Pelosi Draws A Line In The Sand-- Vows To Potect Seniors From Conservative Predators

Grimm & Garrett-- bad for their own constituents

I'm so old, I'll believe it's a firm line in the sand rather than a negotiating ploy when I see the roll call being counted. But Thursday Pelosi did make the strongest statement yet about opposing the plutocrats' demands-- voiced by the politicians they own-- that Medicare's eligibility age be raised.

“As I have said, don’t even think about raising Medicare age,” Pelosi said. “We are not throwing America’s seniors over the cliff to give a tax cuts to the wealthiest people in America.”

Asked in a follow-up question whether she was worried that Obama’s willingness in 2011 to entertain a higher Medicare age and other cuts to social insurance benefits suggests he might agree to similar cuts today, Pelosi issued a subtle warning to both men.

“The President knows our views shares our values, we respect his leadership,” she said. “And the Speaker may need our votes to go forward.”

In other words, she’ll have a big say over whether any deal they strike can pass the House.“

The fewer Republican votes Boehner can bring to the table, the weaker his bargaining position for getting right-wing demands to cripple Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security-- unless, God forbid, Pelosi is somehow incorrect about Obama sharing our values.

The Republicans have studied the election returns-- and are now working with great diligence to disregard them and alter the realities on the ground as though Romney, Todd Akin, Richard Mourdock, Allen West, Joe Walsh, Pete Hoekstra, Scott Brown, Tommy Thompson, Connie Mack, Mary Bono Mack, Tony Strickland and the whole cast of defeated characters had actually won. What they're doing in Michigan is tantamount to creating an out-and-out fascist dictatorship. And nationally, they're trying to exploit every tactic they can pull out of ALEC's bag of tricks to overturn the meaning and significance of the huge Democratic wins last month. They've already been successful in denying an always pusillanimous Obama his choice for Secretary of State and they're now working-- against him and against the expressed will of the American people-- to derail any chance for turning the real economy around (job creation) by insisting on the failed European Austerity agenda, highlighting, in particular, gutting programs conservatives have always hated, particularly Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Is Obama strong enough to face them down? Nothing in the mediocre history of his first term would indicate he is-- or that he even wants to.

We all know there's a new hostage crisis brewing over the debt ceiling but their latest brinkmanship and newest leverage point is in extracting pain from the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

The Senate Appropriations Committee has unveiled a new $60.4 billion bill that would help pay for recovery efforts after Sandy. The funding request is part of an existing military and veterans affairs bill, thus allowing the House and Senate to consider the bill at the same time. However, Republicans in both chambers say the President and Democrats have not provided enough evidence that the full $60 billion is needed.

“Can I verbalize that stinky look on my face?” asked Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) earlier this week, as he talked about the bill.

One House aide suggested that Congress “wait a few months” before deploying the emergency funds.

And, tragically, a New Jersey Republican congressman, far right ideologue Scott Garrett, is leading the fight against aid-- to his own constituents!

A day after Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) called disaster relief for Hurricane Sandy “wasteful spending,” Reps. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Steve King (R-IA), Raul Labrador (R-ID), and Jeff Landry (R-LA), all from the more conservative wing of the House GOP, told The Hill that they will demand offsets for disaster spending.

Another GOP grifter, Gambino Crime Family Congressman Michael "Mikey Suits" Grimm, who represents Staten Island, ground zero for Sandy victims, is also getting in the way of aid. Despite a federal investigation into criminal activities, Grimm was just reelected with 72,102 votes from the Staten Island portion of the district, at the same time those same constituents were voting for President Obama. This was the only New York City district McCain won in 2008. This year President Obama won it-- both Staten Island and the Brooklyn portion of the district (which Grimm lost). On his website, Grimm is whining about a relief request being too small, while keeping his mouth shut when his House colleagues are threatening to deny it. Republicans are determined to block disaster relief. Isn't it time for Garrett and Grimm to stand up for their own constituents? And what about Peter King (Long Island)? And the 5 other New Jersey congressmen, Frank LoBiondo, Jon Runyan, Chris Smith, Leonard Lance and Rodney Frelinghuysen... cat got your tongues? I hope Donna Edwards, who was named Thursday to chair the DCCC Recruitment Committee-- the one bright spot in the announcement of Steve Israel's otherwise all New Dem team-- is taking notes.