Obama Asks Dems to Preserve His Budget Priorities
This really, really annoys me. Why are these "centrist" Democrats so very enamored of allowing Republicans to filibuster? There's a reason why a majority of voters selected candidates with a "D" after their names - they didn't want any more Republican policies!
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama urged Democrats on Capitol Hill Wednesday to maintain party unity and preserve his fiscal priorities, as the House and Senate began moving on companion versions of a $3.6 trillion budget that would make good on his promise to cut the federal deficit in half.
Congressional leaders are sticking broadly to the priorities outlined by Mr. Obama in a budget message sent earlier this month to Capitol Hill. But important differences are emerging, as tensions simmer among Democrats over issues such as climate change and health care, as well as spending.
Notably, Democratic leaders in both chambers are pushing packages that call for narrower deficits and less spending than proposed by the White House. And those levels could go lower, especially in the Senate, where moderate Democrats from conservative states will be an important factor in the debate on the floor next week.
Democratic moderates are pressing for even further spending cuts, especially in domestic programs. Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, one of those centrists, said more needs to be done to rein in spending. "This is a good direction, but I'd like to see it even lower," Mr. Nelson said.
Significantly, both the House and Senate decided to abandon a White House request for additional money for the Wall Street rescue. The two chambers also don't intend to invoke special legislative powers -- known as "reconciliation" -- that would allow climate-change legislation to avoid a filibuster in the Senate. That means any bill designed to control harmful emissions will have to attract 60 votes in the Senate, essentially ensuring any climate-change bill will require Republican support.
"...tensions simmer among Democrats over issues such as climate change and health care..."
These should be Democratic priorities, there shouldn't be any "tension". These so-called blue-dog Dems are obviously taking the same corporate fossil-fuel and insurance money as the Republicans. I despair for this country ever moving in a progressive direction with health care and climate change, which are emergency issues far more crucial than saving Wall St. firms IMO.
and I agree with your opinion. WTF are those Dems doing?! I say anyone (politician) lining his or her proverbial pocket with corporate pay-offs goes directly to jail.
the Franken/Coleman fiasco may be headed to the Supremes thanks to The Grand Obstructionist Party.
The Dem's could use Franken's vote right now and the Republicans are taking every last measure to avoid the Dem's getting it.
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
on the courts. Of course that is when he was up in the recount...
Aaaahhhhh hypocrisy comes as natural as breathing to these people.
repiglican whannabees is all that some of these dems are. hey, i'm a flip flopper, i was against term limits but now i'm for them. most congressmen have lost touch with their bases and only follow the money trail worrying only about themselves. term limits do not have to mean two terms and you are out forever, why could'nt it mean two terms and you have to sit out at least one term before you run again.
makes some people feel powerful and important; then, when they cease obstructing they often take credit for the success of whatever project they tried to screw up. The Bloo Dems are more like those nasty "yapper dogs" than lap dogs. No matter how nice to them one is, they're gonna bite your ankles and pee on your leg, then claim it was all for a good cause.
"These so-called blue-dog Dems are obviously taking the same corporate fossil-fuel and insurance money as the Republicans."
With all due respect, I think you may find that it is another "entity" that is the cause of said, "tension"? IMHO
Study the symptoms not the virus...
I said from day one that President Obamas biggest headache would be from that weak ass Harry Reid in the Senate!!!
The man is useless!!!
How and why would he ever allow Democratic Senators break away into a conservative Democratic block???
Americans rejected conservatism in November!!!
We need forward thinking Progressive Democrats to get this nation moving again!!!
are most often from the confederate states.
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common sense matters as much as truth
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Study the symptoms not the virus...
Maybe they are trying to position themselves for a Presidential run in 2012. It may not just be the Republicans who want Obama to fail. Evan Bayh must really think he deserves to be president and will stab Obama in the back to get it. Maybe Rahm Emanuel should have a chat with him. I hear he can be pretty convincing, if not down right scary.
...Has it occurred to anyone that perhaps Pres. Obama actually *learned* something from the Stimulus battle, and overshot his goals deliberately?
