President Obama Weekly Address: Congress get back in town and pass some bills (Video)

President Obama's State of the Union Address, January 25, 2011 (Video)

Transcript

Home Page

No fierce urgency of NOW for unemployment extension....

There is no fierce urgency of now for those on their last tether for unemployment extension, in fact, congress seems to be happy with just letting 200K slip from the unemployment rolls, a week to compensate the deficit.

Is that right? Just?

No, it is not.

It is uncaring, unethical and immoral. How some can sleep at night is beyond me.

With Republicans citing concerns about the growing national debt, the House rejected a bill Tuesday to extend unemployment benefits for people who have been out of work for long stretches.

The House, however, is expected to vote on the bill again as early as Wednesday.

Without an extension, payments would continue to phase out for more than 200,000 people a week. The last extension expired at the end of May. House Democrats said more than 1 million people have already lost benefits.

Who is in charge in the House? Democrats? And how is this getting rejected? I must ask because of this:

Congressional Democrats have been trying for weeks to pass the extension as part of a larger tax and spending package, but the larger bill stalled in the Senate. On Tuesday, House Democrats brought up a standalone bill on unemployment benefits.

Democrats brought up the bill under a special procedure in which no amendments were allowed and debate was limited. Under the procedure, the bill needed a two-thirds majority to pass. The vote was 261-155, short of the two-thirds needed.

This goes along with the continued premise of congress doing whatever is necessary for the next election to retain their seats, instead of doing what is best for millions of Americans who are unable to FIND A JOB, because unbeknown to congress there are NO JOBS OUT HERE.

My take on this, I will be surprised at any unemployment extension. Why? Because there is no heat to extend unemployment. These politicians only care about November and then after that, they will look it over. These politicians will turn a deaf ear and cover their eyes at what throwing millions of families off unemployment will hear or look like. The Republicans will continue to believe there are jobs out there and tell you to go find one, Democrats will holler about it, but won't be able to move their Blue Dogs to vote for it.

In other words, all we are hearing about is reducing the deficit, while the unemployment rate is 10% in this country and the June unemployment numbers are out Friday. The June numbers can be 100K jobs created, but does that dent the unemployed numbers ACROSS THIS COUNTRY? We are about to see people thrown out of homes, apartments, families on the streets because of politicians trying to keep their jobs and give "ALL OF A SUDDEN" concern about the deficit. Yet, I have failed to see any real concern on that fucking defense budget, with 2 wars draining this country dry, along with continuing to put ourselves at the feet of China, while faux paper is being created at the Federal Reserve, in lieu of 2 wars costing 8-10B a month. What about that? Sure don't hear congress concerned about that across the board, but helping citizens who have worked their whole lives, while unable to find jobs that have continued to be outsourced in this country, and needs help, this congress turns a deaf ear.

Lastly, where is the bully pulpit about unemployment? I know President Obama is giving another speech on the economy tomorrow, but what about this President, well, GOING THE FUCK OFF on congress for the millions being thrown off unemployment in the next week? What about shaming congress ON BOTH SIDES, because that house vote to deny benefits was not WITHOUT SOME DEMOCRATS crossing to the dark side!!! What about that? President Obama crossed this country when CANDIDATE Obama and knows about jobs out here. The stimulus did one thing good, it helped states keep their employees employed (for now, because these states need more money to keep the same people EMPLOYED), but for the private sector from large to small businesses the growth has been anemic.

Right now, Washington, D.C. expects us just to deal with unemployment at 10% for a long time, expect us to accept throwing millions of hard working Americans off unemployment. The speeches will continue with the same mantra of "we must work harder at the unemployment numbers", while not much will be done. And the anger grows as we see Wall Street get away with wrecking this economy, the housing situation in the country continue to crumble, and folks still unable to secure a job; as the divide of rich and poor continues to evaporate the middle class, if there is one anymore.

