My response to Senator Dick Durbin

[DFW]

I got a mass emailing asking me to sign an e-petition:



It’s time for Speaker Boehner, Eric Cantor, and House Republicans to get real.

Instead of accepting the open hand that President Obama, Senator Reid, and I have extended to work out a bipartisan solution to the default crisis -- a crisis that Republicans themselves have created -- the House GOP has, yet again, batted it away.

Their latest move? Ramming an irresponsible bill through the House that would require us to have this very same debate again six months from now -- and, unbelievably, require Congress to amend the Constitution before raising the debt ceiling again.

In short, House Republicans have decided to put the interests of the extreme right-wing fringe of their party ahead of the interests of the American people.

It's reckless, it’s dangerous -- and it's wrong.

Click here to tell Speaker Boehner, Eric Cantor, and House Republicans to get real: Stop holding America’s economy hostage, and work for a responsible solution to the default crisis.
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I'm tired of singing petitions. Here was my response:

No.

They've been told that enough times.

It is time for the Democrats to stop giving way and bending over until they have acquiesced to 99.99% of the Republican position. The Republican argument in 2012 will then be: "See? We were right. Even the Democrats voted for our plan, so vote with us in 2012, because the whole country now realizes our plan is best."

Their plan is NOT best. We were wrong to negotiate away as much as we have, and drawing a line in the sand NOW gives us Democrats a chance to back away from the insane amount of concessions we have offered so far. We got a huge majority in 2008 by saying we were different from Republicans. We gave a lot of it up in 2010 by trying to say how similar we were (hint we had better NOT be). Doesn't ANYONE in the strategic planning of the Democratic Party get this?

It has ALWAYS been true that when offered Republican Lite or the real thing, voters will choose the real thing. How about Democrat (the real thing) for once, assuming the species has not yet become extinct?

[stklurker]

1. 2008-2010

You pretty much Summed it up in one of your sentences. "we gave a lot back in 2010". Unfortunately, those who stayed away from the polls basically gave awa y the biggest chip we had. The house, the source of all spending and budgets. We are on the outside looking in on this one because all we can do is say no in the senate, and they can say no in the house. At this point some compromise is the only way. We can wail all we want... The 14th isn't really viable and would just delay this anyway. It's about getting the best compromise possible now sadly.....

[DFW]

2. You're right, EXCEPT:

What to do if there IS no compromise from the other side?

Does the Congress of the United States just become one big Republican Party with several factions within?
Just because a minority of loud fanatics want it so? There has to be a point where Democrats either take
a stand or declare defeat and do a slow fade. I don't see that. That is not who I have voted for and supported
all these years.

Let the radical right scream and posture if Obama invokes the 14th Amendment. It's a most unpleasant short-term
solution to the problem, but when it's the ONLY solution, someone must make the decision to pass or play. This
falls on Obama's shoulders. He implored America to flood their Congresspeople to give way and compromise. If
the teabaggers still say no, no, and again no, what then? At what point do we decide to get out of the way before
the firing squad facing us is really going to pull their triggers, no matter HOW many emails they got?

[stklurker]

8. 14th

Its not a solution though.. it doesn't SOLVE anything. Upping the credit limit will just 'kick the can' for a few months at best, and nothing about Congress is going to change in that time. If he invokes the 14th you let the tea-baggers whip up their base more into a frenzy. I would just let it come down, as long as we are willing to compromise and its the baggers all or non mentality the general public (read normally apathetic people) will start to wake up and take notice. IF Obama exercises the 14th, which doesn't do much, AND the SCOTUS strikes him down.. we are toast.. they will ride the 'dictator' thing to the hilt..

[Inuca]

3. Congratulations! You let Sen Durbin

(who IMHO is one of the best guys we have in leadership positions) have it. Feel better now?

I know petitions do not mean much. But fo rthe little they mean, I'd rather "slap" Boehner and company than Durbin.

[DFW]

4. I didn't slap Durbin

I merely said that I had made enough gestures on our behalf. We, the gesture-makers have done what we could
short of storming the Capitol, and some us still have day jobs nowhere near Washington.

Petitions mean something. I have signed a few dozen of them in the last few weeks. The deadline for this fiasco
is Monday night. No petition is going to have any effect at this point. Not on our side, and most certainly not
on the other side.

Agreed on wishing to slap Boehner, but like I said, day job and all. Besides, it might make him cry.

[DainBramaged]

5. If you weren't on his contribution begging list before you are now.....

I will bet a day's pay he never reads it.

[DFW]

6. I'm sure he doesn't, but I've contributed to him before anyway

Multiple times, even. It's important to me that he stay in the Senate. I just don't think signing ANOTHER
petition will do any more at this point in time than a condemned man petitioning the executioner two minutes
before he is scheduled to get his lethal injection.

[DainBramaged]

7. And I completely agree

[Enthusiast]

10. I've had it with Durbin.

He put social security and medicare on the table long ago.

[Enthusiast]

9. VERY GOOD! nt