That is, perhaps he really thinks we need $10 billion for dept. X, so he asked for $15 billion, knowing that the Blue Dogs will knock it down to $12 and Evan Bayh/etc will knock it down to $10 anyway?
That way they get to crow about being fiscally responsible, Obama gets what he wanted in the first place and the GOP gets to think that they've pulled one over on Obama (even if they didn't; let them live in their own little world). Everyone's happy, the economy recovers, yay team!
so you may have a good point. I still trust Krugman more on this issue than anyone in washington.
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common sense matters as much as truth
I've thought about that angle too.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
..that the fools who sit in Congress are as dumb as a box of rocks and only interested in preserving their own, personal futures.
I'm sure that getting reelected forever, and living the 'life of Riley'
on the corporate dole (bribes) will make it a lot easier to breathe when the air is completely polluted; to eat gourmet when all the fish/animals are dead; and, to drink when the fresh water is rancid.
I'm just wondering how they will fare when the stench of the millions dying around them begins to suffocate.
Lao Tzu said: "Only those who know when enough is enough > can ever have enough."
"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of Stupidity" - Frank Leahy
(Rush)epuglyKKKans by any other reckoning.
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common sense matters as much as truth
Wasn't Bayh a Hillary supporter? Maybe he's still hung up on that.
When Bayh announced his little band of turn coats, he was all over tv talking about it. He seemed so damned proud of himself and what he had done. Jesus, aren't the republicans enough of a problem? Must these dems attack their own? Just when you think the dems are finally going to get some good things done, this kind of shit pops up.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
to see a split among the Dems
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common sense matters as much as truth
Of course they were. Now the msm can get back in the picture and try to create some drama. Too bad Bayh created it for them.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Indiana and I always get asked how it feels to now be living in a "Blue State". I always laugh. Indiana is about as much of a "Blue State" as Evan Bayh is a Democrat.
I grew up in Indiana and remember fondly Evan's old man Birch. Senator BIRCH Bayh was an honest to god LIBERAL. He did a lot for Indiana and the Country. I wonder what he thinks of his son these days. I'd love to know.
they can't even remain unified on the simplest matters, could not even last for the first 100 days of his term. whats it going to be like two or three years from now.
President Obama is the opposite of pig-headed and stupid (like some Dems & all Repugs).
He will learn quickly how to deal with these little men with big egos, and soon (say within a year) will have them jumping thru hoops and barking on command. Its their true vocation after all!
the (R) have a lot of practice with filibuster. they did it often the last two yrs. with the so-called (D) majority. why they NOW feel the need to get a supermajority is beyond me. all i can say is i hope they're giving something up to get something. healthCare has to happen. i hope these blu Dawgs can see beyond their own nose.
When Reid was in the minority, he couldn't block anything and when Reid is in the majority, he can't get anything passed?
how Reid became majority leader? Who voted for him & why? Can there be a re-vote? Or is the country stuck with this dullard for a long time?
He gets elected to the leader post with each new Senate. His first was as Senate Minority Leader back in 2005.
Harry Reid
[Data available for Harry Reid:]
→ → → http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summar...
Study the symptoms not the virus...
RINOs DINOs whatever - anyone interested in seeing a budget debate - http://www.politicalpopcorn.com/index.php?opt...
Hopefully it will turn out like this! http://www.politicalpopcorn.com/index.php?opt...
Don't you think that maybe, just maybe, something ought to be done about climate change? Yes, we are adaptable, but I don't see the possibility of our elected officials developing gills that quickly.
"This is a good direction, but I'd like to see it even lower," Mr. Nelson said."
This is a good direction but I'd like to see Democratic success even lower,"Mr.Nelson said.
Blitzer has yet another Republican guest on today in the person of Tom Selleck who implied there was too much pork in the Stimulus without being challenged to be specific on any of it.Blitzer has been featuring these one on one's for weeks,but as far as I can tell,they've all been Republicans invited on to openly criticize the Obama admin. without being challenged.
"To me, truth is not some vague, foggy notion. Truth is real. And,
at the same time, unreal. Fiction and fact and everything in between,
plus some things I can't remember, all rolled into one big "thing."
