White House/Flickr
Meeting with Warren Buffett on July 18.
Eleven days before the economic End of Days (and zero days before the actual one, judging by the heat), President Obama took to the pages of USA Today to make his case for "going big" on a debt ceiling deal -- and for big cuts in spending:
...I've also said that I'm willing to cut historic amounts of spending in order to reduce our long-term deficits. I'm willing to cut spending on domestic programs to the lowest level in half a century. I'm willing to cut defense spending by hundreds of billions of dollars. I'm willing to take on the rising costs of health care programs like Medicare and Medicaid, so we can meet our obligations to an aging population.
Some of these cuts would eliminate wasteful spending, weapons we don't need, or fraud and abuse in our health care system. Still, some of the cuts would target worthwhile programs that do a lot of good for our country. They're cuts that some people in my own party aren't too happy about, and frankly, I wouldn't make them if we didn't have so much debt.
I think people in the President's Democratic Party, both in Washington and elsewhere, are committed to cutting the deficit -- they'd just like to do so by attacking its central contributor, the Bush tax cuts extended last year for the sake of unemployment benefits Republicans were holding hostage. And the President does get around to talking about ending tax breaks for hedge fund managers before charging seniors more for Medicare. He calls for "fundamental tax reform." As Ezra Klein writes today, it's a fine line between a tax break and an expense.
Leave a Comment:
PLEASE - America don't buy it!
This is it for me with Obama - I will not vote for him. And I won't vote for anybody that votes to cut Medicare or Social Security.
Are you saying that means testing for Social Security and Medicare is anti American? That cutting back on "subsidized motorized wheelchairs for every old fart" is bad for the rich? The Idea that Warren Buffet gets a SSI check is un American. So, prove your peckish point by handing the Republicans an American they hate and have sworn to destroy. Did half the job with your petty "Republican Victory" in 2010. Sure showed them democrats, didn't you!
If President Obama is not reelected he cannot do what our survival as a country requires. And, if these Republicans are not driven out of office for corruption and malfeasance, it won't matter if he is reelected. Get with it!
Means testing turns Medicare into a welfare program. The Republicans have been trying to get means testing for decades. Think about it.
The same thing goes for Social Security.
One of the main reasons the Democrats lost in 2010 was because their caves to the Republicans. The Democrats had nothing to stand for.
If Obama gets the "deal" it will ruin the chances of the Democrats not only in 2012 but well beyond. It will gut the very core principles of the Democratic Party.
Since Obama doesn't listen to fellow Democrats opinions maybe he will listen to their votes - if they are will to stand up to him and take their votes elsewhere. For real.
The Democratic voters need to stop voting for the lesser of two evils. they need to mean it.
So ... your plan is to vote for a drug-crazed woman from Minnesota that sees auras?
Reality check.
Freshman Republicans in the House of Representatives are going to dynamite the economy and make everyone unemployed if they cant make abortion, income tax, and gay, and old age illegal because God wants them to?
Obama is trying to stop the Tea Party from dynamiting the whole economy.
And your plan is to vote Republican because they are terrorizing the whole country?
Seriously?
Nope- that's not my plan. I never said I was voting Republican. I said I won't vote for Obama. And I won't. You can't just say it you have to follow through.
Obama has done a pretty good job of letting the economy sink on his own. He doesn't deserve my vote and he won't get it.
OK. Lets check out your plan.
You were not very clear, but it sounds like you are not vote for anyone because that the Republicans want to explode the economy because an African American in the White House.
No answer? I'll take that as a yes.
Lets check out who is going to win because you won't vote.
And you would like one of these people to win because Obama can't get white supremacists do do what you want?
Nice plan.
I agree with David Gagne !!!!!!! i didn't vote for Obama to compromise with the Republicans !!!!!!
Andres
I guess you're of the negotiate but not compromise crowd like the Tea Party?
I have nothing against reason and compromise when they are in the best interest of the Nation. However, I didn't support Obama's campaign so he could bend over and capitulate on the major issues before the negotiations even begin. He should negotiate from a position of strength. For some reason that is a total mystery to me and most of his so-called "base," he has an infuriating habit of negotiating from a position of weakness. He will give up a major point before the talks even start--like the public option, for example--and it's all downhill from there.
He should stand up to the Tea Party zealots like the intelligent man he is. We need him to be firm and wise--not the Capitulator in Chief.
Kick some butt, Mr. President.
For a change...
Obama is willing to be HOOVER? What a dumb idea. Does the man EVER READ PAUL KRUGMAN??!! Keynes?!
Damn University of Chicago and their dumbassed non-empirical, ideological take on economics. Why did we elect someone who was so influenced by such a distorted university faculty community experience?
People know in Greece that massive austerity cuts will NOT improve the economic situation there (and people are willing to take to the streets to make sure they know it), but here in the US, the somnambulistic public will snooze their way through what happens in Washington until their relatives start dying without medical care, and sick and bankrupt evicted and foreclosed people are back living in Hoovervilles on the the White House lawn and in Central Park.
Quite a grim prospect these idiots apparently have in store for us.
Tax evasion is Greece. "We want it all and will pay for none of it." FYI: since 1975 no university is suited to teach or certify any economic system. This is the age of greed, no system but theft is in play.