Source

Update [2010-6-29 17:52:14 by icebergslim]:

h/t to RFK Lives from Bob Herbert:

Employment is the No. 1 issue for most ordinary Americans. Their anxiety on this front only grows as they watch teachers, firefighters and police officers lining up to walk the unemployment plank as state and local governments wrestle with horrendous budget deficits.

And what do these worried Americans see the Obama administration doing? It’s doubling down on the war in Afghanistan, trying somehow to build a nation from scratch in the chaos of a combat zone.

By nearly 2 to 1, respondents to the most recent New York Times/CBS News poll believed the United States is on the wrong track. Despite the yelping and destructive machinations of the deficit hawks, employment and the economy are by far the public’s biggest concern. Mr. Obama is paying dearly for his tin ear on this topic. Fifty-four percent of respondents believed he does not have a clear plan for creating jobs. Only 45 percent approved of his overall handling of the economy, compared with 48 percent who disapproved.

Direct Link to Bob Herbert's column

Update [2010-6-29 19:19:5 by icebergslim]:

Here are the Democratic members who voted NAY in the House:

Adler, Baird, Bean, Berry, Bright, Childers, Cooper, Donnelly, Herseth Sandlin, Hill, Kratovil, Markey, Marshall, Minnick, Nye, Shuler

Contact the House of Representatives, here.

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

Home Page

This congress don't give a MICKEY-FICK, about any of us....

Yes, this congress don't care.

This congress don't care about yours, mines or ours.

Why should this congress care?

Most of this congress are MILLIONAIRES.....

Even in tough times, it's good to be a lawmaker: According to a report released this week by the Center for Responsive Politics, there are 237 millionaires serving in Congress, according to 2008 figures.

That's a slight decline from the previous year, when there were 239 millionaires in the House and Senate. But it still reflects the fact that the average lawmaker is far wealthier than his or her typical constituent. While about one percent of Americans are millionaires, 44 percent of those serving in Congress can claim as much.

"The biggest takeaway from all of this is that even thought the collective wealth of members of congress appears to have declined, members of Congress are still so much more wealthy than the average American – and even more wealthy than a lot of wealthy Americans," CRP spokesman Dave Levinthal told Hotsheet.

How can a millionaire even care about 10% unemployment, technically 9.7%, but not going down anytime soon? Shit, their bank accounts are full, their needs met at a fucking snap, why should they care?

Why should these individuals care about millions of Americans unable to pay rent, mortgage, utility bills, health insurance, car insurance....??? These millionaires have someone PAYING this for them while they run around D.C. to the various cocktail parties or making sure they are on TV looking like they are doing something!!

Why should these individuals be swayed by their own constituents, AMERICANS, unable to purchase food, sustain, etc.? Food?? For these millionaires??? PUHLEAZE...that is not even a THOUGHT for them....

This congress has repeatedly showed the ability to be the most unsympathetic congress in a very long time.

These individuals are playing with people's LIVES HERE. We, Americans, constituents are nothing but political football, being kicked around to see who wins the game. This is not right.

And it does not help anyone when we have a Democrat who states the following:

"We've had four straight months of job growth," said Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) after the House approved its version of the bill in May. "At some point you have to take a step back and look at the relative value of unemployment benefits versus people looking for jobs."

Are you kidding me? 4 straight months of job growth? Did he read the report that most of May job growth was PART TIME, TEMPORARY, CENSUS JOBS that are OVER in September? Meaning, these folks are back at the unemployment office?

It is unbelievable that congress would actually play with folk, families, individuals lives out here. It is unbelievable that congress thinks there are JOBS out here? Well, HELLO, there are not.

The days of just getting a job is over. Hell, you can't even get jobs for minimum wage at McDonald's, Duncan Donuts, Burger King, etc. In my neck of the woods, Illinois, many of these establishments have "NO HIRING" before you can even ask. For the record, Illinois' unemployment rate is 10.8%.

And the congressman, the Democrat from Pennsylvania? The unemployment in his neck of the woods is 8.7% and CLIMBING. And this gasbag has the nerve to even attempt to make a reference that maybe people are not looking for jobs? At least, it reads that way to me.

