Yesterday I said I needed time to study and see the CPC analysis of the deal that will pass the Senate today. Subsequently I called my Representative and Senators requesting that they should vote no. There is no chance that the Senate will say no, because the House Republicans have adjourned, and the Representatives have gone home until September, abandoning America in a time of need. There is only one good thing about the deal. It was a defeat for the Teabaggers, because their plan to destroy the government through default was derailed. Otherwise it was a complete cave-in.
The House of Representatives on Monday approved a last-gasp deal to raise the U.S. borrowing limit in a daecisive step toward averting a catastrophic debt default by the world’s largest economy.
A day before the deadline to lift the debt ceiling, the passage by the Republican-controlled House of the $2.1 trillion deficit-cutting plan hammered out over the weekend cleared the way for the Senate to approve it.
The Democratic-controlled Senate was due to vote on the bill at noon (1600 GMT) on Tuesday and was widely expected to pass it. This would send it to the desk of President Barack Obama, who has said he is anxious to sign the bill.
The House vote of approval had been considered the biggest obstacle to a solution of the crisis…
Inserted from <Reuters>
In October, 2010, I sat in the audience and cheered Obama, as he promised not to extend the Bush tax cuts for the rich. In January, Republicans held America’s suffering unemployed hostage. I called it terrorism then, and said that, if Obama gave into terrorist demands, it would only inspire more Republican terrorism. Every time Obama caves-in, it makes Republicans more intransigent, because they are more confident that their criminal schemes will work.
Lawrence O’Donnell railed against the deal.
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Chris Hayes interviewed Eugene Robinson and described the Republican strategy.
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Keith Olbermann properly expresses the outrage we should all be feeling on Countdown.
I lack the physical ability to demonstrate, as I once did, but I would fully support a general strike.
What happens from here depends on who the Democratic leadership appoints to the special committee. If we get people like Raul Grijalva, Bernie Sanders, Dennis Kucinich, and Jeff Merkley, we may survive this. If we get people like Ben Nelson [DINO-NE], we’re screwed.
This convinces me that the Obama administration is something to be survived, not celebrated. However, before we fly off the handle remember the five fascists of SCROTUS: Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Alito and Kennedy. I would certainly rather survive a second term of Obama than a Republican, who will increase the domination of SCROTUS. Those are the only realistic choices we’re going to get.
14 Responses to “Deal: An Exercise in Evil”
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I’m at a loss of what to think or say. Even cynicism escapes me – so I’m truly in a state of horror/anger ready to bear arms!
I haven’t been inclined to get to the phone bank to work for the big “O” – as I did, and have done since he first ran. This whole exercise in futility as well as that of scaring the shit out of me and half of the citizens in the country (rightfully so, I might add) has more than created a rebel in me. I don’t want to vote at all come pres time, and I will refuse to lift a goddamned phone for the sake of the testicle-less scrote who’s head honcho of the god awful US of A-holes! Yes Tom you are so right about the 5 scrotae in the court, yes they are a force to be reckoned with, but I no longer care, or if I care it’s “all or nothing” caring!
Last night I couldn’t abide watching the talking heads, so I’m pleased that you provided excerpts – but to dig the knife in a little deeper, I never did get to see O’Donnell’s talk-point, why one might ask? oh – I’ll tell you!
Because the damned video was not there – only a five-ten minute commercial from EXXON! What did Exxon have to say you might ask? oh – allow me to share! EEEEXXXXXXOOOOONNNNNNN – was spouting (espousing) it’s wonders of technology specifically in regard to HYDRAULIC FRACTURING! Just so happens I’ve spent the past 3 years trying to convince the world in general and New York in particular about the dangers to environment, agriculture, the destruction of land, the poisoning of our water (it makes our “eau” into “feu” = ignitable), it kills all life forms, and it is dirtier than fossil fuel – just to extract the god damned shit – and while it provides a few (not many as the ads would suggest) jobs for those who are especially suicidal, this is a “boom” business that might survive for 20 years – just long enough to destroy the planet! Yes it was Exxon (my nemesis -cause celeb) that prevented my being able to hear what O’Donnell might have said. I must say I totally agree with Keith!
My one disagreement is that I’m so goddamned pissed off, I’m not ready to protest “peacefully” – I’m done with the little “peaceful” shit – it’s time for ACTION!
I woke up this morning thinking – well this is true shit – the country whose wars I’ve protested since I was of “warrior” age – even at that time I considered myself to be a “pacifist”, there was no legitimate reason to fight a war since WWII until the moment of 9/11, and then with a great deal of care and introspection about why and how we were targeted, both the valid and invalid reasons, what to correct internally, as well as externally sever – I felt the most prudent course of action following 9/11 would be to enact the draft, which I would have done because war is a course of action that all Americans should proceed in with caution, and the country’s equilibrium (apathetic ennui) especially among the youth culture – might hold in check the powerful hard-on of the “twig” – who was all too eager to test his testosterone!! I was saying, I woke up with a desire to take up arms for the first time in my life – not to defend the country from external forces, but from the terrorists within ie Tea boogers and corporate whoremongers, who have taken our money!!!!!
