Ed Schultz begs the President/Democrats to tell us what they stand for

[ProfessorPlum]

Run time: 04:03 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0dpeido-84   Posted on YouTube: August 26, 2010 By YouTube Member: firedoglake Views on YouTube: 80   Posted on DU: August 26, 2010 By DU Member: ProfessorPlum Views on DU: 3406

 
And he has a good list of suggested topics. I'd like to know the answer to this too.

[msongs]

1. we know Obama stands for people like Alan Simpson nt

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

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[valerief]

30. +666 trillion

[global1]

2. Ed Is Absolutely Right On This........

tell us how you are going to lead if we keep you in power. If you don't - your no better than the Repug plan.

We now have the party of 'no' and until they tell us we have the party of 'don't know'.

[ooglymoogly]

31. If '0' comes out with the truth, that his loyalties lay with

Corporate money and with unbridled capitalism, his cover is blown. Corporatists and the principles of the Democratic party are not compatible. A self induced conundrum from blowing smoke up his own ass. For '0' that is defendable by nothing; Flim flam coupled with the fact that he is not what he pretends to be; He is a "democrat" only to get our votes; And after? Its corporate interests, by commissions, all the way.

Too much pug worshiped water has gone under the bridge to once again, gain the trust he demands from Democrats.

The bed he has made for himself is lined with Dinos and corporate money; Not principles; Not Democrats; Not Democratic ideals; Not the people; Not us;

His actions are incompatible with the principles and ideals of the Democratic party; Those ideals that have protected the people of this country from corporate take over and corporate over reach since our founding fathers. The well documented lapses in those principles leading inevitably to a depression.

In a rare moment of honesty, he has admitted he is a capitalist, something we did not vote or bargain for. Capitalism is only a tool; Admittedly a powerful tool, to be used and carefully regulated by a true Democratic leader under Democratic principles that are anathema to such a statement; Unbridled Capitalism is in no way a Democratic ideal; Unbridled capitalism parading under corporate banner, whose treacheries now protected by a stacked kangaroo SCOTUS, will destroy us all; Casting us all into poverty with even the gold in our teeth stolen and replaced with worthless self serving platitudes.

Just look at any of his "commissions" to know his real intent and purpose; Note that none of us or the laureates in our midst, are ever on them, accept by token. Commissions who's thrust is to continue the transfer of wealth from the people to powerful capitalists under corporatist cloaking devices; Almost complete; Commissions to camouflage; To cover the treachery of this theft; Now drooling over the trillions in our wholly ownd retirement funds not yet stolen.

And it ain't for us or any Democratic principles, he and his Dino cronies are working for; In no way parsed.

[NorthCarolina]

51. I think it's safe to say his cover is already blown. eom

[howaboutme]

3. Wall Street

bankrolled the Democratic Party and Obama, and thus the American people were stuck bankrolling Wall Street.

The Democratic Party once upon a time stood unequivocally for American working class. That was when unions represented a large voting segment. Ever since the industrial unions lost clout the Democratic Party lost interest. Clinton played a huge part in selling out America and unions to the Chinese and multi-national corporations with NAFTA and GATT. This is a well written peace on how it all was played out by both Parties. http://www.nolanchart.com/article368.html

[ooglymoogly]

33. +1....good post; Seeing through the smoke and mirrors. nt

[NRaleighLiberal]

4. Spot on. And as large as that list is, it could even be bigger. n/t

[Flying Squirrel]

5. I regret that I have but one rec to give for this. n/t

[defendandprotect]

6. Good question, Ed -- which we should all be asking . . . !!

But I think since the election we've gotten a pretty clear picture of what

Obama stands for, but most of us don't want to look at it!!

[donheld]

7. 1000 times K & R

[JDPriestly]

8. Excellent!

It's not a matter of playing on the Obama team or the McCain team. It's about issues and, yes about social morality, about justice and fairness. The Republicans want to cut Social Security and give tax cuts to the rich. Is Obama going to permit that to happen? If so, why in the world should someone like me who is on Social Security go to the polls and vote for Democrats.

I think Obama needs to make it very clear that he is going to create jobs here at home by drastically slowing down the outsourcing and importing and maintaining Social Security just the way it is.

A public option would help.

Indictments for those who authorized torture, indictments for those who committed fraud prior to the economic melt-down, indictments for those who caused the BP spill and other environmental disasters to the extent that criminal negligence is involved -- those could be important to.

Gay marriage and giving gays equal rights in the armed forces -- also good.

There are many, many things Obama could do to get me to go to the polls. So far, I don't know. I got a call from a candidate's office asking me to work in a campaign, but I just don't know. What has the Democratic Party done for those of us who not only have our survival at stake but also are interested in certain basic policy issues that go way beyond our personal interests?

