House Democrats have voted to not bring the tax cut extension compromise bill in its current form to a vote. This caucus decision is not binding on the House, but it’s still pretty significant, seems to me. The current bill might get enough votes to pass, assuming all Republicans voted for it (which I’m not sure can be assumed, since the teabaggers appear to be opposed), and the Usual Suspects among the Dems voted with the GOP. But if Speaker Pelosi doesn’t bring it to the floor for a vote, then that’s that.
If the bill can be made more progressive, great. I just hope the next Congress doesn’t end up passing something even worse.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans blocked a bill to provide medical care to the people who ruined their health working on “the pile” also known as Ground Zero, or the smoldering remains of the World Trade Center after 9/11. Many worked amidt the fumes for several weeks without proper ventilation equipment, which the Bush EPA and the Guiliani Administration in New York City didn’t see fit to provide. Having served their usefulness as photo props, they can be disposed of now.
There is talk in the Senate of adding the medical care bill to the tax cut extension bill, and then daring the Republicans to vote against it.
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If Obama wanted to ‘prove’ that he’s a moderate, taking a position where he’s vilified by the fringe left and fringe right should (in a rational world) prove that point. IMO, in any close race, it’s the moderate voters who decide the outcome.
I wish Obama was more liberal, but it’s my opinion that in HCR, he ‘settled’ on covering 30 million rather than risk all HCR by demanding a public option. This week, IMO, he sacrificed fair taxes to get a back-door stimulus – extended unemployment and FICA vacation for the worker. The economy needs a shot and there is no way he could have gotten anything labeled ‘stimulus’ through Congress.
In both of these fights, the result has been to provide coverage for the uninsured and the unemployed – and he’s veered away from the brass-knuckle brawl the far-left wants. If we could get ALL the 30-million who will have health care and ALL the 8 million who will receive extended unemployment to register and vote in 2012 – we would have no problem with the electoral outcome. But the reality is that older voters (who lean conservative) register and vote in higher percentages than the poor and the young (who lean liberal).
Almost exactly 4 years ago, it was generally accepted on the left and the right that Clinton was the anointed democratic nominee. Obama proved to be a great campaigner. As I see it, he’s not campaigning – Obama KNEW this budget compromise would HURT him in the campaign. Despite that, Obama’s doing the job of president – this week he’s making hard compromises to provide a lifeline to the unemployed and jolt the economy. I’m not sure Obama is right, but I will look at both rational sides of the argument.
The 9/11 workers were very useful props and extra’s in this NY theatre of Bush’s War – on people who wanted to point out his and his adminsitrations negligence leading up to that fateful day. Remember the PDB?
It is beyond disgraceful what’s been allowed to happen by the Senate Republicans. Beyond disgraceful. I’m sick.
God, I wish I was a lawyer. I would would sue the living shi*t out of the Government for illegally experimenting on my clients bodies, minds and souls. Like the Tuskegee (syphilis) experiments, I would scream for justice! Or vengence. I’d sue for hundeds of billions! I would say that the Government was trying to experiment to see how much rescue workers could tolerate, how long they would live, and what the medical ramifications would be of working on smoldering ruins around toxic lead, arsenic, mercury, among countless other toxins, WITHOUT protective gear (after being told by the Government it was unnecessary), so that they could factor all of those elements in when the next attack happens.
At least in the Tuskegee syphilis experiments, according to Wikipedia, those “men were given free medical exams, free meals and free burial insurance..”
Not here.
Not now.
Not for them.
My God… Senators, you are the Senate’s Soulless Sociopaths! How do you sleep? How can you stand to look in the mirror? Do you ever see the blood on you hands? Do you feel a weight on your soul? You should. And that weight should crush the living breath out of your bodies, you soulless, hypocritical, devils.
Why are creatures like these Senators allowed to exist? Why aren’t they spat upon everytime they walk in public. And worse. Much worse!!!
I’ve got to take a break, I’m too upset about this story first thing in the morning.
