Chickenshit Dick Durbin has already decided to cave.

[geek tragedy]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/durbin-it-s-conceivable-obamacare-changes-added-to-spending-bill

It's conceivable some aspect of it would be, but the notion of delaying it or defunding it is not going to happen," Durbin said on CNN. ... "We can work out something I believe on the medical device tax," Durbin said. "That was one of the proposals from the Republicans as long as we replace the revenue so we don't put a hole in the deficit and respond to this in a responsible fashion. That's one thing the Republicans want to talk about. Let's sit down and put that on the table."

He is one of the most disappointing Democrats in the Senate. Joe Manchin (WV) I can understand being a DINO. Durbin (IL) undermining the caucus? Unacceptable.

[JoePhilly]

3. That war in Syria has been a huge quagmire.

[JoePhilly]

10. Why would you think that?

[Laelth]

9. Welcome to DU. n/t

-Laelth

[kelliekat44]

2. Get on the wire NOW to his office. Let him know we are out here!! nt

[ProSense]

4. He should be slammed for this bullshit. n/t

[lonestarnot]

5. Dick.

[el_bryanto]

6. The Medical Device tax was put specifically in there as a wedge issue because

many Democrats aren't keen about it either. I don't know whether it's a bad thing or a good thing; but in the context of a gun to the nations head, I don't think that Obama or Senate Democrats should capitulate.

Bryant

[JoePhilly]

13. +1

[Brewinblue]

7. I don't think he's caving,

just calling their bluff. The teabaggers do not give a rat's ass about the medical device tax. The pukes know it and Durbin knows it.

[Laelth]

11. Thanks for that insight. n/t

-Laelth

[kentuck]

14. The Repubs are using the revenues from that tax...

in their budget plan.

[Brewinblue]

34. Note to Alanis Morrisette:

THAT, is ironic.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. Durbin is one of the remaing DOMA Yes votes in the Senate, a centrist hack who serves

himself alone. He has always been a right leaning, unthinking man.

[KittyWampus]

16. total mischaracterization. He is one of the most liberal, in fact.

He was one of the few Senators to call Guantanamo what it was, for instance.

Mother Jones acknowledges his firmly liberal record.

Not a fan of National Journal but their composite score has him third from top as 'most liberal'

http://www.nationaljournal.com/2012-vote-ratings/how-liberal-is-your-senator-2012-vote-ratings-20130221

[Bluenorthwest]

30. He voted for a law that said some minorities must never have equality. Call that liberal if you

want but some call turds nuggets of gold, random blather can not be helped. A bigoted mind who saw fit to express his intolerant and atavistic will upon millions of innocent people.
Recently he was slathering for bombs on Syria as well. He's a conservative.

[KittyWampus]

31. I won't defend his vote on DOMA & understand how important that issue is for you.

[whathehell]

15. He's quite lame..

He's in favor of Chained CPI too.

[Mass]

17. He is not caving. If anything, he is trying to offer an acceptable alternative

as many dems disagree with the medical device tax, including people like Warren. This said, what he is offering will not fly with the GOP, as it includes a new tax.

[geek tragedy]

18. He's talking about rewarding Republicans for shutting down the government

The Republicans are targetting it because it's a source of funding for the ACA.

[frazzled]

19. Please apply the term "chickenshit" more fairly

It should first be applied to Senators Elizabeth Warren and Al Franken, senators from states with medical device manufacturers who have put pressure on their leadership to rescind the tax. In fact, 17 Democratic senators signed a letter requesting a delay in the medical device tax. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2012/12/12/medical-device-tax-hypocrites/)

They're the "cavers." You guys are such selective haters.

The 2.3 percent excise tax on medical devices is a little-known provision in the law that is estimated to raise $20 billion in revenue over 10 years, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation.
But some Democrats, including Warren, a Democratic National Convention speaker, represent states that employ medical device workers and are concerned that the tax with hamper job growth in industry valued at over $100 billion in 2010, according to the Department of Commerce.
Warren’s campaign declined to comment for this story but points to an op-ed written by Warren for a local Massachusetts trade magazine, where she comes out strongly against the tax. The campaign, when asked, also declined to present a plan to replace the $20 billion in estimated revenue.http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/09/why-elizabeth-warren-wants-to-repeal-part-of-obamacare/

Minnesota's two senators sought Monday to delay a tax on medical devices that was expected to add $28 billion over the next decade to help pay for health care reform.