The fearsome thing is that people do not believe it can happen here.
The idea of a feudal corporatocracy is very real.
Republican plan (sarcasm intended).
Democratic plan.
Does anyone notice how the online videos, from MSNBC, freeze up, and force the viewer to refresh their page, sometimes 2 or 3 times?
Why does MSNBC do this? So annoying.
You might need to update your Flash or try a different browser. The videos work fine for me.
Hello Flex,
The HTML code and scripts on the MSNBC web page do not do that.
Web browsers do that when they fault out due to a resource shortage.
Recommend you try the following in this order.
Hope one of these work.
Amazing. Polls show that Americans are OVERWHELMINGLY in favor of letting the Bush tax cuts expire, eliminating corporate welfare and tax loopholes, and raising taxes on the rich, while leaving social programs untouched, and Obama GOES AGAINST what should be a huge winner for dems?????
At this point, let the country default and burn to the ground, as it's going to happen anyway if this lamebrained "fix" actually happens.
America, aka United States of America, USA: 1776-2011 RIP
The Tea Party managed to achieve 25% turnover in the House of Representatives by promising everyone more jobs.
Freshman Republican Representatives are best described as ignorant.
Ignorant:
Uffda
My brother and sister-in-law are in the upper tax bracket that would be targeted by removing the Bush tax cuts. Guess what?! They would gladly pay the higher taxes. And they have a special needs kid who needs 24/7 care!
There Tea Party dullards are out of touch with Americans. There's no understanding that people change their opinions and things are not what they were in November 2010.
Hello Maria,
You speak the truth.
Republicans are exploiting the PT Barnum effect for fun and profit. Click this link to see what I mean.
PT Barnum Effect - University of Fullerton
Best - Greg
Obama selling . . .
Don't think so.
If anyone runs as a Democrat Presidential alternative to Obama, he's in real trouble.
FDR and Ted Kennedy are rolling in their graves.
Hey, the good news is that it looks like there won't even be a country worth voting for next year! Is is too late for MN to apply for Canadian provincehood? One of the new players for our NHL team said that he already considers MN to be Canada's 14th province.
Perhaps North Dakota can petition to be a Canadian Territory?
You know ... California used to be Mexico ....
It could happen again.
Ensenada would be an improvement from the Tea-publican nonsense.
Ay carumba! No quero voy al Mexico hoy. Cabaza me dolar.
La la la la ... yo soy el frito bandito ...
One more thing.
This is terrible for the Democratic Party. This is at the core of what the party is supposed to stand for and Obama is trading it away.
If you think 2010 was a tough year for Democrats wait until 2012 if this package passes. Watch as BOTH houses of congress are occupied by Republicans with a sizable majority.
Hello again David.
You know, when I figure out someone used to wear white sheets to social events I tend to vote against them.
There would be many fewer Republicans in Washington if everyone did that.
Don't you think so?
so, is anyone wondering suddenly if the people who laugh at the newagers for that "the world will end 12-21-12" thing should maybe be taking another look. Sure feels like the end of whatever world (USA) I thought I lived in.
Here's what will happen that is really about the "shift" and what is meant by the "end of the world" as an "analogy".
China takes over as world power. the USA becomes a third world country except other countries are NOT trying to help US like we helped them. they think we are all arrogant and deserve whatever we get. and sadly, I agree.
See, I am so close to just not caring anymore. it's only one life. My life doesn't matter in the end. except MY one life is = to Boehner's ONE LIFE. if I don't matter, either does he.
arrogant little a$$ smirking as he sings "zippidy do dar". I hate arrogance and without arrogance, the republicans would not exist.
How do you think I feel. I am about to become homeless and my aunt, uncle, sister, cousins all voted for this to happen. It's even harder when your own family has helped this happen. Politics is tearing our family apart.
So much for the republicans and their "family" acts of years ago. they don't give a crap about families. they sure don't care about mine! well, or maybe they are must making sure MY OWN FAMILY doesn't care about me. they are NOT the rich republicans. Sadly, they are the Catholic republicans who dont' understand that these ultra conservative Christians think Catholics are satanists. they think "we are all christians" and my family is soooo far from right. I live in the bible belt. I live close to Montreat. Ever heard of Montreat? it's billy grahams entire town....behind that big gate - north of black mountain. with the huge christian college and it's also the home of the KKK. did you know that?
I always wondered why the home of the KKK is "black mountain"...shouldn't they move to NH to the "white mountains"? just an aside.
You do know that the home of the KKK is the same as the home of billy graham and IS where all these ultra christianics live and work and teach little kids that they came out of Adam and eve right?
I had an ultra conservative christian friend once - co worker really. she said that "black people came from having sex with satan." and she is now in her 40's and this is what she believes. How do we fight that mentality? This is what they think of our president. and yet, a black man is running on the republican side. you heard them say tho that he is "really black" because he is "all black" not "half black". let's speak out of both sides of our tongues. Does that make him "all satanic"? and obama only half?
hmmm...scary stuff. Folks who don't live here in the bible belt don't understand how scary this stuff gets. I was a yankee first. I was shocked when I moved here. Love the mountains of WNC, but yikes there are some religious nuts here, that's for sure. in fact, this is where they meet. GW came here and listened to a preacher from texas a few years ago talk about "throwing stones at all gay people and killing them". That's for real and GW was in the audience. he actually stood there and called for the "stoning deaths of all gay people". A press person snuck in and wrote about what he heard. why didn't it get more press? umm...GW was there? Imagine how fast that story was buried.
and I am so not making that up. I'm sure you can find it online somewhere it is was not totally scrubbed.
