At The End Of This Day, I Am Still Proud To Be A Democrat, And I Am Still A Fan Of President Obama

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

Now, I'm not a big fan of Chained CPI like many, and I'm not going to come on here and say that we must never question President Obama's thinking or actions, but some of what I have witnessed today has been completely disheartening, with some writing that President Obama has been a "sellout" or that you "only voted for him because he was the lesser of two evils". What is even more surprising is some that say they are simply going to stay home in 2014, or others that completely trash "Blue Dog" Democrats.

That's the attitude to have if you want our overall party to weaken and for us to lose ground in 2014, perhaps even losing the Senate. Then, you'll REALLY see seniors, and the whole nation for that matter, get screwed over, beyond anything "Chained CPI" would do. And the fact is President Obama is simply including that in a budget PROPOSAL as part of a negotiation for God's sake! And the President is not simply negotiating with fair-minded counterparts on the other side of the isle that have simply a "difference of opinion", while maintaining respect and dignity. He is negotiating with people so far to the right that Ronald Reagan wouldn't even recognize them, all the while they are HELLBENT on destroying not only our movement, but this President, who has done a HELL of a lot for our liberal cause.

With regards to Blue Dogs, I can say that I live in a rural part of Pennsylvania, and though I do not consider myself a "Blue Dog" mainly because I hold liberal positions on the social issues as well as economics, what I can tell you is that some of the most loyal Democratic voters I know fall into your category of a "Blue Dog" that should be written off and condemned as a "Republican in Democratic clothing." This President did NOT win re-election simply because us Progressives voted for him. He won because "Blue Dogs" in Iowa, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia chose him because they believe in the greater cause of the Democratic party, even though they may hold different opinions on issues, perhaps like abortion or gun control. It is also VERY possible that we would not be in control of the United States Senate if it weren't for Blue Dogs. Then, you would see a level of obstructionism unparalleled to anything we have witnessed in the past 4 years.

Bottom line, we can disagree and question the President all we want, especially on an issue close to us Democrats such as Social Security, but we need to stop having these hissy fits every time President Obama acts like the bigger person while in negotiations with the GOP.

[winter is coming]

1. Nothing says, "I'm acting like the bigger person," than cutting Grandma's benefits.

Thank God he's not trying to be the biggest person.

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

3. He'sbeing the bigger person while in negotiations with people who are willing to compromise NOTHING

In an effort for additional revenue, something that affects everybody, not just Grandma.

[winter is coming]

7. So... if he "wins", the rich will pay a little more and the middle class and poor will get screwed.

Yeah, that "solution" is full of win.

As much as they'll complain about it, the rich won't go hungry, or lose their housing or healthcare, if they have to pay more taxes. Seniors are barely squeaking by as it is. It's not a reasonable "compromise" when one side suffers disproportionately.

[forestpath]

13. +1That about sums it up.

[HiPointDem]

32. i could give a damn what kind of person he is. my concern is what he *does* & what effect

his actions have, not his moral development.

and the fate of the democratic party is only of interest to me so far as that party represents my interests. when it stops doing so, it can go hang, i won't care.

[choie]

44. you are so right, HiPointDem...

I am so sick of hearing what a good man Obama is - what a good father and husband he is ---blah, blah, blah. It is what he DOES that matters. and what he has done and is proposing to do indicates a lack of caring about anybody but his donors and the 1%.

[Tarheel_Dem]

9. Nice Palinesque style talking point you got there....

Obama's "Killing Grandma"...... Between you & Sarah, poor Grandma's been through hell.

[winter is coming]

12. You somehow think cutting seniors' benefits will help them?

Build their character, perhaps?

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

20. Haha! Yes, we must not forget...

It was a close one for grandma back in 2009 with the death panels!!!

[Tarheel_Dem]

53. Between the "Death Panels" and the "Catfood Commission" talking points,

if Grandma ain't already dead, I'll bet she's traumatized as hell.

[nashville_brook]

76. +1

[freshwest]

2. Well said Matt.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

4. At the end of the day, even though he abuses me, I am still proud to be his wife,

and I still love him!

[MotherPetrie]

5. That's what it sounded like to me, too.

I think it's called cognitive dissonance.

