"FIXED FIGHT"-Matt Taibbi-'Democrats Are NOT A Progressive Political Party-They Just Play One On TV'

[kpete]

Matt Taibbi:

Debt Ceiling Deal: The Democrats Take a Dive
POSTED: AUGUST 1, 10:08 AM ET


The Democrats aren't failing to stand up to Republicans and failing to enact sensible reforms that benefit the middle class because they genuinely believe there's political hay to be made moving to the right. They're doing it because they do not represent any actual voters. I know I've said this before, but they are not a progressive political party, not even secretly, deep inside. They just play one on television.

........................

The Republicans in this debt debate fought like wolves or alley thugs, biting and scratching and using blades and rocks and shards of glass and every weapon they could reach.

The Democrats, despite sitting in the White House, the most awesome repository of political power on the planet, didn't fight at all. They made a show of a tussle for a good long time -- as fixed fights go, you don't see many that last into the 11th and 12th rounds, like this one did -- but at the final hour, they let out a whimper and took a dive.

We probably need to start wondering why this keeps happening. Also, this: if the Democrats suck so bad at political combat, then how come they continue to be rewarded with such massive quantities of campaign contributions? When the final tally comes in for the 2012 presidential race, who among us wouldn't bet that Barack Obama is going to beat his Republican opponent in the fundraising column very handily? At the very least, he won't be out-funded, I can almost guarantee that.

............................

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/debt-ceiling-deal-the-democrats-take-a-dive-20110801

[ClarkUSA]

1. Taibbi Is Not A Progressive Journalist - He Just Plays One On TV & Types Bullshit for Rolling Stone

"3 Big Victories for Obama & Dems in Debt Ceiling Fight – Republicans Just Trying to Save Face":
The devil is in the details: http://tinyurl.com/obamadebtdealvictory

[kpete]

3. you mean

the "satan sandwich"?

[ClarkUSA]

4. All entitlement benefits and many programs for the poor are exempt from current and trigger cuts.

How is that "a satan sandwich"?

Congressional Sources: Republicans and Democrats Reach Tentative Debt Deal
July 30, 2011 10:39 PM

Here, according to Democratic and Republican sources, are the key elements:

-A debt ceiling increase of up to $2.1 to $2.4 trillion (depending on the size of the spending cuts agreed to in the final deal).

-They have now agreed to spending cuts of roughly $1.2 trillion over 10 years.

-The formation of a special Congressional committee to recommend further deficit reduction of up to $1.6 trillion (whatever it takes to add up to the total of the debt ceiling increase). This deficit reduction could take the form of spending cuts, tax increases or both.

-The special committee must make recommendations by late November (before Congress' Thanksgiving recess).

-If Congress does not approve those cuts by December 23, automatic across-the-board cuts go into effect, including cuts to Defense and Medicare. This "trigger" is designed to force action on the deficit reduction committee's recommendations by making the alternative painful to both Democrats and Republicans.

-A vote, in both the House and Senate, on a balanced budget amendment.

Democrats won't like the fact that Medicare could be exposed to automatic cuts, but the size of the Medicare cuts is limited and they are designed to be taken from Medicare providers, not beneficiaries.

Two sources briefed on the framework say the automatic cuts would hit Defense spending harder than Medicare. A Republican briefed on the framework says this will be unacceptable to many Republicans because it could force them to face a choice between accepting tax increases (if that is what the committee recommends) or automatic cuts that would gut the Pentagon's budget.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/07/white-house-republicans-strike-tenative-deal-to-raise-debt-ceiling-.html

[librechik]

43. yes, and these fine gentlemen have never broken their word (cough SS on table cough)

after all with the Simpson committee, they were directed at the beginning to NOT consider SS, and yet they did.

[ClarkUSA]

47. "the Simpson committee" recommendations were rejected by Pres. Obama

Next meaningless red herring?

[librechik]

55. and will be revived under the new Super Committee. n/t

[ClarkUSA]

59. I repeat, all entitlement benefits & many programs for the poor are exempt from trigger cuts.

[librechik]

if you trust those lying fuckers. Which I don't. n/t

[ClarkUSA]

78. How are they "lying"?

[border_town]

183. So I guess

They are cutting the subsides for mega corporations? What exactly are they cutting then?

[daleanime]

186. Oh, come on. That's an easy one.....

their mouths are moving.:banghead:

[sulphurdunn]

240. It's foolish to keep trying

to convince people of what a good deal they got out of their latest screwing over because it could have been worse. You know perfectly well that the real target of the duopoly is the social safety net. Rest assured that our honorable representatives will be going after that again with their new gang of twelve. The teabag monkeys may even concede a tiny tax break reduction if it primarily hits working people. You see the people who own the political parties don't want their taxes raised, so they won't be. They want to loot federal social programs, so they will. What part of that can't you seem to get your head around? Oh yea, here's something to ponder: Politicians lie. They lie routinely and with theatrical conviction. Certainly you don't think otherwise. Do you?

[Name removed]

118. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[fasttense]

181. Oh, it looks so cozy on paper. Social Security is NOT exempt from the Super Congress cuts

Look at the actual results. The only people who lose anything are the working class. We get a 2% tax increase because the payroll tax cut was NOT extended and the rich get absolutely no tax increase. The programs to help the working class are all facing large spending cuts.

AND

Social Security is on the chopping block for the Super Congress.

After bailouts, give aways, subsidies, no-bid government contracts and 0 taxes for the idle rich, monopolies and corporations, you would expect something for the unemployed and working class. You would expect it but you would NOT get it. This is a joke. This is complete capitulation much like the socialist capitulated in the face of the RepubliCON Fascist Party in Italy. Fascism in Italy did not take an overthrow like in Pinochet's Chile, it merely took the other side to give in.

They can only control you if you let them. Join the fight. Be there in October:

I will commit to being in Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., with others on that day or the days immediately following, for as long as I can, with the intention of making it our Tahrir Square, Cairo, our Madison, Wisconsin, where we will NONVIOLENTLY resist the corporate machine by occupying Freedom Plaza to demand that America's resources be invested in human needs and environmental protection instead of war and exploitation. We can do this together. We will be the beginning."

http://october2011.org/welcome

[truth2power]

235. It would be useful if you could give YOUR definition of entitlement programs or

benefits. Just so we're all on the same page. Specifically. thanks.

[jtown1123]

194. For NOW. In November all bets are off...why is that so hard to understand? n/t

[valerief]

216. Operative word being Current. Just wait until the Soopahcong rips into it. nt

[spedtr90]

218. On the table after round one, though

from http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/01/news/economy/Debt_ceiling_social_security/

"The largest ones, including Medicaid and food stamps, are also protected in the first round of spending cuts."

There remains a long list of painful cuts they can make. And don't assume cuts to providers can't hurt recipients.

"Everything would be on the table for the Congressional committee to consider later this year. Members could slash spending for the poor, the elderly, the unemployed and the disabled. And they'd likely have to reach the required spending cuts without raising taxes, experts said."

Things are not safe.

[savannah43]

233. Really? How simple it is in your world, Clark.

Try getting some details and then brooding on them for a while. Knee-jerk reactions disguised as knowledge fool only those who don't think for themselves.

[xxqqqzme]

242. Those constraints are not

imposed on the gang of 12 however. That vote is due Dec 23, 2011 just in time for holiday giving!

[RaleighNCDUer]

245. Here's a question I don't get - how do you cut from Medicare providers

without it affecting the Medicare patients those providers serve?

There are a LOT of places that refuse to serve Medicare patients as it is - won't this just mean that more institutions and doctors will refuse to see Medicare patients? This forces Medicare patients to see non-Medicare providers or do without medical care.

This is good, in your world?

[rusty charly]

258. Disaster Budget

The budget deal President Obama forged with congressional leaders is no compromise. Republicans got just about all the cuts they wanted. Democrats didn't get hardly anything they sought, such as a deficit-shrinking revenue boost. If it becomes official, deep social spending cuts will deepen the nation's growing economic woes.

Finding additional money isn't difficult. Nor does it require tremendous sacrifice. Wall Street is blocking efforts to shut down overseas tax-dodging havens that could restore $1 trillion dollars to U.S. taxpayers within a decade, notes IPS expert Chuck Collins. And a task force led by IPS expert Miriam Pemberton found that trimming just nine military programs could save $77 billion in 2012 alone.

We stand with Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) who said, "Millions of families unfairly lose more in this deal than they have already lost. I will not be a part of it."

http://www.ips-dc.org /

[SusanaMontana41]

5. That's crap. n/t

[ClarkUSA]

8. He's a MSM shit-stirring attention whore who likes to fling shit at Democrats.

Hey, it drives hits to his garbage. Go for it.

[SusanaMontana41]

11. He calls out corporatists. You support Dems

no matter what they do. Big difference.

I'm happy to be on Matt's side. He's with the people.

[ClarkUSA]

13. Where are his facts? He's like Rush Limbaugh, only with a fraction of the audience.

[Armstead]

44. I'm assuming you've never read him more than snippets on DU

You may disagree with his conclusions, but he is an actual reporter who works to get the information to support his conclusions.

[ClarkUSA]

49. You're assuming wrong.

[Armstead]

52. And if you don;t like him read the archives of William Greider sometime at The Nation

You want facts? Enough there to justify this contention many times over.

[ClarkUSA]

54. Read Ezra Klein, who says Boehner is lying about the deal in order to sell it.

House Speaker John Boehner's (R-OH) office has released the PowerPoint he is using to persuade House Republicans to vote in favor of the emerging debt deal.