[Better Believe It]

9. Tell us what you're gonna do .... and DO IT! And don't make false promises like last time.

Like the man said, we already know how bad George W. Bush was.

[emilyg]

10. big k/r

[DearAbby]

11. AMEN!

[cilla4progress]

12. As always, Ed is right on.

Is it safe to assume Obama (and Rahm and Harry) listen to Ed? My theory (hope) is it is the Obama White House's plan to sit a bit tight through the mid-terms, and then let loose for the next 2 years. I guess I have to accept it is impossible for our leaders not to bring politics into issues. Obama must feel he owes it to other Dems to help them get elected...by not overreaching (he is wrong here, as Ed says). Maybe the next 2 years are "on him" (Obama...) he will feel he has taken care of paybacks.

I also agree with Ed about the wrongheadedness of the go after Bush ad nauseum meme. Enough already! We can see through it! Tell us Dem leaders: what ARE you going to do for the little guy in the next 2 years, if you keep the majority? Will you fight with all you've got? We expect and deserve no less.

[JDPriestly]

13. Actually, Rahm Emmanuel and Bruce Reed published their agenda

for the Democratic party.

Here it is

http://www.readtheplan.com/index.html

Only you have to pay for it:

The Plan
By Rahm Emanuel and Bruce Reed
$13.95 U.S.
$16.50 Canadian
201 pages

The website includes an Intro and Excerpts, but they don't say much. You have to pay to find out what the Democrats under Obama stand for -- and maybe that's what they stand for -- making us pay.

[BEZERKO]

41. No way I'm goinna pay for that bilge

[JDPriestly]

44. Me either. I was hoping someone would have a copy and report

on their "bilge."

[cascadiance]

14. And after you have the list of what you do, note that in the new term fillibustering CAN be changed!

... with the new congress. And given the unprecedented level of filibustering that's taken place, and this being the primary roadblock to really getting this laundry list done, the changing of the filibustering rules (to force REAL filibustering complete with pee buckets, or changing the amount of time something can be filibustering, or many other creative means to fight this mess!)

If you end a speech on a good list of stuff all of us want with that exclamation point about filibusters, you will sound like a party that's DAMN SERIOUS about change, instead of just talking about it and doing nothing, like we were dealt the first two years. That's the party I can get behind and start working for.

[UrbScotty]

15. Meanwhile, Joe Klein actually speaks the truth for once:

The lead item on Politico--titled "Dems Urge Obama to Take a Stand"--is almost surrealistic. Take a stand? The guy passed health care, a stimulus bill that helped avoid a Depression, a groundbreaking financial reform bill that is too complicated to be popularly described, a bailout that enabled General Motors and Chrysler to survive. He nominated two estimable women to the Supreme Court. He restored America's image in the world. I can go on... But Dems are distressed? He's not populist or ideological enough? Oh please. There are several ways to go about the presidency. Ronald Reagan chose one way: he said one thing and did another. ...Barack Obama has chosen another way.

...

He has pretty much done what he said he'd do. His achievements are historic. But he hasn't wrapped them up in an ideological bumper sticker--or provided some neat way for the public to understand it, or pretended to be a yeoman simpleton, noshing on pork rinds, clearing brush and excoriating the business community. That is a real political problem. He delivered a stealth tax cut to 95% of the American people; I've never seen a politician cut taxes and not take sufficient credit for it before. He made it impossible for Americans to be denied health care coverage because of pre-existing conditions or chronic problems; somehow this has gotten lost in the "socialist" shuffle as well. He ended major combat operations in Iraq, on time and without much fuss--without using the word "victory" or denying the continuing problems involved in cobbling together a coherent government there. Another President might have hyped this "achievement" relentlessly.

More truth here.

[South End Liberal]

29. Ah, health care?

The bill passed was more about protecting the profits of the insurance companies than providing access to AFFORDABLE health care for Americans. We were sold down the river on that one.

[pattmarty]

39. Yay, hooray, 4 more years!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:sarcasm:

[UrbScotty]

50. I, on the other hand, do NOT want a Republican president.

[pattmarty]

54. But, you "on the other hand" are going to get MAYBE a Republican........

..........Congress and possible Senate because of Obama's weakness and refusal to do the things the citizens wanted done. He has lost the "independents" already, and the "true" left are leaving now in droves.

[DemocraticPilgrim]

16. Democrats standing for not being crazy will do till we can elect more progressives in primaries.

[bbgrunt]

17. righteous rant. nt

[AzNick]

18. I remember when us Ed heads were mocked and in the minority ...

... when he got his MSNBC gig.

"He sounds like Rush Limbaugh!"
"He is not a liberal!"
"I don't know, he has red hair..."