[forestpath]

10. Perfect analogy.

[Zoeisright]

11. You have NO idea what an abused wife puts up with.

Or you wouldn't make such an ignorant and insulting statement.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

19. Yep. That was very insensitive. nt

[jsr]

46. Or spare the rod and spoil the child, etc.

Therefore the beatings MUST continue.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

6. HUGE K&R! nt

[Tarheel_Dem]

8. Thank You. And these people backed Jill Stein, no matter what they tell you. "Base", my ass.

[liberal_at_heart]

16. You are going on ignore before I end up saying something that will get my post hidden.

[Marr]

26. Who is Jill Stein, oh Great Seer of Bullshit?

Can you turn your crystal ball a little my way so I can see who I voted for?

[Union Scribe]

54. The ignorance of that statement is awe-inspiring.

It's like DU is infested with Beliebers or something.

[Tarheel_Dem]

63. There is an infestation, but I call 'em "firebaggers".

[Union Scribe]

66. You guys haven't thought up a newer term?

"firebagger" is so 2010.

[Tarheel_Dem]

83. Why should the "term" change? The baggers haven't.

[rhett o rick]

14. We need to let him know that we wont stand for a Democratic president cutting SS and Medicare.

That's the bottom line.

"It is also VERY possible that we would not be in control of the United States Senate if it weren't for Blue Dogs." I'd like to point out that we are not in control of the US Senate.

As far as Blue Dogs, they are conservatives. They dont like the fanatical REpub Party so they are destroying our party with their ideology. I say kick them to the curb. Let them choose Republicans and not hold our party hostage.

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

17. That's fine...

Democrats expressing disapproval with Chained CPI and SS cuts is one thing. It's just the overall attitude that progressives won't even vote in 2014, or that Democrats anymore are no better than Republicans, etc. That's what I can't stand.

And are there not 53 Democrats in the current Senate, with 2 additional Independents caucusing with us. And is Harry Reid not the majority leader?

[rhett o rick]

24. No one is saying that progressives will stay home in 2014. That's crap.

"And are there not 53 Democrats in the current Senate, with 2 additional Independents caucusing with us. And is Harry Reid not the majority leader?" Yes to both, which makes it all the more crappy when they bow down to the Republicans. We have the numbers but no control. That means some Democrats are no better than Republicans. Sen Reid is the best friend the Repub Senators ever had.

The Democratic Party has to kick out the damn blue dogs and get back to Democratic principles. And that means, no cutting SS and Medicare.

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

28. There were quite a few in other threads..

That were essentially saying why bother voting in 2014. And it is that kind of attitude that causes midterms like 2010, when the GOP is energized.

[rhett o rick]

31. As I have said a dozen times, I was on the battle lines in 2010 and there were not centrists there.

It was progressives that volunteered to help candidates, operated phone banks, went door to door. Not one centrist. They stayed home because they are centrists and on the line so why worry?

[treestar]

15. It was also combined with a tax increase on the rich and

was not going to apply to low income people, and it's not a cut but a slowing of raises.

All that is ignored by the same old crowd that blames the POTUS for everything and ignores the Republicans' power and then runs away like babies to let the Republicans win even more. These are not people who can help anyone win.

[rhett o rick]

30. Progressives dont run away. It's the damn centrists that vote republican half the time that

stay away. Progressives say DO NOT CUT SS AND MEDICARE. What are the centrists saying? The Democratic Party has shifted to the right and are now proposing to cut SS and Medicare.

In 2010 those that I saw on the battle lines were not centrists, they were progressives. Door-belling, phone-banking, sending emails, volunteering to help candidates. They were progressives, every one of them. The centrists stayed home because they really didnt care who won.

[treestar]

48. On DU at least it was always the progressives

saying they were going to stay home because Obamacare was not single payer.

Then the Republicans won the House. And got more of the Senate, state houses and started gerrymandering and trying to change the electoral college in Democratic POTUS voting states, so as to divide their electoral votes.

Now they are doing the same thing again. Whining about Obama rather than talking about 2014 and how they're going to get a Democratic house back and get some state offices back to avoid further Republican cheating.

No, they are doing the same old, same old, and I don't believe for a minute they work harder. People who work hard on the Democratic party's campaigns do not bash the Democrats. If they bash anyone, it is the Republicans.

It is sickening to see all this crap directed at the president rather than at Boner and his majority in the House. Boner is the evil one and he gets a pass! It's not progressive at all. The evil ones are the Republicans. They still have 48% of this benighted country voting for them. Ignoring an evil group this large over the "centrists" is just plain unrealistic.