Ezra Klein tweets that he doesn't think the presentation is completely accurate: "Boehner's powerpoint misstates the deal to his members. 1) The baseline is not specified in the bill, and does not prevent taxes. 2) Boehner suggests that deficit reduction or BBA has to pass for Prez to get second debt increase. Not so. McConnell mechanism."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/07/31/how_boehner_is_selling_the_debt_deal.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PoliticalWire+%28Political+Wire%29

[Name removed]

105. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[2banon]

169. Ezra was Discredited.. so not a good counter arugment

Matt Taibbi on the other hand, who cut his teeth on the economic crises when the economy crashed hasn't been wrong or discredited about any of his investigations. His opinions I considered well informed. Ezra should be more forth coming, unfortunately he seems to be co-opted and will not be straight or maybe he is simply lacking. I'm not sure which.

[MattSh]

176. Seems like you have even less an audience.

[peace frog]

165. +1111111

Thank you.

[City Lights]

14. And there it is....."WHORE."

Seems to be your word of the day.

[ClarkUSA]

17. It's apt, given he's paid to shit-stir without any facts to back him up.

[City Lights]

22. You're providing me with some much-needed laughter today!

Thanks!

[ClarkUSA]

25. Yes, it is funny when so many people love to eat up Taibbi's know-nothing attacks on Democrats!

[City Lights]

38. Thanks again!

:rofl:

[ClarkUSA]

41. Taibbi's shit is funny. lol!

[Mimosa]

122. How dare you?

Taibbi has provided more people with facts and truth than paid political shills ever will.

Did you read his biographical series on John McCain in 2008? DID YOU? Just that one series proved what kind of journalist Taibbi is and you call him a whore. Darn. UNBELIEVABLE. He's written dozens of investigative pieces.

[AikidoSoul]

156. You are clueless about Taibbi's integrity and investigative courage

The man has written excellent, incisive and well documented articles showing who the rip-off artists are that are sucking this country's blood. You really are out of line on this one. And it's especially irksome that you are so adamant about your bad judgment.

Jeez!



:puke:

[MissDeeds]

180. Agreed n/t

[Name removed]

159. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[City Lights]

195. !

:thumbsup:

:applause:

[Name removed]

231. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rusty charly]

260. Facts:

The budget deal President Obama forged with congressional leaders is no compromise. Republicans got just about all the cuts they wanted. Democrats didn't get hardly anything they sought, such as a deficit-shrinking revenue boost. If it becomes official, deep social spending cuts will deepen the nation's growing economic woes.

Finding additional money isn't difficult. Nor does it require tremendous sacrifice. Wall Street is blocking efforts to shut down overseas tax-dodging havens that could restore $1 trillion dollars to U.S. taxpayers within a decade, notes IPS expert Chuck Collins. And a task force led by IPS expert Miriam Pemberton found that trimming just nine military programs could save $77 billion in 2012 alone.

We stand with Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) who said, "Millions of families unfairly lose more in this deal than they have already lost. I will not be a part of it."

http://www.ips-dc.org /

[Mimosa]

281. Guess you never read Taibbi's articles on Goldman Sachs?

You ought to at least TRY to know something about a person and his work before you slander him. Do you think you could write a first class expose on Goldman Sachs influence on government and international financial markets?

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-great-american-bubble-machine-20100405

[Agony]

24. Wow, in your world truth=shit? my sincere sympathies.

[ClarkUSA]

28. "truth"? Where are Taibbi's facts? He's one big brain fart of attack rhetoric.

No different than Sean Hannity, but much less popular, because liberals are smarter as a whole than conservatives.

[OnyxCollie]

163. Projection.

[border_town]

184. Taibbi actually

will go to The Tea party meetings and talks to people, etc... He just doesn't sit at a computer and make up facts. You obviously do not know anything about Taibbi.

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ignis]

75. +1

[ClarkUSA]

77. Taibbi offers zero facts, just his usual rancid attack rhetoric. That's not "truth, Want FACTS?

House Speaker John Boehner's (R-OH) office has released the PowerPoint he is using to persuade House Republicans to vote in favor of the emerging debt deal.

Ezra Klein tweets that he doesn't think the presentation is completely accurate: "Boehner's powerpoint misstates the deal to his members. 1) The baseline is not specified in the bill, and does not prevent taxes. 2) Boehner suggests that deficit reduction or BBA has to pass for Prez to get second debt increase. Not so. McConnell mechanism."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/07/31/how_boehner_is_selling_the_debt_deal.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PoliticalWire+%28Political+Wire%29

"3 Big Victories for Obama & Dems in Debt Ceiling Fight – Republicans Just Trying to Save Face"
http://tinyurl.com/obamadebtdealvictory

Congressional Sources: Republicans and Democrats Reach Tentative Debt Deal
July 30, 2011 10:39 PM

Here, according to Democratic and Republican sources, are the key elements:

-A debt ceiling increase of up to $2.1 to $2.4 trillion (depending on the size of the spending cuts agreed to in the final deal).

-They have now agreed to spending cuts of roughly $1.2 trillion over 10 years.

-The formation of a special Congressional committee to recommend further deficit reduction of up to $1.6 trillion (whatever it takes to add up to the total of the debt ceiling increase). This deficit reduction could take the form of spending cuts, tax increases or both.

-The special committee must make recommendations by late November (before Congress' Thanksgiving recess).

-If Congress does not approve those cuts by December 23, automatic across-the-board cuts go into effect, including cuts to Defense and Medicare. This "trigger" is designed to force action on the deficit reduction committee's recommendations by making the alternative painful to both Democrats and Republicans.

-A vote, in both the House and Senate, on a balanced budget amendment.

Democrats won't like the fact that Medicare could be exposed to automatic cuts, but the size of the Medicare cuts is limited and they are designed to be taken from Medicare providers, not beneficiaries.

Two sources briefed on the framework say the automatic cuts would hit Defense spending harder than Medicare. A Republican briefed on the framework says this will be unacceptable to many Republicans because it could force them to face a choice between accepting tax increases (if that is what the committee recommends) or automatic cuts that would gut the Pentagon's budget.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/07/white-house-republicans-strike-tenative-deal-to-raise-debt-ceiling-.html

[indurancevile]

177. that little factoid you keep posting contains the lie that cuts to providers aren't cuts to medicare

-- they are. and as the medicare specialist in another thread said, the result will be providers refusing to accept medicare & reduction of service.

[slay]

7. Matt is awesome

i think your jealousy is showing

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

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[ClarkUSA]

81. No, he's a paid shit-thrower for Rolling Stone. That's all.

[Name removed]

139. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

164. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kimsarah]

173. Must be

one of them f***ing retards!

[Name removed]

205. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[2banon]

170. Bingo! It's clear to me that's what this attack on Taibbi is about,, gee wonder where I've seen

that before... hmmmm..

[Name removed]

214. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

215. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dbonds]

265. S.O.P.

Attack the messenger. fear. fear. purity insults. (thats all they have, just ignore them)

[Forkboy]

20. Outside of attacking the messenger, any comments on the content?

[SusanaMontana41]

29. No. Just flame throwing. n/t

[ClarkUSA]

31. I'm still waiting for someone to quote me any facts Taibbi offers to back up his rhetoric.

[Forkboy]

32. I'll take that as a "no".

[ClarkUSA]

34. "no" to Taibbi's usual rhetorical garbage. It contains zero facts, which some people don't mind.

I do.

[Forkboy]

37. That's still a no, Clark.

[ClarkUSA]

40. lol! I have commented on his rhetoric. If you can't acknowledge that, it's not my problem.

[Forkboy]

46. I'm sure many have been swayed by your command of detail.

Anyone reading will surely see the error of their ways now that you've corrected them so diligently.

[ClarkUSA]

50. lol! I'm the only one posting facts, as far as I can read. Taibbi sure is not.

[Forkboy]

53. As far as you can read....

[Aerows]

80. LMAO

That pretty much answered your question, didn't it.

I literally burst out laughing at this entire conversation.

Talk about killing the messenger. I swear to god there is nothing worse than willful blindness.

[jtown1123]

259. Well considering this is a blog post, he is stating his opinion. Try reading his books

if you want fact heavy analysis.

[JoeyT]

130. Nope, just gonna attack the messenger.

He hates our precious so we can't read his words because they're blasphemous.

[bread_and_roses]

206. ROFL I like that one ...

"our precious" - I wish I'd thought of it, but I'm not clever. Thank you - gave me my only enjoyment this AM.

[sabrina 1]

48. You're right, he's not a 'progressive' journalist, he's a REAL journalist.

Real journalists simply report facts and truth regardless of where it leads them and his record on that is pretty good so far. I'll go with someone who has been proven right over and over again rather than someone whose record consists of 'protect my party no matter what they do' anytime.

Funny how 'brilliant' he was when Bush was doing some of what Dems are now doing! :eyes:

Another left 'hero' UTB!

:kick: for a real journalist.

[RZM]

57. This is not reporting

It's essentially a blog entry, albeit one carried by Rolling Stone. As for Taibbi's other work, I'm sure he does do/has done real reporting . . . I'll take your word for it since I don't follow him. But this is a simple opinion piece, not news reporting. All he's doing is giving his take on the deal and money in politics, with a few quotes from other opinion pieces to back up his points.

I'm not saying you didn't know all that. I'm just saying this piece says nothing one way or another about his skills as a journalist.

