Debt Commission Report - Shouldn't Liberals Use It To Attack Republicans? Seize The Narrative!

[TomCADem]

The narrative that is going to be spread about the debt commission report is to pit Democrats against the debt reduction with Republicans largely getting a free pass. Why? Because the corporate media wants to see Democrats look fiscally irresponsible!

I think that liberals should use the debt commission report to put Republicans on the defensive. Here is this report, which outlines the severe cuts that would be made, as well as the tax increases that would also need to be made to achieve any meaningful debt reduction over the coming decade. YET, Republicans are insisting on making tax cuts to the rich permanent while also insisting that they will reduce the deficit!

I think Democrats should seize the narrative to try to push Republicans to explain how they can push for large tax cuts without making spending cuts that are even more draconian than those listed in the report.

Will this happen? No.

Instead, the corporate media will focus on the report's proposed spending cuts, ignore the tax increases, and give Republicans a free pass. Worse, many progressives will be sucked into this corporate narrative, and also give Republicans a free pass in this debate.

[leftstreet]

1. Did a Republican administration appoint the commission?

[TomCADem]

4. So, Republicans Do Get A Free Pass? DU Is Amazing Somtimes

People go out of there way to give Republicans a free pass while attacking and undermining Democrats. Once again, why not use the commission report to challenge the House majority to respond? They promised deficit reduction. How are they going to get there with all their proposed tax cuts.

[leftstreet]

6. Dems: 'We don't want to drown govt in a bathtub, just waterboard it a little!'

Sorry that's the best I can do

[TomCADem]

13. "Rand Paul remains coy about naming specific spending cuts"

Rand Paul! The commission issued recommendations for cutting the deficit that you based your campaign on. What is your response???

http://washingtonindependent.com/102910/rand-paul-remains-coy-about-naming-specific-spending-cuts

Senator-elect Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is among the most forthright of conservative deficit hawks when it comes to straight talk about cutting spending, but in his interview with Christiane Amanpour on ABC’s This Week, even Paul largely shied away from specifics:

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[countrydad58]

12. This is the messiahs comm. EOM!

[TomCADem]

16. AP - "Sen. DeMint forces battle within GOP over earmarks" - Shhh!!!

Earmarks are bullshit! What about that plan to make all Bush tax cuts permanent?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jiBOK7f8PYJWBuLEMb15J10KqI7w?docId=08a8395106cb4f9d93b59723df314b99

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fresh off the tea party's show of election might, GOP Sen. Jim DeMint said Tuesday he'll force a showdown next week with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other old guard Republicans over "earmarked" pet projects that DeMint and other victors last week made a symbol of out-of-control deficit spending.

The South Carolina Republican, buoyed by support from six GOP freshman, is optimistic he'll win a change in internal GOP rules to effectively bar any Republican from seeking earmarks.

"Americans want Congress to shut down the earmark favor factory, and next week I believe House and Senate Republicans will unite to stop pork barrel spending," DeMint said.

DeMint won backing from 25 Senate Republicans, including McConnell, earlier this year to impose an earmark ban on Republicans and Democrats alike. Despite winning the support of a majority of Republicans, the proposal was easily defeated by Democrats and 14 pro-earmark Republicans. Thirty-three of 41 Senate Republicans then sought earmarks in this year's unfinished roster of spending bills.

McConnell, however, isn't enthusiastic about the idea of a ban now. And he finds himself caught in the middle of an unwelcome battle dividing his party and opening it to criticism from anti-pork tea party activists who helped Republicans take back the House and elect several anti-earmark senators.

[Greyhound]

2. Just like leftstreet, I see a major problem with your suggestion. n/t

[TomCADem]

5. I Challenge You To Explain How The Republicans Will Deliver On Their Deficit Reduction Promises...

...while also cutting taxes to corporations and the rich.

Fight the narrative! Don't give Republicans a free pass!

[TheKentuckian]

3. The commission exist due to Democratic action and Democratic appointees

[TomCADem]

8. Okay, Rand Paul Has Promised To Cut The Deficit! How Is He Going To Do It?

Here is the commission's report. Does he agree with it? Disagree with it? If so, what does he propose? Or, is he already backing away from his campaign promises?