So rather than spend a whole lot of time – helping out a party of gonad-less “bend-overs” – I want to incite civil war – maybe not too much violence (I can’t even get a gun where I live), but I’m thinking in terms of domestic hacking to get our money back – and get a government back that abides by a constitution, with a few revisions to protect us from being held hostage ever again, and a government that is large enough to protect us from greedy pimps who think they can run the country by buying out their whores in Congress! Merely marching out on the street will provoke nothing, people will be hurt and repugnicans will laugh – I think we should have a minimal blood-letting civil war!
If I sound extreme – we’re dealing with extremists – who were more than willing to let the country fall off an economic cliff! In my time – hostage takers were NEVER negotiated with, they were destroyed and the hostages saved by whatever means possible!
Sorry my “call to arms” is so long winded! I never thought the day would come – when the only time I’d want to bear arms was to fight my own countrymen!
Lee, I think you are overreacting, because you are distraught. I hope venting gets it out of your system. Violence is the last resort of the incompetent, which is why Republicans love it so. I know that you are better than that.
Taking one citizen hostage = Kidnapping.
Taking one hundred citizens hostage = Terrorism.
Taking an entire nation hostage = Just day-to-day right-wing repubican/Teabagger politics
The debt ceiling needed to be raised simply because the repubican House of Representatives passed a budget that already decided to spend the money. Buyer’s remorse is NOT a reason to default on your obligations and turn to extortion.
Amen, Nameless.
First off, remember that the talking heads on MSNBC [yes, I know Olbermann is not there anymore, but it’s as good as] are paid to criticize – just like the goons on FOX are paid to create anxiety – because IT INCREASES VIEWERSHIP. The plain fact of the matter is, the voters allowed the repiglickins to gain control of the House in the last election. If democrats had gotten out in support of their democrat candidates last November, we would not be in this mess. While we now sit bitching that ‘we’ have to compromise, we must remember that ‘we’ placed our President in an untenable position – he HAS NO CHOICE but to work with these clusterfuckers. That said, what really burns is hearing people say, “Oh well, I don’t think I will support Obama next time. It just doesn’t feel good anymore. It’s turned out that he’s not extreme enough for me. News Flash: Obama has always been a moderate, much as you all fantasized that he was some sort of “new age left-wing teabagger”. That speech he gave in 2004 about the purple states s/h made this apparent to everyone. That said, imagine the alternative [there isn’t one IMHO]. Aside from his obvious qualifications [intelligence, stability, emotional maturity, party affiliation, etc.] can anyone honestly think of a repiglickin you would trust to be president? Seriously?
My advice: get your frustration channeled into something positive. Organize for 2012. Or start packing your bags while searching on-line for some affordable land to build on in Central America, because I assure you, if the Democrats lose the next election, you will not want to keep living here. ( Just remember that by law Americans are not allowed to renounce their American citizenship, and the US Treasury will follow you no matter where you go.)
O has been a moderate, and never campaigned otherwise – I often remind people that, however this was more gutless than Carter! I originally thought O was too intelligent to sell us down the river – but that is just what he did – he could have countered this whole ransom with the 14th and raised the line of cribbage! I may or may not vote for him – but I’m not putting in a hundred hours of working for his campaign – it isn’t worth it! I would rather the nation go into default than to compromise our principles! I can’t afford to move – I would have done so long ago – I’m no patriot!
Default would have been worse.
Yobaba, I agree. A lot of the problem is that people painted him with the attributes they wanted him to have. When he was running for President, I tried to remind people that he is a centrist. From the very beginning of his Presidency he said he could govern from the center and compromise, and I said he was making a mistake, because Republicans would refuse to compromise. Every time he caves in to Republicans, he reinforces their intransigence, and every time he had drawn a line in the sand he has succumbed to Republican terrorism. I will not say he is right, when I know he is not. That said, we will have a choice between Obama and a Republican. Obama at his very worst is infinitely preferable to any Republican at their best.
The fault here rests with the Republican Party, but in close second come the voters who stayed home or cast protest votes.
@ Lee, totaly agree…except I CAN get a gun, or 2,or 3.
Guess i’d better go get a new permit, my old ones expired..and as for hacking…I’ve got LulzSec bookmarked, as i’ve actually contacted them before.
Someone said its only war if we fight back…well, i’m in!
See my reply to Lee, please.
I fear the cave-in is the just the ugly beginning. The way the billed that passed is written, all the 6 Republicans on the Super Committee have to do is dig in their heels on any future compromise, and draconian cuts of additional $2.1 trillion automatically kick in.
So what do the Democrats have to bargain with? Nothing comes to mind. Countless nationwide polls drove home the point that between 63% – 80% of Americans support the big three — SS. Medicare, and Medicaid. Everything else will be wiped out, including such government overreach as clean air, water, food inspection, etc.
Our only hope is organizing for the 2012 election and get these right-wind zealots out of office before the 12/12 deadline. If you think this last charade has been infuriating, stay tuned.
where in the constitution is an anonymous “super” congress permitted, or even suggested? I wonder how the chances of “raising revenue” will be in a few months? Especially now that we’ve really shown who’s boss!!
It’s been done several times before.
Ann, the $2.1 trillion protect Social Security and Medicaid. For Medicare they have a 2% provider cut, but no cuts in benefits. What the Super Committee might do is a far greater threat.