[sabrina 1]

58. Yes, I understand that, my point was that he has earned

respect because he does do his homework and as such, his opinion is worthy of respect. If someone disagrees with it it would be better to challenge him with facts, rather than claim he is 'Rush Limbaugh'. I was responding to a comment that was implying Matt Taibbi was no better than Limbaugh.

[Autumn]

154. I'm loving this big bus

all the best people are under here.

[John Agar]

222. Indeed. + 20000.

[Wind Dancer]

56. Stop defending the ongoing bullshit..... please!

Why do you always make excuses for the Dems and especially Obama's right wing policies? :eyes:

Welcome to my ignore list.

[ClarkUSA]

65. Stop ignoring the facts and listening to empty attack rhetoric like Taibbi's. Here are FACTS -->

House Speaker John Boehner's (R-OH) office has released the PowerPoint he is using to persuade House Republicans to vote in favor of the emerging debt deal.

Ezra Klein tweets that he doesn't think the presentation is completely accurate: "Boehner's powerpoint misstates the deal to his members. 1) The baseline is not specified in the bill, and does not prevent taxes. 2) Boehner suggests that deficit reduction or BBA has to pass for Prez to get second debt increase. Not so. McConnell mechanism."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/07/31/how_boehner_is_selling_the_debt_deal.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PoliticalWire+%28Political+Wire%29

"3 Big Victories for Obama & Dems in Debt Ceiling Fight – Republicans Just Trying to Save Face"
http://tinyurl.com/obamadebtdealvictory

Congressional Sources: Republicans and Democrats Reach Tentative Debt Deal
July 30, 2011 10:39 PM

Here, according to Democratic and Republican sources, are the key elements:

-A debt ceiling increase of up to $2.1 to $2.4 trillion (depending on the size of the spending cuts agreed to in the final deal).

-They have now agreed to spending cuts of roughly $1.2 trillion over 10 years.

-The formation of a special Congressional committee to recommend further deficit reduction of up to $1.6 trillion (whatever it takes to add up to the total of the debt ceiling increase). This deficit reduction could take the form of spending cuts, tax increases or both.

-The special committee must make recommendations by late November (before Congress' Thanksgiving recess).

-If Congress does not approve those cuts by December 23, automatic across-the-board cuts go into effect, including cuts to Defense and Medicare. This "trigger" is designed to force action on the deficit reduction committee's recommendations by making the alternative painful to both Democrats and Republicans.

-A vote, in both the House and Senate, on a balanced budget amendment.

Democrats won't like the fact that Medicare could be exposed to automatic cuts, but the size of the Medicare cuts is limited and they are designed to be taken from Medicare providers, not beneficiaries.

Two sources briefed on the framework say the automatic cuts would hit Defense spending harder than Medicare. A Republican briefed on the framework says this will be unacceptable to many Republicans because it could force them to face a choice between accepting tax increases (if that is what the committee recommends) or automatic cuts that would gut the Pentagon's budget.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/07/white-house-republicans-strike-tenative-deal-to-raise-debt-ceiling-.html

[Name removed]

101. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rusty charly]

261. Hmmm...

The budget deal President Obama forged with congressional leaders is no compromise. Republicans got just about all the cuts they wanted. Democrats didn't get hardly anything they sought, such as a deficit-shrinking revenue boost. If it becomes official, deep social spending cuts will deepen the nation's growing economic woes.

Finding additional money isn't difficult. Nor does it require tremendous sacrifice. Wall Street is blocking efforts to shut down overseas tax-dodging havens that could restore $1 trillion dollars to U.S. taxpayers within a decade, notes IPS expert Chuck Collins. And a task force led by IPS expert Miriam Pemberton found that trimming just nine military programs could save $77 billion in 2012 alone.

We stand with Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) who said, "Millions of families unfairly lose more in this deal than they have already lost. I will not be a part of it."

http://www.ips-dc.org /

[Marr]

61. edit

because who gives a shit.

[Marr]

64. and again.

Because who gives a shit.

[Fuddnik]

152. You're really becoming a bore with your bullshit,

You're one of the most insufferable assholes on this board.

Please, just shut the fuck up already.

[dbonds]

266. +1

And the ignore function is saving my sanity today. Incredible how ignoring a small handful can brighten the whole board.

[Taft_Bathtub]

153. Stop carrying water for Obama

He's a sellout and no one buys your Republican window dressing.

[marew]

227. Amen!!! n/t

[2banon]

167. Have you ever read Matt Taibbi?

[pezDispenser]

174. Link is broke. n/t

[bread_and_roses]

201. gee - funny how angry so many Ds are then ....

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/08/02-0

Dems Furious, See Deal as GOP Win

House Democrats on Monday expressed outrage at the White House for how it handled the debt-ceiling negotiations, claiming the administration caved to the GOP and left them in the dark.

The irate lawmakers took exception to the lack of balance between cuts and revenues; they railed against the White House for excluding them from the process; and they accused President Obama of bowing to the demands of Republicans without putting up much of a fight.

There's this forest and trees thing ... you can put a twig under a microscope and forget you are lost in the forest. Won't help you find your way home.

[nxylas]

226. "Big Victory for Obama - error 404, page not found"

How oddly appropriate.

[russspeakeasy]

232. Is this a poster from a chess tournament?

[polichick]

234. "Taibbi Is Not A Progressive Journalist...

- He Just Plays One On TV & Types Bullshit for Rolling Stone"


Easily one of the most ignorant statements ever posted on DU - reeks of desperation.

[dgibby]

247. Consider the source. n/t

[JEB]

239. Where's the REVENUE?

Loop holes big enough to drive a corporation through totally ignored.

[Dutchmaster]

251. ClarkUSA is the modern day version of the guy that still supported Bush at the end of 2008

[libmom74]

276. LOL!

Perfect description (I can think of a few others) but I won't name names. :rofl:

[totodeinhere]

275. Anytime anyone criticizes your precious Barack Obama you have a conniption fit .

We got that. So your reactions are both predictable and irrelevant.

[FiveGoodMen]

2. This.

[girl gone mad]

6. They don't even play one on TV anymore.

Talking about deficits, debt and austerity when they should be talking about jobs, human rights and the environment.

[progressoid]

9. +1

[treestar]

12. OK so the Koch brothers are funding the tea party

Who is funding the "progressives?"

Could be the Koch brothers too. That would be pretty clever.

[ClarkUSA]

15. Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. After all, PUMA Jane Hamster Face is on the GOP payroll.

Nader was funded by Republicans in all his presidential runs, too. Nice return on investment for the GOP in 2000.

[Name removed]

42. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ignis]

102. Thanks for proving your feminist bona fides with "Hamster Face."

Some might have questioned them, otherwise.

[ClarkUSA]

104. PUMA Jane Hamster Face proved her racist bona fides with her black face "humor".

No question there.

<< Thanks for proving your feminist bona fides with "Hamster Face." >>

So according to you, when DUers and liberals across the blogosphere were calling Bush II "Chimp Face" then each and every one of them must have been equally sexist, eh?

[Creideiki]

140. Pam Spaulding disagrees. You know, the influential black lesbian blogger?

Then again, we know how you feel about that 9th word.

[savannah43]

237. Hahahahahahaha!

You tool.

[dgibby]

254. Here's who the Koch brothers are funding:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9014275

Believe me, they aren't progressive.

BTW, I did a Google search: Koch brothers+funding+Progressives. Couldn't find anything.

[ixion]

16. k/r...

There is only ONE party, behind the scenes. The rest is Kabuki Theater.

[Major Hogwash]

18. The more the Democratic party acts like the old GOP party, the rest of us are left out in the cold.

If the Democrats won't even protect Social Security, there is no one to turn to.

[ClarkUSA]

21. Um, all entitlement benefits & many programs for the poor are exempt from current and trigger cuts.

The devil is in the details: http://tinyurl.com/obamadebtdealvictory

That's a fact you won't find Matt Taibbi in possession of. He don't need no stinkin' facts to get recs! :sarcasm:

[Major Hogwash]

39. That's what you say, I'll take Taibbi's word on this instead.

Because the rest of the cuts come from the 2nd phase, later this year.

[ClarkUSA]

45. I am quoting several sources via the link I offered. Obviously, you don't care about the facts.

[Major Hogwash]

60. Matt is a published author -- and quite clearly, you are not!!

You know what you can do now, don't you?
Go publish something!

[ClarkUSA]

62. Not that you know my real name, of course, but so is Bill O'Reilly. Your point is?

[Major Hogwash]

66. Ha ha ha, that was funnier than hell.

"Not that you know my real name".
Like that's going to matter next week.

You need to stick to the details.
Can you guarantee that Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid won't face cuts during "phase 2" later this year?

Of course not.
So, your argument is moot.

[ClarkUSA]

70. If you read what I've written in this thread, you'd know the answer.

But since you're not interested in the facts as I've already offered you via my original link in this subthread, I don't see why you even bother asking questions.

[Major Hogwash]

71. You didn't guarantee anything!! You're just puffing out your shirt for the benefit of shirt makers!

But that doesn't cut no ice in the real world.
You'll see, you'll live to regret this day.

[ClarkUSA]

72. WTF are you babbling about?

[Major Hogwash]

76. You can't handle the truth so you make accusations and think you're funny.

You're seriously warped.

[ClarkUSA]

79. What's the "truth"? Back what you say up with facts from credible sources as I have here. --->

House Speaker John Boehner's (R-OH) office has released the PowerPoint he is using to persuade House Republicans to vote in favor of the emerging debt deal.

