Excuse me Mr. President, it’s not yours to give away.

[alberg]

You didn’t create Social Security and Medicare, the American People did – working their will through the efforts of Democratic Party leadership over the course of a 40 year struggle. You were not there. The blood and tears and courage it took to create these programs were not yours.

Americans who have paid their dues and paid their taxes for a lifetime expect it to be there when they need it. That was the promise. That is the cornerstone of our social contract as a nation.

Stop what you’re doing, now. You have no right. You have no mandate. Social Security and Medicare do not belong to you.

[tridim]

1. Obama stop doing what you're not doing!!!111

[bahrbearian]

2. Like ending the wars?

He sure puts a lot of shit on the table to be served, thats not to be served.

[tridim]

4. Obama, stop ending the wars as you're already doing!!!111

[joeybee12]

7. Funny, did Libya START during Bush and Obama is ending it? nt

[karynnj]

25. How many soldiers do we have on the ground - or in the air - in Libya?

[sad sally]

56. Too bad this billion can be spent without even a whimper

In a report revealing that the total cost of US intervention in Libya as of June 3 has been $716 million and will reach $1.1 billion by the end of September, the Obama administration today told congressional leaders in a report that the role of the US military is so limited, congressional authorization is not needed.

But generous American government will give the starving Somalians $28 million.

[demwing]

64. How many dollars are we spending that we cannot afford?

$1 on war is TOO MUCH when our so called Democratic President is offering up cuts to ANY social safety nets.

BTW, the latest estimate is that we will have spent over $800 million on Libya by September. Considering this was reported by Fox, I'd say that number was a low ball estimate...

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/10/gates-blasts-nato-questions-future-alliance/

[blank space]

65. How many wars has he actually stopped ?

None.

How many has he started - two. (Pakistan and Libya).

And Afghanistan is elevated.

So he has had a slight draw down in Iraq, (in reality it is well above normal levels, pre-surge, due to the fact he has simply privatised it).


On top of all of this he is conducting a war in Yemen.


So, um what are YOU TALKING ABOUT !!

[stockholmer]

66. +10000

[truedelphi]

77. + My household. n/t

[tpsbmam]

86. Don't forget Yemen. nt

[Major Hogwash]

113. By being elected, Obama prevented McCain from invading Iran.

Which was next on the PNAC list.

Try to pay attention closer to details when you post here.
We're all about details at the DU forum.

[avaistheone1]

141. ROFLMAO

thanks. good one.

[JackRiddler]

79. How is this relevant? If a foreign nation were bombing your town, but had no troops on the ground...

would you say it wasn't a war?

You don't really help your argument with Orwellian language.

[Major Hogwash]

112. Didn't Khadaffi threaten to slaughter everyone in his country before we bombed them?

I think that is relevant, but you left it out of your cartoonish reply.

[JackRiddler]

131. Well, that's an easy question. No, he didn't threaten to slaughter "everyone in his country."

Speaking of "cartoonish"!

It's been established by the likes of Amnesty and Human Rights Watch and even accepted by the media that the pre-attack stories of Gaddafi atrocities were fabricated or exaggerated. There were no "foreign black mercenaries" or "Viagra-fueled" rape campaigns.

Meanwhile Assad is doing much worse than Gaddafi. Even worse from a US perspective is its support for the Saudi invasion of Bahrain to save the regime there, despite the atrocities there. And in Yemen the US is killing people based on Saudi intelligence. The US has joined the fight to save the oil kingdoms from the uprisings, while bombing Libyans (and turning them against the US and for Gaddafi) supposedly to support the uprisings.

Yemen, Syria, Bahrain, Libya: these are as close to a controlled experiment as foreign policy can provide. Four Arab nations facing democratic uprisings at the same time, each engaging in brutal crackdowns against the rebels. The different US responses in each case illustrate that USG policies have NOTHING to do with the high rhetoric and moral claims. In each case, it's whatever is convenient to USG interests.

.

[Major Hogwash]

135. Nice try Riddler, but I'm Batman, and it's time to put your ass behind bars.

Bush loved Khaddafi, he even took him off of the "evil empires" list.

Pay more attention to the details, that's what we like here at DU, the details.

[JackRiddler]

137. Like Batman, you've got one-liners, but your power remains fictional.

What details? You don't give any.