This is why people are sick of congress. And these idiots in office are OUR FAULT. Instead of electing individuals that will do what we tell them to do, they get in office and get caught up on bullshit and take their eye off the ball, us, their constituents.

For anyone in congress to believe that their are jobs out there, they are smoking some good shit and need to pass that blunt to ME, because I don't see it.

Lastly, I have many friends that have gotten their last check. One friend read to me what it stated in a letter sent to her, here in Illinois:

You have exhausted your entitlement to benefits. Legislation is pending that could make you eligible for further benefits. You will be notified if you are determined eligible for further benefits. Continue to certify every two weeks.

This coming with her having to pay her mortgage July 1, 2010. This coming that she has two kids. This coming with panic, stress and the asking of "What will happen to me, to my kids?"

This is what fucking congress is doing and it is not fucking funny.

Congress, don't give a MICKEY-FICK for what is happening to millions of Americans, but only care about the political points for November.

Well, congress, millions of these Americans vote and I hope to GOD that any one who was an obstructionist and is on the ballot, which is the Republicans and some spiny Democrats are voted the fuck out of congress. And President Obama, we need your bully pulpit NOW, we need your anger at congress NOW, we need you, NOW.....not later...

Update [2010-6-27 13:43:15 by icebergslim]:
The obstructionists are the Republicans with some spiny Democrats that go along. (this is stated in the diary) The point is that people are not going to be able to make it with their unemployment benefits squashed from a view of fat cats sitting in Washington, D.C. who believes that there are an abundance of jobs out here. This is a pure disconnect and a easy argument for the Democrats to make, NOW and use against the Republicans in November.

Update [2010-6-27 14:29:19 by icebergslim]:

Contact your congress members, here, I have already contacted mine's. Thanks to ridemybike for the links.

Update [2010-6-27 14:29:19 by icebergslim]:

And congress what is up with this? WTF?

The current lapse in extended benefits is unprecedented: Data compiled by the National Employment Law Project show that since 1959, the government has never allowed extended unemployment benefits to expire when the national unemployment rate is still above 7.2 percent. The current rate stands at 9.7 percent.

Update [2010-6-27 15:15:37 by icebergslim]:

This economy will be horrific for a very long time. As we saw the bump in housing was only due to the first time tax credit and slashes in prices. Now we see the real deal in the housing market which is not good.

KB Home (KBH) said Friday that its second-quarter orders tumbled 23%, knocking more than 7% off the stock price and providing further proof of a softening U.S. housing market that no longer offers a home-buyer tax credit.

KB Home has revamped its product line, dramatically shaving its square footage and prices, letting it compete with foreclosed houses and to focus on first-time buyers tapping the credit. But the offer expired on April 30, leading to a slowdown in that segment.

"We like this business model and generally its execution during four of the last six quarters; unfortunately, this quarter's results should send a big wake-up call," Stephen East, an analyst with Ticonderoga Securities, wrote in a client note. He expected orders to rise 19%.

The order drop comes as the home-building sector struggles to recover from its worst downturn in generations. Confidence has tumbled as buyer traffic grows sparse. The U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday said new-home sales plunged in May to a record low, dragged down by a lackluster job market and the foreclosure crisis that has shaved values nationwide.

If people don't have jobs and are unemployed then who is out there to purchase ANY GOODS? Can someone answer this question because this is a faux, vicious circle that keeps swarming this economy? It has not recovered, there are no jobs, foreclosures still at a record high and no relief in sight. But the smart thing is to throw folks off unemployment, into the streets?

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

Home Page

Oil execs ADMIT they are not prepared for oil spill catastrophes (Video)

Are you tired of depending on oil, yet? What will it take? All of our state's coastlines destroyed because these oil companies continue to LIE about safety and are CLUELESS on clean up? Should we continue to let them RUIN our country with toxic crude? We should be TIRED of this.



Home Page

Arlen Specter's new ad: Obama with other STUFF (Videos)

Obama for Specter



...but remember the same type of ad was USED for Specter in 2004 promoting former Senator Santorum and of course, President George W. Bush.