How do you like them apples?

[SleeplessinSoCal]

19. Ed is speaking for me. I write the White House asking them to do this. No reply.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

20. And it bugs me that there's no reply because Obama keeps saying "Make me do what you want"...

So how then?

[Lorien]

36. A LEADER doesn't wait to be lead or told what to do

we voted him into office with a clear list of expectations. He doesn't get to walk away from it while blaming us for not forcing him to do the job we hired him to do.

[DeSwiss]

21. Themselves, mostly.

K&R

[Enthusiast]

22. K&R! That is the single best rant

I have heard from Ed yet. I guess he would be 'professional left'. But Gibbs doesn't understand. Ed is only saying what the rest of us think. He isn't making us think it, as Fox News does with their followers.

[florida08]

23. absolutely

continuing Bush policy doesn't work for me nor does "tweaking" social security. Placating republicans while lambasting democrats sure as hell doesn't work for me. This isn't a popularity contest or high school where we're voting on who's most likely to succeed.

It's about restoring democracy in America which the right wingdings want to destroy. It's about corporations and hedge funds looting the economy while simultaneously annihilating the middle class. If you don't have a job you sure as hell can't pay into a health-care exchange.

Thank you Ed.

[SemperEadem]

24. the more I watch Ed, the more I love him

he is right on point with this.

[KoKo]

25. Those were good questions Ed Shultz asked..

Let's hope they get answered in the coming months.

[mmonk]

27. It's why I like Ed.

He cuts to the chase.

[big lu]

28. KnR

[truthrocks]

32. Ed is SPOT-ON ... this administration has NO COHERENT NARRATIVE!

Obama has made many positive changes in the last 20 mos, against huge odds of doing so, but nobody knows about them. I feel like I've been screaming in the wind about this for so long ... but I just can't give up ... because, in the end, this singularly stunning flaw, if not fixed, is what will bring down O's administration.
:banghead:

[laughingliberal]

34. Thank you, Ed! That's it, exactly! They need to tell us where they stand on all that. nt

[Lorien]

35. A-freaking-men. And tell us what you're going to do about climate change and

and green energy projects! Tell us how your going to get this Nation off fossil fuels and preserve our biodiversity before our head in the sand attitude destroys us!

[slay]

37. Unfortunately at this point I don't even know if I'd believe them

Obama talks a good game - no strike that - he talks a GREAT game - but when it comes to leadership and real action - he's too busy protecting corporations and bowing in fear to the Republicans. My faith and trust in Obama, his administration, and the Dems in general, is near an all time low. :(

[Lorien]

53. +1. nt

[Jakes Progress]

38. They stand for getting elected.

A very small platform, but it is easy for them to keep track of their priorities that way.

[BEZERKO]

40. My man Ed,

keep after'em dude.

[russspeakeasy]

42. The democrats and republicans stand for the same thing:

GET RE-ELECTED.....

[PinkFloyd]

43. Ain't it sad...

When the choices we have are a wishy-washy, can't get things done even with a super majority Democratic Party and a lets drive the whole country full speed right into hell Republican Party?

Good Post. I always liked Ed.

[TrollBuster9090]

45. My hope is they're playing the 'low expectations' game.

You remember when Bush used to get high approval ratings every time he managed to make a speech without looking like a complete and total idiot? Low expectations game. Contrast.

So...since I'm an eternal optimist, I like to think the Democrats are playing the low expectations game, and are going to continue letting the GOP stomp all over them right up until October 15th, and then come out swinging, making continuous rally speeches, and spending all their money on ads during the last two weeks of the election campaign, and push them over the top with the contrast to low expectations.

[lib2DaBone]

46. Yes.. Let's beg the Repukes for whatever little sliver they want to throw down to us...

Mr. Obama.. keep talking in weasel words.. keep escalating the war in Afghanistan.. keep hiring more Blackwater goons and keep killing more women and children.

Gut Social Security, cut wages and allow more cheap fucking junk from China to come into this country tax free.

Bust unions, demonize teachers (who are alrady giving 200% every fucking day they show up for work)

Keep kissing Republican ass..... and God Bless Goldman Sachs... your Boss.. your Mentor..your heros..

[SteveM]

47. The GOP has no problem defining Dems. The Dems won't. nt

[KoKo]

48. K&R..Many folks here don't like Ed Schutz.....but what he says rings true. n/t

[jotsy]

49. I could watch that a few times, vents my rage quite nicely, tyvm.

A rec for the Professor and

for you Big Eddie?:applause: :applause: :applause:

[yeswecanandwedid]

52. I LOVE THIS ED! Awesome video, shows some passion. Get him on Obama's staff NOW! nt