Ezra Klein tweets that he doesn't think the presentation is completely accurate: "Boehner's powerpoint misstates the deal to his members. 1) The baseline is not specified in the bill, and does not prevent taxes. 2) Boehner suggests that deficit reduction or BBA has to pass for Prez to get second debt increase. Not so. McConnell mechanism."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/07/31/how_boehner_is_selling_the_debt_deal.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PoliticalWire+%28Political+Wire%29

Congressional Sources: Republicans and Democrats Reach Tentative Debt Deal
July 30, 2011 10:39 PM

Here, according to Democratic and Republican sources, are the key elements:

-A debt ceiling increase of up to $2.1 to $2.4 trillion (depending on the size of the spending cuts agreed to in the final deal).

-They have now agreed to spending cuts of roughly $1.2 trillion over 10 years.

-The formation of a special Congressional committee to recommend further deficit reduction of up to $1.6 trillion (whatever it takes to add up to the total of the debt ceiling increase). This deficit reduction could take the form of spending cuts, tax increases or both.

-The special committee must make recommendations by late November (before Congress' Thanksgiving recess).

-If Congress does not approve those cuts by December 23, automatic across-the-board cuts go into effect, including cuts to Defense and Medicare. This "trigger" is designed to force action on the deficit reduction committee's recommendations by making the alternative painful to both Democrats and Republicans.

-A vote, in both the House and Senate, on a balanced budget amendment.

Democrats won't like the fact that Medicare could be exposed to automatic cuts, but the size of the Medicare cuts is limited and they are designed to be taken from Medicare providers, not beneficiaries.

Two sources briefed on the framework say the automatic cuts would hit Defense spending harder than Medicare. A Republican briefed on the framework says this will be unacceptable to many Republicans because it could force them to face a choice between accepting tax increases (if that is what the committee recommends) or automatic cuts that would gut the Pentagon's budget.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/07/white-house-republicans-strike-tenative-deal-to-raise-debt-ceiling-.html

"3 Big Victories for Obama & Dems in Debt Ceiling Fight – Republicans Just Trying to Save Face"
http://tinyurl.com/obamadebtdealvictory

Nate Silver: "Cuts Heavily Weighted Toward Defense Spending"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1632702

[Major Hogwash]

82. Taibbi is not a progressive -- that ended YOUR fucking bush lite jazz from the getgo!

Normally I don't engage idiot on DU, but I'm willing to make an example out of YOU today.

[ClarkUSA]

89. Yes, protecting Medicare/SS benefits & preserving Pell Grants is EXACTLY what Bush II would've done.

:sarcasm:

[Major Hogwash]

93. BOTH of my Republican representatives in the House voted for it.

That's some real fine spam you spread here today.

[ClarkUSA]

94. Ezra Klein says Boehner lied about the deal in order to sell it. Guess it worked.

House Speaker John Boehner's (R-OH) office has released the PowerPoint he is using to persuade House Republicans to vote in favor of the emerging debt deal.

Ezra Klein tweets that he doesn't think the presentation is completely accurate: "Boehner's powerpoint misstates the deal to his members. 1) The baseline is not specified in the bill, and does not prevent taxes. 2) Boehner suggests that deficit reduction or BBA has to pass for Prez to get second debt increase. Not so. McConnell mechanism."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/07/31/how_boehner_is_selling_the_debt_deal.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PoliticalWire+%28Political+Wire%29

It passes 269 to 161. 66 Republicans and 95 Democrats vote no. Some republicans are dumber than shit and Boehner knows it. :rofl:

[Major Hogwash]

99. It doesn't matter to me. I have to do something to get rid of the Tea Party Republicans in my state.

And if I have to, I'll run against one of them myself!!

I've had it with this wimpy Democratic party in Idaho.
I've never seen so much capitulation from 1 party in less than a year in my entire life!

First they extend the Bush tax cuts, and now they hand them knives and tell them to slice and dice our so-called entitlement programs!!

[ClarkUSA]

103. ID is gorgeous but boy, is it red! No wonder you're frustrated. I'm lucky to be a New Yorker...

... although we've got a DLC Koch-backed to the tune of $400,000 Governor Cuomo here who refused to raise taxes on the wealthy even though the legislature AND 80% of New Yorkers wanted him to.

You're wrong about this debt bill, Major Hogwash. All entitlement benefits are not subject to any current or trigger cuts. I hope you'll look at the facts later. And President Obama compromised on the Bush tax cuts in order to get a UI extension for the long-term unemployed, which was the liberal and compassionate thing to do.

If you really do decide to run against one of your state's Tea Party Republicans, please PM me. I would be happy to give you a campaign donation.

[savannah43]

238. "I hope you'll look at the facts later."

That's what I'm going to do as soon as they're released, states ClarkUSA of NY.

[digidigido]

84. If you truly think that the cuts will be to defense

I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you. The "supplemental" budget for the war is greater then the defense budget.
Please don't be naive enough to think that the right will ever do what they say. You can't be that hopey changey and be
a real journalist

[ClarkUSA]

90. "hopey changey" is a Palin term. Do you like her?

[digidigido]

132. It figures you're too dense to understand sarcasm too

[rusty charly]

253. The preferred, updated phrase is

Hopey-Cavey. EVERY SINGLE TIME. CAVE. CAVED. WILL CAVE IN THE FUTURE, as in THE BUSH TAX CUTS. THAT'S THE NEXT CAVE.

[Major Hogwash]

95. They don't have talking points issued yet for "Phase 2".

Thunderdome!
Break a deal, face the wheel.

You'll see, once the Rethuglicans say they won't cut a program, you can rest assured that they're out back sharpening their knives.
Just like Bill the Butcher!

[ClarkUSA]

97. A future Democratic-controlled Congress can change policy because there are no cuts until 2013.

Why do you think President Obama pushed for that timeline? To his credit, he got it. Now all we've got to do is make sure we take back the House and keep the Senate and WH.

[rusty charly]

263. Truth:

The budget deal President Obama forged with congressional leaders is no compromise. Republicans got just about all the cuts they wanted. Democrats didn't get hardly anything they sought, such as a deficit-shrinking revenue boost. If it becomes official, deep social spending cuts will deepen the nation's growing economic woes.

Finding additional money isn't difficult. Nor does it require tremendous sacrifice. Wall Street is blocking efforts to shut down overseas tax-dodging havens that could restore $1 trillion dollars to U.S. taxpayers within a decade, notes IPS expert Chuck Collins. And a task force led by IPS expert Miriam Pemberton found that trimming just nine military programs could save $77 billion in 2012 alone.

We stand with Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) who said, "Millions of families unfairly lose more in this deal than they have already lost. I will not be a part of it."

http://www.ips-dc.org/

[MedicalAdmin]

I just curious but when does the shift end? n/t

[a simple pattern]

158. Maybe they use

the same personas. Some of them never seem to take a break...

[peace frog]

192. Not to worry, there are more than enough

hands to fill those sock puppets. The names change but the spew remains the same.

[hfojvt]

143. you are missing a big one though

Not that SS is in the automatic cuts, but that the super congress is going to come up with "reform" of entitlements and the tax code.

Well, they already did that with the catfoord commission and the gang of six, and Obama has signed off on them.

[PVnRT]

189. You keep posting that link, yet all I get is a 404

How many blogs did you have to dig through to get your propaganda facts?

[rusty charly]

262. The Satan Sandwich is in The Details

The budget deal President Obama forged with congressional leaders is no compromise. Republicans got just about all the cuts they wanted. Democrats didn't get hardly anything they sought, such as a deficit-shrinking revenue boost. If it becomes official, deep social spending cuts will deepen the nation's growing economic woes.

Finding additional money isn't difficult. Nor does it require tremendous sacrifice. Wall Street is blocking efforts to shut down overseas tax-dodging havens that could restore $1 trillion dollars to U.S. taxpayers within a decade, notes IPS expert Chuck Collins. And a task force led by IPS expert Miriam Pemberton found that trimming just nine military programs could save $77 billion in 2012 alone.

We stand with Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) who said, "Millions of families unfairly lose more in this deal than they have already lost. I will not be a part of it."

http://www.ips-dc.org /

[totodeinhere]

278. Obama explicitly put Medicare on the table in his statement this morning.

Despite what some in my own party have argued, I believe that we need to make some modest adjustments to programs like Medicare to ensure that they're still around for future generations.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2011/07/obama_debt_ceiling_deal_statem.html

[Mimosa]

285. *EEEEEK*

Like medicare is overfunded and generous now. If Medicare were what it should be people wouldn't need supplemental insurance!

[MuseRider]

19. I like this guy.

He nailed it.

[ixion]

23. Yep. Matt gets it.

Which is more than I can say for some.

[Octafish]

26. Heh.

"We probably need to start wondering why this keeps happening."

[xiamiam]

27. ignored doesn't like Taibbi..figures..nt

[Blecht]

35. Yes, I see that, too!

That function certainly keeps my blood pressure down while visiting here -- wouldn't come here without it!

[Occulus]

68. I had to log out and see

Someone needs to hit alert. I can't alert on him because I have him on ignore, but he's gone way over the line.

[Dappleganger]

69. Same here...

these threads are so predictably funny at times.

[Lorien]

142. here too. "Ignored" is on the losing end of every major argument around here. bt

[Mimosa]

286. And makes up things

I doubt he's ever read a Tabbai article (usually 6-8 pages or so) all the way through. Taibbai's bio on McCain probably lost McCain a hundred thou votes at minimum.

