The outright hate for the President on DU is disgusting

[JDPriestly]

55. How do you channel anger productively when Obama proposes cuts

to Social Security and every program that keeps low-income people above water then meets with a covey of bankers IN THE WHITE HOUSE, a place that the rest of us have to line up to see and in which we do not get to speak to the president.

Of course, there is anger.

Don't tell people who stood in front of supermarkets, made endless phone calls, passed out flyers, attended meetings with long-winded boring speakers -- all to get the Obama re-elected in order to protect our social system that provides at least a basic living standard to most Americans -- and then are told that, no, Obama is recommending the chained CPI which will impose the hardship that the banks caused on poor Americans, veterans and seniors.

We've called the White House, our senators, our congressional representatives. Nothing does any good.

I am personally offended by the people on DU who are willing to defend the chained CPI and the president who has included it in his budget. Notably, the Republicans did not include the chained CPI in their original budget.

I smell a deal between Obama and Boehner and it stinks.

I figure it went down something like this?

Boehner: We Republicans will not allow you to spend a cent until you pay off the debt unless you propose "entitlement cuts."

Obama: Look, Boehner, you put the cuts in your budget and get it through Congress and I'll sign the bill.

Boehner: No. If you want to be able to continue to have money to spend on anything other than the military and paying off the debt, you have to go first on cutting "entitlements."

I suspect it took a lot more maneuvering and lies and backslapping and beers (or breakfast bacon) than that, but that's more or less how it went.

And Obama and his nerdy staff fell for it.

Was that Obama's only choice? Was he trapped?

No, not at all. Obama should have turned to the American people directly at that point and spoken also through his surrogates.

He should have put a huge presidential podium spotlight on the Republican "offer" or "suggestion" or "threat," as you like it and then called on the American people to appeal to Congress to raise corporate taxes and lower congressional pay and fire a few congressional aides (get our members of Congress to study legislation instead of their rolodexes for a change) just to show good faith and to fight against the chained CPI.