I am waiting for the actual details of the plan to be released before I jump to conclusions. I am dead set against cutting Social Security benefits. However, I do think Medicare will need to be changed to keep it solvent even if the Bush tax cuts are repealed. If Medicare is means tested, that will be a big help to reduce costs. It would not be unreasonable to allow the premiums to rise in increments based on income.
Most of the medical care for older people is at the end stages of their life. The medical profession needs to revamp how medical care is delivered at that stage. It is ridiculous that people demand medical care to keep a person alive at the end stage. Doctors need to rethink how they approach end stage and that includes families of the older person. This does not require any government intervention.
The cap on SS wages can be lifted and benefits means tested with a minimum benefit for all regardless of income. The age for retirement should not be changed. If Obama endorses major cuts in SS and Medicare, I will not vote for him or any Dem that votes for the plan. Our representatives should tell Obama that they will not endorse major structural changes in either program that requires major cuts to people living on a limited income. In fact, I want our reps to attach a wage and pension cut for Congress. They need to share the sacrifice. If Dems vote for major cuts, I will stay home. Let the Republicans win and really run the country into the ground. We already half way there.
I agree that there are adjustments that can be made to allow medicare, medicaid and social security to remain solvent, such as means testing and removing the cap on income subject to social security taxes. What is bugging me from what I have heard so far is that Obama is giving all this away for a "promise" from repubs that they will take up the revenue issue in the future. I wouldn't believe those lying dogs for a femtosecond. As soon as they get everything they want, they will renege on that "promise", claiming they never really promised anything of the sort. Let the country crash and burn from its own stupidity at this point. Think 9% unemployment is bad? How about double or triple that, as seen in countries like Poland that made draconian cuts like those insisted on by repubs. Of course, that led to tremendous poverty, homelessness, starvation and the like, but repubs could care less about that, even if their Tea Party constituents will suffer just as badly from those issues. All they care about is that they will be back in power, and like the repubs in WI, work rapidly to get as many goodies for themselves and their corporate masters before they get tossed out of office. One last manic grab for the little bit of cash that can be stolen from the rest of us.
Means testing changes Medicare from an entitlement program to a welfare program - and we all know how welfare programs are cut willy-nilly. Medicare needs to be an entitlement program for everybody in order to survive. The conservatives have been trying to sell means testing for decades. Do you think they would be trying to sell it if it was good for the program?
As for waiting for the details - I don't think now is the time to wait. By the time you hear them the game will be over. Make no mistake about it - the fight is NOW.
If you are against cutting Medicare and Social Security you need to let the white House and your congress members know, with a phone call, RIGHT NOW.
I won't stay home come election day, but I am seriously thinking of writing in Bernie Sanders for president. Obviously that throws away my vote, but since it's starting to look like the choice will be between catastrophe and Armageddon, it'll make me feel better... for a moment anyway.
I don't like to think Obama is this stupid, but reviewing past caves he's done, it may be the case. :{
He repeats the same mistake over and over, giving away the store before negotiations ever start. That just tells his opponents that if they even threaten to oppose him, he will cave eventually.
I am so ashamed of this country, I don't have words to express it.
I don't think not voting for Obama would be a wasted vote. I certainly wouldn't vote Republican but I can't see myself voting for Obama again. And I sent in money and rode around with his bumper sticker on my car in Reagan country.
I've tried voicing my opinion to my congress members and the White House - all to no avail. The only thing I have left is my vote.
I just can't give it to someone that has screwed up so badly time after time.
Medicare doesn't need to be changed, unless it is changed into a single payer health care plan that applies to all Americans, not just those over 65. What we need to do is go back to doing what we did until 1992: gradually raise the tax rate to account for the number of baby boom generation retirees qualifying for Medicare. Our problems started with Medicare when we bought into this "No tax increases--ever" idiocy.
We should not get upset by alleged plans for cuts. Both sides are using the media to float these plans to show the degree of dislike by people in and out of Congress. It is a bargain tactic.
I think we SHOULD be upset and vocal when the Democratic Party even mentions cutting Social Security or Medicare.
Bargaining tactics can wind up policy.
You know ... everyone is missing the point.
Barrack used the several years he was in the Senate to "borrow" all of the documents Republicans developed to support their political strategy.
Then ... Barrack took the useful ones and made those HIS political platform.
Then he killed Osama bin-Lauden.
Totally yanked the rug out from underneath the Republicans.
So is anyone surprised Republicans are using the economy to play a game of Chicken?
The only hope for Republicans is to get people to think Barrack would negotiate anything that would cause permanent harm.
Not going to happen.
Watch.
Mr. Nobel Peace Prize is smarter than them.
@uffda..."Let the country crash and burn from its own stupidity at this point."