Ignored is all giddy lately, having fun poking ay people, rejoicing in being annoying. I guess he got a pay raise. He'll be doing this all through 2012, I guess. Somebody must think those blue links are persuasive. ;)

[Maven]

116. Same.

Although, I can tell from some of the responses who it is. Let me guess: to distract from Obama, they blamed it on Clinton?

[Aerows]

83. Yep, another one added to my ignore list

It keeps my blood pressure down.

I wonder if these ignored people realize that's what's going to happen come the election, too?

[Ignis]

87. Someone pulled the short straw for this watch, I guess.

No one wants to have to defend the indefensible.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

145. The ONLY one on my ignore list. I just chuckle when I see...

people trying to talk sense to that one. Lost cause.

[a simple pattern]

160. One man's lost cause

is another man's paid obfuscator.

[provis99]

148. I can guess who Ignored is.

yep. I was right. Someone is way overdue tombstoning.

[udbcrzy2]

33. I think they call them DINO n/t

[ClarkUSA]

36. Is Taibbi on the Koch Bros. astroturf payroll? He sure does love to attack Democrats from the left.

From what I can see, the Koch Bros. "divide-and-conquer" strategy is working just swimmingly on their winning way to 2012.

[sabrina 1]

67. There are Democrats on the Koch Bros payroll

but I did not see Taibbi's name on the list. Got something to back up that claim, or do you just fling dirt hoping some of it will stick somewhere?

[stranger81]

155. That's a rhetorical question, right? [n/t]

[Bluenorthwest]

199. That is the McCarthyite meme of the day.

These slander merchants are used to politicians, so they are stunned when they see a man who earns a good living by working, as Taibbi does.

[Dragonfli]

74. The Koch Bros divide and conquer strategy was fund the DLC Right wingers like you and the Tea party

but you already know that, it is the attack of the fascists and the vichy collaborators.
Face it.

[ClarkUSA]

86. lol! I'm a liberal Obama supporter & proud of it. Koch Bros. astroturf attack Obama 24/7....

... and always from the left. Get a clue.

[Dragonfli]

109. "liberal Obama supporter" = oxymoron. also why was the DLC funded by the Kochs?

[ClarkUSA]

119. Really? You must tell the 83% who identified ourselves as such to Gallup polls this week.

:sarcasm:

<< also why was the DLC funded by the Kochs? >>

Go ask DINO DLC Bill and Gov. Cuomo, who accepted $400,000 from the Koch Bros. last year.

[Dragonfli]

124. Yes they are part of the problem as well as those the president surrounds himself with.

I agree they have infiltrated more than just your guy.

[ClarkUSA]

127. So millions of self-identified liberal Democratic Obama supporters are "part of the problem" eh?

Gotcha. Nice speaking with you.

:tinfoilhat:

[Dragonfli]

141. No, the DLC stooges you mentioned (as was quite clear) also I might add the third way followers

Most of the same individuals and Koch Bros. economic doctrine is enshrined now in that think tank, but you know this, why do you feign ignorance?

on edit: they do use you as useful tools tho just like the kochs use low information Republican voters via their tea bag think tanks.
As you know, they have purchased parts of both sides, the DLC and Third way being their left wing investment.

[Prana69]

144. You might "identify" as a liberal, but you don't "behave" like one...

...nor do you appear to espouse liberal values.

P69

[rusty charly]

252. Cuomo, the "DINO", who just enacted the

MARRIAGE EQUALITY LAW? THAT "DINO"?

HAHAHAHAHAHA! You really are delusional.

[digidigido]

133. You are a liberal the way Phil Ochs used the term in his song

10 degrees to the left of center in good times, 10 degrees to the right of center in bad times

"Love Me I'm a Liberal" Phil Ochs

[Kaleko]

85. Your efforts at perception management

can't be effective if you appear to operate from an internal state of hysteria, ClarkUSA.

The truth needs no smear campaign against its opponents. It is self-evident.

[ClarkUSA]

92. "The truth needs no smear campaign against its opponents. It is self-evident."

Tell that to Jimmy Carter, Michael Dukakis, Al Gore, and John Kerry.

[Kaleko]

98. Ever heard of the law of the reverse effect?

You're looking at it in this thread. Several people openly state that you are on their ignore list. The bulk of the rest agrees with Taibbi's assessment. The more stridently you insist on your perspective being the only one that is correct, the more fearful and hysterical you appear, and thus the less persuasive you get.

It works every time.

[ClarkUSA]

100. lol! You presume to know my goal.

You'd be wrong.

And no, I won't discuss it further.

Suffice it to say, the facts stand, whether people choose to acknowledge them or not.

[Kaleko]

108. Your goal is to convince people to adopt your views, Clark,

because you think they are better, superior in many ways. That's obvious. And there's nothing wrong with it. Everyone does it, some with more, some with less skillful means.

To deny this effort to influence others instead of copping to it, would be the height of self-deception.

[ClarkUSA]

114. lol! I know better given my many years here. However, I do enjoy posting facts.

[Name removed]

123. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ClarkUSA]

128. lol! You're moving the goalpost and distorting my comments now, Kaleko.

Tsk, tsk.

[Kaleko]

138. What gymnastics will you come up with next,

to deflect from what is obvious for anyone with eyes to see? Changing the contents of your posts to say something completely different on edit and having spot-on replies to you removed by the mods won't win many hearts and minds, Clark. At least not on DU.

For your information: your m.o. couldn't be more transparent.

[Forkboy]

151. I was once in the process of responding to him and watched him edit 4 times.

Each one trying to be safer than the last. If you're replying to someone and refresh the page before you post you can watch the edits as they appear. I was laughing my ass off. :)

[Kaleko]

162. Hey, that's good to know.

Note to self: refresh page until the last cow comes home.
Press send only AFTER usual suspect's bedtime.

[canoeist52]

221. "And no, I won't discuss it further. " ???? nt.

[savannah43]

249. All of the facts? Or just those that support your

version of the situation? Purposely ignoring inconvenient facts is willful ignorance. The worst kind.

[Proud Public Servant]

88. News flash:

The more Democrats move to the right, the more room there is to attack them from the left. Just sayin'.

[ClarkUSA]

91. How is preserving Pell Grants & protecting SS/Medicare benefits from any cuts moving "to the right"?

Just sayin'.

[Proud Public Servant]

112. How is agreeing to not raising taxes on the rich;

agreeing to not extend unemployment insurance; agreeing to cut social programs in a 1:1 ratio with defense when we spend $2 on defense for every $1 we spend on social programs; ceding authority to an extra-Constitutional "super Congress"; and forcing a choice between a balanced budget amendment or cuts to Medicare, anything but a move to the right?

[ClarkUSA]

115. You didn't answer my question.

[peace frog]

203. "You forgot Poland"!!111!!

Goodness gracious but your petulance is running high. Next I expect you will hurl yourself to the floor, stomping, flailing, kicking and holding your breath until you turn blue. Well, at least the "holding your breath" part sounds like a good start. :rofl:

Ordinarily I might request that you please refrain from making a bigger asshat of yourself than you already have done in this thread, but I know it will fall on petulantly deaf ears so never mind. Mazel tov.

[digidigido]

135. You want to cherry pick a point or 2, fine you can't seem to

see the forrest for the trees. The biggest reason there's a debt problem is lack of revenue.
Not having the rich pay their fair share is moving to the right, or at the very least staying
to the right.

[Marr]

111. This thread has really got you worked up, hasn't it?

[ClarkUSA]

121. I'm enjoying it, thanks.

:)

[NashVegas]

120. Why Not? It Worked So Well In 2004 and 2008

to choose the Democratic candidate.

[_ed_]

208. Yeah, I'm sure the Koch Brothers approve

of Matt's 4-5 articles berating business and wall street.

Seriously, get a grip on reality.

[Frisbee]

257. I think the fact that you are STILL using that "Chill Out"...

image in your sig says everything anyone needs to know about you. You have zero credibility, and this thread just reinforces that.

[damntexdem]

51. Really? I haven't seen that TV program for some time.

The Progressive Democratic Party Show must be on an obscure cable network that I can't get.

[tgal]

63. Matt is great he gets it

The corporate owned 'neo' dems who got theirs do not care about anyone or anything but themselves.

Clearly. Good for them, they got theirs.

We are scared and see no one fighting for us, like we fought for them pounding the pavement and phone calling for half our lives.


Thanks Matt, you get it as always, no matter what the "I got mine Obama works for me and my corporate owned rich 'neo' Dems so shut up and get under the bus and stop screwing us haves" say.

[pa28]

73. "Banks Send Letter To Congress And Obama: Get A Debt Deal Done NOW".

http://www.businessinsider.com/banks-send-letter-to-congress-and-obama-urging-them-to-get-a-debt-deal-done-now-2011-7

Since Matt thinks it's time to start wondering why this keeps happening . . .

[MadHound]

96. And it has been that way for awhile,

As far as why, well, this is what you get when corporations buy both parties.

[gulliver]

106. Taibbi is a very hard working writer. n/t

[Scottybeamer70]

107. Heh............

I see I'm not the only one with a certain person on ignore!

[Frisbee]

264. I really need to do the same, but....

sometimes the comic relief he provides helps pass time.

[xchrom]

110. Recommend - matt's bona fides are better than most.

Better than obama's certainly.

