House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has been leading the Democratic charge for protecting Medicare . Earlier in the week in an interview with ABC she made it clear: benefit cuts “absolutely” off the table :
Pelosi said that cuts to seniors' benefits are "absolutely" off the table in the ongoing deficit reduction negotiations, but suggested that Congress could improve Medicare by working to eliminate fraud and also by giving the Secretary of Health and Human Services unilateral authority to negotiate for lower prices for the endangered entitlement program.
"When you talk about Medicare, the first thing I would do if I ruled the world would be to allow the secretary of HHS to negotiate for lower prices. That would save tens of billions of dollars," Pelosi said. "The last place we need to go—we don't ever have to go there—is to what the Republicans are doing: Eliminate Medicare [and] make seniors pay more for less as you give tax breaks to big oil and say that's how we have to reduce the deficit. We don't subscribe to that."
On Friday, Leader Pelosi was joined by two key Democratic Senators from the other side of the Hill. Senators Tom Harkin and Jack Reed also fired at the Republicans with the same message: Take Medicare off the table!
"Our message," Harkin said, "is simply: Take Medicare off the table. Let's solve the default crisis. And let's talk about fixing the system so that our middle class has a little bit better shape."
"Medicare is such a complicated, complex topic," Reed said. "To do it right, this is not the proper arena for that kind of debate."
Give Democrats a lot of credit here for being totally in sync with each other. This is happening at the same time when President Barack Obama is pledging to stay firm against extension of Bush tax cuts (hope he can hold the line this time). As everyone knows by now the job numbers came out today which should serve as a “wake-up call” for all elected officials in DC. These guys need to drop their obsession with austerity and get back to what really matters to all of us: creating jobs in our communities.
Good to see at least number of prominent Democrats stepping up and not falling for the hostage taking shenanigans of Congressional Republicans. Let’s hope they stay firm. This is not the time to blink.
The Obama Campaign had the GOP in full retreat in 2008. The opportunity was there, when the new administration took office, to seize the initiative, control the narrative, and compel chastened Republicans to do what must be done to heal a nation scarred by their misrule and bungling. Instead, Democrats left the political battlefield to a bedraggled enemy that promptly regrouped and began terrorizing the countryside ... again.
A reinvigorated GOP, seized control of the narrative and took to the offense, convincing half the nation that reckless spending cuts, massive tax breaks and lax regulation were the answers to the economic crisis. That's right ... the very policies that blew the national economy apart. WHERE, oh where, is the competing narrative.
We don't fix problems unless the electorate understand them and force the political class to fix them. The Obama administration has been woefully remiss in informing that electorate. It has no apparent political arm tasked with aggressive messaging. The results have been lukewarm or watered down initiatives (see health care and financial reform) and a massive, unnecessary electoral defeat in 2010. Bad politics result in bad policy and lost elections.
The Obama Administration has some growing up to do. Their mantra, "good policy leads to good politics" is hopelessly naive. Wake up and fight boys ... before its too late.
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fail to recognize is it's not the message but who delivers the message, "The MSM."
If they are not delivering, it doesn't matter what the message is. We just saw a host claiming that Romney created thousands of jobs when he actually eliminated them. We don't get a message when they just report propaganda.
... an abomination. All the more reason to have a multi-platform, highly proactive and brutally aggressive messaging machine.
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and replies.
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Have a great weekend and if you need a little serious laugh, give us a try ...
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Thought about making that link your sig? Just a sugestion.
Bite my shiny metal ass.
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"Bless me father for i have sinned. Those crimes that i committed, well, i did 'em again. Empty my soul to empower yours. Lead me blind down the path to salvation's doors."
Are you listening, Obama?
They take taxes off the table; you take Medicare off the table.
They take Military spending; you take Medicare & Social Security cuts off.
You start from there.
Too little, too late.
They start off with a wish list, and this administration whittles that down via “negotiations” to something that would only destroy the economy in 10 vs 5 years. That’s not negotiation, that’s dealing with terrorists.
Where the hell is *our* wish list?
How about an elimination of the SS cap? How about an INCREASE in benefits that get paid directly to consumers that prop up this economy? How about reducing the MIC “defense” budget by 50% and closing 50% of off-shore military bases? How about allowing the Government to DICTATE (not just negotiate) medication prices?
When negotiating, this is where you should start. Whittle these things down if you must, but when you start out with their wish list, all you end up doing is giving them most of what they want, and nothing we do.
Medicare being off the table is a complete cave-in. Put it back on the table. INCREASE the benefits.
It is more than time that those who enjoy the greatest benefits our society offers based only on their economic perch in the money tree, to pay a marginally larger tax rate that the average wage earning citizen pays. I don't subscribe to any distribute the wealth scheme ; I subscribe to the idea that people should be rewarded for their work, their intellect, their inventiveness and even their talents to foresee trends and invest wisely and legally in the speculative markets.
The discredited brain fart of trickle down economics is, as G.H.W Bush referred to it in 1980, “Voodoo Economics” and is still driving the narrow minds of the right wing noise boxes. It doesn't work – has never worked - will never work. It is an idea with absolutely no evidence to support it and volumes of evidence that reveal it to be the most wrong headed economic idea ever contrived.