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

50. +1000

[rhett o rick]

51. I would not be surprised if some progressives said that. Maybe two or 10. Far from a consensus.

And when the progressives were complaining about not getting single payer, what were the centrists saying? "Take the 20 lashes, it's so much better than 50."

And I am disappointed that some Democrats would disparage the progressives for wanting decent health care, the end of the Patriot Act, no domestic spying, NO SS AND MEDICARE CUTS, etc. Calling it whining when we fight for basic rights is divisive.

" People who work hard on the Democratic party's campaigns do not bash the Democrats." How very divisive to call it bashing when we only ask that our representatives support Democratic principles and uphold their campaign promises. Apparently for you all Democrats are golden. How easy your life must be. How easy to decide on who to follow. I support principles and I dont give a crap who it is, if they want to stomp on Democratic principles, I will fight them. I believe in principles over personalities.

"The [only] evil ones are the Republicans". Oh, how simple life would be if that were only true. But how utterly naive.

[treestar]

59. The Republicans are the ones stopping all of it!

It's stuff they don't want. If they hold the House, the Senate or anything, they can stop it from happening. Blame the Republicans and try to get them out of office. That is the only answer a realist would see.

[rhett o rick]

61. The best way to get Repubs out of office would be for the President to stand up for

Democratic values instead of ignoring war crimes, ignoring wall street crimes, prosecuting medical marijuana users, continuing the Patriot Act and domestic spying. He should tell the American people that he is on their side and WILL NEVER CUT SS OR MEDICARE.
Now he wants to restrict the use of emergency contraception. He appointed Sebelius and a raft of Monsanto people.

How can Democrats convince the American public that they support the 99% while the Democratic president is supporting the 1%.

[treestar]

62. The best way to get Republicans out of office

is to convine your fellow voters not to vote for them! In the House elections, which occur every two years. In the Senate elections. State and local elections. That is the only way to get rid of Republicans in the House and Senate. Where they block the President's every single nomination and where they block every possible good reform that comes up.

[DonCoquixote]

52. amen

You know there are a lot of people that do nto acknowledge that yes, they caused 2000, and 2010...It;s one thing to put pressure on Obama, it';sd anothet to feed the arguments of the fake center that thos elefties wioll never support you anyway, Obama.

[Union Scribe]

56. Do you have any exit polling to back that up

or are you just riding along on the "damn dirty progressives" nonsense that seems to be the only tune being hummed to distract from this fiasco.

[treestar]

60. Real polling gave the house to the Republicans.

I don't know how head in the sand you have to be not to recogonize that there are enough right wingers out there for this to happen. They did all they could to repeal even just Obamacare? Do you think they will allow us to have single payer? Get real. The House is help by the Republicans. Boner is the speaker. Even when the House is Democratic, there are enough Senators to block things. This is electoral reality. Deal with it rather than whining.

[Union Scribe]

65. In other words no, you can't support your smears.

You and yours blame 2010 on some vague conspiracy by the "Left" (oooo scary!) but there's nothing to show that's any more than a pile of excuses. As for the rest of your unrelated post, it sounds like you're saying 'there's nothing we can do even if we got a majority, I give up.' And then you tell others to stop whining? Lol.

[treestar]

67. There are REPUBLICANS in this country

They win enough of the elections that you are not going to see single payer for years!

You did this in 2009 and you are not going to do it again. An even more Republican house means nothing but further stalling.

[Union Scribe]

68. You've lost the plot.

"You did this is 2009." Again, no. You're not very good at this. Remember when you couldn't back it up the last time you said it?

[treestar]

69. We saw these posts in 2009

We got an R congress in 2010. We are not falling for it again or wasting time trying to woo "the progressives" again. Give up, go home and vote for socialists. We will be fighting off Republicans, the ones who really want to cut social security.

[Union Scribe]

70. Posts on DU = Republicans win?

What a powerful voting bloc! Of course, you've already admitted you have nothing to back up the claim that the left staying home cost us 2010. So repeating it over and over kind of makes you sound irrational.

And your last line is laughable, given both Obama's willingness to help them attack SS and your previous post mewling that even with a majority you can't fight Republicans.

[treestar]

71. Your whining doesn't do any good

Already notice a post saying we ought to call the WH and threaten to stay home in 2014. We've seen this threat before, word for word the same. We are not falling for it or arguing with you any more. We will simply work to get at least a centrist House even, rather than a Republican one. You stay home or vote socialist.

