Tell the DNC to oppose Simpson-Bowles austerity bullshit

[eridani]

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/27/nancy-pelosi-simpson-bowles-social-security-medicare_n_1453323.html?ref=email_share

WASHINGTON -- Two progressive organizations have found themselves in the unusual position of being on the opposite side of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. Over the course of the past two years, the former House Speaker has been the most significant obstacle to the ongoing effort to slash entitlements and cut social spending.

But a series of recent comments, and reports that Pelosi was willing to accept draconian cuts as part of a debt-ceiling deal, have liberals worried that their most powerful and passionate defender may be buckling on the issue.

During a recent press conference, and again during an interview with Charlie Rose, the California Congresswoman said that she would support what's known as the Simpson-Bowles plan, a budget proposal that was created by the co-chairs of a fiscal commission set up by President Obama (dubbed the "Catfood Commission" by progressives). The plan was rejected by members of the commission, failing to win the necessary votes to move to a vote in Congress. Yet the co-chairs—former Republican Sen. Alan Simpson of Wyoming and Morgan Stanley director Erskine Bowles, a Democrat—have worked recently to revive it, and the political class speaks of it as if it passed and is an official recommendation of the commission.

At the end of March, a version of the Simpson-Bowles plan was given a vote on the House floor. It was annihilated, 382-38, with Pelosi and most Democrats voting against it.


http://ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2012052230/december-surprise-rubin-pelosi-wall-street-dc-dems-are-pushing-post-election-a

On a recent Meet the Press face-off between Democrats and Republicans, a politician claimed we urgently need to cut government spending. He embraced a plan to slash vital government programs and gut retirement security, while actually cutting taxes for the rich. The only tax hikes in his plan were targeted toward the already-devastated middle class.

Then it was time for the Republican to speak.

Who'd have thought it? Progressive stalwarts like Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Dick Durbin are pushing the same radical austerity plan as Jamie Dimon, CEO of troubled megabank JPMorgan Chase, and Robert Rubin, the Clinton Treasury Secretary who represents everything that's broken about the Wall Street/Washington axis.

[still_one]

1. This is the problem. If they really wanted to solve the fiscal problems they would get out of the

Trillion dollar wars

This is one of many reasons I do not donate to the DNC

At this stage the only thing they will get from me is my vote

If they want my money then they had better protect Demoratic values

[eridani]

2. Please don't skip donating to individual candidates

That's what I tell DMC and DSCC that I will do instead of donate to them. Please forward the link and ask everyone you know to give DNC hell about "austerity."

[Swede Atlanta]

3. I will never contribute to the DNC....

they are as bad as the repukkes......

Donate to individual candidates or other organizations that truly support progressive causes such as MoveOn, etc. The DNC is a corrupt group beholden to their own personal interests. Never, never support them.

[RB TexLa]

4. Austerity has to include all spending to work.

[eridani]

5. Austerity never works in a depression, period

Only in boom times.

[RB TexLa]

7. That's the best time to do it. People are already sacrificing.

[eridani]

8. Repuke talking point

Without discretionary income to spend for most people, the economy would be in the dumpster permanently.

[girl gone mad]

9. Illogical.

Like saying the best time to go on a diet is when you're starving to death.

[Zalatix]

10. That's great for population control.

Not so great for maintaining a civilized society.

[HiPointDem]

12. and even better that they should be dying!

[Zalatix]

14. Wow, free trade and austerity, a perfect killing blow for our economy.

[sabrina 1]

11. Austerity would work if we applied it to those who are responsible for the meltdown.

It should never have been applied to the working class, their lives are austere enough and have been for decades now. They did not cause the meltdown, the Wall Street Gamblers are responsible for that and it is they who should have to give up a little of their ill-gotten money.

The money didn't disappear, so where is it? It's been taken from the people and handed over to the criminals who caused the problems in the first place and who are using it to give themselves multi-million dollar bonuses. Austerity means 'make the little people pay for the gambling debts of Wall Street'. And we only have to look at Europe to see how it works. Not that anyone needed such a tragic example. Anyone with a brain cell working knew it was a failed policy.

[HiPointDem]

13. +1. let the people who crashed the economy pay for the damages. but so far they seem to

be the only folks who won't.

[Egalitarian Thug]

6. Progressive stalwarts? Are you fucking kidding us? n/t

Rant deleted because it's pointless arguing with true believers.

[Zalatix]

15. Progressive Stalwarts? People here were calling Pelosi a PLUTOCRAT

just because she is rich, even when she utterly defenestrated this Sniveling-Bullshit plan.

[eridani]

16. She defenestrated it LAST year

She has publicly stated a willingness to go along with it this year.