The current highest marginal tax rate is the lowest it has been since 1929 which was 24%. and we all know the prosperity that followed.
"we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and [to] bid defiance to the laws of our country." …..Thomas Jefferson
Cutting Medicare is political suicide. IMO
I don't think any politician from any party will get away with it.
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
The consevatives get their supporters to vote against their own well being and support the wealthy conservative causes all the time, that is one thing they are very good at.
"..President Barack Obama is pledging to stay firm against extension of Bush tax cuts (hope he can hold the line this time)".
Of course he will.
Obama chose to defer the issue until 2012, when he will be in full campaign mode, rather than during the 2010 mid-term elections, when it might have done some good for House democrats.
Yeah. Kick the can....right over the cliff.
The Repubs will fold around July 1, because the markets will begin to tank if the debt ceiling is not raised by then.
The DEMs just have to stick to their guns and only offer a few meaningless cuts to let the Repubs save a little face. They've already lost the 2012 election and they know it.
The only way they can change that (possibly) would be to purposely crash the economy. I don't think the Repubs are that stupid. I sure hope I'm right about that.
and the extension of the Bush tax cuts is a major contributing factor. What an incredible fuckup on the part of the Obama administration. Wake the fuck up Mr. President, or pack your bags. By the time 2012 rolls around the repugs will be harping about how bad things are and no one will remember that they screwed it up in the first place. All that anyone will remember, and that the MSM will report, is that it did not get better on your watch.
It's the economy, stupid.
The people of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage." J.K. Galbraith
to have such a lady on their side.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
...something something TABLES!
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
What about chairs?
Bite my shiny metal ass.
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"Bless me father for i have sinned. Those crimes that i committed, well, i did 'em again. Empty my soul to empower yours. Lead me blind down the path to salvation's doors."
Due to lack of funding, Tables and Chairs have been repossessed. Capitol Hill has been leased to Gieco, and will now be called Gieco Hall. Legislators must now sit cross-legged on the grounds outside around the campfire that is burning miscellaneous papers and documents found in the area. Asked for a quote regarding the current condition, John Boehner cried.
Hehe, of coarse Boner cried. Just some vapor rub under the eyes and let the tears flow.
Oh boohoo, see me cry, have some sympathy for me, boohoo.
Bite my shiny metal ass.
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"Bless me father for i have sinned. Those crimes that i committed, well, i did 'em again. Empty my soul to empower yours. Lead me blind down the path to salvation's doors."
Get that message all synced up too, Dems.
me-oww!
ABORTION at the other end of life! Sanctimonious venal vile fools...
But, but, but...the stainless steel-spined Negotiator in Chief (President Obama) instructed Democrats to not draw any lines in the sand in budget negotiations (according to Senator Reid).
How can we give away the farm if we take the farm off the table?
Doesn't Pelosi realize that to get a budget deal that protects the wealthy and abandons the elderly, poor, and disabled both Medicare and Medicaid have to be on the table. Or is that what Pelosi has in mind -- save Medicare and throw Medicaid to the sharks?
I think Nancy is one of the last remaining Democrats, that actually stand for the democratic values.
We know that the corporate owners of the Congress wants the debt ceiling raised, so I don't really know what is going on in this charade, this farce. Essentially, the Ryan plan would restructure Medicare so that corporate tribute could be extracted in the form of insurance company premiums, or the GOP will harm corporate America, along with the rest of us? Basically, the GOP wants to impose an insurance tax on users of the currently single payer Medicare.
Let 'em. And they'll get the blame if the economy tanks. I would say to the Dems, call their bluff.
But, then again, it takes two to pull off the charade. And I wonder where our corporate owned Democrats stand on this issue? After all the bad acting subsides, do we get some kind of "bipartisan" agreement?
'Cause, I think the deals were all cut back in December when the Bush tax cuts were extended. Why extend the cuts, if the resulting deficit increases weren't dealt with?
We went through all this charade with the "pubic option" last year. All the promises, lines in the sand, putting it on and taking it off "the table", those things were all for entertainment and the diversion of the professional leftists to keep them busy talking among themselves as we are now on this issue.
Medicare is going to be changed for the worse, the President will allow it, and the Democrats in congress will help it along.
Next year in the election campaign it will all be forgotten and overshadowed by some other issue, probably another war.
"Next year in the election campaign it will all be forgotten and overshadowed by some other issue, probably another war."
Indeed indeed. Because humans in general have the attention span of a amoeba. Right?
Bite my shiny metal ass.
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"Bless me father for i have sinned. Those crimes that i committed, well, i did 'em again. Empty my soul to empower yours. Lead me blind down the path to salvation's doors."
That idea has Been working for FOX
Lets take Medicare & Mediaid off the table and put TAXING THE RITCH ON THE TABLE. ALSO taxing the BIG CORP that would like to bring all there ILL goten Money back to the U.S.A. with no TAXES. After they have been giving all of there ALLEIGANCE to FOERN FLAG AND GOVERMENT. I say He-- No ,lets bring back the Gillatine.. It could never happen For we have all the NEWS controled by THE BIG CORP., also the UN-HOLE five(5) on the supream court will protect them. Cnn FOX light.
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