Will you be homeless on august 4th? I guess I might say that if it didn't really affect me either...but it does. Are you willing to live on the street next month with the millions of disabled people who are suddenly homeless without medical care? didn't think so.
it's one thing to talk "theory"; it's another to talk reality! this for me, is reality. a f'n scary one. You should all know that by now. I will be online a lot - I shut off my tv tonight. and doubled up on my ativan. I can't do this anymore. I'm a wreck. this is MY reality. it's not "theory" for me. It's MY crash, it's MY burn. and it's in a week or two.
I'd agree if it wasn't me. I guess....
I've noticed, Flex. I've given up trying to watch the videos. I can't get past the #%*&-ing commercials. Only wealthy people with big computers get to view them.
Try the things I recommended.
Might also add - increase virtual memory if you have a setting like that.
To avoid the ads, click on the area to the left of the video player and select "watch video on the Rachel Maddow show" - or download the podcast. Blessedly advert-free.
I think the title of the article should be "Obama selling out". Can't watch this mess anymore.
Nope.
Title should read:
Don't you think so?
Washington Post [re: debt deal]:
Boehner has proposed repealing provisions of Obama’s health care law
So Obama is selling out everything and everyone. What are the chances he's going to follow through on DADT, now?
I'm 26. I kinda want to see a progressive President sometime in my lifetime. My grandma died before she could have been help by that closing of the donut hole. I'm getting real sick of this and to the DNC with no spine to stand up to the President.
You know ... it sometimes becomes confusing about who is the greater threat when someone is negotiating with terrorists.
It may not matter any more if dynamite go boom in a little over a week.
You will wish we were as good off as people in Greece.
I am also through with Obama. It is true that I define myself as a Social Democrat, however I am fiscally conservative, with several viewpoints that are center and even right of center. In other words, like most viewers of Rachels show I am well educated, thoughtful, well informed and I verify my facts unlike many from the other side.
That being said from the very beginning I have been cautious and concerned regarding Obama due to early remarks he made when he was running back in 2007 like that he greatly admired Ronald Reagan; specifically he admired his framework for cutting the government that had grown too large and unaccountable. Of course for progressives and liberals and most real economists around the world we all know that Ronald Reagan's approach which has been carried out now for about 30 years has been a disaster for the majority of the population of this country and the world. This is not the first time we (and many others), have tried this ridiculous theory, (this theory was responsible for the Panic of 1896 to name one), and all real economists and businessmen know that to make profits one has to have customers with MONEY TO BUY YOU PRODUCTS. Unfortunately every society, once mature, gets an upper class that is both greedy and incompetent and ultimately either becomes responsible for the societies destruction or for civil war/revolution. This was exactly the case with our country and the English crown and now we are right back in the same situation again.
Obama has said most of the right things in this debt ceiling farce like the Bush tax cuts need to expire as was promised by the Republicans when they originally passed them (a vow incidentally they made to the American people but they have no problem breaking as opposed to the vow the made to one man, Norquest, who they hold MORE IMPORTANT and above ALL AMERICANS COMBINED evidentally). But Obama has (like his "Idol" Reagan wanted to cut the social safety net which as I stated above is the WRONG thing to do in this and any economy since if people have less money they cannot buy products from business and business fails. Econ 101. But cutting the safety net in not what the population, the majority wants. We are a majority, a democracy. This government, judicial branch, media giants, corporate giants, law enforcement, attorney generals, insurance companies, banking systems etc., are unbelievably corrupt. We the people have no voice. Our leaders do not listen to us. Our leaders do not prosecute themselves for their many crimes. Our media consistently misleads or outright lies. the corporations do not pay taxes but consistently tell us they're paying "too much." The rich keep telling us they need to pay less and get more so they can give us more jobs and pay and benefits when all those things have been consistently decreasing for 30 years for us (98%) but increasing for them.
Obama promised to but hasn't: stopped the Iraq & Afganistan wars; closed Guantanamo Bay; stopped the Bush Tax Cuts: Stopped CIA Rendition; protected Social Security, Medicare, Medicade; got us Single Payer; Protected low medical insurance costs; stopped the highly illegal Patriot Act; protected Insurance payments (ERISA legislation has been rendered completely lame by new legislation that allows insurance companies to stop any payments for any reason and even a jury or a judges decision is not enough to override the Insurance Companies decisions); Has not prosecuted ANY bankers, mortgage companies, politicians, oil companies, coal companies, media companies, politicians, judges, just to name a few of the many clearly corrupt, criminal "entities" that have surfaced over the last 3 years.
Obama is no better, in fact, I argue he may be worse than Bush due to the fact that many think he his fighting for them he just always somehow fails to deliver at the last minute. It is time for thoughtful Progressives to organize a third party. The Democrats are only Republican "lite." They are just as corrupt as the other party just not as obvious. This country needs to be completely overhauled NOW. In a decade or two the infrastructure of this country will be that of a third world country and is already there in some cases. But the Republicans, Democrats & Corporate Leadership are intent on ensuring that 85% -90% of this country are impoverished which means there will be zero funds to rebuild the infrastructure which is what we should be doing NOW. Do you think these greedy, incompetent, rich, upper class "non-leaders" who are stealing us blind now and raking in record profits but refusing to pay a single dollar in taxes are going to start magically paying in ten or twenty years when or bridges, roads, and electrical systems are failing? No. they will simply move their business' to a more profitable country.
