Dems afraid Obama is giving away their electoral advantage on Medicare

[Bluebear]

Sometimes the bashing is overt ("professional left" comes to mind), and sometimes more subtle, such as when the President today equated Democratic concern about cutting Social Security and Medicaid to the pressure the Teabaggers are putting on Boehner (the President didn't name any of them, he simply stated that both sides face pressure from people who don't want change - thus creating his usual false equivalence in which he casts Democrats, and their constituents, as being just as bad as Teabaggers).


Top Democrats in charge of keeping the Senate in Dem hands and maintaining the political health of the party — DSCC chair Patty Murray and messaging chief Chuck Schumer — have privately expressed frustration that deep Medicare cuts risk squandering the major political advantage Democrats have built up on the issue, people familiar with internal discussions say.

Senators Murray and Schumer, along with other Dems like Debbie Stabenow and Mark Begich, have warned against deep cuts in recent leadership meetings, a source familiar with the meetings says, another sign of the unrest that the possibility of serious entitlements cuts is creating among Congressional Democrats.

“We shouldn’t be giving away our advantage on Medicare,” said a source familiar with Murray’s thinking, in characterizing her objections in private meetings. “We should be very careful about giving away the biggest advantage we've had as Democrats in some time.”

“For the first time in the past two and a half years we have an unmitigated advantage on a single issue where our entire caucus is united,” the source continues. “This is a case where the whole morale of our party was lifted by the fact that we were taking the fight to Republicans.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/top-senate-dems-privately-warn-deep-medicare-cuts-will-squander-our-huge-advantage-on-issue/2011/03/03/gIQAms2D9H_blog.html

http://www.americablog.com/2011/07/dems-afraid-obama-is-giving-away-their.html

[polichick]

1. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory once again...

At least defeat for the people.

[Ruby the Liberal]

13. And ironically, they will hang this noose around the Dems

All of those idiot teabaggers with their 'keep the government out of my Medicare' signs will be out for blood and will blame the democrats for screwing with their benefits.

Its a lose/lose.

[polichick]

20. It's only a lose/lose for "leaders" who won't stand with the people.

[katnapped]

2. Well it's simple

If he willing to chuck Medicare, SS, Medicaid, and a whole bunch of other stuff, why shouldn't people vote for a real Republican?

[Bluebear]

4. See my sig line.

You are exactly correct.

[polichick]

5. Or why shouldn't he run as a Republican? Maybe because if you keep...

...the people confused but still hoping, you can control both parties.

[dennis4868]

3. Dems still have an advantage....

Repubs want to destroy medicare; Obama wants to nake changes to keep it going...

[daa]

34. Ha ha ha nt

[dennis4868]

38. GLAD YOU ARE LAUGHING...

not sure why though....

[OHdem10]

6. Early this AM it seems the first face I saw on TV was McConnell

Senate. There he was with his "pudding face" grin.
"I am so pleased the President stepped up and put Medicare
and SS on the table. That cheshire cat grin said it
all. He was glad to get Paul Ryan plan lifted off his
neck.

[nc4bo]

7. Well if they feel that way, someone's gonna need to take someone to the woodshed

for a good old fashioned talking to because someone's hell bent on doing exactly wtf he wants to do, by hook or by crook.

We KNOW Dems are not amused but I'm sure all the down low, loudmouthed, Dem-bashing Indies, Pukes, Baggers, in fact anyone collecting checks or on Medicare/Medicaid damn sure isn't going to like it one bit.

You want this country to come together fast? Start playing with people's retirement money and med benefits and see how far that gets ya.

[gkhouston]

11. +1. The idea that putting Social Security and Medicare on the table

will attract independent voters is nothing but horseshit. They count on those checks, too.

[OHdem10]

29. It will turn the Independents away. Even rank and file citizens

who support Tea Baggers "keep your hands off my Medicare"

[daa]

35. This guy was already losing the Hilary voters

now they are gone for sure.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

8. Obama can kiss my....

...professionally leftist a**

[G_j]

9. best Republican president since Clinton

:banghead: only half kidding.... :eyes:

[Major Hogwash]

10. In the last 50 years, I have never seen anyone piss their advantage away like this ever before!

He might as well start talking about bombing Iran now.

He keeps looking to Democrats to give in to save his ass, and that is not how this country functions.
We're going to lose the Senate next year and Obama will blame it on Democrats for not bending over far enough.

[gkhouston]

12. We will not lose the Senate if the Dem senators spit in his eye.

And they should.

[0rganism]

15. and they won't

It may not be pretty, but with the debt ceiling on the line and the GOPers in the house calling the shots, the senate will pass whatever they're handed before August 2.