My God…………………..
What’s wrong with this scenario. Obama sends the following to Congress: Keep tax cuts for the under $1 million/year of taxable income; Let the tax cuts for the above $1 million/year of taxable income lapse; Extend unemployment insurance for those seeking work for at least a year. Republicans (and shameless Democrats) go ballistic. A Republican filibuster ensues in which Republicans must justify cutting off unemployment insurance to the needy so the not-needy can keep their tax cuts.
Since it didn’t happen, what conclusion can be drawn other than powerful, behind-the-scene Democrats are and have been since ’06 in bed with Republicans all along.
Felicity,
It’s not that Democrats are in bed with RepubliConfederates. It’s that the PimpCorporations have large rooms with beds. And even whores need a place to sleep.*
*My aplogies to real sex-workers, who work hard and earn their money legitimately.
A dollar for me, but not a penny for thee…
I am disgusted with my country. Absolutely disgusted.
Well, as I’ve said before, enjoy the front row seats we’ve all got to the movie in front of us – “The Death of an Empire – Conclusion.”
Hi Doug. I think Obama was right for getting the unemployment benefits back to the people who are really going to need them. As long as the American people reaslize, that in order to help the unemployed we had to give a helluva big tax break to the most wealty among us, Now lets not here any more shit about deficets in the future. Its obvious the repugs don’t care about defecits. If they keep on about the defecits, Then tell them to come up with aplan to fix it, which they want be able to do. They can really fuck things up, but have no idea how to fix them.
Sweet Jesus, Joseph, Mary, Mohammed, Allah, Yahweh, Buddha, Confusious, Mithras!!!
Ah, you may say to yourselves, “Let the RepubliConfederates filibuster Obama’s deal. Make them stand up and show everyone that they stand against not only the President, but against middle class and unemployed workers. Make them stand up in front of the whole wide world and show that all they care about are the rich and corporations! Stand up and filibuster. WE DARE YOU!”
So, guess who’s filibustering?
A RepubliConfederate?
No!
Bernie Sanders. THAT’S WHO!!!
No Democrats. No! Not one of us. ONE OF THEM!!!
Can’t anyone on the Democratic side play this ‘Politics’ game?
Aye-yai-yai!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I could afford it, I’d run out, get a liter of vodka and drink it, buy an ounce of pot and smoke it, and wash those down with a handful or two of Thorazine in the hopes that I’d calm down.
Mumblemumblemumblemumblemumblemumble…
A dollar for me, but not a penny for thee…
I received my 2011 SS official amount today. As we all know, not a penny COLA increase for the second year…. I’d love to treat you to the vodka and pot, gulag (give me anothere day or two and I may be ready for the thorazine)…but, alas, I am only steps away from pricing dry dog food as my primary source of protein and fiber….aaaaaaaaaaaaachhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Kathleen,
Thanks, I appreciate the thought.
I live with my parents, thank God, or I’d be under an overpass somewhere, and I got my last UI check yesterday, unless there’s some sort of extension. We live pretty tight. So if I can’t understand, I can certainly relate to, what your situation’s like. I wish I could help.
But to keep your spirits up, just remind yourself that, though you didn’t get a COLA increase, the Millionaires and Billionaires in this country didn’t get a tax increase either. So, neither you nor they received an increase. See? You do have things in common with the rich!
And during this trying Holiday season as people sit huddled under overpasses, dumpster diving for scraps to eat, that should be a comfort to us all.
As Tiny Tim said, after he opened up his 2nd sweat shop: ‘God blesses us, each and everyone… Especially the rich!’
Kathleen – the dirty little secret is that “core’ inflation ‘strips’ out volatile fuel and food prices in computing the total cost of living index. Simply put, food and fuel prices may go through the roof in a given year while the cost of living index will indicate no rise. Your comment that you may have to resort to eating dog food is probably more accurate than you actually realized.
Not only did those of us on SS not get a cost of living increase we actually got a reduction in our benefit given today’s food and fuel prices.