[fascisthunter]

113. NAILED! (nt)

[NashVegas]

117. Dear Matt: You Were a Tool In 2008 And You Still Are a Tool in 2011

So, who do you like this year?

[blank space]

147. Um, riiiiight

great post there buddy - have no idea why you think this, what he did in 08, why 2011 is also bad etc - just some random words int he end.

One point for using English.

[blank space]

149. Also on those military cuts you are cooing about

Consider this one simple fact - the military is the largest single Employer in the US, since 2001 the number of direct servicemen alone has increased by almost 100,000.

The reality is (a lot of Americans font quite get this) that the US is actually a Military state - first and foremost. Always has been.

The Military is the primary means to circumvent anti- subsidy laws imposed by the IMF - its a fantastic loop hole and represents the only REAL stimulus spending in the economy.

Now simply cutting 600 billion today from this budget will simply mean that servicemen will be fired. It will also mean any people hired outside of the military (contractors) will also simply be FIRED.

What will happen is a massive consolidation (as Donald Rumsfeld famously declared war on the Pentagon the day before the 911 attacks, financial war) - this means that the US will put is money into developing cheap robotic warfare - more than likely expanding its current business model of using prison labor and off shore factories to build its robots - no doubt relying on cheap foreign construction and chinese Robots.

So in other words - all the pentagon cuts will do is remove the actual benefit to the economy which acts as a stimulus by providing jiobs, education, health care, more jobs, etc, etc and repackage everything into a more streamlined profit mechanism for war profiteers and weapons manufacturers.


I think Matt Taibi is absofuckinglutely right !!

[NashVegas]

293. Gosh, I'm So Fucking Sorry the Military-Industrial Complex Will Lose Jobs

I'll cry as many tears over that as the average SAIC employee weeps for every formerly-employed factory worker, writer, photographer, cashier, etc., etc.

There are more than a few of us who are very well aware of the military state and we're more than a little tired of TOOLS like Tiabbi, who allow themselves to be used to steer votes.

That's not a personal attack, that's metaphor. English.

[Bluenorthwest]

207. Name calling and content free personal attacks...

does the OFA teach workshops in such thuggery? It is their trademark, it seems.

[NashVegas]

294. This One's For You

If I were to throw a personal attack, I might call you an idiot for not understanding the use of metaphor.

Instead, I will contain my comments to Tiabbi, whose naive hysteria is wonderful for getting people in a panic and creating drama but not so good for getting citizens to engage in smart activism.

[eridani]

125. The problem is the 1/3 of Dems who are Koch whores

Add that to the Republican contingent, and it's always a been a majority.

[KoKo]

126. Matt makes a valid point...it would be interesting to hear an intellgent counter to him.

But, at this point...that's not likely. :-(

[ProSense]

129. Is this

"They're doing it because they do not represent any actual voters. I know I've said this before, but they are not a progressive political party, not even secretly, deep inside. They just play one on television."

...an epiphany? "Secretly," deep inside"? No. This is more binary thinking.

One can look at the Democratic Party's core values on paper and they are fairly progressive. Then Democrats have to get people elected to Congress in districts and states across America to translate those values into legislation and governing.

The Democratic caucus runs the spectrum from Ben Nelson to Bernie Sanders (who isn't a Democrat) in the Senate and from Dennis Kucinich to Heath Shuler in the House.

It may feel good to make such a grand and obvious pronouncement as Taibbi has to characterize the Democratic Party, but until each one of the less than progressive members is unseated by a more progressive candidate, there will not be the kind of progressive change he is seeking.

It's math, and that's reality, which people spend too much time trying to spin away instead of trying to elect better candidates. They'll just as soon attack a progressive for dealing with reality, than work to get more progressive Democrats elected.

Elected officials have to deal with reality. Even if there were 30 progressive Senators, they'd need another 21 members (or 30 under the filibuster) to advance anything. If, for example, they end up conceding something to a Lieberman or Nelson, then that is the consequence of not having 50 to 60 progressive Senators.

It's that simple.

[tnlefty]

131. No, it's not that simple when bastards who call themselves

democrats pull shit like this http://nashvillepost.com/news/2008/2/22/more_dems_join_lamar_bandwagon

[ProSense]

134. Yes

it's that damn simple. That's what elections are for. It's their constituents responsibility to hold them accountable and vote them out of office.

Maybe you're right because the trick is to vote them out of office and replace them with better candidates, not Republicans.

[Bluenorthwest]

211. So how many Democrats in Congress are required for Obama

to so much as sound like a Democrat? 100%? As long as any Republican is in office, he is unable to speak his own damn mind?
The 'numbers' do not control his tongue.

[Name removed]

136. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

137. Is comprehension a problem?

There are idiotic Democrats who support McCain and Ron Paul.

Still, endorsements had nothing to do with my point.

[blank space]

150. So beacuse there are right wing nutters

in the democratic party that means we shouldn't complain because there are right wing nutters in the democratic party.....im confused.

[blank space]

146. Dear ClarkeUSA

Please tell me how it is that during a time of borderline depression massive cuts to spending is a good thing ?

The very core principle of the democratic paradigm is to increase spending in order to help the common people and society through a difficult economic down turn in order to create jobs and stimulate demand, and spending.

This is the very, very CORE of what it means to be a liberal and a democrat let wing supported the WORLD OVER. This is always, and i mean ALWAYS combined with an appropriate level of taxation in order to offset this - it is basic, fundamental wealth redistribution in order to balance an imbalanced economy - it is as simple a concept as the alphabet and as a concrete notion of a left wing establishment as lowering taxes and slashing government is of right wing politics.


How is slashing spending, the very principle and CORE of the right wing, and not raising taxes in order to balance the economy a positive democratic result ?

I see you blasting Matt Taibi all over this forum ( you clearly have absolutely no idea who the guy is, you might as well be slamming krugman, chomsky and klein for how ridiculous you look - I digress), I see you blasting Taibi, defending the Democrats with all the hubris of a true Dunning Kruger Hyper Narcissist - but please, PLEASE tell me how slashing spending and massive tax cuts is a Democratic result - when for all of history, and for all the left wing politics on EARTH this is a far right wing result ?

Look forward to your response - which Im POSITIVE we wont be getting.

[Oilwellian]

157. You ask a very good question

Also, Taibbi did some fantastic work covering the corruption on Wall Street.

[RainDog]

172. His articles about The Worst Congress Ever

that looked at the way the right wing tried to freeze democrats out of the entire legislative process during the Bush era was also great.

I suppose the person trying to pretend this is as a great deal didn't think Taibbi was in the Koch pocket then - intellectual dishonesty is really an ugly thing to see on display here.

btw, I'm not a betting person but I'd be willing to bet that this bullshit about the providers taking the cuts is sort of like the claim that Iraq had WMDs - only the most gullible believed that bullshit, too.

[girl gone mad]

171. He's still trying to come up with a "clever" way to make fun of Taibbi's name..

or looks.

That's about as much as he can ever bring to the table.

[lastone]

161. So it's a blog entry

Do you, Clark, not believe this man (Taibbi) has access that you do not. May his sources know the devils within this deal that we do not? By dismissing his work as "like limbaugh" or any of the others you cite is laughable at best and downright disregardful at worst. The president, in whatever 10 level jujitsu he is mastering before our eyes, once proclaimed - that there would be no cuts w/out revenue - and we have no revenue in this deal, when does compromise equal sellout/capitulation for you? If this is such a great deal how are there not many people singing it's praise and rallying support, this has been political theater and Obama has most likely won if you look at it with a long view at 2012 (politically only) - but that long view may also screw many, who are least prepared to be, in the short term.

[blank space]

166. If Obama was counting on having ClarkeUSA

as being the only person backing him in 2012 - then yes, Obama is a real winner.

If Obama wanted ostracise his own party, his followers, the liberal dem voters and throw all of them under freight train for history, his own place therein, then yes - Obama has also won.

If Obama wanted to get re-elected then no - Obama has completely lost the plot.

[blackspade]

168. Matt hits another home run with this one.

This debt ceiling 'deal' is a piece of crap.

[Vinnie From Indy]

175. Viva Taibbi!

Matt does nail it!

The ClarkUSA poster relentlessly posts the same three sources and quotes over and over parts of the analysis that can be found at these links as though simply posting these links conveys credibility to their argument. It does not. In fact, the analysis of those attempting to shield the President from the consequences of his abject betrayal and capitualtion is mostly propaganda and misdirection. Simply offering that entitlements will not be cut immediately is not some magic cloak that hides the intent and actual harm that will occur becuase these programs are now fair game for cuts in the future and forever more.

I believe most DU'ers see this deal for exactly what it is - a betrayal.

[FlyByNight]

178. K & R

The republic is doomed.

[blkmusclmachine]

179. They are actors in a play. And we don't have the script.

But it's becoming apparent what the end game is. :nuke:

[SharksBreath]

182. The GOP came with a cardboard knife. Obama gave them the gun

to hold us hostage.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

185. and most of them are crappy actors. k&r n/t

[trumad]

187. I am stunned by the ignorance of the poster with the big D as his Avatar.

The dude easily has to be the biggest "tool" on DU.

[Vinca]

188. Democrats aren't a progressive party . . . and it's very sad.

It's what the country needs.