Democratic Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken pointed to thousands of high-paying jobs that device companies support in Minnesota, headquarters to such giant devicemakers as Medtronic and St. Jude Medical. The industry has painted the tax as a job killer that would hurt innovation.
http://www.startribune.com/business/182883681.html

[geek tragedy]

20. They didn't do so as a way to reward terrorists nt

[Mass]

21. No reward here. It is a way to show how the GOP is irresponsible. They will not agree to REPLACE it

by a new tax. (Dems would accept a change that does not gut ACA, and Reps would refuse it because it does not gut ACA). I am not thrilled by the idea, if anything because people wont listen the argument to the end anyway, but it is far from what you describe.

[geek tragedy]

23. Once you negotiate, you stop being able to call it terrorism. nt

[KittyWampus]

22. Elizabeth Warren Wants To Repeal Part Of Obama Care- medical device tax. Sept 10th

as others have commented, such as Rachel Maddow, this has been looming.

[geek tragedy]

24. And in the process of budget negotiations, that can take place. But NOTHING should be offered

while they're pointing a gun at the hostage's head.

It'll only encourage them to hold out.

[KittyWampus]

26. At any rate, glad you posted this. I didn't know Warren & Franken wanted to repeal parts

It just goes to show no matter how liberal a Congresscritter is, if they have industries in their state their hands end up being lamentably tied.

It may very well be because of Durbin's leadership role and liberal record he was chosen to do this and 'take a hit', trying to appear reasonable for PR. I don't know.

BUT I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT EITHER. GIVE IN TODAY AND THEY JUST COME BACK TOMORROW

[frazzled]

25. Huh? They did it for the same reason Republicans are doing it.

To reward big business. If anything, their push to rescind this tax is part of what has given the Republicans the ammunition to pull this shutdown stunt over Obamacare.

As I said, selective haters here.

I'm not criticizing either Senators Warren, Franken, Durbin, or any of the others. I'm criticizing the OP for misunderstanding a situation.

[KittyWampus]

27. it does go to show that no matter how liberal, if they have an industry in their state they will

yield to their interests.

Joe Bide-Delaware-INsurance

[karynnj]

28. Many Democrats including Warren and Klobachar have supported that

because many of the companies are in their state. In fact, in the Finance committee in 2009, the original proposal was for a tax that was twice as big. Then Senator Kerry worked to replace half the tax with other revenue - especially the savings anticipated from the MA experience of just having the exchanges making the premium costs lower. At that point, most of the companies - though not happy with the tax - were mollified. (The administration's argument was that the companies would actually gain more from increased sales due to more people having the healthcare that used the devices than the tax would cost them - even if they swallowed all of it. )

Scott Brown- for political reasons - made the remaining tax an issue - pushing it several times. It has become a "local" issue in a few powerful blue states. Here, Durbin is saying the revenue has to be made up. The question is how to do that in a way that is more politically acceptable.

As to Warren - here in her own words - http://www.massdevice.com/blogs/massdevice/mass-sen-hopeful-elizabeth-warren-device-tax-fda-and-climate-innovation?page=4

As to Klobuchar, she and Hatch have written a bill to do just that, but she was - 5 days ago - against it being done as part of the CR. http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/amy-klobuchar-orrin-hatch-warn-against-repealing-medical-device-tax-now-97358.html

Both Warren and Klobuchar -- and Durbin - are very good Democrats - this is an issue where they are looking out for their state's interests - something that happens as they do represent a state. This is similar to when liberal Democrats strongly back military sites in their own states. In fact, the progressives in Burlington have been angry at the entire Congressional delegation for backing putting F35s in South Burlington in the future.

[geek tragedy]

29. As I said to others, trying to undermine the no-negotiating with terrorists policy

is only going to encourage the Republicans to hold the debt ceiling hostage.

[KittyWampus]

32. Thanks for more background. Do appreciate information over diatribe. This thread has yielded

some information I wasn't aware of.

[Enthusiast]

33. I am clear done with Dick Durbin.............nt