Very well said Sedwinmars. Pretty much covers it all.
Really. I've tried calling the White House comments line this morning (202) 456-1111 but the line has been busy.
Not that it would do any good.
At least I was able to get through to my two Senators. My rep is an insane Republican. No kidding - Dana Rohrabacher.
I've also just become a member at Firedoglake. Got do something to try and stop the bleeding Obama is putting us through.
Hello David,
Click Here For White House Email.
Recommend everyone go there.
I know for a fact that someone is reading his email. For my sake I hope that is a good thing.
Who knows? He might do what you ask.
Obama is the e-president.
Very much not the same thing as bushwhakapotamusrex.
Drop a line. You might get a reply if they like it.
Best - Greg
We need a real, valid primary challenger for Obama. He is not a Democrat. We have been duped. He is Reagan reincarnated--only worse. :(
I am among those who worked and donated and volunteered like crazy to get him elected. I did it from a wheelchair with a fractured pelvis and five vertebrae fractures. I did it carting my adult daughter with Down Syndrome around with me, and she wore her Obama button and voted for him, too.
I'm a veteran's widow, disabled, and the sole caregiver of an adult with Down Syndrome. We depend on SSDI and very meager military benefits. Without those, we'll see you under a bridge downtown.
We have been duped, and I am angry. I am heartbroken and financially ruined.
Thanks, Mr. President. I used to be able to say you're the lesser of two evils, but now I'm not so sure....
Sorry for your loss.
If you were watching the news, then you noticed Obama did not give into the demands made by the econo-terrorists.
The best thing the Dems had going for them in 2012 was the Paul Ryan "Kill Medicare" plan. They were on the right side of an important issue and had most voters on their side. It provided great leverage to regain House and Senate seats.
Does Obama realize that, if he goes through with this, that issue is off the table in next fall's election?
Perhaps that's the idea. Bear in mind that the #1 thing the President lives for is to close the gap between the Democrats and Republicans in the USA. If Medicare and Social Security are potentially polarizing issues going into 2012, it follows that he has a responsibility to prevent that.
Since there's no chance of the Republicans changing their position, it's up to the Democratic leadership (him) to change the Democratic position and bring unity on Medicare, Social Security, taxes, health care, etc.
I knew he would cave,I just knew it.The man has'nt got a ball one.I wish he would have told us the truth during the primary. I almost voted for Hillary,now I wish Iwould have.She absolutely would not have caved.Niether would her husband.Pres.Obama has to be a closet republican.This charade of his will also affect state races, probably getting us more of those tea party idiots.The country is in deep when that schit happens.
joca41 ... I DID vote for Hillary. All through the primary, I kept asking the "stars-in-their-eyes" Obama supporters one question that nobody could (or would) answer: "What will Obama do when he's confronted with 41, or 43 or more, Republicans in the Senate who won't allow one of his policy initiatives to make it through that chamber?"
I wanted to know if he had the fortitude to push through and the ability to make his case for doing the things we needed to do.
The answer to this question is obvious: when the opponents show resolve, he caves.
I wasn't a Hilary supporter, as I felt that she would be far more effective in the Senate, and I stand by that assessment. Imagine how different the healthcare debate, the financial reform debate, the consumer protection agency debate and the debt ceiling debate would have been if Hilary had been leading dems instead of Harry Reid. Not only would she have done a better job of molding the dems into a unified front, but she would have been able to use that unified front to tell Obama that there was no way dems would go for any of the watered-down legislation we eventually got.
Obama give in?
Did they show that on the Twilight Zone channel?
Bohner and Cantor walked out and lied to the press to try to save their a**.
Obama did not give into the econo-terrorists.
Nothing was signed. No agreement.
Thank you CA for being the voice of reason and sanity. It seems you and I have been the only observant people on this thread. Perhaps as I go through the new posts I will find like minded individuals. Thank you for your diligence.
Give it time to play out. Obama is playing to the middle ground now due to 2012.
My understanding from remarks on Good Morning Joe this morning is that there is under consideration of capping what the most wealthy would get back from SS. The money they put in they would get but no more than that. We should have had an up or down vote on the debt ceiling, in fact, there should not even be such a thing. Obama is not crazy, but by even discussing SS medicare, medicaid he has sent a panic to seniors. I am a senior with only my husband's SS and a Civil Service Pension both of which are modest, but I am not going to lose trust in Obama. Also we do not know the details, yet. What needs to be done is a united effort to withdraw from these wars in a more timely manner, open a infra structure Bank, and have joint construction to repair highways, (now being further destroyed by the excessive heat) bridges, dams, etc. We need to be spending now. FDR tried cutting only to get out of the depression and things got worse until in the 30s he began spending. The other thing is to raise the minimum wage so that people have more money to spend. This was a call from Walmart.
Our president needs us now, but we can make suggestions to him rather than abandon him. Do you realize what would happen if Rick Perry is elected. He is George Bush on steroids! Please, don't be foolish.
I know you mean well but he is not in the middle ground when he cuts Social Security and Medicare. He hasn't been in the middle ground since he took office.
He doesn't need our support - he needs to know we will not support him as he destroys what is good in this country.
We need to stand up to him as well as the Republicans.
Wrong.
Obama is dealing with econo-terrorists.