[Union Scribe]

72. I saw that too, and you posted your unfounded BS in there too.

You keep repeating the same thing that you know you can't back up, as if just repeating it makes it true. In truth it seems like you WANT people to stay home because you keep telling us to do so.

And you're now working to get a centrist House? Lol.

[treestar]

73. I am working yes not to have a more RIGHT WING House

or Senate or anything. Quit pretending DU2 did not have these exact same posts on 2009-2010. You are the one who wants Republicans to win, by taking this side that encourages people to stay home. We will NOT stay home and hand even more power to the Republicans, who want to cut social security entirely, among other things.

[Union Scribe]

74. Pathetic that all you have are these baseless insults

to prop up your delusional view where liberals are the bad guys. It must suck to defend a single man so hard that you have to resort to the argument 'at least he doesn't want to cut social security entirely.' How far have this President's supporters lowered their standards to be okay with all of this garbage?

Edit: I'm actually done with you here. All you do is rinse and repeat and it's actually a little depressing for such a nice day.

[treestar]

75. Irrelevant post

It is not one man, in 2014 Obama is not even up for re-election. But your whining about the 56,768th "betrayal" by the President and "threats" to stay home in 2014 to give even more Republican seats is not going to be catered to any more. Stay home then.

[TheProgressive]

18. Well, I am a very proud Progressive/Liberal/Registered Democrat...but

...but, Obama is not a real Democrat....

President Clinton got the ball rolling to move elected Democrats to move right-right-right.

[Demo_Chris]

21. I am done with Obama, and if the party doesn't slap him down hard I am through with them

Drone strikes on Americans, Obamacare, BP, the Wallstreet handouts and blanket amnesty, too big to jail, permanent tax cuts for the wealthy, Mansanto, Trans pacific, it just goes on and on and fucking on.... The only thing Obama has NEVER done is a damn thing for the poor and desperate. If his actions are any indication he couldn't care less about them.

And now he wants to destroy social security. I don't even care if it passes, and I don't care what excuses he offers, I am done supporting him. If the party doesn't slap this neoconservative liar down we are parting ways.

I have never been more ashamed of supporting a candidate. I don't even know how many hours I spent fighting for votes, knocking and talking, posting and debating. I didn't even have time to register here. Every god dammed day telling people he was different, and that this time he really meant what he said. He made me a liar as well.

[Cha]

23. You were done before you started... so spare us your theatrics.

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

25. +1

[Historic NY]

45. Drone strike on Americans......don't you mean people that are fighting against Americans....

[yourout]

22. I am proud to be a D but Obama has used up all his good will with me.

I had no illusions of him being anything but a corporatist while voting for his re-election but I can not excuse this.

I am hoping there is enough Ds and Rs to stop this madness.

[MarianJack]

27. Huge K&R!

PEACE!

[bluestate10]

33. It's sometimes distressing for me to watch people that made costly decisions in 2000,

2004 and 2010 prepare to make the very same mistakes in 2014 and maybe 2016. Can they learn and adjust? Republicans winning in 2000 and 2004 set the country back at least 2 decades fiscally. We have been successful undoing some of the social setbacks that republicans imposed on the country, or at least, we are on the threshold of victory. The election of 2010 and some democrats sitting at home because they were upset that Congressional democrats had not thrown out agreed upon rules and ramrodded bills past obstructing republicans allowed corrosive teabaggers to put into office some of the most regressive people imaginable - and stall progress.

There are some on DU that have concerns that I respect, even when I don't agree with their conclusions. But their behavior concerning punishing democrats may result in allowing out of control babies to run Congress and more importantly, in a position to block potential upcoming Supreme Court replacements - that indeed will result in more conservative people getting appointed. The entire exercise by some DU members seems counter-productive and even destructive to me, sorry, when I look at what has happened and what can happen, I can't come to any other conclusion. Fortunately, in 2014 and 2016, my feeling is that Democrats will have Independents and some republicans voting with democrats to elect sane officeholders instead of extreme right-wing nuts, those dynamics coupled with more participation from minorities gives me hope that I didn't have coming into the 2010 election.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

38. After today's actions

the people you speak of no longer owe this party, or president a goddamn thing.

If the Democrats suffer defeat in 2014, it is 100% on the heads of the politicians who sold us out.

[limpyhobbler]

34. But he "is simply including that in a budget PROPOSAL as part of a negotiation for God's sake! "

Yeah we don't want him doing that. We hired him. We pay his salary. He's not allowed to do that. I say so.

