Pelosi had better come up with a plan that passes congress in 3 weeks

[apples and oranges]

The unemployed and middle class are struggling. So she doesn't want to negotiate with republicans? That's fine, but she better have a great alternative set up and ready to go before the end of the year. I can't believe people are cheering for NOTHING getting done to help people who so desperately need it.

[spanone]

1. she doesn't want to negotiate with republicans? what planet do you live on?

[bluethruandthru]

2. The UI extension needs to be voted on with nothing attached to it.

That way republicans will have no excuses to give their constituents when they vote against the unemployed in their states.

I think that will make many r's think twice before rejecting the extension. I'm willing to bet it will pass.

[Davis_X_Machina]

7. Why do you think they care..

...about the fallout from voting against the unemployed?

The unemployed don't contribute to campaigns. They don't vote in the numbers that the employed do. And a lot of them who do vote, vote Republican anyways, on cultural grounds.

Unbribed, and unbidden, out of the goodness of their hearts, they're going to vote for a UI extension? Pull the other leg -- it's got bells on it.

There is zero reason for a Republican to fear voting against cloture in the Senate -- and that's where the problem is, not the House -- on a UI extension.

[bluethruandthru]

17. I think they act like bullies when they're in a group.

When they are one on one with their constituents, I think they behave much differently. They will have a hard time at the local town hall meeting telling a room full of unemployed people why cutting off their benefits is for their own good...so they'll get off their couches and get a job!

[Davis_X_Machina]

19. At the town hall meeting....

...the politician in question just carries on about guns, Mexicans, gays, and death panels. Unemployment insurance will never come up. If it does come up, it will be Obama's fault.

And 40-50% of the unemployed in the room will vote GOP anyways.

Look at the election returns, especially from hard-hit states like PA and MI.

[dennis4868]

13. Did you not get the message from the last election?

Republicans have voted againt and fillubustered UI in the past 2 years and they won over 60 seats....they don't pay a political price for obstructing....that's why Obama said they are hostage takers and unfortunately had to compromise with them.

[Davis_X_Machina]

14. But, but...

...ObamaarmtwistingLBJcommitteechairsFDRprimarythreatJFKpartyleaderHSTbullypulpit!

[karynnj]

21. There excuse will be the Democarts did not want to pay for it

[bluethruandthru]

27. If the Democrats would get their act together and lear how to play the communication game

we would win some of these battles.
Instead, they let the R's control the message. You have to admire the way the r's get their messages out and accepted. They have managed to convince nearly half the population that tax cuts for billionaires are a good thing for the country!

[blondeatlast]

29. +1,111,111,111,111. nt

[True_Blue]

26. Exactly!

Grassley is saying they would have passed an extension without the tax cuts deal attached...

"Grassley: Unemployment extension would have been possible without tax deal"
http://iowaindependent.com/48732/grassley-unemployment-extension-would-have-been-possible-without-tax-deal

Let's force them to vote on it before Christmas.

[Kalyke]

3. Yes, they desparately need it, but if the current bill passes,

the entire COUNTRY will go broke.

The Republicans aren't going to let this pass and, I'm sorry, I don't want to see couples inheriting $10 million not have to pay taxes on it and I don't want 2 percent ($120 billion) taken away from Social Security insurance! That will give the Republicans and DINOs cause to slay Social Security.

[jillan]

4. She already did and it passed the House Dec 2nd. Unfortunately it died

in the Senate - you want to be pissed off at someone???? Maybe you should be pissed off at Harry Reid.
That's where middle class tax cuts, DADT, The Dream Act - - - - etc ---- goes to die.

http://themoderatevoice.com/93968/house-democrats-pass-permanent-extension-of-middle-class-tax-cuts/

[Tansy_Gold]

8. THANK YOU! n/t

[Bandit]

9. Pissed at Harry Reid???

He has brought up every Bill you mentioned but Republicans would not even allow debate let alone a vote..How is that in any way Harry Reid's fault? There has to be some rule changes in the Senate if this country is to ever move forward again..If Harry Reid blocks that then you may have a reason to talk about Reid in such a manner.