I don't know how this race will turn out, but it is obvious from recent polling that Joe Sestak has moved Democrats into his column and is in the lead. Arlen Specter needs heavy black vote to come out in Philadelphia and those Philly suburbs to over take Sestak.

But, I don't care what anyone says, the Joe Sestak ad reminding Democratic Voters who is a REAL DEMOCRAT, does reasonate. I don't care if you do have Barack Obama in your corner, people know who stands with them and who does not. Arlen Specter was a Democrat, before a Republican and is now a Democrat again, ONLY so he can get re-elected. Remember that.



...and of course, the mash up, which makes Specter and the Presidents look SILLY.....



and this from the Sestak Campaign on Arlen Specter's new ad with Obama....



OUCH!!!!

Home Page

President Obama's Weekly Address, May 1, 2010 (Video, Transcript)

As the President beats back lobbyists seeking to weaken Wall Street Reform, he talks about an even broader threat that would vastly expand the influence of massive industries and their lobbyists in Washington. A recent Supreme Court decision opened the floodgates for corporations, including foreign corporations, to spend endless money on political ads that would give them even more power at the expense of American families – the President pledges to fight for reforms to stem that influence.



Transcript

Home Page

President Obama signs the Health Insurance Reform Bill to law (Video, Transcript)

This morning the President made it official: things are going to change a bit between Americans and their health insurance companies. The President signed health reform into law, with a package of fixes not far behind, and in the process created a future for the country in which Americans and small businesses are in control of their own health care, not the insurance industry.


Transcript

Home Page

President Barack Obama's statement on Health Care Insurance Reform bill passage (Video)

This truly was Speaker Nancy Pelosi's moment and she deserves getting this bill through.....



Home Page

Must see: David Plouffe vs Karl Rove from ABC's "This Week"

From ABC's This Week:

Part One



Part Two



Home Page

The "N Word" from Tea Party folk, is anyone surprised?

Again, these people hide under a tag but many are racists, plain and simple. Now this in Washington, DC. Is anyone surprised? Not me.

Abusive, derogatory and even racist behavior directed at House Democrats by Tea Party protesters on Saturday left several lawmakers in shock.

Preceding the president's speech to a gathering of House Democrats, thousands of protesters descended around the Capitol to protest the passage of health care reform. The gathering quickly turned into abusive heckling, as members of Congress passing through Longworth House office building were subjected to epithets and even mild physical abuse.

A staffer for Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told reporters that Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) had been spat on by a protestor. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a hero of the civil rights movement, was called a 'ni--er.' And Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) was called a "faggot," as protestors shouted at him with deliberately lisp-y screams. Frank, approached in the halls after the president's speech, shrugged off the incident.

But Clyburn was downright incredulous, saying he had not witnessed such treatment since he was leading civil rights protests in South Carolina in the 1960s.

"It was absolutely shocking to me," Clyburn said, in response to a question from the Huffington Post. "Last Monday, this past Monday, I stayed home to meet on the campus of Claflin University where fifty years ago as of last Monday... I led the first demonstrations in South Carolina, the sit ins... And quite frankly I heard some things today I have not heard since that day. I heard people saying things that I have not heard since March 15, 1960 when I was marching to try and get off the back of the bus."

"It doesn't make me nervous as all," the congressman said, when asked how the mob-like atmosphere made him feel. "In fact, as I said to one heckler, I am the hardest person in the world to intimidate, so they better go somewhere else." read more here....