In today's corporate media, only Democrats are held accountable. But, I am not going to bite.

BRING ON THE CORPORATE REPUBLICAN APOLOGIST NARRATIVE!!!

BRING IT ON!

[TheKentuckian]

22. Randroid is a liar and quite a grifter so I'd say he has no plan other than maybe to kill social

services.

Republicans don't believe in governance only in funneling resources and resource control to the wealthy and the military industrial complex.

[DJ13]

10. Repubs dream up crazy shit

Then a Democratic President comes along and gets those crazy ideas passed.

See Clinton for the most recent example.

[TomCADem]

17. Fox News - "GOP on Message: Revenue Not the Problem, Spending Is" Okay...

This is the corporate narrative: Letting Republicans recite talking points without specifics. Okay, Eric Cantor, do you agree with the proposed spending cuts in the commission report?

To keep all your tax cuts, wouldn't you need to make BIGGER spending cuts???

C'mon, am I the only one who thinks that we should not simply drink up the corporate/Fox News narrative?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/11/07/gop-message-revenue-problem-spending/

If voters didn't send a message in last week's election, somebody better tell Republicans because they heard one and are harmoniously repeating it.

"We don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem," as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Sunday.

In fact, no fewer than four Republican lawmakers who rode the wave of morning talk shows repeated the new mantra Sunday in what is undeniably the underlying theme behind the GOP approach to tackling government spending in the next Congress.

"The election result reflected the fact that people get Washington does not have a revenue problem. It's got a spending problem," Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., the expected next House majority leader, said on "Fox News Sunday."

[laughingliberal]

20. Well, let's put them on the record as supporting cuts to SS/Medicare and let seniors know...

they're going to be rigging CPI to keep COLA's low.

Then, let's hope the Democrats don't thrown in with them on it. I'd hate like hell to go around telling everyone I know how awful the Republicans are to be cutting their benefits only to have our President stand up and agree with the Republicans a week later.

[Catherina]

7. Epic fail. People have been paying attention. This sort of thing only works with partisans n/t

[TomCADem]

11. WELCOME TO DU! It Stands For Democratic Underground!

The corporate media will just use the report to attack and beat up on Democrats as being fiscally irresponsible.

Look at that stories. It is the exact same damn spin! How can this be? Easy. It is the same damn corporate media narrative.

Fox News will play this story as Democrats infighting, and liberals attacking the President, while giving Republicans who ran on a platform of deficit reduction a free pass.

WAKE UP! Republicans ran on a platform of out of control government spending and sky high taxes and a huge debt. Now, here is a commission report, that reduces the deficit with spending cuts and tax hikes.

I am not saying that you have to agree with it. Rather, force Republicans to be specific!!!

Will anyone hold a Republican accountable in this entire thread?

[Catherina]

21. Right. Look over there. Sarah Palin's trying to steal your pony

while the people I elected are doing it under my very nose.

Not going to wash. If you want to play the blind man's game, knock yourself out. Just don't expect me to do it with you. If, instead of playing political charade, people like you forced our representatives to represent US, you wouldn't need to resort to fearmongering.

If Fox News terrifies you so much, turn it off.

[Scurrilous]

9. Thanks.

K & R :thumbsup:

[SidDithers]

14. K&R...nt

Sid

[gulliver]

15. Absolutely

People will notice that this talk of meddling with Social Security and Medicare falls close on the heels of a Republican victory. Dems would be fools not to capitalize on it.

[dkf]

18. The debt commission report completely overhauls the tax system.

It has nothing to do with extending the Bush tax cuts or not.

[laughingliberal]

19. All I know is I plan to fight anyone who tries to push cuts to SS and Medicare through

If Republicans are pushing the cuts, that's who I'll be fighting and I'll take every chance I get to let Republican friends know who's doing it. If the Democrats start pushing the SS/Medicare cuts, I may have to hide in my room and avoid my Republican acquaintances until it's over because I don't see any way I could defend it.

I think voters on every side will be opposed to the cuts. Conservative voters always think the Republicans mean 'welfare' when they say entitlements. They aren't going to approve of SS and Medicare cuts.

[MadHound]

23. A Democratic president appointed this commission,

A Democratic president appointed the members of this commission.

How the hell can you blame it on the 'Pugs?