He is just trying to keep the dynamite from going off.
I voted for Obama and sadly, it WILL end up the "lesser of two evils" this time. The democrats can't put out a new person to run or the vote will end up split handing it to them. Of course, half the world is running on the repub side and one is more scary than the next. Why is no one talking about Backman taking Medicaid money to "turn gay's straight". and the $160,000 she got from the government to run her "farm"? where is her farm? what does she do that deserves that kind of extra subsidy. Just her gov. money alone is all they need to survive - to live nicely, but of course, let's complain about big government and then take advantage of it and take more money Mrs. Backman.
And why am I the only one who seems to remember that what's his name "bought" the olympics. he paid to be able to be the "chairman" and at that time said he "would be president one day". He is the male equivilent of sleeping his way to the top - except he just paid them instead of leaving it on the bedside table.
and that idiot in Texas...and and and. Why are the dems NOT running commercials right now before these idiots even get looked at. Why does Rachel know this stuff but the dems don't.
BTW, Why did I see an advertisment for FOX NEWS at the end of the Rachel show a little bit ago? The commercial, ON MSNBC said "fox news, where you should turn for the truth in news" or something like that. That right there made me realize it's only about money. period. MSNBC doesn't give a crap who is saying what on their channel. OR else they would NOT be taking money from FOX news to advertise how great they are.
Rachel, how can you sit with a "straight" face when they are advertising FOX NEWS on your very own show. stand up and say no. watch who is "financing" your show.
In the end, if FOX news is financing TRMS doesn't that just make you all realize it's alllllll a hoax? It's just alllllllllllllllllll a hoax. and the joke is on us. I like you rachel....but why would you NOT NOTICE who is paying for your show? willfull blindness?
That day, MSNBC lost it's credibility. why did nobody else notice? it was there. it was a commercial for fox news and literally said "the truth when it comes to news" ON MSNBC! give it up. they are all the same. It's just power and money. that's all they care about.
I want there to be a "none of the above" on the ballot. How about just "none of the above"? I don't think most republicans are very happy with their choices as well. most repubs I know are as poor as I am. and work at walmart or your local grocery store. They think this is still the GOP. lol. the laugh is on them as well. suddenly they might see what they have supported when it's all gone or when we have "teapartiers" running all the states with their sherriff badges on and shooting out the "wild west". That's what this country was like with "small government". Just men with guns deciding who should be shot. the tea party loved that time. there were slaves. and whores. and drinking. and shooting... and boots. and saddles. and horses. and "rape'n" and women wore dresses and there were no gay people wanting to get married. and men could beat their wives if they wanted to. and homeschool their kids. You do know that most homeschoolers are ultra conservative christian relics right? The homeschool group is a very very scary bunch.
Go watch blazing saddles again. except for the black guy, that's the tea party! just big dumb drinking men shooting and little men thinking they have lots of power cause they have a gun. yeehah. let's go back to the wild wild west....Now that's an improvement huh? Won't matter if there are no bridges etc. We'll get the slaves/blacks/immigrants/(add gays!) to fix'em. Didn't the "blacks" build the railroads to begin with? yeah, let's go back to the "good old days" when the man with the biggest gun was the governor.
I know. sounds stupid but that's what those people make me think of. Blazing Saddles. Just big dumb people who think they have something to say that is really important. Can you even begin to seriously imagine if Sarah Palin was voted president?
I was thinking the other day...if people have to "apply" for all jobs by presenting their resume, shouldn't the folks running for the most important "job" in this country PROVE they are qualified? submit your resume - both sides to a group of folks - just regular folks and let them pick the best three. those three on each side duke it out for a month or so then we pick the best one and they run against each other. but we will at least know that they have an IQ above 120 - minimum standard I would think for being allowed to hold that job. Let's have "criteria" for president instead of who can raise the most money. Make them take a test and pass a least the same test folks becoming citizens have to pass. Make them teach college first...
Make all "presidential candidates" take a drug test, pass a physical, an IQ test, a history exam...a geography test. and teach a civics class to high schoolers minimum before they are even eligible to submit their resume to be considered for the most important job in this country. You have to apply to work at walmart - why not have to apply to run for president?
It's time that being president means something again. it's become a joke to run for president but being president of the United States of America is NOT A JOKE. and I'm tired of it being treated like it's a reality show. OR make it a reality show. Let us vote every week and vote one off until we have a winner. Each week they are made to answer questions and "impress" us with their knowledge. hell, make it a reality show. why not. MORE people voted for american idol than president. Make them PROVE to us they are responsible enough and smart enough to run a store first...then a state, then the country. (and it doesn't count if you quit half way thru!)
See if they could stock shelves at walmart and get it right. Bag groceries. etc. GW's IQ was only 100. I would bet most folks who watch TRMS is above that. We all know Rachel's is. and most of her staff.
Let's set some standards for being allowed to "apply" for this job.
You sound like a 5 year old in need of a nap.
Aw, come on girls!
It's time for us to do what we do best.
Park the fat ass in the ol LazyBoy and watch and whine as America goes down in the West. Sort of like the band playing as the Titanic went down!
After all, we did send Washington a message, didn't we, or maybe some us were just too busy and let someone else speak for us?
