IT'S HERE! Budget plan to counter Ryan's Proposal

[katanalori]

IT'S HERE! Budget plan to counter Ryan's Proposal - put forward by the co-chairs of the 80-member Congressional Progressive Caucus


"The People's Budget"

"Just when it seemed that all of Washington had lost its values and its connection with the American people, a bolt of hope has arrived. It is the People's Budget put forward by the co-chairs of the 80-member Congressional Progressive Caucus. Their plan is humane, responsible, and most of all sensible, reflecting the true values of the American people and the real needs of the floundering economy. Unlike Paul Ryan's almost absurdly vicious attack on the poor and working class, the People's Budget would close the deficit by raising taxes on the rich, taming health care costs (including a public option), and ending the military spending on wars and wasteful weapons systems."

MORE:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-sachs/the-peoples-budget_b_846573.html?ref=fb&src=sp

[Shiver]

1. Beautiful.

Wish it had a chance of getting through Congress.

[katanalori]

2. me too -

But Ryan's plan has no chance either - eliminating govt.-run Medicare will not even fly with his own supporters IMO.

[Lasher]

3. Great, where were they when we had a majority in the House and 60 in the Senate?

Why didn't we pass a FY 2011 budget while we still had a majority in the House?

[tkmorris]

4. I'd blame Steny Hoyer and Nancy Pelosi for that

I'm fairly certain neither of them is a member of the Progressive Caucus. Which by the way was right there, advocating the very same ideas. The Democratic leadership simply doesn't listen to them.

Isn't it sad that we have the Democratic Party, and Progressives are relegated to an oft ignored subset of them? Can you imagine a Republican Party that DIDN'T cater to the Progressives counterpoint, Conservatives?

[katanalori]

5. I think this is why (admit further research on my part is needed):

"McConnell stopped the budget in the Senate last October. Remember, budgets need 60 votes and the Democrats only had 59."

The above is gleaned from the little research I have had the time to do since you posted your question.

[Cresent City Kid]

6. Exactly

They also could have let the Bush tax cuts for the rich expire and passed a middle class tax cut extension. If they did it before the election they could have run on the achievement, forcing the republicans to campaign on tax cuts ONLY for the rich with the Wall Street debacle still fresh in the minds of voters. Failing that, they could have done it in the lame duck session and killed any tax cuts for the rich in the Senate with the House in GOP hands in the new Congress. This was the one thing they could have done without a filibuster threat, and now they have given this option back to them.

[Jmaxfie1]

7. +1000000 n/t

[rufus dog]

8. Now that is how you negotiate

Then if you end up splitting the difference you are going to get closer to the middle rather than starting in the middle and negotiating with the far right, thus ending middle-right.

Now the media will hardly give this proposal any coverage except for derisive statements, but Obama and Biden need to step up and state facts regarding corporate taxes, the unsustainable upper tax rate, and savings through public option.

Suggest a campaign to call your local reps, Senators and the WH to show support for Progressive plan.

[liberal N proud]

9. At least there is some evidence that it can be done without killing the middle class

[kag]

10. My rep is in the progressive caucus--Jared Polis.

I will admit that I didn't support him when he was running. He won the race by spending millions of his own dollars, and he's a little too pro-business for me. But I must say that he has done some good stuff since getting there.

Thanks for posting this. I wish it stood a chance in hell. Perhaps AFTER the revolution...