Grijalva Statement on Emerging Debt Deal

[cal04]

Progressive Co-Chair Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva Statement on Emerging Debt Deal
http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&parentid=5§iontree=5,13&itemid=1063

“This deal trades peoples’ livelihoods for the votes of a few unappeasable right-wing radicals, and I will not support it. Progressives have been organizing for months to oppose any scheme that cuts Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security, and it now seems clear that even these bedrock pillars of the American success story are on the chopping block. Even if this deal were not as bad as it is, this would be enough for me to fight against its passage.

This deal does not even attempt to strike a balance between more cuts for the working people of America and a fairer contribution from millionaires and corporations. The very wealthy will continue to receive taxpayer handouts, and corporations will keep their expensive federal giveaways. Meanwhile, millions of families unfairly lose more in this deal than they have already lost. I will not be a part of it.

Republicans have succeeded in imposing their vision of a country without real economic hope. Their message has no public appeal, and Democrats have had every opportunity to stand firm in the face of their irrational demands. Progressives have been rallying support for the successful government programs that have meant health and economic security to generations of our people. Today we, and everyone we have worked to speak for and fight for, were thrown under the bus. We have made our bottom line clear for months: a final deal must strike a balance between cuts and revenue, and must not put all the burden on the working people of this country. This deal fails those tests and many more.

The Democratic Party, no less than the Republican Party, is at a very serious crossroads at this moment. For decades Democrats have stood for a capable, meaningful government – a government that works for the people, not just the powerful, and that represents everyone fairly and equally. This deal weakens the Democratic Party as badly as it weakens the country. We have given much and received nothing in return. The lesson today is that Republicans can hold their breath long enough to get what they want. While I believe the country will not reward them for this in the long run, the damage has already been done.

A clean debt ceiling vote was the obvious way out of this, and many House Democrats have been saying so. Had that vote failed, the president should have exercised his Fourteenth Amendment responsibilities and ended this manufactured crisis.

This deal is a cure as bad as the disease. I reject it, and the American people reject it. The only thing left to do now is repair the damage as soon as possible.”


In the House, a likely struggle for 216 votes
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/174583-in-the-house-a-likely-struggle-for-218

[Armstead]

1. Good for him. I hope more Dems come out against and force a clean bill

[AndyTiedye]

8. Nothing Can Force the Teabaggers to Vote for a Clean Bill

[Telly Savalas]

28. The Tea Party caucus does not have sufficient numbers to kill such a bill

If you convince enough non-Tea Party GOPers that this shotgun wedding approach to setting the fiscal agenda for the next decade is unfathomably stupid, then you've got the votes for a clean bill.

And it's not that big a stretch to get those votes as it comes down to the wire. We want government to be run more like a business, right? What kind of a business sets long-term agendas using a decision making process remotely resembling this last minute scramble?

[spedtr90]

50. Teapublicans voting no on a clean bill would have been good

A clean bill would have passed the senate, and then the pressure would have been on the baggers. The public would clearly understand exactly what was in that bill, rather than the rushed and stupid plans. I was hoping for that to happen after the boehner plan failed the senate. By that time most republicans had said the ceiling needed to be raised. Explaining why they would vote no on just that would be difficult. Democrats could have said republicans voted to default - it would be true. If sanity prevailed and it passed the House, the baggers who voted no would still be accurately branded as the reckless morons they are.

[bjobotts]

57. A clean bill was already voted down in the house. That's how this whole thing got started

[JoePhilly]

68. Its amazing how so few here on DU know that fact.

Or, that the GOP House and at least 40 GOP senators are willing to vote for Ryan's plan, which would turn Medicare into a Voucher program.

All the crazies need is a few more GOP Senators, and a Republican President, and Medicare isn't just cut, its dead.

[Bandit]

81. I think it would take a little more than that

If a Republican were to become President the Democrats would then become an opposition Party. all the things that they now agreed to because of Obama they would oppose quite strongly if a
Republican proposed them..I doubt anything as decimating as what Obama has agreed to could ever get passed with a Republican President.. Republicans have been trying to get these cuts for half a century and Democrats have stopped them. It isn't until a Democrat proposes them that Republicans get all their dreams fulfilled.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

78. Even when you point this out to the ODS folks here on DU, they still point the finger at Obama

We already put forward a clean debt ceiling bill. If people refuse to open their eyes to the facts, there's nothing that we can do.