Helpfully, I'll point you back to the post you imagined that you were responding to (while watching a Batman movie, perhaps?).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1569937&mesg_id=1579072

PS - Hope for your sake you're no older than 14.

[Major Hogwash]

140. You don't know Jack, Jack.

Yeah, I'm older than 14 years of age.
I'm 56 years old and I served in the Marine Corps after serving in the Army.

And Khadaffi was indeed an evil man.
Try spinning your way out of that one.

[JackRiddler]

144. Major, I'll have to defer to your superior rank, age seniority, and exceptional wit.

[RaleighNCDUer]

125. So it's not a war if only the OTHER side dies? nt

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tridim]

31. Obama is systematically ending Bush's wars.

As he promised.

[daa]

46. What? The defense budget under Obama takes more than one

third government revenue and is more than the next twenty countries in the world spend combined.

[tridim]

51. Obama is systematically ending Bush's wars.

That's the fact, daa.

[Ken Burch]

74. No it isn't You're not ending wars if you're keeping troops there and they're still fighting

There's no reason at all not to put all the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan on flights home tomorrow morning.

Would you have said it was acceptable for Eugene McCarthy, had he won in 1968, to have taken THIS long to get the troops out of Vietnam?

[defendandprotect]

94. ... and Obama just increased the MIC budget -- !!! Right after extending tax cuts for rich -- !!

[dbonds]

63. NO! not as he promised. I remember some timeframes mentioned..

and they have come and gone. Plus leaving 50k troops in Iraq isn't ending a war.

[stockholmer]

67. my arse he is, stop drinking the kool-aid

[demwing]

69. That's true, there will be no "Bush's Wars"!

Soon, they will all be known as "Obama's Wars"

Thanks for the correction. :)

[defendandprotect]

93. "Systematically" ... you mean systematically allowing them to bankrupt the nation -- !!

[OnlinePoker]

107. He did not promise to end the war in Afghanistan

In fact, while campaigning to be president, he actually wanted to expand it into Pakistan.

[fascisthunter]

123. I'm done with the cheerleaders here

you aren't even cheering anyone, you are straight up lying to voters, and you should be ashamed. Do us a favor, and stop representing the dem party, thanks.

[RaleighNCDUer]

126. Yeah - he's got his own wars to worry about and nobody like

sloppy seconds.

[JackRiddler]

133. If your intent is to support Obama, telling obvious up-is-down falsehoods only hurts.

Seriously. Everyone can see how completely false is your assertion that Obama is ending the Bush wars. Objectively, you are sabotaging Obama. The more sophisticated defenders of the Obama escalations at least try to rationalize and justify these.

What you're doing is more like, "Big Brother raised the chocolate ration," which is what the news said in Orwell's 1984 whenever the government cut the chocolate ration. People who read that will laugh and think you're some kind of Jehovah's Witness or other fanatic for Obama.

Obama is not ending any wars. Obama has escalated several wars.

The withdrawal from Iraq is proceeding under the 2007 status of forces agreement reached by the Bush regime. Under SOFA, all US troops are to withdraw by December 31 of this year. Obama has not accelerated SOFA, he is trying to delay its timetable! The administration is attempting to negotiate an extension under which 10,000 or more US troops will remain. (Plus contractors.)

There were aerial bombings in Iraq last week.

Obama admin has escalated in Afghanistan. The supposed first phase of "withdrawal" this year will reduce troop levels to a number tens of thousands higher than at the end of Bush.

Obama admin has escalated in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, and tacitly backed the Saudi invasion of Bahrain.

Obama admin entered the coalition action against Libya and provides most of the resources used in the bombings. That is a NEW war.

It's easy to imagine a McCain presidency would have also bombed Iran. However, it's hard to imagine a McCain presidency would have been very much different with regard to the US-led military hostilities in the above-named countries.

At any rate, an imaginary McCain presidency cannot be the baseline against which we measure right and wrong in the world. Obama is doing wrong in the world, at a time when actually it has never been easier to do right.

[no limit]

44. How long do you give Obama to pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan before you think he is a failure?

One thing I notice with strong Obama supporters that are always there for him is they never like to offer up any kind of specifics. So would you like to share anything specific as far as what the goals should be?

If we have troops in Iraq this time next year will you be disappointed? How much longer do you think we should be in Afghanistan for?

