Will Obama and Capitol Dems Betray the Middle Class, Seniors and the Poor?

[dajoki]

Super Collusion: Will Obama and Capitol Dems Betray the Middle Class, Seniors and the Poor?
by RJ Eskow | November 12, 2011 - 12:23pm
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/node/39559

Two new reports suggest that the President and Congressional Democrats are about to betray everything Democrats once stood for. Under pressure from Barack Obama, Democrats on the "Super Committee" have sketched out an appalling "compromise" proposal that would almost certainly doom both their 2012 electoral chances and his own.

They'd have it coming. Their draft plan literally takes crutches away from poor people to protect tax breaks for the wealthy.

Unfortunately, middle class and impoverished Americans would suffer much more than they would. Career politicians can always look forward to comfortable sinecures from the wealthy interests who will benefit from their proposal. But the rest of us would once again be punished for the excesses of the rich, then left to the untender mercies of our new Republican leaders.

<<snip>>

The President's actively pressuring Super Committee members from both parties to come up with a budget-slashing deal, according to a report in today's Washington Post. In addition, Obama is also urging them not to cancel the automatic $1.2 trillion in cuts that would be triggered under current law if they fail to make an agreement.

Another story, from the Huffington Post's Sam Stein, gave details on the Democrats' latest proposed "compromise." These two stories paint the picture of a President and a party who are willing to keep taxes low for the wealthy, and who would pay for it by proposing cuts that punish seniors, doctors and the poor.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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

[Sportsguy]

2. I Still Don't Get How This Shit Committee Is Even Legal

or constitutional.

[truedelphi]

14. It isn't.

But then, neither are our undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. Or ninety percent of the "Patriot Act."

[TheWraith]

22. Well, you're wrong, but don't let facts get in your way.

Since you have none to back up the idea that the joint committee is "unconstitutional," any more than any of that giant stack of bullshit in the OP is backed by fact.

[dajoki]

28. The so called "supercomittee"...

has one purpose, and that is to cut social security and medicare. There will be no taxes on the rich. If it gets through Congress Obama will sign it. To me that is betrayal.

[TheWraith]

29. Your claims, which are wrong, still don't address how it's supposedly unconstitutional.

Out of curiosity, when the committee comes back unable to offer a package of recommendations for Congress (which is and always has been the overwhelmingly likely result) are you going to admit that you were completely wrong?

[dajoki]

31. If it turns out...

that I'm wrong I will gladly admit it. But let's wait and see.

[TheWraith]

34. Let's do that. But I'm pretty certain I'm going to be right.

The odds have been stacked from the beginning against the joint committee producing any kind of agreement, and even on the off chance they did, it's even more unlikely it would get through Congress. But that hasn't stopped the drumbeat of paranoia over a supposed conspiracy to end Social Security and Medicare, even though the last few such targets of paranoia--the debt deal, the deficit commission, et al--have each come and gone and such claims fizzled.

I have no doubt that the sturm und drang is equally misplaced this time. But unfortunately some people have a vested interest in distracting the left with false threats and making our own people seem like the enemy, in order to take attention away from things like reclaiming the House of Representatives and expanding our majority in the Senate.

[dajoki]

35. You are right...

no matter what recomendations they come up with, it will be an uphill battle to get anything through Congress. And we need our full attention on retaking the House and gaining in the Senate.

[sad sally]

40. Without any amendments, filibusters and unknown triggers that have already been decided,

this stand-alone plan - designed by this selected not elected committee, may be legal (since congress can make their own rules), but it sure has never appeared to be consistent with the intent of the US Constitution. I doubt the beloved framers politicians seem to care so much about would approve of it.

It gives this committee the power to act above the authority of congress, and forces congress to act on legislation without debate, or altering the terms of legislation they have to act on. And the triggers, especially those cutting discretionary spending, are vague. Is this the way to run a democracy? If yes, then get rid of congress, have a 12-person selected committee run everything - it would sure save a bundle.