Thanks for this.

[robinlynne]

85. who cares what they do?

[Ozymanithrax]

2. I will not vote for a Democrat that custs Social Security or Medicare...

I will not donate money to them.

If the party is removed from power, then may they will realize that they weren't liberal enough.

I am willing to live through the consequences.

[AndyTiedye]

7. No, They Won't. Every Time the Dems Lose, They Move Further to the Right

and every time the Republicans win, they become more powerful.
If the teabaggers take over, we'll never get rid of them!

[Ozymanithrax]

9. They need to govern like Democrats or they are...

Kinder Gentler Republicans.

Screw Kinder Gentler Republicans.

I won't vote for a KGR (Kinder Gentler Republican) because I am afraid of Teapubicans

When KGR's enact a Teapublican agenda, they are Teapublicans.

[KittysRfuzzy]

15. If the actions of GOP governors are any indication...

The next Republican presidency will attempt to impose a right wing dictatorship.

[socialist_n_TN]

32. So how do you stop a next Republican presidency?

A next Republican presidency is inevitable.

Welcome to DU.

[placton]

46. hey we have a right wing president now!

Obama is WORSE than Bush the Lesser, by far

[bjobotts]

58. Nonsense.You are uninformed or stupid.Worse than Bush?Do U even know what O has accomplilshed?

[bjobotts]

59. Just stand in the corner and chant USA USA USA USA, or take the time to get informed

[tblue]

84. Bjo, this thread reads like you're arguing with yourself. Lol!

Whatever accomplishments he may have made are all debatable as to what they actually did for regular people or as to who deserves credit for them. Obama is a marginal improvement over Bush at best. But even Bush didn't get Dems to put the Big 3 on the table. Yeah, that's some accomplishment.

[kenfrequed]

82. Don't get carried away...

Or at least provide context for that hyperbole.

[Fuddnik]

47. Yeah, but have you ever seen Rick Perry with his shirt off?

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya:


:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:



:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[bjobotts]

60. Based on what? No republican has any solution to any of our problems.They are exposed & self destruc

[INdemo]

75. We have a Republican President now

[eilen]

71. Open your eyes, they already have. nt

[MissDeeds]

42. +1

We have to stand strong and demand that Democratic principles are upheld. If we cave, not only does the party lose, but many of the poor, elderly and vulnerable will also lose. It's going to be one heck of a fight, but it's one worth waging.

[JoePhilly]

69. Those aren't being cut. And a clean debt bill already failed ...

as for the consequences of the GOP taking control of the WH and the Senate in 2012 .... here's a preview ...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/31/house-gop-medicare-debt-limit_n_869468.html

Key passage ... "The Ryan budget proposal, which passed the House and won 40 GOP votes in the Senate, would replace Medicare with a voucher-like system for future seniors that could lead to high costs and "

If the Dems lose power in 2012, Medicare isn't cut, its killed completely. And many might not live through the consequences.

[Nordmadr]

72. This. N/T

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

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[Big Blue Marble]

5. Good point.

I, too, trust him more than the President whom I no longer trust to protect the interests of
the common people.

[chill_wind]

4. 74 members in his caucus..

In the House, a likely struggle for 216 votes
By Mike Lillis - 07/31/11 01:59 PM ET

House leaders in both parties have their work cut out if they hope to pass a debt-ceiling package being finalized by the White House and Senate Republicans.

Although the details of the agreement are still emerging, early reports indicate it includes contentious provisions sure to alienate both conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats.

If both the left and right flanks of the lower chamber unite in opposition, it would fall to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to forge a more centrist, bipartisan coalition to get the bill across the finish line – just as they did to cobble together support for the unpopular Wall Street bailout in 2008.

It won't be easy.

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/174583-in-the-house-a-likely-struggle-for-218

[Parker CA]

6. Kick and Rec for a statement truly in support of all of us. Grijalva is on our side, unequivocally.

[DesertFlower]

10. my grandfather was president of a democratic

club for most of his adult life. he must be turning over in his grave. this is not the party i grew up with. i'm almost 70.