Home Page

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) will vote "YES" for Health Insurance Reform (Video)

Home Page

The big confusion on passing the health care bill by 'Deem and Pass' (Video)

Deem and Pass explanation

Home Page

"Democrats will pay a price for this..." from Ed Schulz and no public option (Video)

Home Page

Speaker Nancy Pelosi says, "No Public Option" in the reconcilation bill

The White House is silent. Why? The White House NEVER WANTED a public option, even though the polling on it is the highest for this part of the legislation. Where is the competition? Where is the cost savings? What happened to "health care like congress?" Folks, the White House must protect their deals that was cut. In doing so, torpedo the public option. Well, if you want Democrats to be fired up this sure is not doing so. We have sat and watched Barack Obama save the auto industry, the corrupt banks and Wall Street, every one else, but us, nah, we don't need a bail out nor a public option. And let us not talk about the mandate to MAKE US, YOU AND ME, purchase insurance or a hefty fine on us!! And the big hook, the insurance companies get in the tens of millions new customers!!! And we should trust this crooked industry to do the right thing in pricing? Health care will be chopped up like auto insurance, those who are older, need more coverage it will cost a whole lot, others who are young will pick the very minimum. Is this what it should be? But in this bill, are any premium and cost caps there? Of course not, this is an insurance "love fest" of a bill, all about them!!!!

President Obama you are really bogus here, to the utmost.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on Thursday that she would not include a public option in a health care reconciliation package that the House will send to the Senate.

"We're talking about something that is not going to be part of the legislation," Pelosi said, noting "with sadness" that the public insurance option won't be part of legislation. "I'm quite sad that the public option is not in there," she said.

Earlier Thursday, a spokesman to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the Majority Whip, said Durbin would "aggressively whip" a health care bill that included a public option.

Pelosi, however, put the onus back on the Senate, saying that the chamber didn't have the votes needed for it.

"I'm not having the Senate, which didn't have a public option in its bill, put any of that on our doorstep," she said. "It did not prevail. What we will have in reconciliation will be something that is agreed upon, House and Senate, that they can pass and we can pass... It isn't in there because they don't have the votes."

Politicans only care about the next election, not us, including those at 1600 PA AVE, Washington, D.C.

WORD.

Source

Home Page

President Obama wants an up and down vote on health care (Video)

It is about time.

Finally, a call to action that should have been done at least six months ago. The White House has been dragged by a noose by the demoralized, now envigorated Republican Party and their constant WHINE while eating their cheese.

Health care reform, a basic moral RIGHT to all Americans has been successfully demoralized thanks to the obstruction of the Republican Party, with ample help of the Tea Baggers. While President Obama sat on his heels for a full year and said barely ANYTHING.

Sure, he gave speeches, but right now who in the hell is listening? At this point, many Americans craved this action a long time ago and are very skeptical of this leadership from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave through the halls of congress.

It took losing the late Senator Ted Kennedy's seat for this White House to get fire lit under their asses. They got scurred. And still, President Obama is trying bipartisanship by inputting things that the Republicans want in the bill, even though he KNOWS, he will not get ONE VOTE.

When this tale is written, it will be AFTER the November mid-term elections. If the Democrats lose either or both houses of congress, the so-called "dithering", "slowness", "aloofness" and "arrogance" attached to the Obama White House will be unleashed in full force.

Barack Obama knows that he must hold onto both houses in congress, if he does not, very little of any BOLD agenda will be passed going forward. I guess he may be relegated to tackle the tiny things like Bill Clinton did in "school uniforms for public schools".

That is not what the voters went to the polls for in 2008 and many have every reason to be just angry and exhausted by this White House and lack of movement from leadership in Washington, D.C.

So, finally, President Obama calls for an up and down vote on health care, while many Democrats wished to God he had been focused FULLY on getting Americans back to work, because that is the real reality out here for many unemployed. November is going to be rough for the Democrats.

President Barack Obama urged Congress Wednesday to vote "up or down" on sweeping health care legislation in the next few weeks, endorsing a plan that denies Senate Republicans the right to kill the bill by stalling with a filibuster.

"I don't see how another year of negotiations would help. Moreover, the insurance companies aren't starting over," Obama said, rejecting Republican calls to begin anew on an effort to remake the health care system.

The president made his appeal as Democratic leaders in Congress surveyed their rank and file for the votes needed to pass legislation by majority vote — invoking rules that deny Senate Republicans the right to block it through endless stalling debate. Obama specifically endorsed that approach GOP leaders were unmoved, despite Obama's declaration that he had incorporated a few of their proposals into his revised legislation.

The Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said a decision by Democrats to invoke rules that bar filibusters would be "met with outrage" by the public, and he said Obama was pushing a sweeping bill that voters don't want.

"They've had enough of this yearlong effort to get a win for the Democratic Party at any price to the American people," McConnell said on the Senate floor.

This is what things come to, when you do nothing, the other party hijacks your beloved message and destroys it.

Is it about time for this action? Absolutely, but for some Americans Obama and the Democrats maybe just too late.



Home Page

President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address, January 27, 2010 (Full Video and Transcript)

Vimeo Video
Transcript

Home Page

Bad news from the Supreme Court, "Corporations run this country" (Video)

If you think corporations run this country, not only are you correct but now corporations can spend millions to back any federal election. If you think congress is bought and sold, you are correct, they are.





Home Page

Barack Obama is out of touch.

Barack Obama conveyed to Robert Gibbs that he was surprised and frustrated by the Massachusetts race.

One question to our president, "Are you hiding under a rock?"

This utter statement speaks VOLUMES of Barack Obama.

It says to me, as a friend wrote to me in an email:

What Obama said through Gibbs was that he was "Surprised and Frustrated" about this election.

What does that say?

"Surprised" = I wasn't listening to the voters

"Frustrated" = Don't blame me

Where are his damn advisors and are they telling him the damn truth???

As we continue to parse over the Massachusettes election, remember who won here. A teabagger in fake Independent clothing, denouncing his Republicanism and embraced the public's frustration of Washington, D.C. not doing anything. And he won.

Barack Obama is in a danger zone. And all these people on this site who continue to say he can do no wrong continues to lead us to down a more ugly path. It is time to wake up, we are in trouble.

The loss of Ted Kennedy's senate seat is one of a larger issue, the issue of voter anger. The very same independents that voted with us are now voting against us and the question must be why?

There are four things that have stuck out for me as I have been listening to many people on the ground since the summer. These four things are what Barack Obama campaigned on.

* Fixing the housing situation

* Stopping the bailouts * Reel in spending

* Put in place finanacial regulations on the banks that brought this country to the brink

* Work on the economy and create jobs

The question now is this, "Has he done anything?" We saw the answer yesterday from Massachusetts and it is NO.

The public is not stupid. They are struggling and have been waiting. But we, the Democrats used our political capital for a health care bill, no insurance bill that is favored for the insurance companies and NOT US. In poll after poll this country wanted a public option, the independents wanted it, the democrats wanted it but this damn congress and White House was so entrenched with the lobbyists and insurance companies that they totally ignored it and us.

A disaster for failure.

Now the President is frustrated?

This is a weak statement, assessment, answer or whatever you want to call it. Barack Obama it is time to reboot and it starts in your White House.

Get rid of Rahm Emanuel, Jim Messina, Tim Geithner and David Axelrod.

Why?

What have they produced? Not a damn thing but continue to point you to the direction of disaster.

How this White House is so out of touch is unbelieveable. Utterly, unbelievable.

Stop the whining, complaining or shock. The mood of this country and its anger has been out here for months. You saw it first hand this summer when the teabaggers took over the health care debate, your communication and message has not been able to recover since.

Show some damn leadership. I mean, how often does this need to be written. There is no fear from you and your congress knows this. Howard Dean said it best:



The Democrats and you must get tougher.

People are fed up. They voted you and the Democrats into office with a mandate and to make changes. When people continue to perceive and look at you and the Democrats doing nothing, why should they continue to vote for you?

Massachusetts said it all. If you want to continue to cater to King Lieberman, Queen Snowe, Countess Collins and President Nelson with the Republicans it is a diasater for November.

You have about three months to start making decisive moves, changes and decisions. Your speech making days are over. Don't get me wrong, you are the best orator out there, but continuing these speeches with empty promises and no action the public can see means nothing.

