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Subscribe to RSS"With the Senate steadily falling in line behind President Obama's deal to extend Bush-era tax cuts, the White House yesterday played hardball in the House, where Vice President Joe Biden warned Democrats last night that 'this is the deal, take it or leave it,'" The New York Post writes.
"Divided Democrats hurled more insults at each other on Wednesday as the White House warned of a possible double-dip recession if the tax deal falls apart," the New York Daily News writes.
The New York Times adds, “One of President Obama’s top economic advisers warned on Wednesday that the nation could slip back into recession if Congress did not pass the administration’s tax cut deal with Republicans, as the White House sought to press Democrats into backing the plan.”
The Boston Globe: "Democrats rip Obama, look to alter tax cut deal."
“The White House said Wednesday that Capitol Hill Democrats are partly to blame for the tax-cut deal they have criticized the president for negotiating,” The Hill writes. Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said on liberal radio host’s Bill Press’ show: "He and the White House, frankly, urged the House and Senate to hold votes on this before the election. But they didn't do that, in part because there's not unanimity in the Democratic Caucus on this."
Politico’s Jonathan Martin and Ben Smith look at some liberals’ angst and desire for a primary to President Obama. but there’s a problem, they write: “Some angry liberals may want to see President Barack Obama face a primary from his left in 2012, but they have no answer to a basic question: Who?”
The New York Times says that Obama is trying to reclaim the middle. “As Mr. Obama defends the tax accord, the nation is witnessing a pivot point in his presidency. Gone is the leader who, during a tussle with Republicans over his stimulus package in the earliest days of his administration, boldly declared that ‘elections have consequences’ and ‘I won.’ In his place is the post-shellacking, pragmatic Mr. Obama, willing to anger his party’s liberal base by joining hands with Republicans and cutting out Congressional Democrats in service of his own legislative goals — not to mention his electoral ambitions.”
In addition to the tax questions, we wrote about yesterday, there’s more from a new Bloomberg/Selzer poll out today: More than half say they are worse off than they were two year ago (35/51); Two-thirds think the country is on the wrong track (27%/66%). There’s this small glimmer for Obama: “By age group, only the young -- those under 35, a core constituency for Obama in his presidential bid -- consider themselves better off than they were two years ago,” according to the poll release. The public is also skeptical of the Federal Reserve (54% say the Fed’s move to buy $600 billion of longer-term federal debt won’t help the economy). and (For more poll data.)
Politifact gives President Obama a “false” for saying at his press conference that When Social Security started “it only affected widows and orphans,” and that when Medicare began, ‘it was a small program.” “Obama had a point that Social Security started small and expanded slowly, but he was clearly incorrect that the first groups to be covered were widows and orphans,” the site writes. “On Medicare, it's not accurate to say, as the president did, that the program started "small." It was up and running for elderly Americans within one year -- four years faster than it will take the health care exchanges created in Obama's own health care bill. On balance, we rate the item False.”
“Corporate chief executives who have been disappointed in the Obama administration are suddenly singing a different tune,” The Hill writes. “Ivan Seidenberg, the Verizon CEO who just months ago criticized President Obama’s policies as a threat to business, on Wednesday said Obama ‘has shown a willingness to learn.’”
Womp, womp: “A provision in President Obama’s tax proposal to reinstate the estate tax next year is dividing some conservative groups, throwing another wrinkle into the contentious debate,” The Hill reports. “The proposal has enraged Democrats, who believe the estate tax should be significantly higher than Obama agreed to, but a parallel debate has erupted among conservatives, who have long pushed for the estate tax -- which they refer to as the ‘death tax’ -- to be abolished completely.”
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The FAKE Filibuster wins again. Middle America loses again.
Sometimes this president reminds me of Stan Laurel....while political reality reminds me of Oliver Hardy. One can never watch the comedy routines for long without hearing "Ollie" tell "Stan" ..."another fine mess you've gotten us into".
Suddenly Thee republican / tea baggers become devote fans of the President.
Beverly won't admit it, but she's a 'teabagger' too !
Beverly- you mean, despite their protestations to the contrary, they LIKE 'things shoved down thier throats'?
Neat.
While the hostage takers (Republicans) clink their champagne glasses the middle class will have to get used to doing without, but pretty soon I feel even middle class conservatives will realize that being able to smell that bubbly drink isn't the same as ever being able to taste it.
By then it will be much too late.
WOW, President Obama is starting to wisen up and work with the Republicans to help America and all the low information voters (libs) are squeeling like a hog under a gate.
Why do you libs want to vote against your own best interest? Your entitlement policies have damn near drove this country in the ditch, and now President Obama and the Republicans are working to get it out.Why don't you guys get out and push instead of setting in the back bitching?
proud republican-1888838
WOW, President Obama is starting to wisen up and work with the Republicans to..................
..........INCREASE the national debt. Yaaayyyy!
So you're saying you're AGAINST extending unemployment benefits?
Pretty sure Obama's done just fine increasing the national debt on his own. But at least extending the tax rates even temporarily will allow people to use their disposable income to continue the slow recovery we're seeing. Now if we can stop spending new money and start cutting existing budgets we might actually see some progress.