[socialist_n_TN]

32. That's what I was thinking. If they're so pissed

about it, then don't vote for it., Make them go back and get another deal, one more friendly to the people.

[gratuitous]

14. Oh, you nervous nellies!

I have it on very good rumor and surmise that you're all wringing your hands for no good reason. These assurances come from the same quarter that said those of us upset by the continuation of so many Bush-era policies simply weren't paying attention to what Candidate Obama said/meant to say. And, despite the track record of the administration to this point, there's simply no reason whatsoever to believe that the final agreement will have any effect at all on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Of course, if it does, then see the second sentence in this paragraph, and you got what you deserved, and it will be too late, and it's the best we could have done under the circumstances, and why didn't you speak up when you had the chance, and tough beans.

[katnapped]

16. You forgot the ponies!

Lots and lots of ponies we can't have!

[Rex]

22. I was probably in those meetings, so I know that is false.

I want to see original source documents and any other sources for this information...and you have 10 seconds to do so or I will declare you null and void while moving on to the next DUr that is in need of my unbelievable, cosmic, awe inspiring, correction-is-osity-ness-ness-ness! :freak:

Come, we take flighty.

[Autumn]

28. Prove it

:rofl: :rofl: or at least come up with a blue link.

[Rex]

33. I can absolutely prove it beyond anyones doubt and if there is

one doubter left over then obviously they never understood how to tie their shoelaces! Actually, I don't provide the link...just tell you that you are wrong until YOU provide ME with a blue link! There, proof positive or maybe it was a dream, either way I am right. I promise you that I think I was there! :P

[Autumn]

24. You don't have a clue how government works

Do you expect him to wave a magic wand and solve all of this? He doesn't need the purist Democrats, or those cry baby leftist, or those fringe Democrats to win.
You just watch, he is the best most liberal, progressive President EVER.



I think that just about covers it.

[TheKentuckian]

17. Fucking stupid politics and worse policy. The party is suicidal for not

shooting this fraud down and throwing pallets of ca$h at any willing to primary him.

[damntexdem]

18. He may have already given it up for himself.

If Congressional Dems want to preserve it for themselves, they need to come out strongly against all attacks on Medicare and block any such attacks in the Senate. Even Ben Nelson seems to get that.

[Danger Mouse]

19. It seems that President Obama is on track to ruin his own reelection chances...

...and hand the Senate over to the Republicans, neat and wrapped in a bow.

[Blasphemer]

23. Has there been a POTUS this self-destructive since Nixon? I am honestly shocked... nt

[Danger Mouse]

25. I wish I knew what PO is thinking half the time, I really do.

Does he honestly think that capitulating to Republicans is what the people want?

[daa]

36. Not sure about the Senate even Snowe and Collins said no way

for social security or Medicare.

[Blasphemer]

21. For the sake of the country and their party, they need to vote against the WH's wishes

Following Obama, given his current desires, will surely cost them the House AND Senate. If Obama wants to lose himself the Presidency, that's on him, but he shouldn't drag the rest of the Democrats in Congress with him.

[kath]

26. "I shall not seek, and I will not accept..."

Who else here finds themselves fantasizing about those words these past couple of days??

[Autumn]

27. Raises hand

If he touches Medicare or SS that needs to be his next speech.

[Bluebear]

37. +

[Peter1x9]

30. After all I've seen, Obama is just a D.I.N.O.

n/t

[LooseWilly]

31. It's like Obama thinks he's going to "teach the Republicans a lesson" by enacting their policies...

I was watching his speech today and the only way I could make sense of it was to assume that Obama is trying to make Republicans look bad by ... adopting the policies that they are proposing.

I can't decide if he thinks that the poor results for the country will somehow convince voters that they should vote for Obama (since, despite the fact that it was Obama that enabled the bad results, they were based on Republican ideas)?... Or, if he's just trying to literally enact every policy that the Republicans might try to argue for in the 2012 election—before they get a chance to argue them (to, maybe, push them into trying to argue even more extremist positions... which Obama will then also enact?... and so on)?

It makes no sense. Why pursue Republican talking points when a little show of determination would've forced the Republicans to come to him to make a deal?... It's jaw-dropping.

[kenny blankenship]

39. Eat your peas and catfood, ingrates!

[amborin]

40. K&R O created a false equivalence re Supreme Court rulings, too; denigrated liberal victories

[ProSense]

41. Why is it

that Congressional Democrats can talk tough to Obama on Guantanamo and Libya, but in dealing with these issues they're afraid?

Not a single Democrat apparently supports the cuts so what are they afraid of? Harry Reid is involved in the negotiations. Shouldn't he be able to tell Obama that he doesn't have the votes?