BTW. my grandparents were one of the first to have medicare.

[democrank]

11. K & R

[nashville_brook]

12. k and r

[sabrina 1]

13. K&R for a real democrat n/t

[MadHound]

14. Hallelujah, let true Democrat stands up for the people.

Let's hope that there are enough out there to keep this monstrosity from passing.

[Raksha]

16. K & R - powerful statement from a true Democrat.

[swilton]

17. We're behind you Raul -

Just let us know what we can do! You, Kucinich, Defazio, Sanders all the way!

All that they had to do was raise the debt limit - done so many, many times before. What did we get political theater played out from some nightmare on Wall Street.

[panader0]

18. Raul is one of the few good pols in Az. I wish Gabby could make the vote.

[spanone]

19. k&r...

[readmoreoften]

20. Oh it's one of those "chicken littles" that the DLC scum hate so much.

[tucsonlib]

21. That's My Congressman!! n/t

[in_cog_ni_to]

22. G-d love him and all who think just like him...hopefully enough Dems to stop the

nightmare.

Seriously. Shame on Obama. Shame!

[tomp]

23. this guy is a progressive and he thinks....

....the democratic party has actually been trying to help people for decades.

we are lost.

[Broward]

24. Hillary Clinton Should Resign...

...from this joke of an administration. In retrospect, Obama had no right to run as a Democrat. He does not stand for and support the core principles of the Democratic Party. Running as a Democrat was just an convenient way for him to get elected. Now, I happen to think that Hillary is a centrist so I'm not holding my breath here. However, if she's not and she truly cares about progressive ideals then she should resign. It's one of the few things that I can think of that could shake things up.

[Name removed]

36. Deleted message

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[NorthCarolina]

25. K&R

[tcaudilllg]

26. The end of the Democratic Party as we know it.

Hit the ground running... they will get away with it unless we scramble to beat them next spring.

Although at this time... I'm open to an alternative party. A real mainstream party this time, that protects entitlements but also has its head on its shoulders.

[socialist_n_TN]

33. A Progressive Workers Party

Get on it AFL-CIO. At least get on the ballots in all 50 states. Then run a candidate if you need to and endorse a good Dem where available.

[swilton]

40. +++Deserves it's own thread although the DU

moderators would probably censor it.

[socialist_n_TN]

48. But Charlie Crist is OK even when a Dem is actually

RUNNING in the race.

[AlabamaLibrul]

53. The Dem was too..... lefty.

Or something like that, so it was cool to support the Republican-turned-"Independent"-primary-loser in the election.

Oh, and the nominated Republican ended up winning.

[Leopolds Ghost]

66. Is this TRUE? n/t

[socialist_n_TN]

76. Yep it was true........

nm

[AtomicKitten]

27. If that is true, I have asked every Dem in the House to JUST VOTE NO!!!

[lonestarnot]

29. Grajalva says it's bad, it's bad.

[Telly Savalas]

30. K&R

Nice to know somebody in elected office has a level head about this.

[rury]

31. Good for him....

Vote against it and let this plutocratic house of cards fall into a million pieces.
Let all of those old farts who voted Rethug last November do without their Social Security checks.
Then maybe they will stop voting against their own interests.
Or President Obama will be forced to invoke the 14th Amendment.
Or something...
I'm just sick of people blaming Obama for not being able to "negotiate" with Rethug Teabaggers who are so rigid and hateful that they are willing to see the country go off of a cliff just so they get their damn way. You CANNOT negotiate with their ilk!!
I'm sick of a little faction of bigots willing to destroy their country and make people suffer just because they want to see this black president fail.
I'm sick of the racists/idiots/mean asses who vote these people into power.
I'm sick of the "progressives" who enabled this lunatic fringe by not voting in the 2010 midterms because they thought Obama needed to "learn a lesson."
I don't have any money to speak of anyway and if my credit card rates go through the roof and I cannot handle the payments, I just won't pay.
If the United States of America cannot/will not pay its bills, then I can't/won't pay mine.
Just let it all blow to hell and start over!!!!!!!!

[eilen]

73. The path to take was not to negotiate.

Invoke the 14th. Tell the Republicans to fuck off.