Why are the words "debt" and 'deficit' important now to the same folks who weren't complaining during the past two years when Mr. Obama was maxing out the nation's credit card spending on programs the majority did not want...because of increases to the "debt" and 'deficit' ???
That more than anything else is why Harry Reid should no longer be majority leader. This should have been a no-brainer--call for the vote only on the middle class tax cuts before the elections, and then use the issue to run on when Republicans filibuster it. Instead, everyone was afraid of looking weak on taxes, and they wind up getting a less than ideal result, which is undoubtedly still better than anything they'll get come January.
But here's a real kicker: Lawrence O'Donnell ripped into Alan Grayson last night - a sight beautiful to behold. And I am a liberal, but when some in my Party are acting like asses, I admit to it.
O'Donnell pointed out that if the tax cuts were to expire, the hardest hit would be the poor, those who are currently in the 10% tax bracket. Once the cuts expire, the poor will be taxed at 15% which is a 50% raise in their taxes. O'Donnel's points?
If the progressives are really thinking of Democratic agenda items, the poor and helping the poor should be on their list. I am pretty sure that someone that poor is NOT sitting home worried about whether Donald Trump or Bill Gates gets a tax cut.
And I am angry that the Democrats did NOT do this before the mid-terms. Many who were running for reelection cared more about that than their constiuents. If they didn't think it was that important before, and the Senate could not pass the bill that came from the House, then they need now to shut up. They crabbed that the President didn't get involved. Well he told them what he wanted, and if they can't get it done, then he stepped in to get it done.
Also, there is much more in this bill to stimulate the economy than the media is reporting. To tell you the truth, I have stopped watching Ed Schultz, who is as crazy as Glen Beck. I have stopped watching Keith Olbermann who seems to bash the President when the bloggers do. He should understand the world does not revolve around DailyKos or the HuffingtonPost. I don't even watch Rachel, for I think she felt she had to jump into the gutter with the other naysayers.
Each side has to understand: The President is not the President of one political ideology. He is the President for the whole country. And this whole primary him has to be one of the dumbest things any Democrat does. That is simply idiotic and serves no purpose but to weaken the Party. But then the Democrats for years have always circled the wagons to shoot their own.
Most people in this country want the BS from each Party to stop. Compromise and get things done. If each Party holds fast to their purists ideology, than I fear we are doomed. Gridlock.
Our leaders in the House and Senate need to grow up. The only grown up I see is Barack Obama.
And MSNBC, why bother to have Cenk on at all? He is another naysayer, like Jane Hamsher, who do nothing but yak yak yak only to promote themselves. You do a disservice as a news organization to host people like this.
Chandler,
Excellent post. I have thought the same thing. I am so tired of hearing congressional Democrats whine about what the President should do. They were all too happy to ride his coattails, but when the going gets touch, they run scared. This would have been an excellent talking point as a run-up to the mid terms, but they blew it and now bitch because the President did what was best for the middle class and poor. You are right, they need to grow up. As usual, the President is the only adult in the room.
Right on Mr. President.
P.S. I still watch Ed for the psycho talk - now that's funny.
Other than HMO , HIP, among others we now have HEPO. ( Handouts, Entitlements and Pay Outs)
characteristic of Dems when they get into power.
I guess Social Security, Medicare, aid to the poor,disabled, veterans etc. are handouts but tax cuts to billionaires is just common sense.
I had some sympathy for how my fellow liberals felt about the President's proposed tax deal. Giving more tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires is wrong in every way. Then I learn that the WH had also urged Dems in congress to debate the taxes before the elctions and the they wimped out! To watch them now criticizing the President so viciously when they didn't have a set to table the taxes in congress when it could have mattered is shameful to say the least. These folks are scared of their own shadow. They should be thanking the President for covering their asses. Many of these guys are the same folks who couldn't stand up to President Bush when he was lying us into a war in Iraq!
I'm a big fan of Keith Olbermann but his commentary attacking the President on Tuesday night bordered on idiotic. If the left had made as much noise before the elections about this as they have in the last few days, we just might have done better in the mid-terms. And if it wouldn't have made any difference, then that means the President needs to toe a more moderate line to keep the WH on the Dem side. That, after all is more improtant than who came out best in the tax deal. Unless the professional left wants another Alito and Roberts on the bench when Ginsburg and Kennedy retire. It's the big picture stupid!!
There's not much coming out of Mr. Olbermann's mouth that is not "idiotic".
Cite some examples, and state why they are idotic, please.
tony: .....we're waiting, dimwit.
drive-by & Paul (the non-dimwit)...
What are you kidding me ??? You need examples of Keith Olbermann being a twit...and I'm the "dimwit".
Just listen to him for 10 minutes as I occasionally do when I need a chuckle. The night of the 11/2 election I checked him out and he was trying to explain that the vote results were actually supportive of Mr. Obama.
Trust me...10 minutes of that guy is about all anyone can stomach and I've don't think I see the guy more than a time or two each year. I do check quickly after major issues like an election. He is one bitter, angry dude spewing to other bitter, angry dudes.
Sorry if I can't list off links or provide Olberquotes to you both to make you happy...but if you're watching this jerk to get your news I really don't know if anything can make you happy.
His explanation went over your head on 11/2.
Progressives, Democrats Stop Whining, and get behind the President, do it now or forever hold your peace when the Republicans take over.