[Ken Burch]

73. He'd only be ending the wars if he brought all the troops home.

There's no difference between "gradually" removing troops and just keeping the damn wars going. The voters weren't demanding that we stay in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[JackRiddler]

78. Nonsense. Obama is not ending any wars. Obama has escalated several wars.

The withdrawal from Iraq is proceeding under the 2007 status of forces agreement reached by the Bush regime. Under SOFA, all US troops are to withdraw by December 31 of this year. The current administration is attempting to negotiate an extension under which 10,000 or more US troops will remain. (Plus contractors.) There were aerial bombings in Iraq last week.

Obama admin has escalated in Afghanistan. The supposed withdrawal now underway will reduce troop levels to a number tens of thousands higher than at the end of Bush.

Obama admin has escalated in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, and tacitly backed the Saudi invasion of Bahrain.

Obama admin entered the coalition action against Libya and provides most of the resources used in the bombings.

It's easy to imagine a McCain presidency would have also bombed Iran. However, it's hard to imagine a McCain presidency would have been very much different with regard to the US-led military hostilities in the above-named countries.

[alberg]

5. If the news isn't true, the President should hold a news conference and state unequivocally

that he has no intention of trading away Social Security and Medicare and that he will defend these programs as long as he is President.

[tridim]

9. What news?

Obama has never said he wants to take away SS and Medicare benefits. Never.

Speaker Boner unintentionally confirmed that fact over the weekend.

[alberg]

10. Read the news?

Paul Krugman in todays NYT:

"Specifically, according to many reports, the president offered both means-testing of Medicare benefits and a rise in the age of Medicare eligibility. The first would be bad policy; the second would be terrible policy. And it would almost surely be terrible politics, too."

Here's the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/25/opinion/25krugman.html?hp

As I've said, if the stories aren't true then the President has an urgent responsibility to set the record straight.

[tridim]

11. He already set the record straight and Boner confirmed it.

He has never supported cutting Medicare and SS benefits. Ever.

If the story was true, SS and Medicare benefits would be being cut by the House right now. They aren't, and they won't because the President is holding strong to his stated belief that SS and Medicare benefits will not be cut.

You and Krugman are in fantasy land.

[boston bean]

12. look in your own mirror. Fantasy and all.........

We've been around the block and been proven RIGHT too many times to fall for the wait and see, and he never exactly said that BS.

time to wake up to reality!

[tridim]

13. Oh, okay. So SS and Medicare benefit cuts are being voted on today?

Is it on CSPAN?

[no limit]

45. Remember the wait and see game from before?

Lets wait and see if he really supports a mandate.
Lets wait and see if he really supports a public option.
Lets wait and see if he will really close Gitmo.
Lets wait and see if he reforms the patriot act.
Lets wait and see if he actually cuts a deal with big pharma.
Lets wait and see if he stops rendition.
Lets wait and see if he nominates Elizabeth Warren to CFPB.
Lets wait and see if he caves on the Bush tax cuts.

So if you want to play the lets wait and see game fine, lets play it. But if you are going to do that I think you need to explain to everyone what you will think of this president if social security and medicare get cuts under his watch. Fair?

[Ken Burch]

75. That doesn't matter

The tax cut thing proves he'll never fight on anything. That was the test. You can't let them win early and then fight them later.

[BlueCaliDem]

128. I like you, tridim

You're feisty, although there's no pleasing the hate-Obama crowd here. But I admire your moxy.

[sabrina 1]

27. You mean like he really was fighting for the PO, we just didn't

understand the kind of chess he was playing?

[joeglow3]

17. It should be means tested.

Remember in 2004 when Bush wanted to alter Social Security. We made it a point to say it is NOT a retirement plan, but an insurance plan. Now, we are saying it is not an insurance plan, but a retirement plan? Which is it?

I agree with our 2004 position.

[whistler162]

120. Since when is a babbling head news and not "opinion"!

republicans are out in strength again today!

[woo me with science]

26. You will be wrong on this.

The cuts that were put on the table will probably happen this time. If they don't, they will happen next time. There is a serious problem when the narrative of the Democratic Party has changed to endorse these lies and talking points that justify raiding money from the poor and transferring it to the obscenely wealthy.

It will happen.

You are wrong. Both parties in Washington are working for Wall Street interests at this time. The entire structure of our political process has been adjusted over the past 30 years - the media, the financial structure, the campaign structure - to ensure that the money-backed candidates are the ones nominated, and to shut out challenges from candidates who don't carry the corporate water.