[blondeatlast]

30. Thanks for the sanity. nt

[dennis4868]

15. What the original poster is saying....

Is that Pelosi has to come up with a plan that can not only pass the house butbghd senate as well and get by a repub fillubuster...this is what Obama had to deal with and got us a plan that can pass....even if it is not perfect it does help the middle class in many ways.

[rucky]

23. She could copy the Obama plan word for word, put her name on it...

and it would fail.

This is all a power play, and has nothing to do with the quality or fairness of any type of plan.

[dennis4868]

28. and you know this because.......?

[rucky]

33. of the pattern.

No party is uniformly against everything all the time, unless there's a coordinated strategy behind it.

[apples and oranges]

25. Key word: died

Sometimes we have to accept what is and not keep clinging to what we wish could be.

[mmonk]

5. Republicans don't negotiate anything except terms of our surrender.

[mdmc]

6. How about they vote on unemployment bennies?

If it can't pass, it just shows which side you (you = congress critter) are on. If the bennies need to be paid for, lets cut some corruption $ out of our Afghan boondoggle.

[Bandit]

10. In the Senate Republicans can stop it even being debated let alone voted upon.

Change the Senate rules or forget about ever getting a single thing done again..

[Davis_X_Machina]

11. But...

...ObamaarmtwistingLBJcommitteechairsFDRprimarythreatJFKpartyleaderHSTbullypulpit!

[ncrainbowgrrl]

12. +1

:applause:

[reformist2]

16. 41 democratic senators need to filibuster everything except tax cuts for middle class.

No tax cuts for the rich.
No slashing of the estate tax.
No stealth attacks on Social Security.

Make the REPUBLICANS take it or leave it!

[bowens43]

18. funny.....

you have this in your post:

'In short, I am PISSED. This is war. You're either with us or against us!'

then you say 'surrender!!'

[OHdem10]

20. In the end the plan Obama negotiated will pass. The House

needs some time to cool down. They may get an adjustment
to the Inheritance Tax.

[rucky]

22. Pelosi's conscience is clear. She did bring up a plan to extend unemployment

and it failed. Blood is on the GOP/blue dogs' hands.

I know it doesn't make the situation any better, but if we sell the farm for short-term gain, it's going to happen to us every time there's a crisis. Worse, it will incentivize the creation of crises every time the GOP wants something. It's more important to end the dysfunctional patterns, because the net losses will be greater in the long run if we don't.

[apples and oranges]

24. That's not acceptable. She knew her plan failed, which is

all the more reason to go with the compromise or come up with something else that will pass.

[rucky]

32. It appears to me that this session of Congress has been ineffective

in the sense that the opposition has all the power and none of the accountability.

She can't and won't pass anything because it'll die in the Senate. Even if the plan is word-for-word with the GOP, it'll die in the Senate because it has her name on it. I know this'll set you off, but the GOP already has the power and it's about time they share some accountability for their (in)actions. The time is close to dump some of these problems into Boehner's lap. the unemployed won't be the last of the casualties we'll see over the next two years.

[rucky]

36. And another thing: Pelosi wasn't tasked to come up with a plan.

I'd assume she'd want to, if given the opportunity. But Dems in congress weren't even invited to the table. This is a deal cut between Obama and the GOP, then handed to Congress with instructions to take it or leave it.

[Javaman]

31. I will commence with the holding of my breath now.

:eyes:

[Proud Liberal Dem]

34. and, most importantly

can gain 60 votes in the Senate.

[kentuck]

35. Democrats should be challenging the Repubs everyday on this issue...

unemployment, not tax breaks for the filthy rich.

They should not be talked about as separate issues. They are two different matters. They should never have been connected.