Are we watching a re-run of Caver-in-Chief?

I really hope I am wrong about this but after watching President Barack Obama and pretty much stating he has gone "at least half way", I just don't trust what will come down.

We have seen this show before and it was his lack of leadership and his hunger for that 'bi-partisanship" that turned a lot of people off to him.

Now here we go again. But it takes one of my close friends on this site who told me before the election that, "Barack Obama will be re-elected, state he will protect entitlement programs, but will disappoint and lie in the end."

Well, from what is being floated out here, that individual may not be far from the truth.

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After all we have been through, watching the richest of all RICH ride the backs of the other 98% in this country, I would think that President Obama needs to understand why he was re-elected.

Why we are putting Social Security on the table, a self-sustaining program, for cuts is not what the public re-elected him for?

After watching the most richest corporations in this country, lie, steal, gouge the public and needed a bail out (yes, the banks and AIG) but gave NOTHING BACK TO THE PUBLIC, is just unconscionable. And the sad part about all this is that these companies has hoarded money while watching this economy with little job growth just demise. This is the ultimate of greediness that anyone has ever witnessed.

We saw little help to Main Street from this administration in regards to the housing market. But we watched the culprits who conned many Americans into the fake housing bubble, walk away with billions from their con-job efforts, with no restitution to the public at all and certainly no PRISON TIME, just makes anyone hate politics. Yes, all of that happened and we watched this administration do nothing to those who destroyed this economy. Well, we heard stern speeches, but accountability? Not from Washington, D.C.

We continue to war on as if it just does not matter in this country, while we see men and women who have had 4, 5, 6 reoccurring theater jumps to Afghanistan, Iraq. And we continue to waste money on an un-winnable war that we don't have, but we want to cut up Social Security? Where is the reason here?

I have paid taxes into Medicare and Social Security since I have been working at 15 years old. Why should these programs be not available to me? Why should I work to 67 or 70 years old to have access to them? I don't understand this.

The last I saw from November 6, 2012 is that President Obama won the election on the platform he ran on and it was not cutting Social Security or decimating Medicare. The last I remember, he won handily and resounding over Mitt Romney, extending the senate for Democrats and picking up house seats. I thought that was a mandate.

Look, at the end of the day, Barack Obama can go mealy-mouth, wishy-washy and end up having many stay at home for 2014, like he did in 2010. Or he can remember who brought him to the dance, who worked for him, who voted for him, who REMEMBERS what the hell he said on the campaign trail.

Cutting these programs are gutting millions who have worked all their lives for this. We are not welfare kings or queens, we fucking worked and paid TAXES for these programs.

If President Obama does this, he will regret it down the road. As will the Democratic Party.

Full Press Conference from today, below:

To the Caver-in-Chief: Cave on the big 3, then expect many to CAVE ON YOU

Many are sitting here shocked that a Democratic President, Barack Obama is freely and willing to cut benefits from Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Programs that the public PAYS INTO from their taxes. Again, let me repeat, a program people PAY INTO with their taxes. These are not welfare programs but taxpayers programs.

Let's not get it twisted.

If the reports from the front page are true, then President Obama expect millions to CAVE ON YOU.


Why is Barack Obama negotiating ANYTHING? He is a horrible negotiator. Now he believes he is feeling the pressure and is willing for IMMEDIATE CUTS and "maybe" tax hikes down the road? What is he going to do? Come out with a lame excuse about the debt ceiling and we must protect our credit image on the backs of millions of Americans who pay into these services and they should be OK to just let him make a deal to cut these programs?

Barack Obama is wrong on all levels.

Let's be clear. President Obama is in trouble of his own making. This country is in trouble fiscally because of the UNPAID Medicare D program. This country is in trouble because of the UNPAID Bush/Obama tax cuts. This country is in trouble because of the ongoing WARS, 10 years and counting going on in Afghanistan and Iraq. This country is in trouble because of mismanagement from POLITICIANS who have not been responsible.

Sorry, President Obama. You had the choice to stop the Medicare D program, but caved on it with a deal with Big Pharma. You told us on the campaign trail that you would fight for us to negoitiate with other countries for lower prescription drug costs, but caved. You did that.