We are witnessing a shock doctrine strategy to push through legislative change favoring the rich. The shock doctrine strategy has already been implemented in other places, and it is showing escalating progress here now. Americans (now increasingly referred to as "our workforce") are being transformed into spigots for money for the rich, working increasingly longer hours for decreasing amounts of pay, in order to escape the debt that is an integral part of the financial structure they have created.

We will not have many chances to take our party back. It is hard to imagine how we will do it now. But defending and rationalizing support for the lesser of two evils is a sure recipe for disaster.

[tridim]

32. Obama is not going to allow the Republicans to cut SS and Medicare BENEFITS.

It has been his stated (and confirmed) position since before the election.

Woo me with FUD.

[Dragonfli]

48. CURRENT recipients benefits. Don't you listen when he speaks?

He is offering two thirds of a trillion dollars in CUTS for FUTURE recipients in a cynical attempt to get the elderly do throw their kids to the wolves (or more precisely, support him while he does it)

Your feigned ignorance is so obvious that you need to go back to spin school

[ChiciB1]

68. You Know, I REALLY, REALLY Wish You Were Correct About This...

I REALLY, REALLY do. But my BRAIN says you're not. I'm sick of the floating, spinning and back and forth of this whole damn mess. It SHOULD NEVER have gotten to this point. I'm SICK TO DEATH of this minute by minute playing around with PEOPLE'S lives!

Enough speculation already, it's really devastating and depressing have to sit and wonder what REALLY is happening. And since it's gone on and on, not only do people worry they begin to think not much good is going to come out of it.

I keep hearing about how WELL the game is being played, but you know what? I don't like games played with people's lives. Behind closed doors!!!!

[Enthusiast]

110. Yeah, when Obama

created the catfood commission he was only kidding.

[avaistheone1]

142. Can you believe some people are still in denial about Obama's republican road-map to cut Social

Security and Medicare? DU please smarten up, some of you are beyond ridiculous.

[Enthusiast]

143. If only they would join us

and insist that Obama not compromise with the FAR right, maybe we could influence him to do take the correct action.

[indepat]

47. You especially woo me with bucket after bucket of cold-water-in-the-face

reality. I take no comfort that the administration might be a smidgen or so not as far right as the most radicalized right wingers. If this whole scenario plays out as likely, BHO's tax cuts for the wealthy will remain, possibly in perpetuity, and the yearly evisceration of social security, Medicare, and Medicaid will have commenced. :thumbsup: :patriot:

[Name removed]

54. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tridim]

61. I lost my job, $34,000 in contract pay and my house last year.

Gee, thanks for asking.

[Ken Burch]

72. He is doing it...don't defend the guy blindly!

He did it on the tax cuts...and that destroyed any right he had to ask us to trust him. Nothing he gained for letting the tax cuts go on was worth it. Nothing at all.

And nothing he could gain for letting SS and Medicare be tampered with could be worth it. Even you would have to admit that.

[defendandprotect]

101. dupe

[defendandprotect]

102. Obama seems ready to throw the Democratic Party into the dumpster ... because it won't

be just Obama who will be finished -- it will be the party as well!!

[robinlynne]

agreed. 100%

[mmonk]

3. Nice title to your op.

Everytime a President discusses doing something to social security which decreases its benefits, this should be said.

[tridim]

6. Obama, stop doing something to SS that you're not doing!!!!111

[bahrbearian]

15. Your right, he is not doing it yet, he is just proposing a way to do it.

[Bluenorthwest]

16. If that is the case, he should and easily could say so.

He has not. It is therefore essential to advocate for that which we believe in. We all have a right to advocate for ourselves. Including the President. Does he not know that?

[tridim]

20. He did, on Friday.

And Boner confirmed it shorty after.

[alberg]

89. This is the essential point.

He needs to stand up for what we, the people who elected him, believe in. This is not about his private vision of America. The principles and purpose of the Democratic Party are what he was elected to represent and advocate for. If he is unable of unwilling to do this then he should step aside and let a real Democrat lead. He is doing a great disservice to our Party and our Country by adopting the framing and talking points of the Republicans. Social Security has nothing to do with the deficit, wars and tax cuts for the rich do.

The President needs to reclaim the vision that got him elected in the first place.

Maybe his TV address tonight will be a new beginning. I (audaciously) hope so.