[GeorgeGist]

43. Ahem ...

the constitution is just a bunch of words if you don't take the intent seriously.

[rhett o rick]

19. You dont think we live in a constitutionally run demcratic republic do you? nm

[Autumn]

3. Yes I think they will.

and they will say they HAD to do it, it was the best they could do.

[Vincardog]

4. IF BO at all cut SSI and MEDI(ANYTHING) they can FO

[sabrina 1]

6. Yes, they can!

Go FO, I mean.

[newfie11]

9. agreed n/t

[jaxx]

5. Does that chimp ever do anything but 'suggest'

something to make the POTUS and the Dems look bad? Really, if he'd deal in facts he'd be out of business.

[Autumn]

18. I'm very fond of the Chimp. They spent a lot of time

"suggesting" things that made Bush look like an idiot. Of course people who liked Bush weren't too fond of him .

:rofl: :rofl: Good to see he's still in business. We need people like that.

[Fumesucker]

21. You do know what "smirking chimp" refers to, don't you?

[SidDithers]

7. Unrec for speculative nonsense...nt

Sid

[savalez]

25. +1

[LeftyMom]

8. Is the Pope Catholic?

[Odin2005]

10. WILL? He already has.

[woo me with science]

44. +1000000

Good grief.

[elocs]

11. Posted here earlier this morning with 25 Recs so far (that OP can still be Recced):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2297544

[Autumn]

12. Thanks. I had to rec that one too, n/t

[Angry Dragon]

13. yes

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. You need to ask?

[Wwagsthedog]

16. YES!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

17. Yes, And then smugly tell us that they're screwing us for our own good.

[rhett o rick]

20. They will tell us, like some DU'ers do, that it might hurt but it's much better than Rick Perry. nm

[bvar22]

23. Already a Done Deal.

We are just watching the Kabuki Theater play out.





****************** SPOILER ALERT ******************************















I've seen this one before,
and it doesn't end well for The 99%.


Cherish your memories, SUCKERS!
because we're TAKING everything else!
Hahahahahahaha!




You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
Solidarity99!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[indepat]

24. Will BHO and Capitol Dems betray the middle class, Seniors, and the poor:

the proof will indisputably be in their works. My opinion: you betcha, for this scenario has indisputably been in the works for years. :patriot:

[thelordofhell]

26. No

[Davis_X_Machina]

27. It's DU. There are only two kinds of questions asked in OP's anyways.

Rhetorical ones, and ones where anybody who's ever been on DU for more than say, half-an-hour, or has access to Google, already knows the answer.

[Fumesucker]

30. Is it your opinion that the Supercorrupting Supercolluder will *not* screw the 99% and favor the 1%

[pnwmom]

32. Definitely, since ANY compromise will be seen as a betrayal,

and no agreement will happen without some compromise.

(And letting the triggers occur will also hurt the middle class, seniors, and the poor.)

[coalition_unwilling]

33. Does the Pope wear a hat? - n/t

[MilesColtrane]

36. I can think of a better title for that op ed:

Former Health Insurance Exec Attacks Democrats From the Left

That piece is long on speculation of what Congressional Democrats might do.

But, what seems to be Eskow's major concern?

The unkindest cuts of all

The Democratic proposal also includes cuts of $250 billion to providers under Medicare.

[dajoki]

37. Its all speculation right now n/t

[bhikkhu]

38. The standard approach seems to be: ramp up speculation to a fever pitch

until everyone is so worn out, angry and frustrated, and so certain that they have been betrayed already, that they won't even look at the final legislation...which is likely to be a bland compromise of some sort, designed to have minimal impact.

[dajoki]

41. That's how it always works n/t

[Fire Walk With Me]

39. If you are even asking...you already know the answer.

[KoKo]

42. I don't have much hope for anything but betrayal at this point. I guess "surprise" is always

a hope...but, I'm not betting on it. :-(