[bklyncowgirl]

190. "No man can serve two masters." Jesus of Nazareth

It takes millions of dollars to run for office these days. Where do you get those millions? Obviously you go where the money is. Back in the day Republicans went to big business, Democrats went to big labor. This has changed over the years. Both parties now look to the same source of donors. This has been going on for some time, in fact one of the reasons that Big Labor is a shadow of its former self is because some Democrats worked with Republicans to cut trade deals that sent manufacturing jobs overseas. Given that they are dependent upon the wealthy for contributions, it makes sense that with a few exceptions, Democratic politicians, when push comes to shove will give lip service to tax fairness and making the rich pay their fair share but when push comes to shove they will do what their donors want them to do. These wealthy families and individuals are what I call the Powers That Be or the PTB for short.

People may not have money but they have votes. Fortunately for the PTB Americans are fundamentally incapable of uniting behind a populist candidate even if he or she could break through. Remember what happened when Howard Dean talked about reaching out to southern guys with Confederate flags on their pickup trucks. Immediately African-American leaders jumped on him for insensitivity and a lack of understanding as to what that flag meant. Dean's larger point--that working class Americans including African-Americans should be natural allies with poor whites on economic issues was completely lost even though it's a very old problem in this country, one observed by none other than Frederick Douglass. The idea of a group of women from NARAL marching in the same demonstration with conservative anti-abortion types, or tree huggers walking beside loggers in a "Rebuild the American Dream" rally is just that--a dream. Even Seniors are often at odds with young parents who want better schools for their kids. We Americans are well trained to respond to our cultural bells and whistles and to be perfectly honest, we like it that way. It is soooo much easier to remain in our little cocoons safely insulated from people whose opinions might offend our delicate sensitivities.

The PTB likes it this way just fine.

No one can become president without the approval of the PTB. Any presidential candidate who steps out of line, who the powers that be believe might actually believe his or her populist rhetoric will be sidelined quickly by the corporate media before he or she gets anywhere near the White House. Barack Obama is a corporatist at heart and no doubt spent a great deal of energy convincing the powers that be that he was safe. His reactions are perfectly consistent with who he is at heart. Does he represent a kinder gentler form of capitalism than any of the GOP candidates? Yes. Will he challenge the power of Wall Street and the oligarchs who put him in power, when he needs their cash to run for re-election? In your (and my) dreams.

So what do we do? For one thing support progressive populists for office when you can find them. Push mainstream Democrats in the direction they should be moving when you can. Vote for the lesser of two evils when you must.

Waiting for a political savior to arise, a politician with the progressive politics of a Bernie Sanders, the passion of a Howard Dean, the rhetorical gifts of a Ted Kennedy, the tenacity of an Elliott Abrams and the personal fortune of a Ross Perot (cause he or she is going to need money)? Not gonna happen and if such a person did show up, he or she would be quickly shot down by the corporate media (ask Howard Dean, Elliott Abrams and Ross Perot about that. (alright--Abrams shot himself down but does anyone really believe that if he hadn't made big enemies on Wall Street his penchant for hiring hookers wouldn't have remained a matter kept between himself and his madam) Sorry I can't be more optomistic but that in my opinion is where we are and not understanding this is folly.

[mother earth]

202. You are 100%, campaign finance reform is what is truly

the basis of this political blasphemy, and we will never get true reform without a people's candidate in power...therein lies our problem. This is why our only hope lies in a 3rd party candidate or a true progressive from within...with total support as the people's choice/candidate. The tea party is a blip on the screen compared to what true progressives can do, to give in and say we are doomed is to be defeated with nary a whimper.

[bklyncowgirl]

220. Yes that is certainly a part of it--the other part is to focus on what matters most.

The middle and working classes are being royally screwed. The Powers that Be, or at least a significant number of them, seem to have decided that a general prosperity in the United States is no longer something that is in their interest.

We have the votes. Somehow we have to find a way to use those votes to make it something that is in their interest again. That means forging alliances with people we disagree with on other issues. It's funny but sometimes when I talk with honest tea party types--not the corporate sponsored folks who have taken over the movement, I find the same frustration with lack of opportunity and pain for the middle class. Their analysis may be flawed by their emotions are in the right place.

I see you're an admirer of Howard Dean. I am too. I believe he was on the right track before he was derailed (sorry couldn't resist that pun) and that he was a successful DNC chairman because he reached out to people like Evangelical Christians while asserting strong progressive principles that sometimes made mainstream Democrats blanch. I'd love to see Dean or someone else credible, use his formula make a primary run in 2016 or if Obama seems fatally wounded in 2012 give it a shot and really put it on the line.

[disillusioned73]

191. K&R..

for Matt Taibbi, truth - it's whats for dinner.

[mother earth]

193. Loud and clear calls for a challenger to Obama within the party

must be made. On issue after issue he has disappointed and flubbed, if it isn't purposeful, it's incompetence. Choose your poison, but we need a real progressive in that office, working for democratic values before we all go down.

[Mr Dixon]

196. Newbie, IMO

Not sure about the rest of you but this is tiring, this entire debt deal is a shame, the political processes are a shame, and I for one refuse to deal with this madness anymore. Half the country is pissed, blaming OBAMA and the Tea Party, we are missing the point, none of this happens without private funding. The people are too poor to put any one legit in office, someone the carries water for the people, we might as well pray for Robin Hood of 2012. We are being misled into thinking that out voices are being heard or that out protest matter sadly they don’t. For everyone carrying a protest sign, basically you’re just identifying yourself to the powers that control the country, speak loud and long enough and you may find yourself missing, how dare you peasants resist our perceived power.

The key is we are not brutalized physically like some 3rd world countries, minus the Police on ever increasing occasions. The people of countries like Burma, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma are no different than us minus, the Mass Media influence that we are subject too. Instead of killing us physically, we are murdered mentally, hope is gone, morals are gone, fear is rewarded, and greed is encouraged. Instead of firing squads, we face Massive media induced division, based on Race, gender, age, sexuality and Religion and the results are far more effective then physically abuse. The Media is a 24/7 phyops, which is almost impossible to counter or escape from.

I don’t have a solution, just an observation; maybe there is a time in our history where people have overcome the odds, but IMO our situation is dreadful, we have over 60 years of saturation by the people controlling the media, and the scary part is that we have no clue how far they are willing to go, see Fox News CEO Dick Murdock, just the tip of the iceberg. Not shooting for a dooms days situation, but we cannot remain focused on the right hand and forget what the left hand is doing. IMO for the common folks to survive we need “a lot less me and a lot more we”

[mother earth]

210. Amen to that, but that's exactly why we continue on.

It truly is about WE, and we have to believe that we can overcome this. It's no mistake that campaign finance reform or protecting the sanctity of the vote have all been marginalized and absolutely nothing has been corrected. We all know the media is bought and paid for by the same powers that own our political system. Perhaps the walls need to crash in before we take back what is ours? It will happen if this is left to work itself out. Barring that, we could only wrap ourselves around a true people's candidate and there still are a few, in my humble opinion that would fit that bill. They need our support & we need to convey that.

Welcome, Mr. Dixon, most here have found our way after a dose of seeing the system for what it is...here you can find "a lot less me and lot more we".:toast:

[abelenkpe]

197. We should not be cutting spending at all

Many economists have pointed out that the economy is weakening and cutting spending now will only lead to a weaker economy as jobs are lost and in turn revenue is lost. The government should be doing all it can to increase employment through stimulus and a WPA style jobs program. Getting people back to work is the only way to stop the downward spiral. The deal reached recently plays into republican hands as they know it will make the economy worse and that in the future with desperation running high, unemployment increasing, revenue falling they will have more ammunition to demand more cuts in the future.

Also it was foolish for the white house to even say they were willing to put social security on the table. The democrats had the upper hand before this deal in that they could say that the Ryan plan to privatize Medicare was dangerous to seniors. But now republicans can point to democrats as being willing to cut social security.

[mother earth]

212. Exactly, we are condemning our own infrastructure and the

economy on several levels...equivalent to throwing the baby out with the bath water. Also, without a stimulus, double dip is going to be like drowning death, but I think that is exactly what TPTB want for this country, complete chaos and desperation and poverty.

[blindpig]

198. It's a Capitalist party...

really can't expect anything else. The ruling class feels it no longer needs the New Deal, how better to extinguish it than to let the 'good cop' do it, he's the nice guy after all.

[Mosaic]

225. One party for the workers

One party for the ruling class. That's the Way it's always been in this duopoly. Socialism, democratic not totalitarian, promises unity, that is what we should live for.

[blindpig]

229. Where is this party you speak of?

The capitalists have two parties, the Democratic and the Republican, reflecting some differences in the ruling class but always catering to their interests overall.

[piratefish08]

200. jesus fucking christ. TAIBBI's the enemy now?

who WON'T DU throw under the bus to keep defending this administration's poor choices?


Taibbi doesn't promote for the Left or the Right. He writes the truth. That's why it is so painful for some.

[bvar22]

246. Only to a handful of bitter & flailing partisans

who have become a parody of themselves.
It has descended to a level of amusement,
like going to the Zoo and watching the monkeys fling shit.

[dgibby]

267. Word! n/t

[bvar22]

270. I am amazed at the HOURS and WORK they put in.

I wouldn't work THAT hard unless I was well paid.

The MOST amusing posts for me are the shot gun Ad Hominem attacks full of venom and bitterness,
THEN followed by a LOL or that little <rofl> smiley, sometimes several.
It is easy to tell from the content that they aren't really laughing,
but instead are hunched over their keyboards with smoke coming out of their ears, furiously typing without thinking,
flailing around for anything that might save them.