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

35. Yes, but

His logic is attach that to revenue, have the GOP reject it, and that solidifies the obstructionist image of the GOP just in time for the midterms.

[limpyhobbler]

37. Really, how do you know that is his plan? You work at the Whitehouse and sit in on secret meetings?

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

40. Do you REALLY think he is doing this because he is palling up with the GOP in their hate for Nana?

It is all about politics and public perception. And I'm not the only one who thinks this...

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/04/05/i-think-obama-is-bluffing.html

[limpyhobbler]

42. I take him at his word. He wants to do a deal. He's said so numerous times.

I read that article earlier and I don't buy it.

It's creative speculation.

Further, even if it's true, even if the President is only offering to cut Social Security as part of a secret plan to make the gop look obstructionist, I still don't approve. The secret plan doesn't exist. And if it does exist it is a crap plan.

It legitimizes the idea of cutting Social Security. It sucks.

[Dragonfli]

43. Some pretty flawed logic if true, it will be "party of no" v "party of let's cut SS!"

I don't know that the voters are as pro entitlement cuts as are the bubblesphere class, but maybe the voters really do hate SS and also believe that by magic it will in some way reduce a budget it is not part of. I suppose anything is possible!

[Autumn]

58. Low information voters are going to hear Obama wants to cut SS

and republicans said no. People of both parties are against cut to SS. Someone screwed the pooch on this one. Honestly, how do you think that will work out. I think we know.

[Union Scribe]

55. +1

[bluestate10]

36. One good item is that solid democrats will have Independents and some republicans

voting with us in 2014, that makes me hopeful that the obstructionism of far right republicans in Washington will be broken. Independents got fooled by republicans during the 2010 election, that coupled with far Left democrats sitting out the election doomed many good democrats who attempted to do what was right by the country, in particular the needy and less fortunate.

[L0oniX]

39. Well isn't that special. F*ck with SS and yer dead to me! n/t

[bowens43]

41. Acting like a bigger person? He folded like a cheap suitcase

like he always does on any important issue. We couldn't be any weaker as party. We have no leadership.

Obama has given the republicans and conservative far more then he has given us. He acts as if we lost the last election. Face it, he's not up the job. He's out of his league.


Of course the fan club will always be there to cheer him on no matter how much he fucks up or gives in.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

47. Hi BOG

[Union Scribe]

57. No shit

Was there an alarm sounded or something?

[bvar22]

80. Like a Bat Signal?

...calling all the loyal acolytes to help fight off the Dirty Hippies and disgusting Liberals who don't support the brave and sensible plan to cut Social Security?

Like that?

[datasuspect]

49. this reads like a marketing piece

a not very effective one, but a marketing piece regardless.

[TheKentuckian]

64. I don't give a shit about this "bigger person" horseshit and neither does anyone else.

These idiotic fables about highlighting obstruction to flip Palin, Rmoney, and Teabaggers is the most ridiculous mythology ever.

Always chasing mystical independents and getting shit. Independents are unaffiliated not fair game, they lean and vote their lean reliably. There is no gold mine here, the gold mine are the tens of millions that have dropped out from the decades of ass reamings.

[CountAllVotes]

77. TR's words ...

"The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else."

"Roosevelt in the Kansas City Star", 149
May 7, 1918

Needless to say I believe in every word from his statement.

People need to wake-up and smell the coffee so to speak!

This has nothing to do with being a "proud Democrat" nor a "proud Republican".

It has to do with being a citizen of the United States. It is our duty as citizens to see things for what they are and it is our responsibility as citizens to refuse to be servile fools ignoring the reality of the situation.

[bvar22]

81. Beautiful!!!! X100 for Teddy Roosevelt!

Without the Trust Buster,
I don't believe we would have ever had a New Deal.

[jsr]

78. The bigger person always terrorizes the elderly and disabled first

before giving one microsecond of serious thought about investigating, let alone prosecuting, banksters.

[cantbeserious]

79. How Long Will That Thanks Last Once You Need Social Security?

eom

[bvar22]

82. UnRec.

[font size=3]"acts like the bigger person"[/font]
by offering to give away OUR Social Security?
THAT makes him look like the Bigger Person?


When someone offers to give away something that doesn't belong to him,
I have never seen him as the "Bigger Person",
especially when that person has specifically promised not to ever do that.

Looks like the Bigger Person?


Being the very first Democratic President to break the 3rd Rail Taboo of
Offering to cut Social Security is BIG,
but not in the good way.