[mmonk]

28. So far, the Republicans have stopped him.

[tridim]

30. No, the republican/teabaggers want to gut SS and Medicare

The President has stopped THEM because he doesn't want to gut SS and Medicare. That has been his position since before he was elected and remains his position today.

It's not difficult to undertand.

[mmonk]

41. Don't do semantics with me. I'm intelligent.

I know this ideology I'm fighting like the back of my hand.

[tridim]

50. Hey I can't stop you from believing the opposite of the truth.

It baffles me why you would do that, but again, not my problem.

Have a nice day.

[defendandprotect]

99. Excellent point -- !

We have the GOP turn down's so far to thank that Obama has been stopped!!

[PearliePoo2]

8. Recommended and I might add, " With all due respect Mr. President....

My Social Security is NOT YOURS to give to fucking Wall Street"!

[andlor]

43. +1!!!

[yogini]

87. AMEN

I remember when Bush said his constituency was The Have's and The Have Mores! Who is Obama representing?

[Kaleva]

14. Read section 1104 of the Social Security Act.

"RESERVATION OF POWER

SEC. 1104. The right to alter, amend, or repeal any provision of this Act is hereby reserved to the Congress"

http://www.ssa.gov/history/35act.html

[bhikkhu]

18. In reality, the president and congress do have the right and the mandate

...that comes with elections in a democracy - they are not just within their rights, but they are expected to manage the government-run programs. Without management, SS and medicare, like most things, tend to run themselves into the ground.

But in any case, I think its clear that he has said they are not on the chopping block, in spite of republicans best hopes. When he said "it may bring down my presidency, but I will not yield on this", I believe that's what he was referring to.

[sabrina 1]

29. I think he was talking about raising taxes on the wealthy, just a

little. But the teabaggers signed a pledge not to accept any tax increases and he probably can't believe that even with a willingness on his part to put SS, Medicare and Medicaid on the table, they are sticking to their pledge.

[WinkyDink]

19. THIS! THIS thought is what is killing me!!

[alberg]

22. Me too!

[closeupready]

21. No SS or Medicare cuts of any kind are acceptable. Period.

And if they do, I'm done.

[iwishiwas]

23. Pelosi and even Reid are trying to put the breaks on these cuts even the Pres.

is putting them on the table. I have had it also.

[defendandprotect]

96. This president should have been RECALLED in the first days of his administrtion....

three years now of this negative impact -- when we should have been

moving forward!!


How many Americans hurt over these three years -- how many more homeless - -

how many more have lost their jobs -- how many more suffering from lack of

medical care -- what could the disabled possibly be thinking of their futures?


And Obama is obviously sleeping very well at night -- !!

[woo me with science]

33. +1

[MissDeeds]

36. Agreed

[dgibby]

38. I was done when he took the Public Option off the table

and then said he was never for the public option in the first place. Kind of hard to be trusted when there's video tape proving otherwise. I haven't trusted anything he's said since then.

[closeupready]

39. Don't blame you at all.

:(

[yogini]

60. That's when it was over for me too!

When I stood in the freezing cold at President Obama's inauguration I was full of optimism. I'm sorry...but I see through the veil. He is not OUR GUY!

[Pooka Fey]

118. I'm with you.

[Dragonfli]

49. So am I and everyone in the real world I talk to, we want a Dem to vote for or we will write in one

Except for one guy I know that just wants to move to Canada where there is some compassion on at least one side of the political fence, and of course decent health care where doctors decide treatment not insurance drones out only for money off your suffering.

[hay rick]

80. I'm writing in.

Primary and general election. Haven't figured out the name yet, but that hardly matters.

[defendandprotect]

98. Agree -- doesn't take much to hear they're finished with Obama --

[LostinNY]

108. With no increase this year,

And increased medical costs, and the cost of everything going up, I already feel like my mom's SS has been cut!!

[tomp]

115. agreed, but then, i'm already done.

obama has thoroughly exposed himself as a puppet and hatchet man of the rich.

look at the false dichotomy he presented in his speech last night. there are only two choices: cuts to ordinary poor working, and middle class americans mixed with tax increases or just cuts.

the third option, just tax increases on the super wealthy (really the rich giving back what they should never have had) plus ending the illegal, immoral, and pointless wars (cuts, to be sure, but very specific cuts, and undeniably warranted).

obama and boehner are working together like good cop/bad cop to serve the rich. it is obvious.

it is nothing short of amazing that people don't get it, and not getting it spells doom.