A general DU rule of thumb:
The MORE {rofl} smilies a cornered DUer puts in their post,
the LESS they are actually laughing.

[Kaleko]

288. Hey, if you keep saying what I'm thinking,

I might as well sit back and twiddle my thumbs instead of typing. ;)

[a2liberal]

204. K&R (n/t)

[LatteLibertine]

209. Term limits + campaign finance reform IMO

[Little Star]

213. Keep telling it like it is Matt. k&r

[marew]

228. K&R!

[WinkyDink]

217. You know what put an end to true Progressive Democrats?

Bullets.

[grahamhgreen]

219. To be fair, half of our reps voted against.

[John Agar]

224. A lot more would have done so if they had voted their conscience.

The political pressure was intense to get a deal and avoid default.

Once Nancy came out, reluctantly, in favor, they had to give her enough votes.

[grahamhgreen]

255. Reluctantly, my *ss. Impeachment is off the table.

[John Agar]

279. I am not sure what you are talking about.

The deal stunk.

Nancy said as much herself.

[Name removed]

223. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[harun]

230. I would say we need a Progressive Tea Party but without

the sponsorship of big business and the Corporate Media, like the tea party has, I don't think it would win any elections.

[polichick]

236. If there is no primary challenger this time, the Democratic Party will become completely irrelevant.

[bvar22]

241. The Democratic Party will become irrelevent anyway in 2014,

when the MANDATE kicks in,
and already struggling Americans (40 - 75 MILLION) find out that they NOW have to write a BIG check every year
to BUY something (Junk Insurance) that they can't afford to use.
They WILL blame the Democrats, and rightly so.
Democrats will be unelectable for a generation.

We NEED to start planning past that NOW.

[polichick]

244. I'm with you, but really don't see a viable movement in the works...

Just a bunch of disjointed progressive groups.

[savannah43]

256. It seems it is already completely irrelevant.

It has been since Grover Norquist and the corporations were crowned Kings of America.

[Taverner]

243. Unfortunately, he's spot on

God I hate it when he's right...

But with the exception of Kucinich, Sanders (who isn't even a Democrat) and the Wisconsin Democratic Party, there are no progressive legislators in the Democratic Party.

[bvar22]

248. ALL you need to know:

No tax increases for the wealthy.
Massive spending cuts

and the creation of a Super Congress
that removes government even one step further away from The People.

[Douglas Carpenter]

250. that's been true for some time and in fact to some extent it has always been true

Even the old liberal New Deal coalition patched together by FDR included southern segregationist longing for slavery's return. Once the New Deal coalition collapsed with the civil rights movement and then the Vietnam War followed by the weakening of the traditional blue collar trade unions and the rise of the religious right which wedged away many traditional Democrats splintered by highly emotional social issues - what remained of the old Democratic Party coalition came to be dominated by those who viewed the Democratic Party more like a business rather than a political movement. - Sensing that the Republican Party had become intensely ideological and increasingly dominated by religious extremist they saw a market to promote the notion of "New Democrats" who essentially are old Republicans who had been turned off by the ideological and religious extremist of the new and highly ideological Republican Party. The marketers of the notion of "New Democrats" pretty much feel that New Deal liberalism is dead and its traditional base of blue collar unions is so weakened that it cannot be resurrected. Thus picking up the political space of old style moderate and liberal Republicans and assuming that progressives, left-wingers and traditional New Dealers have no where else to go - these technocrats who really hold little or no concrete political convictions but do view politics as their career are confident that a few rhetorical tips of the hat to the left will be enough to keep the left on board while relying on the votes of the socially liberal and economically upwardly mobile to comprise a working majority.

[raouldukelives]

268. K&R

[stormpilot]

269. Keep saying in Taibbi. The naysayers and

will ultimately eat their words.

[Dover]

271. Brought to you by WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment)

Reality t.v. at it's finest. We so want to believe it's real...

[JDPriestly]

272. Matt Taibbi sees into the hear(lessness) of the matter.

Thank you, Matt Taibbi.

I hope everyone reads Griftopia.

It is a huge eyeopener. I didn't really appreciate Chicago's reputation for corruption until I read that book.

And just as a teaser, Morgan Stanley, most recently the employer of Obama's chief of staff, features prominently in one of the most interesting chapters as does the brother of Obama's chief of staff who was at the relevant time, mayor of Chicago. Graft and corruption writ large.

[banned from Kos]

273. Taibbi sucks - he is a fucking yellow journalist liar

he grifts disaster journo-porn for a buck.

[JDPriestly]

274. Thank goodness, Matt Taibbi is reporting the truth about Obama

I have watched Obama from the beginning. He is sold out to big finance, same guys that brought our country down.

Welcome to DU, banned from Kos.

[banned from Kos]

277. No, I read him. Taibbi ignores the tough new fin regs in Dodd-Frank

the ones that have Wall St spending 100s of million lobbying.

higher capital reqs
trading restrictions
consumer protection
liability for ratings agencies
RESOLUTION authority to KILL Too Big to Fail

etc.


he just pumps anti-bank porn to paranoid progressives.

Taibbi is a grifter himself.

[JDPriestly]

282. Most of us outside banking do not see any improvement in

the banking and financial sector other than what Elizabeth Warren was able to achieve in the area of consumer protections (which are by far still too lax).

The banks are still too big to fail.

The financial sector sold governments on horrible investments that placed the governments in the position that the are now facing default.

There is still far too much gambling in the commodities and stock markets.

The housing market is a shambles and not showing signs of recovery. Young people with good jobs cannot afford mortgages. Their parents are stuck in mortgages that are under water. It's a ridiculous impasse. Housing stock is being abandoned and demolished. Who would invest in remodeling their home in this economy in which the housing outlook is so bad? Baby boomers who thought they were saving for their retirement when they bought and fixed up their houses have not only lost in their pension funds but also in their housing investments.

The financial "reform" did not reach the heart of economic reform.

It left intact the dangerous assumptions that the Chicago School of Economics would have us all adopt.

I think the financial "reform" was pretty weak. We would have a better economy right now had it been truly effective.

Above all, it would have included a small tax on each trade. And accompanying the financial "reform" that we got would have been a tax code amendment requiring that money earned by hedge fund managers be taxed at a much higher rate than is now the case.

[banned from Kos]

283. I disagree but OK. Taibbi sells print by selling YOU despair.

Meanwhile in the real world change is slow.

I trust Barney Frank 1000x more than Taibbi and Mr. Frank backs the teeth in FinReg all the way (unless the GOP kills it).

[bvar22]

289. Even Barney Frank admits that the "historic" reforms..

..won't prevent another Heist & Bailout,
and fall Far Short of the degree of accountability and oversight we had before another Centrist Democratic President dismantled them.

[JDPriestly]

292. And I disagree with you. I trust Taibbi more.

Read the book Griftopia. Taibbi provides real information, not just happy campaign talk.

[banned from Kos]

295. Taibbi did NOT "expose" Goldman - he merely finger-pointed and screamed

Worldcom was "exposed" as was Enron, Tyco, Adelphia, etc.

Yes, "Vampire Squid" is a clever phrase. I personally prefer an older one - Vulture Capitalist. There is nothing new here.

But then in the end - all he had was calling the Goldman CEO on perjury. That is it! Nothing else. And when better financial journalist named Sorkin proved Taibbi lied about that MT got all hissy and attacked Sorkin. And there is no doubt Taibbi was wrong.

Perjury is a serious offense and Goldman would be a nice fat target for Congress. Taibbi = Fail.

[JDPriestly]

299. You have not read Griftopia.

Taibbi exposes a number of scandals including one involving Mayor Daley and Morgan Stanley in Chicago.

[Major Hogwash]

280. Well, I think we all know now why you were banned from Kos.

Christ, someone writes something that you don't agree with, and you flip the hell out over it.
I suppose Ezra Klein, who agreed with Taibbi, is another fucking yellow jounalist liar, too?

Get a grip, man.
Taibbi is not the one responsible for passing this steaming pile of shit bill in Congress.

[banned from Kos]

296. Taibbi is deceiving people and attacking the President as irresponsible

simply due to his trumped up charges against Goldman. Taibbi has no financial or legal background - he just sells his yellow schtick through Rolling Stone. Its not fit for Bloomberg, the NY Times, or the FT.

He is a sensationalist hack.

[Major Hogwash]

297. Who's driving your bus, pardner? Matt is on Olbermann tonight.

I guess we yellow journalists have to sit in the back of your bus . . again.

:rofl:

[banned from Kos]

298. So what good is Taibbi? Sure - he can coin a hip new phrase

I know that.

Now Harry Markopoosieieiieei?? (the guy who blew the whistle on Madoff) is an exemplary citizen.

What good is Taibbi? He has been wrong more than right - he hates my President.


Fuck him. He sells RS - that is it.

[Mimosa]

287. Are you nuts?

Obviously you never read his expose of Goldman Sachs. Words are soo cheap when you haven't a clue what you're talking about.

[colsohlibgal]

284. What a Ludicrous Statement

Taibbi goes where ABC news and other MSN entities refuse to go and exposes the massive fraud that brought about the 2008 crash. He exposes the unbelievable hypocrisy that goes on in DC, both parties, just different extents. Anyone dismissing or ripping what he does trashes their credibility big time.

[hifiguy]

290. Taibbi is worth a parsec full of those who denigrate and naysay

his fearless and accurate reporting.

[blkmusclmachine]

291. They're not even trying to put on an act anymore. Wonder why?

n/t