[Desertrose]

34. Wish we had more like him in this state...K&R.

For that matter in ALL the states!!!!

[socialist_n_TN]

35. Good for you Rep. Grijalva.........

Good for you. Eventually the people who are on the side of the people MUST win.

[elleng]

37. Looks like deal discussed here is not current/new 'Reid' deal.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/reid-agrees-to-major-debt-limit-deal----heres-what-hes-signed-off-on.php?ref=fpa

I think its foolish to miss these important details, tho it demands close attention.

[quakerboy]

49. Spending cuts and loans.

Smoke and mirrors which all add up to cutting medicare and veterans benefits and social services to the poor. All of which appears premised on the idea that the crazy right would rather raise taxes than accept a cut to the military. On the idea that the TeaBaggers are rational, fair dealing folk wanting to come to a deal.

[bvar22]

38. Just another "Fringe Leftest" spewing Right Wing Talking Points.

He just wants Sarah Palin.
Some poll says that 142% of Liberal Democrats support "trimming" Social Security!

So There!

[Agony]

39. I'll take Grijalva's budget any day of the week. A Real Democrat!

The People's Budget!
http://grijalva.house.gov/uploads/The%20CPC%20FY2012%20Budget.pdf

[treestar]

41. So what is he going to do?

These are words, not actions. Let him convince the rest of the house to vote for the clean bill then. Is he working on that? Can't wait to see how he gets Republicans to vote for it.

[SoapBox]

43. K & R n/t

[dana_b]

44. good for him!! I hope there are many, many

more like him.

[placton]

45. Mr. Obama. and this is from the bottom of my heart

please fuck yourself?

[Eyerish]

51. K&R

[woo me with science]

52. K&R

with more anger and sadness than I can bear.

[emald]

54. G*damned it, why in the living world don't we have more like this?

Somehow they have mostly been bought off or something. Why only this guy stands up for us?

[Jim_Shorts]

55. Didn't we just play this song

Bail out the banks or it will all come crashing down. lions and tigers and bears oh my

Enough pragmatic dems will vote for the bill to pass, because their uhh... pragmatic.

The rout on working people will continue...back to your regularly scheduled program.

(yes, Grijalva rocks)

[GarH]

56. Thank God for Raul

My wife and I were thinking of moving back to Kansas, but after going back there to visit, we decided we just couldn't live with all those Fox News bobble heads. We've been talking about leaving Arizona because of all the Fox bobble heads here. Raul is one of the few politicians in Arizona that has his head on straight and really cares about us instead of the just the Corps and top 1%. It's a sad statement that there are just a handful like him in congress. We need more Rauls, Dennis Ks and Bernie Ss.

[colsohlibgal]

61. Time For Real Democrats to Draw That Line

This is not what I, and millions of others, voted for when we voted for Obama. I'm disgusted he agreed to this but hardly surprised. Further proof that corporations run this country today.

[blackspade]

62. Grijalva speaks for me!

[grahamhgreen]

63. How can we get him to run in the Primary?

[amborin]

64. i recced this earlier; but then read FDL, which says he voted FOR it:

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2011/07/31/grijalva-statement-opposing-the-bill-he-voted-for-yesterday/

[eilen]

74. I read that too. Is there a politician in the house who

will be there when we actually need them?

[Name removed]

65. Deleted message

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[JonLP24]

67. Wish I lived in his district!

K&R

[snooper2]

70. So this letter has 0 specifics and is perfectly designed to get the "progressives"

all riled up, "great political time for donations :) "


Where's the meat in this letter instead of just bombast?

[drm604]

77. K&R

:kick:

[RegieRocker]

79. That is exactly what I said with less words.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1626888&mesg_id=1626937

[femrap]

80. Who thought that when

we voted in November, 2008 that we'd be living 'The Audacity of Austerity'.....for the working people.

Tax the f*cking rich. End Corporate Welfare.

[veness]

83. We thank you again and again dear Raul! n/t

[proverbialwisdom]

86. RECOMMENDED: Olbermann Special Comment on Debt Deal: 'First You've Got to Get Mad'

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x605305
Olbermann Special Comment on Debt Deal: 'First You've Got to Get Mad'