You are simply trying to obscure and muddy the fact that it is a Democrat who has set the wheels in motion for the complete destruction of the middle class.

[TomCADem]

24. "How the hell can you blame it on the 'Pugs?" - Love It That DUers Defend Republicans So Strongly

Republicans just routed the Democrats by preaching a message that Democrats are running huge deficits, and the corporate media has played this message again and again while giving Republicans a free pass on what they would cut.

Well, what do Republicans plan to do about some actual concrete proposed cuts that ALSO depend on tax increase?

Care to explain how your Republicans friends plan to deliver on their promises to cut taxes when they also refuse to take a stand on the deficit commissions cuts?

They can't have it both ways.

Of course, some DUers will repeat the Fox News talking point that you can't hold Republicans accountable because, " Democratic president appointed the members of this commission."

Of course, this explains nothing. It is a cop out, but too many DUers simply embrace the corporate media narrative that gives Republicans a free pass.

If you disagree, please feel free to explain how the Republicans plan to deliver on their promises to cut the deficit while cutting taxes?

I am still waiting.

[TheKentuckian]

25. Tom what do you think would happen if you round up a bunch of conservatives

and task them with fixing the budget?

That's regardless of party.

When you load up on the worst of the Republicans (who run on privatizing or eliminating the programs) the outcome is predictable.

Obama is clearly at fault here. He set the conditions, picked many of the players, surely had some weight on who Pelosi and Reid appointed, and fueled the frame. The Republicans balked and threw away the chance to make their little petty dreams come true by overplaying the Party of No bullshit but Obama picked it up, forced it through, and now has earned the blame for whatever comes from it because it is his baby 100%.

May as well put your finger in a light socket and blame the electricity for the jolt.

Nobody gets patted on the back for putting themselves in check and that is what "The Chess Master" has done here. The Republicans aren't going to get crazy blowback because they cannot execute without complicit Democrats and more because it is what they openly have been striving for, for decades.

BUSH JUST TRIED TO PRIVATIZE.

Folks know the score. Obama put himself in check. Best case scenario is nothing happens and that probably will have some slippage in confidence in the Democratic party's commitment to the safety net.

I don't see the GOTCHA! factor for the Republicans that has you fired up and I hope it isn't a way to sell yourself into seeing a silver lining that ain't really there on a wholly bad political move.

[TomCADem]

26. "Obama is clearly at fault here" - What? Republicans Do Get A Free Pass?

I don't see why Republicans have no responsibility. I also don't see how Democrats do not win unless we confront and blow up some of the media narratives being pushed of Republicans as being fiscally responsible. Here is Think Progress doing what I think the left needs to start doing: Holding all of our elected leaders responsible:

http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/11/03/gop-cant-cut/

House Republicans Still Can’t Name Any Programs They Would Cut To Offset Extending The Bush Tax Cuts

During this campaign season, many Republicans were loathe to lay out any spending cuts that they would make in order to offset their desire to extend all of the Bush tax cuts. Extending the entirety of the Bush tax package would cost nearly $4 trillion over ten years, including about $830 billion to extend the cuts for the richest two percent of Americans alone. House Republicans, though — including Pledge to America architect Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) — simply said that they would cut discretionary spending across-the-board to offset that cost. “The line item would be across-the-board,” McCarthy asserted.

Even though election night was upon them and a new majority secured, House Republicans weren’t any more willing to lay out specific spending cuts last night. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) told MSNBC’s Chris Matthews that the most important thing that Congress can do is extend the Bush tax cuts. But when Matthews pressed her for spending reductions, Blackburn only named parts of the budget that she has deemed off-limits for cuts. Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) did the same, refusing to name a specific cut in two separate interviews. Watch a compilation.

[TheKentuckian]

29. They get a "pass" because they are only doing what they have long claimed

to want to do and can only do so because Democrats empower them to do so.

Clearly, we must fight the obviously false notions of Republican fiscal responsibility which is why it places us in grave danger to legitimize their failed philosophies, false ideology, and counter-productive policies rather than repudiating and indicting them.

Instead we are co-opting their nonsense and treating it as at the very least a legitimate argument.

[Edweird]

28. Dems are the ones successfully attacking social security. The r's tried and failed.