This is truth, to me. "
-Jack Handy
Well Wolf is on
FoxCNNSay what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
"One Party-Two Suits". The Republican Lites(Blue Dog Democrats) join the official Republicans as usual in spitting in the faces of "We The People". These political whores merely vote the way their pimps(Corporate America) directs them to. That both Houses want the 60-vote Senate standard to remain tells us who's running this country. It sure as hell isn't Obama or us.
Mr. Emanuel, we have a blue dog clean up on aisle three.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
I don't think these Dems want the ire of the voters to go against them right now.
We voted in Democrats because they were Democrats and not Republicans.
If these are simply "republicans in disguise" then it's time for their ouster, too.
Screw these wingnut Dems! It's time to begin running good people against their seats, too.
Reconciliation was used by Bush to jam through his budget so it's only fair play for Obama to use the same technique.
I spent a lot of money getting rid of republicans last election. I am totally willing to spend more getting rid of traitor democrats next election. We know which way the wind is blowing.
Here comes the fire and brimstone which will rain down upon the heads of the Blue Dog Dems and I'd have to say "they've asked for it".
Check this out - already in Florida a very credible candidate has entered the race to unseat the Blue Dog there.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/204...
Today marks the beginning of the american voters expressing their outrage and displeasure at these Blue Dog Democrats. They will ALL be unseated when their terms expire if the people have their way.
It begins with Allen Boyd today in Florida and will extend through every Blue Dog's seat until we rout these frauds from office.
Here's the link to Allen Boyd's new Democratic challenger! Hoorah!
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/204...
This will be Boyd's last term in office.
What's the alternative? These Dems are in districts they never would have probably won had they not been "centrists". Plan B is to wait for the south to want to succeed the nation again and to let them go this time.
Instead of going Galt I wish the south would just go. And I say that as a native southerner who couldn't move the northeast fast enough when I had the chance.
Because they're Weak on Republicans. They crumple at the very hint of any opposition from the GOP, and wonder why they keep getting painted as cowards every election.
Reconciliation was used with Gingrich's Contract On America. 'Nuff said.
Y'know, I expect the Republicans to do this kind of sh**. But Democrats who go along with it...Grrrrr!
You've heard of "going Galt", I guess the term for this type of back stabbing by fellow Democrats should be called "Going Lieberman".
Evan Bayh and his gang of "Demi-Pugs" will face the wrath of the people as they become obstructionists to the plan to help save this country.
They'd better move over because their challengers are lining up right now.
It's because of these in-house wingnuts that the Dems have a reputation for being spineless, unorganized, and losers.
If what was announced today in Florida (a left challenger to Boyd) is any indication, each one of these DemiPugs will find themselves unsupported and left to twist in the wind.
The people have voted and expressed their support of Obama's plan - 67% of us. These DemiPukes are running against the grain of their voters and will be unseated and replaced by someone who has a bit more "spine".
I'd say that Bayh and his gang of obstructionists are simply "ball-less" and "spine-less". They need to be run out of office.
Bayh Bayh.
"To me, truth is not some vague, foggy notion. Truth is real. And,
at the same time, unreal. Fiction and fact and everything in between,
plus some things I can't remember, all rolled into one big "thing."
This is truth, to me. "
-Jack Handy
Now is when we find out.
All of the Dems that stand in the way of fixing this country need to be replaced. He's one of them. And there's many more.
The trick is, not losing the seat to the gopers.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
These egocentric blue dogs will see just who gets the last laugh as they find themselves unemployed in 2010 and 2012.
After 8 years of a horrible president and 6 years of a Republican Congress, the Dems finally win Congress and the presidency, and then do stupid shit like this. Hey, centrist Dems, knock it off. Put the needs of the country before your so-called "conservative" political ideology.
I can't believe Obama has to plead with these guys to follow his lead.
What a bunch of assholes.
hmmm. not all of the democrats in the country agree with obama. maybe he isn't such a messiah. now that is interesting.
are dead, no matter what party, the country will be in a lot better place. it will be too late for me but at least my daughter and grandchild will live in a different and better world.
Why do the Dems in Congress filibuster their own President?
Because the Senate is now a wholly owned subsidiary of taco Bell Inc.
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