[yogini]

127. Let's go back to the Reagan tax rates

Hey, since the Republicans worship Ronald Reagan so much, why don't we go back to his tax rate...the RICH were paying more in taxes back then.

[woo me with science]

34. K&R

[Butch350]

35. CC: Barack Obama c/o Whitehouse USE

[dgibby]

37. Agreed!

If he does this, I want a refund!

[meow mix]

40. k&r

[zacherystaylor]

42. He answers only to those who donate!

It is time to stop voting for those that collect the required volume of bribes thinly disguised as campaign contributions and elect candidates that are accountable to the public. We need an election process where the public controls the interview process.

The corporations shouldn't have veto power over who we consider for public office!!

[TBF]

52. While I agree with the premise, I note that you do not include the republicans

in your criticism - which is wrong. Both parties are in this up to their ears and very few (Bernie Sanders for instance) are speaking out for the American people.

I wonder what your interest is in this. At any rate, enjoy your stay.

[alberg]

53. I gave up on the Republicans a long time ago.

This post is a message to "our guy" who has not acted like "our guy" for a long time. You don't start a negotiation process by giving away half of your position to the opposition before you ever sit down at the table. You don't trade away the core principles and key accomplishments of your party - at any price. I worked long and hard to get the President elected. I gave him money I needed for myself. He has betrayed my trust. He has betrayed my confidence. I'm hoping he recovers his senses before it is too late.

What "stay" are you refering to that I'm supposed to enjoy?

And yes, I agree that Bernie Sanders is speaking for the people. I want the President to do the same.

[ScreamingMeemie]

57. If we can't fix the thinking of "our own" how can we expect to fix

the thinking of theirs??

[Bozita]

55. Rec #100 ... Well deserved!

[alberg]

58. Thank you!

[yogini]

59. You nailed it!

Repeat after me..."earned benefits". It's infuriating that these programs are now in serious jeopardy. Is there no one at the wheel? What kind of world are we creating?

[emilyg]

62. k/r

[Paper Roses]

70. Amen! n/t

[Faygo Kid]

71. Hear, hear.

How in the WORLD did we get to the point where Social Security and Medicare are up for grabs?

[alberg]

82. I was 12 years old and I shook his hand during the campaign.

I believed in what he stood for. It changed my life. We are still trying to recover from the coup d’état that ended his Presidency.

[truedelphi]

76. Hey there, alberg.

Concisely put. And very well done.

Haven't seen you aboard before today, but if you need help on a topic, let me know.

And a big K & R.

[alberg]

81. Thanks and appreciated.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

83. Shout it out loud! Shout it out proud! K&R

[alberg]

85. Moody Blues?

[avaistheone1]

84. Amen.

:kick:

[Trailrider1951]

88. Absolutely, it is not yours to give away! It belongs to WE THE PEOPLE

It was created for us, and we have paid for it. I voted for you, Mr. President, but I am now having buyer's remorse like you would not believe. You are a DEMOCRAT, for God's sake! Do not betray us, or reap what the Republicans will have. GOD DAMN I'M PISSED!!!!

[MsPithy]

90. Nicely said, alberg!

Excellent point, simply stated, 100% true! Wish I'd thought of saying it this way.

[OwnedByFerrets]

91. K and R

[JDPriestly]

92. Agreed, Alberg

Don't be discouraged by the folks who come to DU just to pounce on anyone who disagrees with them. Those folks only offer short comments. They never have anything with substance, anything intelligent to say.

They are not for real. They just like to intimidate other people.

[certainot]

95. the left put him in this position by not getting his back

that's we the people up there and so many on the left figured vote blog and then whine was OK

right now talk radio is kicking internet ass - boner has to report to limbaugh (he did twice in the last 4 days) - limbaugh will keep the GOP in line, they can't do shit without him as leader of the talk radio messaging juggernaut known now as teabaggers and previously as dittoheads.

[Name removed]

97. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[certainot]

105. like the republican party? true you are , but because the left has no fucking clue they're getting

fucked by the talk radio monopoly , because it gives their heads an ache to listen to it, and they'd rather do music, the left ends up playing catchup - an they've been doing that for 20 years.

the republican party has never take responsibility for anything, like a drunken frat party organizer

the left is the loser because while it was listening to music the right kicked ass, and now we're in this bullshit with idiots thinking a black man can walk into the white billionaire's white house and kick ass. how fucking stupid is that?

