Robert Reich: Obama/Democrats aren't responding to Republican economic shakedown with the truth

[Better Believe It]

The Republican shakedown
By Robert Reich
February 24, 2011

You can’t fight something with nothing. But as long as Democrats refuse to talk about the almost unprecedented buildup of income, wealth, and power at the top – and the refusal of the super-rich to pay their fair share of the nation’s bills – Republicans will convince people it’s all about government and unions.

The Republican message is bloated government is responsible for the lousy economy that most people continue to experience. Cut the bloat and jobs and wages will return.

Nothing could be further from the truth, but for some reason Obama and the Democrats aren't responding with the truth. Their response is: We agree but you're going too far. Government employees should give up some more wages and benefits but don't take away their bargaining rights. Private-sector unionized workers should make more concessions but don't bust the unions. Non-defense discretionary spending should be cut but don't cut so much.

In the face of showdowns and shutdowns, the “you’re right but you’re going too far” response doesn’t hack it. If Republicans are correct on principle, they’re more likely to be seen as taking a strong principled stand than as going “too far.” If they’re basically correct that the problem is too much government spending why not go as far as possible to cut the bloat?


Read the full article at:

http://www.salon.com/news/economics/?story=/politics/war_room/2011/02/24/robert_reich_union_republican_showdown

[Vincardog]

1. The Democratic Leaderless Council the New Dems and the current administration can't tell the truth

because they are paid by the same people.

[FreakinDJ]

DING DING DING - We have a Winner Folks

Tax Cuts for the Rich - Pay Cuts for the Poor

[Fuddnik]

10. Is that what they meant, when they said.

"Everybody is gonna get a cut"?

[Bluebear]

5. + + + + + + + + +

[Poboy]

2. The Republican message is bloated government is responsible for the lousy economy

Their (Dems)response is: We agree


==

Game fucking over.

[kentuck]

3. I agree with Robert Reich...

but is anybody listening?

[swilton]

4. Wish Reich were running for office

or on someone's short list of cabinet secretaries.

[Fuddnik]

6. The 10 richest members of Congress.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) $451.1 million
Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) $435.4 million
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) $366.2 million
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) $294.9 million
Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) $285.1 million
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) $283.1 million
Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) $231.2 million
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) $201.5 million
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) $136.2 million
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) $108.1 million

combined net worth: $2.8 Billion


EVERY ONE OF THEM VOTED TO EXTEND THE BUSH TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY!

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/income-inequality-in-america-chart-graph

[Better Believe It]

7. Shocking I say! Shocking! But, why am I not really surprised?

[ProSense]

8. Senator Kerry

voted yes because he wanted the middle class tax cuts and other stimulus extended. He was always against the tax cuts, and voted against them under Bush.

He also voted for the two Senate bills that ended the tax cuts and Sanders' amendment to package.

TPM

<...>

Before they passed the plan, Senators considered an amendment by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who spoke out against the bill for nine straight hours last week, that would have replaced the payroll tax credit with an extension of the Make Work Pay Credit, imposed an estate tax of 45 percent on estates worth more than $3.5 million and provided a cost-of-living-adjustment of $250 to seniors, veterans and the disabled dependent on government benefits. It failed 57 to 43.

<...>

Roll call

Voting no:

Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bennet (D-CO)
Casey (D-PA)
Hagan (D-NC)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Manchin (D-WV)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Udall (D-CO)
Webb (D-VA)

[Fuddnik]

9. Kick and Rec!

[Ramulux]

11. Why does Robert Reich bother?

He has been telling the democrats exactly what they need to do for over a year now and they refuse to listen to a word he has to say. He gives them the answers that would actually help this country economically and would massively help the democratic party politically and they just dont give a fuck, he needs to stop pretending that the democrats are on his side because they aren't.