Sorry, President Obama. You had the CHOICE to end the Bush Tax Cuts. You had the chance, but again, you allowed the GOP to put you in a box by stating they would not extend unemployment benefits. Instead of FIGHTING and going to the American Public for the fight, you just caved and went along to get along. And guess what???? The Bush/Obama Rich Folk Tax Cuts are not helping you now and PART of the deficit in this country. Remember, you did that.

Sorry, President Obama. Two wars going on. 2 billion being spent a WEEK for nation building in countries that many don't give 2 shits about has put us in the position we are in. Yes, you walked into a disaster, but you sure are not getting out any time soon. In fact, with all this "CUT TALK" when are we going to have a REAL TALK on cutting the massive defense budget that is DRAINING THIS COUNTRY. No, we can't have that talk, but you want to just cut safety nets from millions of Americans who depend on it? This move is not only selfish but shocking coming from a Democratic President.

If this is about Independent Voters, I would like to see polling from them and how they feel about their Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid being cut. I just have a hunch, they would not be down for that type of cutting either.

Lastly, don't come and tell me and the many millions that we must SACRIFICE. When you have NOT held any entity responsible for crapping this economy. Umm, like the Banks, Corporations, Wall Street??? They continue to get a pass, but we have to suck it up by allowing you to make one of the most fucked up deals in history? Hell, how can Democrats even campaign next year on "PROTECTING MEDICARE, SOCIAL SECURITY" when you are willing to just chop it away?? You call that fair and shared sacrifice? I call it utter bullshit coming from the White House.

Folks, let us hope this is a trial balloon (which I don't believe since POTUS keeps talking about a BIG DEAL). Keep it up, President Obama, if your legacy includes cutting the foundation of the Democratic Party, you are surely on your way back home to Chicago, NEXT YEAR, for good.

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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Democrats, "Don't BLINK!!"

Right now it appears there is a stale mate between the White House and the House Republicans on raising the debt ceiling and cutting trillions for the sake of the deficit. And yes, the GOP want to put Medicare on the table, front and center.

The Republicans are proud of the Paul Ryan Plan of eliminating Medicare as we know it. The Ryan Plan will eliminate many programs within Medicare, as we know it. The Republicans have decided to double down on this to their own peril. (Latest CNN Poll is that the GOP is losing the Medicare argument, in other words, they are SINKING!!)

Democrats, let them double down. It is their problem. Let them hang themselves by their own noose on this one. Don't you dare put Medicare/Medicaid or Social Security on the table, period.

The implications of the Washington, D.C. Republicans are being watched, heard, and consumed by the voters out here. You now have GOP politicians running for office scared to commit to the Paul Ryan Plan. Case and point, look at Candidate Mike Haridopolos from Florida. He was afraid or "scurred" to come out plainly to support the Ryan Plan.

During the Ray Junior radio show, Florida Senate candidate Mike Haridopolos (R) was asked 10 times if he would vote for Ryan’s budget. After ducking the question 10 times, the host hung up on Haridopolos.

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This is the litmus test that will be pressured on every single Republican running for office in 2012. It is the "with us or against us" test, a test to see if you are a true conservative.

The Republicans have decided to stand still and not vote to increase the debt limit, unless they get their way on massive 1 trillion in cuts, including Medicare. The real deal on the debt limit is that it has been raised 74 times since 1962 and TEN TIMES WHILE BUSH WAS IN OFFICE. We heard NOTHING from the Republicans about the debt ceiling, who were in charge during most of former President George W. Bush's tenure. In fact, we all know it is the Republicans that put this economy on the destructive road it is at with wars off the books, Medicare D not being paid for, tax cuts for the very rich in this country, also not being paid for. But now, the Republican Party has a come to Jesus moment and must bring the deficit in check no matter how many people they throw under the bus.

This is what we are dealing with in Washington, D.C. Ideologues so out of touch, that many voters from Wisconsin, to Michigan, to Ohio, to Florida are having SERIOUS buyers’ remorse. So, if the Republicans are in such a cluster fuck, why would we even consider BLINKING when it comes to Medicare/Medicaid or Social Security for that matter?

Today, President Obama met with the House Republicans and from reports it was a frank meeting. It appears that both sides are at a stale mate. During this meeting Speaker of the House John Boehner is now linking raising the debt ceiling to job creation.

