Kerry calls the deal extorsion

[Mass]

http://www.wggb.com/story/15195137/kerry-calls-debt-deal-legislative-extortion

Kerry Calls Debt Deal Legislative Extortion


Posted: Aug 02, 2011 2:20 PM EDT
Updated: Aug 02, 2011 3:59 PM EDT
By Dave Madsen - email

SPRINGFIELD, Mass (WGGB) -- Massachusetts Senator John Kerry says the emergency bill Congress passed to prevent a government default wasn't the deal the Democrats wanted.

In a telephone interview with abc40/FOX6, Kerry called the entire process legislative extortion. He went on to say, "I think it's a bad deal for the country overall because it doesn't do what we need to do in respect to growth and job creation and it isn't done in a balanced way. But the option of defaulting and sending the signal of irresponsibility that would have come with the default was not an option. I voted not for the deal. I voted not to default."

Kerry went on to say that the Republican extremists in the House have done great damage to America's economy.

[ObamaKerryDem]

1. *stands and applauds* I am so proud of him!

I am in complete agreement and commend him for coming out and saying it, even if it may put him at least somewhat at odds with the WH (though I think the President was far stronger than he had been in his remarks today--THAT's the Obama I want to see!). This whole process WAS a form of extortion and it's a damn shame Congressional and Senatorial Democrats were put in this position. Particurally Senate Democrats as I think it was a bit easier--both politically and just overall logistically--for the House Democrats to vote their conscience on this, as we have such thin numbers now (unfortunately..) in the Senate. So I completely understand why the Senator voted for it--there was little, if any other choice!

It really stinks, though, that the two issues: raising the debt ceiling and the deficit, were fused together like this. Really wrong, IMO.

I cannot wait until we can toss these Tea Party clowns out next year! I think Obama will be that much more effective with a better Congress, though I agree he needs to be tougher on them. I hope the Obama who spoke today stays on board. More like the Campaign Obama than what we had been seeing lately, IMO.

[YvonneCa]

8. It was wrong. And if it continues...

...it will still be wrong. So JK calls it extortion. Rumors have Biden saying they were terrorists (unconfirmed). Al Gore will be on Countdown again tonight...let's see what he calls it. ;)

[karynnj]

2. He sounds incredibly angry and we all should be

What implicitly seems true is that Obama must have told the Democrats that he would not invoke the 14th amendment - leaving this deal the only alternative.

It is always tricky using the stock market as a means of identifying if the money people like an economic decision or not - as they likely had some idea of what they thought would happen already built in. Clearly it was not that we would default. Yet if it was that the Democrats would not agree to cuts in spending, they surely did nothing to try to counter the RW message.

[Mass]

3. I saw him this evening on TV and he was clearly mad.

[ObamaKerryDem]

4. Do you know which channel it was on?

Hope to find video! I am so happy and proud he is speaking out as I know what an awkward position it must be for him (essentially being pitted against the WH in a sense..), but am glad he is standing on principle (not that I would've ever doubted it)!

He is doing Teddy proud, very proud indeed..

:)

[Mass]

5. It was on the CBS channel on the Springfield market. I cannot find the video but this is their

website.

http://www.cbs3springfield.com/

[ObamaKerryDem]

7. Thanks! I'll see what I can find..

Maybe it'll be posted to JK's Facebook or Twitter later. And he'll probably do more interviews.

Wouldn't it be great if he were appointed to this Commission (hey we can hope, right? :)). I sure hope we get at least some Progressive presence on it and not just a pack of Blue Dogs who will cave to the inevitable GOP demands..

[karynnj]

10. I would tend to think he will not be picked - I think Durbin will be our best hope

This committee will be huge commitment, and Kerry is both Chair of the SFRC and the main sponsor of the infrastructure bank bill, that many say will be the next thing up. That's because there will be a pivot to jobs - and we are cutting costs, which is bizarre. That does not mean that government funding will go to zero - it won't. I believe that over a ten year horizon, Kerry's bill will have no or very low costs as the money is given as loans and they will be repaid. It may well be the best bet to have ANY real stimulus or any new major effort on infrastructure.