Folks this is our president, we put him in office. At the same token, it is our government and we have every right to let them know how we feel. The days of "It is not Barack Obama's fault" is over. He is the leader of our party and look where he led us.

If we are not strong enough to acknowledge problems, then many have more crying days to come. If you thought yesterday was bad, continue on this disastrous path and November will make you go hide in a cave.

Again, the days of Rahm Emanuel, Jim Messina, Tim Geithner, Larry Summers should be OVER. Reboot time and boot them OUT.

Reality is a bitch, but this is our reality and we need to fix it.

Update [2010-1-20 14:13:14 by icebergslim]:

Stopping the bailouts is dubious. As Obama voted for the TARP monies, he has since monitored it. But the message is clear from the public. They did not like bailing out the banks, Wall Street, AIG, etc. They don't like the bonuses then and now. And this has hardened many on this administration and its relationship with Wall Street.

Update [2010-1-20 14:27:7 by icebergslim]:

Obama says hold off for HCR until Brown is seated.

For all those who say push this health insurance plan through, it is not to be. Do you think we will get anything with this decision? Again, sigh.... and this is for many levels....

Update [2010-1-20 14:49:4 by icebergslim]:

Labor will not support house passing senate bill as is

Update [2010-1-20 15:8:19 by icebergslim]:

You left out firing Tim Kaine and rehiring Dean

AMEN on that one, AMEN...

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

AND...

"Massachusetts voters who backed Barack Obama in the presidential election a year ago and either switched support to Republican Senate candidate Scott Brown or simply stayed home, said in a poll conducted after the election Tuesday night that if Democrats enact tougher policies on Wall Street, they'll be more likely to come back to the party in the next election.

A majority of Obama voters who switched to Brown said that "Democratic policies were doing more to help Wall Street than Main Street." A full 95 percent said the economy was important or very important when it came to deciding their vote.

Home Page

Are the White House and Democrats dumber than a box of rocks on this excise tax?

At this point, yes, dumber than a box of rocks.

We now are arguing about the excise tax which will shaft middle class workers while the White House and congress will attempt to put lipstick on a nasty pig and make us believe that we must do this.

Who is buying this and if so, what are you smoking or even drinking?

I heard from 2 people recently.

One a friend whose brother is a member of the Teamsters and asked his sister directly, "Is Barack really going to try to tax my health care plan? He said he would not do that. If so, I am done with him."

The other, my brother a RN who is also a member of a union who called me in the wee hours of the morning chomping on the bits about congress taxing his health care plan and he heard this in the break room at his job.

I could not say anything to him because those in the bubble at 1600 PA AVE think they can get away with this and they probably will.

Hell, they have gotten away with watering down this health care bill, no health insurance bill, to practically nothing. Our president said that he did not campaign on the public option, when all his statements, speeches pointed that he did but we are looking at selective memory here. Our President said he would get cheaper drugs to us in this country and chastised the Bush Administration for the Medicare D sweetheart deal to the pharmaceutical companies when now the White House did the same damn thing, no cheaper drugs for us, American citizens. To even be more direct, remember this about the pharmaceutical companies?



And the icing on the cake is when the White House put that pressure down on the Byron Dorgan's Drug Importation Amendment and Democrats, yes, Democrats voted no for cheaper drugs to protect the White House sweetheart deal.

Sigh, Turkana is right, we have crumbled down to nothing with this health care bill, no health care insurance bill.

Now the Labor Unions have stepped in. The very same tax the White House is talking about will have direct affect to members of unions across this country. It will tax their health care plans. But do the White House or even Democrats in congress get it?

Union leaders, who are fighting a proposal to tax high-end health care plans (which would hit many union and non-union workers), have been working closely with House Democratic leadership to fight the provision and are slated to go to the Hill to talk strategy soon. (Updated Below)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Cali.), along with Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), have both stressed their opposition to the so-called Cadillac Tax, on both policy and political grounds. In its place, they want to finance reform by issuing a tax on the wealthy -- a provision that labor supports.

