Obama's legacy will be the enabling of the GOP's Norquist strategy to demolish the social safety net

[kpete]

It is the Republican strategy that is at at work here- The Grover Norquist strategy. David Dayen writes:

This is the gambit that Republicans have worked for a generation – make taxes so low and deficits so burdensome that pressure builds to slash spending. They claim that tax cuts shouldn’t be counted as part of the deficit but that any spending must be offset or eliminated. It doesn’t have to make sense. Because it’s working.
http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/12/11/bipartisan-group-of-lawmakers-gunning-for-austerity/

At this point, Barack Obama's legacy will be the enabling of the GOP's Norquist strategy to demolish the social safety net. The Deal is the first step. President Obama and his team need to start making the point now that The Deal is temporary and that he will veto any attempts to extend the Bush tax cuts beyond 2012.

more:
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2010/12/12/11217/493

[ProSense]

1. Here's the Congressional Black Caucus'

position on the tax holiday:

<...>

The CBC's counter-proposal showed few signs of members giving up ground. The proposal includes a two-year extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class -- which was part of the tax-cut measure that the House passed this month -- as well as a payroll tax holiday and a 13-month extension of unemployment insurance benefits. All three components are priorities for congressional Democrats.

<...>

Are they down with Grover Norquist too? Trying to turn this into some sinister ploy is ridiculous.

[DontTreadOnMe]

2. Seems sure like they are down with Grover

What do you think the transfer of wealth FACTS will look like for the Obama 4 years? Worse or better than Bush?

[ProSense]

4. First,

are you comparing eight years of Bush to four years of Obama?

The Bush tax cuts for the rich were $700 billion over 10 years.

The stimulus, the largest middle-class tax cut in history, was $240 billion over two years.

[Kalun D]

11. Other Stuff

""The Bush tax cuts for the rich were $700 billion over 10 years.""

don't forget Bush's $700 Billion crooked banker "bailout", you know the one that Obama was front center pushing through the Senate. Then, instead of having the crooked criminal bankers prosecuted like they did during the Raygoon years, Obama appointed them to positions of banking oversight within his administration.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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[TheKentuckian]

8. Yup

[Martin Eden]

12. "Are they down with Grover Norquist too?"

I sincerely doubt that the Black Caucus or President Obama are "down with" Grover Norquist ... but ultimately it makes little difference whether they are willing or unwitting accomplices to the "Starve the Beast" strategy. What matters are results, and this "Deal" plays right into the strategy that Grover Norquist articulated.

Here's some food for thought:
The Deficit Commission appointed by President Obama is recommending to raise the retirement age for Social Security and cut Medicare benefits. At the same time, President Obama has agreed to extend tax cuts to the filthy rich.

No matter how you try to slice it, "The Beast" is being starved and the programs that Reuthugs want to kill are being hacked away.

[Laelth]

14. +1 n/t

-Laelth

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

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[emulatorloo]

6. Maybe he has zero credibility to FireDogLake et. al

but those groups are not representative of real world democrats.

[Kalun D]

13. Here Too

Obama is loosing credibility fast at DU also, haven't you noticed? Are we not "real world"?

and a recent poll shows him being beat by Romney if an election were held today.

[emulatorloo]

15. 1. No, DU is not real world at all. It is an echo chamber 2. The election isn't being held today.

1. gallup.com Obama Job approval Nov 29 - Dec 5

- Democrats 78%
- Liberal Democrat 83%
- Moderate Democrat 75%
- Conservative Democrat 69%

ON EDIT LINK: http://www.gallup.com/poll/124922/Presidential-Approval-Center.aspx

DU is a bubble, it is not representative. Just because a minority opinion is expressed loudly does not mean it reflects what most Democrats think.

2. Both Clinton and Reagan had similar "He is Finished, he will be defeated" Poll and punditry during the middle of their first terms. Nonetheless they both were re-elected. Two years is a long time.

[madrchsod]

5. he opened the lock box and he can`t run away from what he did.

[Statistical]

10. What imaginary lock box? n/t

[nashville_brook]

9. Eggsactly...and we're doing it with eyes wide open.

[bobthedrummer]

16. .

[Poboy]

17. recommend