[certainot]

106. really, how fucking stupid and naive is that?

[certainot]

103. got interrupted - and they dominate an entire medium - radio

which kicks internet ass

[alberg]

124. I agree with you that talk radio has a huge effect on the 30%

that blindly follow the right wing ideology. Why there isn’t a counterbalancing Progressive network of voices could be an important (and separate) discussion to develop. If you haven’t already, read “The Powell Memo” to get an understanding of just how deep and long term the planning ran to create the situation we now have in our country.

But regarding the behavior of our President, I believe the point still stands: he was elected by Democrats yet he has not been acting like a Democrat. This has nothing to do with “the left has no fucking clue”. What it has to do with is a person in the most powerful leadership position in the world not understanding how to use his power. He has not used the media to effectively build and sustain the Democratic narrative. He has not effectively negotiated in numerous situations (Healthcare, Bush Tax Cuts, Debt Ceiling etc.) that are the critical battlegrounds of his Presidency. And his Presidency and the Country has suffered.

The kindest interpretation of the President's behavior during his term, to date, is that he is lacking certain skills and is getting bad advice. The more sinnister interpretation is that he, in fact, shares many of the self serving economic and social beliefs of the ruling class (the 10% among us who control 90% of our country's wealth) and so is unable to authentically and effectively advocate for the values and beliefs of the Democratic Party and the majority of American Citizens.

[certainot]

129. the main thing i would say is that the left overestimates the admins ability to message because

they ignore the right's best weapon , which can messaage over everything

[alberg]

130. Your correct - RW talk radio is a huge problem and is underestimated by a'lot of folks.

But as long the Administration continues to adopt and repeat the talking points of the Republicans we will keep being checkmated. Supply Side economic theory has been proven to be a fraud, yet the President continues act and speak like he believes in it. Social Security is not part of the long term deficit problem, yet the President keeps repeating languaging and framing that reinforces the idea that it is. Medicare is the solution to the nation's long term healthcare costs because it's cheaper to run that private insurance and can control costs better, yet the President was considering a plan to remove people from Medicare when he should be promoting a plan to include more people in Medicare.

[certainot]

138. so it has to fixed so they can't keep moving the center to the right

[earcandle]

100. Not that is what I am talking about. Using our brains, asking the right questions.

Get Out if the leaders can't do their job.
Which is to levy taxes to raise revenue to pay our bills. Fuck this job creation idea... that is pure BS
and it is time for the American public to see through this 11 year scam.

Lets take a Census on the effect cutting
taxes for the rich has had on jobs.

[guruoo]

104. 7/25/11: "Debt Proposal Will Leave Benefits Untouched" ...

kpete:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1571557

[Major Hogwash]

114. Please, don't let the facts spoil his good rant.

Quite frankly, to be honest with you, some of these people are beginning to sound like a lot like Dennis Miller.

Someone who used to tell people he was a liberal, but naw, that was just an act!!

[florida08]

119. true..but

It contains a Super Congress, which will remove our ability to defend ourselves from future attempts to cut SS and Medicare.

[tavalon]

109. Couldn't have said it better myself.

[PuffedMica]

111. K&R

[Shining Jack]

116. K&R n/t

[Pooka Fey]

117. Huge massive K&R

[Swede Atlanta]

121. This concept of a "Super Congress" must be stopped

From what I understand, this will put WE THE PEOPLE even further from having any influence over our futures. It will be in the hands of Congressional leaders and hand picked members from each party. This is akin to going to back the days when Senators were not elected by the people but by the state legislatures. This concept must be stopped now.

[fascisthunter]

122. No "Excuse me"... Keep your F*cking Hands Off our SS

you two-bit con artist.

[Mosaic]

132. Agreed

He really has a lot of nerve thinking he can change our system. Sanders is right, we need to primary challenge him with a real Progressive Democrat.

[alberg]

134. Where is the leader who will step forward and make this viable?

[Major Hogwash]

136. It certainly won't be the orange colored guy who walked out of the meeting last Friday!!

Talk about a wuss!
Couldn't even face the President of the United States at that meeting.

Boehner was probably looking for a closet to climb into and have a crying jag.

[treestar]

139. So what would we be getting in return?

You only "give away" something when you get nothing in return. This is about the millionth post pretending there are no Republicans.