But the deck seems stacked against them -- both the Senate and the White House are committed to including the excise tax in the final health care bill, citing the benefit it has in reeling in health care costs. In an hour-long meeting on Monday, the president did his best to present the benefits of the proposal in an effort to alleviate some of labor's concerns.

Details of the White House meeting are scant, with union sources staying uncharacteristically mum. But sources tell the Huffington Post that Obama re-affirmed his support of the excise tax while also signaling that he would try and find ways to dull its affect on working families. Several compromises were broached, including the possibility of raising the tax threshold from family health care plans valued at $23,000 to those valued at $25,000.

Whether this is enough of a concession to win labor's support, which seems unlikely, or at least mollify their opposition remains to be seen. But, at this juncture, the impasse over the excise tax seems quite vast -- to the point where it is no longer unreasonable to wonder if it could trip up the broader reform effort.

President Obama re-affirming his support of the excise tax.

Let me tell you what will happen. Or more importantly, do you remember President Bush (41) and how he got out of office? The Democrats used his own words to vote him out, "Read my lips, no new taxes..." And what did President Bush (41) do? He raised new taxes.

Barack Obama is on video during the campaign promising not to raise taxes on the middle class in this country. If the congress does this, expect videos out after the bill is signed, the next day. And you think we can explain this away? When many Americans are hurting, don't have jobs, hours cut on jobs, wages reduced, families struggling? Do you think the public will take this? I don't think so.

Sure, the Republicans are gas bags and ass hats. The public knows this. But if you want to really suppress voting, don't have boots on the ground, evaporated GOTV, then Democrats tax the shit out of the very public that put your asses in charge.

People that have union health plans, most have given major concessions to have this one luxury. It is called decent health insurance which most Americans DON'T have.

Finally, what happened about repealing the Bush Tax Cuts? We are too afraid to do this, but don't give a damn about taxing the shit out of folks who are barely making it out here?

I am sorry, but none of this makes any damn sense to me. What are the Democrats thinking!!

Update [2010-1-12 14:59:49 by icebergslim]:

Bush Tax Cuts Expiring the end of 2010

Update [2010-1-12 15:2:18 by icebergslim]:

inclusive heart makes a very valid point, it is not just union households that this will affect, but anyone will get clipped by this tax, which will force you to buy a plan at a cheaper cost and less coverage. Good point.

Update [2010-1-12 16:38:52 by icebergslim]:

This from the federal and postal employees union:

The letter from the federal and postal employees frames the tax as both inequitable and potentially damaging to the prospects of recruiting future government employees. The groups write:

"While the excise tax is slated to be imposed on the insurers on so-called high cost plans, the tax will be passed on to enrollees in the form of higher premiums, co-pays or reduced benefits. [Blue Cross blue Shield] plans cover approximately 48 % of [Federal Employees Health Benefits Program] enrollees, or nearly 3.8 million Americans. Single enrollees would be subject to the effects of the tax in 2013, while families are hit in the third year. Including other, non-BC/BS plans, more than one-half of active and retired enrollees will face the effects of these taxes that accumulate to thousands of dollars in the middle to out years of the Senate-passed bill. Because we understand the value of all health care is counted towards the threshold amounts, enrollees with dental or vision coverage, or a Flexible Spending account, could reach the thresholds even sooner and feel the effects of this tax earlier.

Characterizing this tax proposal as a "Cadillac tax" is a misnomer. It hits the average blue collar and white collar employee or annuitant. FEHBP insurers will simply reduce coverage and, as the taxes increase, a downward spiral towards less coverage will ensue, which is antithetical to health care reform's states purpose. Penalizing FEHBP enrollees with this tax is a huge disincentive to qualified applicants seeking federal or postal employment. It is bad for the government and bad policy overall.

People around here forget that Barack Obama told Hillary Clinton that words matter. Well, words do matter, the words matter more so from our president. When you continue to go back on what you said, you deserve to get blasted and many have the right to become suspect. That means we have the right to question every step made by this administration and as the unions have reminded our president, he needs to remember what he said during the campaign.



Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

Home Page