Another DUMB ASS decision by Obama this Debt Commission with mostly republicans

[bigdarryl]

It's no surprise to me the decisions they just released on Social Security cuts.Now Obama has got a problem either he goes against his own Commission or he approves what they want.Can't wait to see how this unfolds

[polichick]

1. What was his thinking when he chose the chairmen? Why does he never choose progressives...

...for anything??????????

[Hawkowl]

4. Obama is last of the Bluedogs

And that is the nicest way I can put it without getting yet another post deleted.

[polichick]

11. Yes, that is a very nice way to put it. :)

[MissDeeds]

40. Same here

On both counts. The delete dudes have been working overtime today. Now, let's see how long this takes to get deleted. Three...two...o-:nuke:

:hi:

[Safetykitten]

54. That is correct.

[gateley]

6. I caught a clip of an interview on CBS (?) and the interviewer asked why Obama

thought he'd lost a chunk of his base. Obama said essentially the same reason every one was discouraged -- the economy, jobs, etc. I can only speak for myself, but it's moves like this that just crush me. He hasn't lost me, but I'm just so baffled by some of his decisions. I want progressives surrounding him -- or at least an even mix!

[polichick]

10. It really is baffling! As a matter of fact, for me this kind of choice is unforgivable...

I don't know if the prez has lost his mind or if he's a con man - either way, he's lost his base all on his own.

I'm with you in that I want progressives surrounding him - that's why we elected him!

[indepat]

18. If BHO had wanted progressives surrounding him, he would have had progressives surrounding him.

Although most democrats seemingly are having a very hard time coming to grips with the reality of the situation, just how far right of center BHO has governed is evident in almost every one of his initiatives. :shrug:

[gateley]

22. Yep, good point. If he wanted them, that's who he'd have. nt

[butterfly77]

49. The media is pushing daily

For him to put more republiCONS in his cabinet,so that they can leak even more lies...

[arcane1]

7. The unspoken rule: republicans must always get their way

:(

[polichick]

13. I think it's time for the people to get our way - time for the left to take over this party...

A caller to Big Ed's radio show today said it's time for labor and liberals and others to join together either to reform this party or start another and I couldn't agree more.

[Dr Fate]

31. He does. DLCers and Blue Dogs are progressives too. DU rules even recognizes that.

Just b/c they are not far lefts and just b/c they agree with the far right on the war and the economy does not mean that they cant also be progressives.

They are too progressives and centrism is too working.

You far lefts with your labels and your purges.

[polichick]

36. Oops, silly me! :)

[niceypoo]

53. They agree with the right on the economy?

The right just totally collapsed the economy....

[fasttense]

2. Destroying Social Security one Democratic bad decision at a time.n/t

[ProSense]

3. The commission is not mostly Republicans,

the OP title is more fact-free screaming.

[polichick]

15. self-delete

[lamp_shade]

17. Par for the course.

[flamingdem]

41. +1

[displacedvermoter]

5. But this is POLITICAL CHESS don't you know

and the fact that millions of real people are now having their futures threatened by a commission
the guy who is supposed to have our asses covered appointed should make it all right!

[Kdillard]

8. What decisions did they release? This seems to be a power play by the chairmen to get things rolling

and the members don't seem willing to go along with it. So this may end up not being seen by Congress at all.

[onenote]

9. The president appointed 6 members of the Commission, four Democrats and 2 repubs

and the House and Senate leadership in each party got to appoint three each.

So, if as you claim, the Commission is "mostly repubs" then either Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid appointed at least one repub (even though everyone they appointed caucuses with the Democrats), or some of the Obama Democratic appointees are really repubs. Which is it and who are the Democrats who are really repubs?

[Kdillard]

12. The facts won't get in the way of a good Dem bashing OP.

[indepat]

14. The commission was set up by Executive Order and its make-up was pre-determined to reach the desired

result. EOS :shrug:

[lamp_shade]

16. What decisions were just released?

[pinto]

19. Commission Members -

Co-Chairmen:
Sen. Alan Simpson. Former Republican Senator from Wyoming.
Erskine Bowles, Chief of Staff to President Clinton

Executive Director:
Bruce Reed, Chief Domestic Policy Adviser to President Clinton

Commissioners:
Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT)
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA 31)
Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI 4)
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND)
David Cote, Chairman and CEO, Honeywell International
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Ann Fudge, Former CEO, Young & Rubicam Brands
Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX 5)
Alice Rivlin, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institute and former Director, Office of Management & Budget
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI 1)
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL 9)
Rep. John Spratt (D-SC 5)
Andrew Stern, President, Service Employees International Union.

[PassingFair]

46. OMG I feel SO sorry for Jan Schakowsky, having to hang with THAT gang of thieves!

Executive Director BRUCE REED?!?

W.T.F.


Hopefully she can escape to a corner of the
room with Dick Durban and Andy Stern.

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. I'm sorry but you are mistaken. There are more Democrats than Republicans on the commission:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Commission_on_Fiscal_Responsibility_and_Reform

[vi5]

21. 2 of them are Baucus and Conrad....

Yeah, so......not quite.

[polichick]

23. No kidding - the only thing Democratic about them is the D behind their names. nt

[Freddie Stubbs]

25. They vote with the Democratic Caucus more often than Russ Feingold:

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/111/senate/party-voters/

[polichick]

26. Conrad is for extending the tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans...

And Baucus? Surely you know what a gem Baucus is.

[Dr Fate]

32. Exactly. They support our wildly popular brand of centrist legisilation more than Feingold ever did.

And we need more of what happened in the past that lead up to our current victories, not less.

STAY THE COURSE!

I'm with you- I wish all these far lefts would stop saying that the centrism is not working.

[PassingFair]

47. LOL

You're on a roll lately.