From the above comments, it seems that many people are finally waking up to the fact that Barak Obama is NOT a Democrat and has sold us down the river. How many times are we going to let him do this and get away with it? Let's find someone else to run in 2012 and be done with this guy. Let's start this movement now!
At this point, the only people I would trust to do the job and stand up to repubs would be Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren.
You know, Obama pushed out Warren hoping she would run for Senate. I'd vote for her as president. You bet.
Warren for president!
I have a huge crush on that woman these days, and I would love to see her in a position to use her considerable intelligence and ability to translate difficult concepts into easily-understood explanations to make some positive changes for this rapidly-crumbling nation of ours.
Perfect! A Sanders/Warren ticket would be wonderful! (I don't care in which order they appear.) We need a third party anyway... or maybe I should say a second party, since the Dems seem to be pretty irrelevant these days.
Gosh, even the thought, far fetched as it might be, kind of gives me a lift. :}
Ditto.
Warren and Sanders 2012.
Why is it that Republicans are so afraid of intelligent people?
Especially women?
What's up with that?
I don't think Obama is talking about means testing, but rather income relating. I'm not opposed to sliding scales.
California has a health insurance program for rural counties called CMSP. It's for people who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but make too little to afford health insurance. They calculate how much you need to live on a month and subtract that how much you earn a month to determine how much you can pay towards your health care costs. I'm on it and I really don't mind paying $32 a month for health insurance. I can afford that, I just can't afford to buy health insurance for $200 a month directly from an insurance company.
I believe Planned Parenthood also uses a sliding scale to charge for services. I've also been to a general health clinic that did the same. There's all these people in the middle who can afford to pay something, just not 100%.
Agree.
Nice to know about the health insurance thing and planned parenthood.
Thanks.
I'm getting really sick of the whole hostage strategy from the Right.
The Republicans hold the economy hostage to get things they don't have the votes to get any other way.
Barack Obama holds the Supreme Court hostage to get us to gag while pulling the lever for a Republican in disguise.
True that.
Tea-publicans lit the dynamite.
Everyone is mad at Obama for trying to negotiate with the econo-terrorists.
Two interviews including "GOP cries Wolf " and Cenk Uyger on Democracy Now today hit a core suspicion--that Obama is a "wall street Democrat--formerly called Republican" and Uyger claims that Obama is more Republican than he ever was.
If it looks like and acts like (not talks like) a Republican, maybe it was a Republican we elected and they (Republicans) won their advocate-candidate due to our ignorance.
The debt ceiling "questionable crises" appears to be what Naomi Klein (sp) repeatedly stated to be a ploy to grab legislative power to grasp money and submission from the population. And Obama appears to be treating the faked debt ceiling talks as a "crises" to be solved before the normally separate and automatic debt ceiling vote is to be called.
Maybe its about time Democrats call his bluff. Is he a Republican who ran as a "Democrat" against weak and unacceptable Republican Primary decisions--straw dogs not valued by Real Republicans. Democrats look at his continuing implementation of Republican/Bush policies--wars, tax breaks, robo forclosures, secret rendition prisons, requiring us to buy health insurance from private companies, privatizing public education in New Oreleans, etc.? It seems certain He will be elected again, due to the bobble headed weak candidates Republicans seem to be attracting. Convenient that the "strong" Republicans with a possibility of winning won't declare their candidacy. Maybe Republicans really want to "lose" this time again (?)
Maybe its about time a second real Democrat (Russ Feingold ?) declares candidacy as true Democratic Presidential Candidate. Public Polls seem to signal that Democrat social issues are what a majority of Americans support.
Maybe its about time Democrats suggest that Obama should run next time Republican Nominee.
The key to the 2012 elections is Democrats running and winning candidates for all the House Representatives by touting the insensitive voting records of Republicans against the people. As well as defeating Republican and Republican-voting-Democrats in the Senate. Then who cares who is elected president? A Republican, Democrat, male, female or whatever color in vogue today--whatever
Cenk can be a hothead and say stupid things when he is mad.
Anyone else notice that 300 million Americans have suddenly developed Stockholm Syndrome while Obama is trying to negotiate peace with the econo-terrorists?
Rachel,
Have you seen this smut circulating on the internet? The latest smear is that Obama wants the debt ceiling to default because he is a secret Muslim trying to destroy capitalism. Insane. Is there no sanity on the right?
This needs to be emailed to everyone in the USA.
OBAMA'S COLLEGE CLASSMATE SPEAKS OUT
By Wayne Allyn Root , June 6th, 2010
Barack Hussien Obama is no fool. He is not incompetent.
To the contrary, he is brilliant. He knows exactly what he's doing.
He is purposely overwhelming the U.S. economy to create systemic failure,
economic crisis and social chaos --
thereby destroying capitalism and our country from within.
Barack Hussien Obama was my college classmate ( Columbia University , class of
'83).
He is a devout Muslim do not be fooled.
Look at his Czars...anti-business..anti- american.
As Glenn Beck correctly predicted from day one, Barack Hussien Obama is
following the plan of
Cloward & Piven, two professors at Columbia University ... They outlined a plan
to socialize America by
overwhelming the system with government spending and entitlement demands. Add
up the clues below.