In addition to the fact that he has the above responsibilities, the Senate seems to be very rigidly organized. I would bet that Durbin and Conrad, who looked at some of this for months as members of the gang of 6, who are respectively the 2nd ranking Democrats and the Chair of the Budget committee would seem likely choices. Warner, the third Democrat in the Gang of 6, has already publicly said he wants to be on the committee. Other possibilities, because of their roles, who would seem likely are Baucus, who is Chair of Finance and Schumer, who is in the leadership and on the Finance committee - and as we know a self serving aggressive seeker of any position of influence. There may be other obvious potential members, but those are the ones I suspect.

I have found the DU GD choices for the committee amusing.

[Mass]

11. People like Conrad and Mark Warner are my worry, as well as Baucus.

Given that the committee has the power to increase taxes or cut SS, Medicare, and Medicaid, none of the names you quote are reassuring (not even Durbin). I would wish that Reid takes the same pledge than Pelosi: to name people who oppose cuts (not slashes, or whatever euphemisms, but cuts). Unfortunately, I do not trust him.

[karynnj]

12. mine too - thus the comment that Durbin may be our best hope

To make things clear, they are not the people I want to see, other than Durbin, but the people I suspect will be there.

As to who I would trust and think strong enough to fight, it is hard to think who might have both the gravitas to command respect and good negotiating skills. I would include Kerry. I think that Levin is a possibility. I don't think any of the "no" votes are sufficiently strong. (I wish Lautenberg was 20 years younger!) I would love Sanders there as a conscience, but that won't happen.

[wisteria]

15. How about this for a nightmare-Mark Warner and Pat Tomey?

Tomey being my Club for Growth-Tea Party loving senator from PA- hand picked by Scaife himself for this senate seat.

[MBS]

6. good for him. I agree with him 1000%. n/t

[MBS]

9. now Reid is supposedly signaling he's ready to

accept Republican terms on FAA shutdown. I mean, what the h____?
Sigh. . .

[wisteria]

16. When one party threatens and seems willing to destroys lives and our country to get what they want

and we have Democrats who don't want to challenge them-this is what you get. Democrats don't seem willing to really lead and take tough stands. And, this includes our President. Tough talk after the fact means nothing.

[wisteria]

13. You have to wonder if these Repub extremeists did it on purpose.

They want us all to be so miserable that we vote for a Republican in 2012.

[wisteria]

14. Extortion is a great word and fits this entire process very well.

I think if I continue to hear and read how bad it is for the middle class and our economy my head is going to explode. I am so disappointed in how this all went down, and I can't understand how Obama allowed this to happen. It is very discouraging when the House Majority leader gets 95% of what he wanted. Doesn't Obama know how to negotiate? And, are they going to let the Tea Party get the upper hand on another matter at another time?

[karynnj]

17. Very detailed account of Kerry's comments in another MA paper from Fall River

http://www.heraldnews.com/breaking/x1800182790/State-officials-wait-to-see-effects-of-federal-spending-cuts

[Mass]

18. Sad to see they try to create an artificial dissension between Dems.,

Sorry, no Dem in MA finds this bill good. Some are trying to create a hope it will be less bad than expected ("manageable"), but that is all.

Kerry said the committee could be a “game-changer,” depending on which lawmakers are appointed. Republicans and Democrats have looked to the committee to salvage many of the priorities that were excluded from the initial deal. If the committee is unable to reach agreement by a Nov. 23 deadline, an automatic round of $1.2 trillion in addition spending cuts would take effect Jan. 1, 2013, the same day a series of Bush-era tax cuts are due to expire. The White House expressed hope the synchronization of those two dates would “create pressure for a balanced deal” within the committee.
In a conference call, Kerry said he hoped Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell would appoint “thoughtful people” to the committee, cautioning that efforts by the GOP to “cook the committee” with members who are unwilling to be open-minded and negotiate in good faith would make it difficult. “Any credibility is going to depend on the overall membership,” said Kerry.

True, but it will also depend of whom Reid appoints. We should not forget that, in 2009, Conrad and Warner tried to hold the debt ceiling hostage from a commission that would make cuts and cut entitlements. They are less stupid than the Tea Party, so they relented, but if they are on this commission, it will not help than McConnell appoints reasonable members.

[karynnj]

19. UGH!

I had forgotten that, remembering only that they tried to pass legislation to create the committee, which got very little Republican support.

I wonder in both of their cases if the problem might not be that they don't get the bigger picture economic issues because they are blinded by the accounting.

I wonder who Reid could name who is strong enough to counter this type of Democrat.