the plan get to be negotiated first?

What was proposed is in no way a finished product.

[The Magistrate]

2. Absolutely Not, Sir

The thing is a poison toad.

[kentuck]

6. I trust your judgement, Magistrate.

I suppose a lot of Medicaid and unemployment is being paid out right now because of the economy. If the economy improved, I guess they could end those benefits and call it a "cut"? Otherwise, I hope they are wise enough to look out for the most vulnerable in our society?

[The Magistrate]

14. The Worst thing About This, Sir, Is That It Actually Reduces Tax Revenues

To take the tripe argument that 'government must do its budgeting like your family does' seriously for a moment, what family, faced with expenses greater than income, suggests Dad should ask his boss for fewer hours down at the plant, so he will take home less pay?

No proposal that does not increase taxes, and increase them substantially on the possessors of the bulk of the country's wealth, is a serious proposal for bringing the Federal budget into better balance.

Any proposal which does not do this, and instead introduces structural, long term reductions in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits, is not a proposal to bring the Federal budget into better balance, but rather a proposal to sanctify the looting of the Social Security Trust Fund, and turn the regressive pay-roll tax on wages into the chief source of general revenue for Federal expenditures on war and tax credit paid out to big business.

The cold fact is that three things make up the present deficits; revenue forgone by the tax cuts enacted by Bush and preserved by President Obama, the costs of warfare in the Near East and Central Asia, and the loss of revenues attendant on the collapse of employment in our economy over the last three years. Anyone who wants to end deficits must look to raising revenues, curbing wwar outlays, and increasing employment.

[JuniperLea]

18. Where did you get this information?

Last I heard there was still negotiations to be done and a plan drawn up. Did this all happen already? Where is a link to the final outcome?

[The Magistrate]

23. The Money Quote, Ma'am, is From the 'Politico' Article

"Overall, the group claims it would result in a $1.5 trillion net tax decrease."

But it is citing the 'gang' itself, in a document in the reporter's hands. Unless someone his the wrong key, and meant to type 'increase', we have a serious problem....

[kentuck]

21. Sir, if you think about it, Obama has already made cuts in SS...

The FICA tax refund came out of the Social Security fund. That is that much money that is not in the SS fund. If they were to cut the SS receipts 50%, with refunds, how long do you suppose it would take for the SS fund not to have enough money in it to meet present demands and the government would have no legitimate reason not to cut SS benefits for all because the pot is no longer as big as it once was...

[The Magistrate]

24. True, Sir, And That is Very Worrisome

[TomClash]

3. Reducing marginal tax rates for "high earners" to 23%

Yeah, that's what I signed up for.

I think it means $2.5 trillion in non-defense cuts over ten years.

And then there's chain gang CPI.

What tax deductions do they propose for elimination?

[Distant Observer]

4. Probably a death knell if DEMs support it. Obama's positive comments has probably doomed it already

[Fearless]

10. Perhaps doomed his reelection as well if it passes.

[damntexdem]

5. Only if they want to split the Democratic Party.

Only if they want to lose my vote forever.

[Mz Pip]

8. If I wanted Republican policies

I'd vote for a Republican.

I hope this is just more bullshit but it seems to be a little late for more games. I'm really getting sick of all the "negotiations."

Unless the Republicans are willing to sacrifice some of their sacred cows - like the military industrial complex - then I think the Democrats should tell them to fergidaboutid.

[The Magistrate]

15. Hear Hear, Ma'am

[KittyWampus]

19. Completely agree. IMO, this is more stalling.

[Fearless]

7. Should they negotiate the destruction of the middle class? Umm... no.

[Hubert Flottz]

9. I guess so, if they don't want to keep their jobs.

[fasttense]

11. That stupid plan includes a cut in Social Security

and reduces the uber rich's tax rate.

How perfectly stupid.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. Hell no, and they know it.

It is a piece of shit.

[bullwinkle428]

13. It's a steaming turd on a silver platter.

[JuniperLea]

16. Are you telling me they negotiated the whole deal already?

And we have hard facts to talk about?

[KittyWampus]

20. Right? The thread title is egregiously wrong.

[muriel_volestrangler]

25. "broadly consistent with what we've been working on at the White House"

At the White House, President Obama called the reemergence of the "gang" "good news.

"I think it is a very significant step," Obama told reporters in the White House briefing room. "The framework they put forward is broadly consistent with what we've been working on at the White House."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/07/the-gang-of-six-is-back-and-presents-a-bipartisan-deficit-reduction-plan.html

I don't think that saying he endorses it (MSNBC's words) is 'egregiously wrong'. It seems broadly accurate.

[Pholus]

31. No, we're not FORMALLY screwed yet. But by then it's kind of too late isn't it?

[KittyWampus]

17. Where did Obama endorse this specific plan? HE DIDN'T.

[Fearless]

30. He did.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43807163/ns/politics-capitol_hill/

[The Big Vetolski]

22. NO. nt

[Donnachaidh]

26. oh HELL no. n/t

[kath]

27. Not just no, but HELL, NO!

[Faryn Balyncd]

28. Only if they think voting under duress to endorse the continued raiding of SS to finance general...

...fund deficits is a good idea.



:hi:

[whathehell]

29. The "gang of six" and their effing plan suck...That means "No". n/t

[eridani]

32. Fucking HELL no!!!! n/t

[Tx4obama]

33. President Obama did NOT endorse the plan, he hasn't even read it yet.

SNIP

... We just received it, so we haven’t reviewed all the details of it. ...

SNIP

Q: When will you announce whether you will be supporting the Gang of Six plan? Would that be in the next day?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, as I said, I think what you’re going to be seeing is an evaluation of that plan versus the things that we’ve been looking at. ...

SNIP

President Obama's full remarks here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/07/19/remarks-president-status-efforts-find-balanced-approach-deficit-reductio


p.s. Lots of folks in the media are misrepresenting what Obama said.

[eridani]

34. Let the DNC know what you think of this bullshit.

Issues page
http://my.democrats.org/page/s/contactissues

[AtomicKitten]

35. Of course Dems should vote "no" on any proposal that includes dismantling the social safety net.

A compromise bill will NEVER pass both Houses of Congress anyway. If there is anything in it about raising revenue, the House GOP will vote no. If there is anything about dismantling the social safety net, the Democrats in both House will and should vote no. There is no way this permutation of a compromise will pass.

Btw, the president endorsed the EFFORT of the group but said he had not had a chance to read the bill yet.