Taken individually they're alarming. Taken as a whole, it is a brilliant,
Machiavellian game plan to turn the
United States into a socialist/Marxist state with a permanent majority that
desperately needs government for
survival ... and can be counted on to always vote for bigger government. Why
not? They have no
responsibility to pay for it.
Universal health care . The health care bill had very little to do with health
care.
It had everything to do with unionizing millions of hospital and health care
workers,
as well as adding 15,000 to 20,000 new IRS agents (who will join government
employee unions).
Obama doesn't care that giving free health care to 30 million Americans will add
trillions to the national debt.
What he does care about is that it cements the dependence of those 30 million
voters to Democrats and
big government. Who but a socialist revolutionary would pass this reckless
spending bill in the middle
of a depression?
Cap and trade. Like health care legislation having nothing to do with health
care, cap and trade
has nothing to do with global warming. It has everything to do with
redistribution of income,
government control of the economy and a criminal payoff to Obama's biggest
contributors.
Those powerful and wealthy unions and contributors (like GE, which owns NBC,
MSNBC and CNBC)
can then be counted on to support everything Obama wants. They will kick-back
hundreds of millions
of dollars in contributions to Obama and the Democratic Party
to keep them in power. The bonus is that all the new taxes on Americans with
bigger cars,
bigger homes and businesses helps Obama "spread the wealth around."
Make Puerto Rico a state. Why? Who's asking for a 51st state? Who's asking for
millions of new
welfare recipients and government entitlement addicts in the middle of a
depression?
Certainly not American taxpayers. But this has been Barack Hussien Obama's plan
all along.
His goal is to add two new Democrat senators, five Democrat congressman and a
million loyal Democratic
voters who are dependent on big government.
Legalize 12 million illegal Mexican immigrants. Just giving these 12 million
potential new citizens
free health care alone could overwhelm the system and bankrupt America. But it
adds 12 million
reliable new Democrat voters who can be counted on to support big government.
Add another
few trillion dollars in welfare, aid to dependent children, food stamps, free
medical, education,
tax credits for the poor, and eventually Social Security.
Stimulus and bailouts. Where did all that money go? It went to Democrat
contributors,
organizations (ACORN), and unions -- including billions of dollars to save or
create jobs of government
employees across the country. It went to save GM and Chrysler so that their
employees could keep paying union dues.
It went to AIG so that Goldman Sachs could be bailed out (after giving Obama
almost $1 million in contributions).
A staggering $125 billion went to teachers (thereby protecting their union
dues). All those public employees
will vote loyally Democrat to protect their bloated salaries and pensions that
are bankrupting America.
The country goes broke, future generations face a bleak future, but Obama, the
Democrat Party, government,
and the unions grow more powerful. The ends justify the means. A Saul Alinsky
tactic Obama knows well -- he taught it
during his community organizing days.
Raise taxes on small business owners, high-income earners, and job creators.
Put the entire burden on only
the top 20 percent of taxpayers, redistribute the income, punish success, and
reward those who did nothing
to deserve it (except vote for Obama).
Reagan wanted to dramatically cut taxes in order to starve the government.
Barack Obama wants to dramatically
raise taxes to starve his political opposition. With the acts outlined above,
Barack Hussien Obama and his
regime have created a vast and rapidly expanding constituency of voters
dependent on big government; a vast
privileged class of public employees who work for big government; and a
government dedicated to destroying
capitalism and installing themselves as socialist rulers by overwhelming the
system.
Add it up and you've got the perfect Marxist scheme -- all devised by my
Columbia University college
classmate Barack Hussien Obama using the Cloward and Piven Strategy ...
Mr. Root is a swift boater.
There is no end to the conspiracy theories from uneducated people.
I'm grateful we have someone with a PhD to sort out the worthy news for us.
Warren Buffet is one of the cooler rich people.
Repeatedly saying that he should not be receiving a tax cut from the Republicans.
Saying "Stop trying to cut my taxes, I can afford it, and all of my friends can afford it." or something to that effect.
The Republican's need to stop pretending that the super-rich can't afford to go back to the Clinton Era tax rates.
Starting to sound like the Republicans in charge of Washington used to wear white sheets and hoods to social events.
Can anyone else think of a reason why Republicans would walk out of negotiations after Obama caved on medicare?
Ancient Rome declined because it had a Senate; now what's going to happen to us with both a Senate and a House ~ Will Rogers
#we now have the answer to his question, don't we??
Can my favorite political show please, please cover this story? The drama and crisis around the debt ceiling and combo deficit issue should make us all more vigilant. It's hard not to tune out, but this thing will pass in a hailstorm of emergency and we'll likely miss important points like the one Matt makes in this story.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/holiday-in-scambodia-20110720
We need the Maddow treatment on the corporate Tax Holiday story. kthnxbai
Nice find.
Ditto.
I want to see it too.
My two cents.
You don't get to deduct payroll spending for employees if you pay no tax.
You get that tax deduction only if you pay tax.
Higher corporate taxes stimulate jobs.
That is why employment has gone up every single time corporate tax rates have been raised.
That is also why unemployment has gone up every single time corporate tax rates have been reduced.
Not a coincidence.
Every CEO knows this. Republicans talk to CEOs. That means Tea-publicans also know this.
They are trying to use this effect to increase unemployment intentionally to make Obama look bad.