“Increasing the debt ceiling without significant spending cuts and budget reforms will send a message to American job creators that we still are not serious about ending Washington’s spending addiction, and this will bring further harm to private- sector job growth in America,” Boehner said in the statement.

Whatever.

And Congressman Paul Ryan is whining about how his wonderful GOP Budget is getting smeared and slammed by the White House and is practically begging for the President to not be so harsh.

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan said that at today’s meeting he expressed concerns to Obama about how the president was characterizing the plan Ryan wrote to privatize Medicare by giving people subsidies to buy health insurance.

“We’ve got to get our debt under control, and if we try to demagogue each other’s attempts to do that then we’re not applying the kind of political leadership we need to get this economy growing,” Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, told reporters.

At this point, I don't care about the Republicans whining and crying. After all the smears they did on the Obama Healthcare Plan and literally won re-election on the back of lies? Why should the Democrats give them a pity party? Yet, alone to even listen to putting Medicare or any other program on the table for cuts?

Lastly, let me reiterate how the public feels about this. From a Democratic Pollster:

If Democrats in deficit negotiations agree to a compromise that cuts Medicare benefits to seniors, they risk squandering the advantage they’ve built up over Republicans on the issue since 2010 and risk losing their more general edge as defenders of the middle class, a top Dem pollster who just completed an extensive health care poll tells me.

Jeff Liszt, of the respected Dem firm Anzalone Liszt, has just completed a poll for two liberal-leaning groups finding that the Paul Ryan Medicare plan is deeply unpopular with voters, and particularly with seniors and independents, when the plan is described to them. The poll also found that Obama and Dems have increased their advantage over Republicans on Medicare, on health care in general, and on who can be trusted to defend the middle class.

Now, President Obama and Leader Reid can sit and listen to the Republicans, but if they feel pressured to put Medicare on the table for cuts, negotiation they will have a very hard time for re-election let alone gaining more house and senate seats. Right now, Medicare is blunting the economy which is the biggest elephant in the room. Do we need to go stupid now?

I hope not.

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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Democrats, "Don't shoot yourselves in the foot"

Look, it is obvious that last nights win in NY-26, a redder than red district, for the Democrat Kathy Hochul was due to the scare of changing Medicare as we know it.

There were Republicans in NY-26, who stated out loud that they have never voted for a Democrat in that district, but the Paul Ryan MedicScare Plan was too much to bear. They held their noses and voted DEMOCRAT.

Now, Democrats with a SHITTY, SHITTY economy that is not going to improve anytime soon, do you want to remove your ACE and state that Medicare is on the table for negotiation? Seriously?

Look, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) (my senator) and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) need to shut their fucking MOUTHS. Period.

When you have the wind in your back for an issue that is passionate to seniors, why FUCK IT UP? But, this issue is not only passionate to current seniors but to anyone in their mid-40s and early 50s. They don't want Medicare, as they know it, to change to a voucher program, either. Believe me, this is all I hear from work colleagues, many who are in the 40s-early 50s age group. Democrats, they are not only watching but LISTENING.

Lastly, there should be NO WAVERING from President Obama. He should pick the phone up NOW and tell Durbin and Hoyer that Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security is not on the table for negotiation. If he does not and his message is muddled, he and the Democrats will pay a price.

According to a set of new surveys by Public Policy Polling, voters would punish President Obama for backing cuts in either Medicare or changes to the Social Security program.

Polling done in Ohio, Missouri, Minnesota and Montana shows significant resistance to cuts in benefits in these swing states. 58% of Ohio voters said they were less likely to vote for President Obama if he backed or signed cuts to Medicare, and 53% said they were less likely to vote for him if he altered the retirement age. Similar results were obtained in the other three states.

Yes, the price they will pay is that the Democrats are no different than the Republicans when it comes to Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security cuts. In other words, the Democrats would have trumped their own hand and will be battling to regain the narrative edge. After more than two years of a muddled message and losing the House, did the Democrats not learn ANYTHING?

Democrats, for GOD'S SAKE, if you want to win next year let the Republicans continue to scare the public to the POLLS to save their MEDICARE. People are waking up and paying attention. Hell, you see Republicans running "scurred" and walking their remarks back!! What more do you need?

Democrats, just don't fuck it up.

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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