Obama Stumbles Badly... But If He Starts Paying Attention To Democrats Like Bernie Sanders, He Might Recover

Really pathetic to read this on the White House Blog yesterday: Myth: President Obama caved. Even sadder that they're still defending the Satan Sandwich that has caused the stock market to crash. Sadder still is that they took 95 Democrats over the cliff with them. They all based their support for the bill Boehner brags got 98% of what the GOP wanted on the assumption that the mean old Republicans had a gun to their heads and that they would crash the economy. If Obama was a leader or the Democrats had any guts they would have called their bluff or used the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling without giving in the right-wing hostage-taking and terrorism. Instead we get a mealy-mouthed defense of an untenable stand that solves nothing at all and that the markets saw right through, as it fell off a cliff.

Here's Independent Senator Bernie Sanders explaining to CNN airhead Wolf Bintzer why he voted against it and what's really wrong with the deal:



Bernie:

The first round of $917 billion in discretionary cuts over the next 10 years will begin in the 2012 budget. Although nobody can predict exactly what programs will be cut and by how much because those decisions will be made over the coming months and years by the appropriation committees, here’s what working families can look forward to:

  · At a time when there are long waiting lists for affordable childcare and Head Start, it is likely that these programs will be significantly cut.

  · At a time when the United States is falling further and further behind other countries in the terms of the quality of our education, it is likely that tens of thousands of teachers and school personnel will be laid off.

  · At a time when working class families are finding it harder and harder to send their kids to college, it is likely that there will be cutbacks in federal student aid programs.

  · At a time when hunger among seniors and children is rising, it is likely that there will be cutbacks in various nutrition programs.

  · At a time when 50 million Americans have no health insurance and many of them are utilizing community health centers as their medical homes, it is likely that there will be cuts in primary healthcare.

  · At a time when states, cities and towns have already laid off over 500,000 public service employees, it is likely that there will be even more lay-offs in police and fire protection, and large reductions in federal support for roads, bridges, water quality, sewage and public transportation.

Further, there will likely be cuts in home heating assistance, affordable housing, support for family based agriculture, and research in finding cures for cancer and other diseases.   

In addition, there will likely be major staffing reductions in agencies which are trying to protect the physical health and economic well-being of our people. It is quite likely that the EPA, which enforces the rules regarding clean water and clean air, will be cut. The SEC, which regulates against the greed and recklessness of Wall Street, will be undermined. It is also very possible that the Social Security Administration, which assures that seniors and the disabled receive the benefits to which they are entitled in a timely manner, will also be cut.  

That is just some of what will likely happen as a result of the first $900 billion in cuts in this $2.5 trillion deficit reduction package.  
 
The second phase of this legislation calls for the establishment of a Super Committee composed of 3 Democrats and 3 Republicans from the House and 3 Democrats and 3 Republicans from the Senate.  Let's be clear. The mandate for this 12 member Super Committee is to look at EVERY program of the federal government and come up with $1.5 trillion more in savings. This means that, at a time when the Republicans and an increased number of Democrats are calling for major cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, all of these programs will be on the chopping block.  

If the committee is unable to reach an agreement with a majority vote, there will then be a "sequestration" process which would require $500 billion in cuts to defense spending and $500 billion more in across-the-board cuts to domestic discretionary spending. In that scenario, Social Security, Medicare benefits and Medicaid would be spared, but even more draconian cuts would occur in programs that sustain working families.  

Here is the great irony with regard to the deficit reduction process that we have just gone through:
 
In poll after poll, the American people have made it clear that they believe in shared sacrifice. Instead of putting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education and environmental protection on the chopping block, the American people have said that they believe the best way to reduce the deficit is to end tax breaks for the wealthy, big oil, and Wall Street and take a hard look at military spending. Yet, the budget deal just approved does the exact opposite of what the American people want. The wealthy and large corporations contribute nothing while there will be a major reduction in services for working families and the most vulnerable people in our country.  

Enough is enough! The American people must fight back. We need a government which represents all the people, not just the wealthy, campaign contributors and lobbyists. In these tough and discouraging times, despair is not an option. This fight is not just for us, it is for our children and grandchildren and for the environmental survival of the planet.

Every single Blue America-endorsed candidate for Congress has said they would have voted against the Satan Sandwich. Alan Grayson wrote a pledge that was signed by Ed Potosnak (NJ), Nick Ruiz (FL), Ilya Sheyman (IL) and Norman Solomon (CA). Eric Griego (NM) and Chris Donovan put out their own statements with the same points-- these points (Grayson):

We Are Against Any and Every Cut to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits. Not today, not tomorrow, and not ever. No way, no how. Not on your life, and not on mine, because both your life and my life may depend on it.

N-E-V-E-R.

Norman Solomon, one of the signers sent this message out to voters in northern California yesterday, further reinforcing and explaining his position:

This is a very bad deal and a huge mistake. Instead of capitulating to Republican ideologues in Congress, we should stand our ground on behalf of seniors, children and other vulnerable Americans. All the rhetoric about “shared sacrifice” rings hollow when the vast majority of us are being sacrificed to the benefit of big banks and Wall Street.

There are plenty of sensible and effective ways to reduce the deficit-- including a transaction tax on Wall Street, an end to the Bush tax cuts for the very wealthy and a major reduction in military spending. But the bipartisan dealmakers in Washington are ripping up the social compact and slashing the safety net that’s essential for vast numbers of Americans.

One of the most dangerous aspects of this deal is that it explicitly sets the stage for future actions to undermine Medicare. This scenario is a betrayal that strikes at the heart of precious values, and it’s among many of the current threats to vital social programs. I am committed to defending Social Security and Medicare on the campaign trail and as a member of Congress.

As a progressive Democrat, I will support the president’s policies when he’s right-- and I will oppose his policies when he’s wrong. With this budget deal, he is profoundly wrong.

The people of this congressional district have a right to know how each candidate for Congress would have voted on this budget deal. I would have joined with other progressive House members in voting no.