Are you trying to get on the payroll?

:rofl:

[Freddie Stubbs]

24. Baucus and Conrad both vote with the Senate Democrats more than 90% of the time:

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/111/senate/party-voters/

[vi5]

27. They sure do...

As long as the legislation they are voting on has been financially and economically neutered to their liking.

Can you honestly say that their views economically speaking are a sufficiently progressive counterbalance?

[Dr Fate]

35. Ohhhh- I forgot- You still want a pony. So anyone who does not give you a pony is not progressive?

Just b/c a center-right centrist agreed with the far right on a few minor issues and did not give you a pony does not mean that they are not good progressives.

You are confusing progressive with farleftism and liberlism. We are not the party of Nader. Got it?

If you could just set aside your "values" and "facts" and just go along with us centrists for FIVE FREAKING MINUTES and let us get some work done with the other side, we can show you how to WIN.

[niceypoo]

38. 'If you could just set aside your "values" and "facts"'

LOL

[vi5]

42. Oh fucking brother.

I really hope this is a parody. If it is, then it's brilliant. But if this isn't satire then goddamnit is it pathetic.

[Dr Fate]

43. You dare suggest that a centrist on DU is not making sincere arguments?

I realize this is the perception that some far-lefts hold, but it is not fair.

Just b/c we say that we agree with whatever conservative swing voters say they agree with at any given moment does not mean we are not sincere about it.

[niceypoo]

30. But they demand that it be stripped down to nothing first

Then take the GOP side on everything of importance.

[Dr Fate]

34. They are just making sure none of the weird far left stuff is in it. Thank God.

These guys vote with DEMS on war spending and on insurnace mandates, just like most other DEMS do. I have no idea why the far lefts have such a problem with all this.

[niceypoo]

37. Weird far left stuff?

What 'weird far left stuff' are you talking about? Fiscal sanity? Getting rid of supply side economics? Balancing the budget without raping social security?

[Dr Fate]

39. Exactly. What part of "America is a center right country" dont you understand?

We did not have the votes for all that stuff you mentioned, even if they really had been popular with the conservative swing voters that we must constantly court.

Here is what you farlefts dont get- centtrism is not about fighting for far left ponies- it's about COUNTING THE VOTES.

Centrists know how to count- Liberals/Naderites do not. We can and we WILL count all the other centrists who agree with us.

We do not fight for votes- we COUNT THEM. We counted them, and the numbers were not there for all that stuff farlefts wanted.

When you can learn how to count votes instead of thinking that it is our job to fight for votes, then maybe you will understand why you are not getting your far left ponies.

[niceypoo]

48. "We did not have the votes for all that stuff you mentioned"

We dont have the votes for fiscal sanity? We dont have th votes for getting rid of supply side economics (Bush tax cuts)? No vote needed. We dont have the votes for balancing the budget without raping social security?

Wow, you are such a total coward.

:rofl:

[Dr Fate]

50. Far lefts are but a teeny, tiny sliver of our base. The REAL DEM base are centrist activists..

...Reagan Democrats and conservative swing voters.

You know- the folks who get out and make it happen- as opposed to the far lefts who just sit around and wish for ponies and make us look like weak hippies.

In fact, I'm reluctant to even categorize far lefts as being in the DEM base. They secretly want to vote for Nader anyway.

No- no- America is a center right country- and if we are going to keep on WINNING, then we need to keep the Regan Democrats, conservative swing voters and other similar salt-of-the earth party loyalists inside the big tent. Organic granola munchers need not apply.

That means that we have to try to give THEM ponies. If we give out farleft ponies, we lose.

The 90's show us that we have to give out centrist ponies to win. Well guess what- the 90's are comming back, and when they do, I'll be here to say "I told you so."

[vi5]

52. I'm pretty well convinced this is parody or sarcasm.

Reading all the responses to myself and to you and elsewhere in this thread it has to be. It's so over the top. I have to believe that is' satire because the only other option would be sociopathy.

[Dr Fate]

55. Bull crap. I am from the Far-Center of the Big Tent.

You will not compromise my principles, whatever they may be at the moment.

[Dr Fate]

33. Exactly. They support DEM's wildly popular brand of WINNING centrism all the time.

And it is certainly leading us to victory, despite all these far left lies.

For instance, these guys voted with DEMS on popular war spending and on the wildly popular insurance mandates, just like most other DEMS did. That is GOOD thing, right?

I have no idea why the far lefts have such a problem with all this.

Centrists and conservative DEMS are supporting, fighting for and then voting for their own centrist & conservative positions a huge percentage of the time- that should be a GOOD thing.

Jesus, can we get more centrists (AKA REALISTIC WINNERS) here on this board?

[niceypoo]

28. The commission is riddled with social security looters

Putting republicans on the commission was a foolish idea. All you will get from them is more of the same. The commission needs a 14 vote majority to agree on any proposals, an impossible number without giving away the farm to the republicans.....

[Dr Fate]

29. The centrism IS TOO working! Stop saying that the Centrism is not working!!!

Jesus- dont you guys watch TV or listen to Obama's speeches?

Voters REJECTED all of your far left stuff in favor of centrism.

Far lefts: Dont you think you need to establish some credibility by being correct on an issue or two b/f you attack Obama's winning, centrist strategies?

[great white snark]

45. Stick to purity speeches please, you really suck as a satirist.

ugh

[Dr Fate]

51. You dare suggest that a centrist on DU is not making sincere arguments?

That would be a strange thing indeed.

I may have to have a little word with the mods about this.

I'm not sure you are allowed to say "you really suck" to a centrist here at DU. I'll be checking on this.

[Peacetrain]

44. You've read the report?

[SidDithers]

56. Unrec...nt

Sid