JDmysticDJ,
“Radicals, fire-brands, and renegades demand the impossible from Democrats, and consider anything less than the impossible to be a treacherous betrayal. Such stupidity only serves to discredit Democrats, advance the interests of Corporatists, destroy any hope of a coalition to oppose Corporatist agendas, and push us farther to the right on the political spectrum.”

Generally speaking, it’s never a good idea to label people who reserve the right to criticize the President and his policies as indulging in “stupidity.”

Indeed, there are some who would argue that continuing to expect Democrats to be the Party of the People is a little on the “thick” side.

The Stock Market crashed in 1929; by the time Roosevelt took office in 1933 25% of the American people were unemployed. There was no significant Social Safety Net in 1933. Roosevelt had over 60% Democratic Majorities in both houses of Congress.

The Emergency Banking Act was put together by officials in the Hoover Administration and received bi-partisan support. Only the far left, who wanted to nationalize the Banks, (Good for them), objected to the bill.

Wikipedia

“March 10, 1933: The Economy Act of 1933. Roosevelt, in sending this act to Congress, warned that if it did not pass, the country faced a billion dollar deficit. The act balanced the federal budget by cutting the salaries of government employees and cutting pensions to veterans by as much as 15 percent. It intended to reassure the deficit hawks that the new president was fiscally conservative. Although the act was heavily protested by left-leaning members of congress, it passed by an overwhelming margin”

Roosevelt was not the left-wing ideologue he is portrayed to be, he reacted to the circumstances of his day, and helped people to deal with the suffering of the Republican Great Depression.

The Reforestation Relief Act, Senate Bill S. 598 was introduced on March 27, passed both houses of Congress and was on the President’s desk to be signed on March 31, 1933. Apparently this act was not obstructed (Blocked) by Republicans in the Senate.

Only ten Senators voted against the may 12, 1933 Farm Legislation.

And on and on. It should be clear that Roosevelt and the Democrats did not face the lock step ideological obstruction so evident in our political life today. One might conclude that there is more opposition to New Deal Programs today, than there was when the programs were enacted.

Opposition to New Deal Programs came from what Roosevelt referred to as “Economic Royalists.” They were Free Market Capitalists, anti-Left Nazi sympathizers, and reactionaries.

Again, it all comes down to political realities, and, “The Art of the Possible.” Every proposal, initiative, and piece of Legislation put forth by Democrats to advance the interests of the people, against corporate interests, is opposed, weakened, obstructed, or blocked, by right-wing, corporate sycophants in the Senate.

Radicals, fire-brands, and renegades demand the impossible from Democrats, and consider anything less than the impossible to be a treacherous betrayal. Such stupidity only serves to discredit Democrats, advance the interests of Corporatists, destroy any hope of a coalition to oppose Corporatist agendas, and push us farther to the right on the political spectrum.

Wasn’t the National Recovery Act (NIRA)  a conspiracy against small business?  It
allowed for nothing but a bunch of corporate leaders to get together and form a
cartel in order to control prices & beat out competition.  At least that’s my take
from what I’ve read.

The Republicans are not bluffing, nor will this be anything other than the beginning of harsher and harsher demands. 

Wall Street’s investment in the Democratic party, and notably, in this faux populist, traitor of a president has made big returns for them (that’s the way they roll).

Imagine if we had had a real “hope and change” president:

1933

March 4  Inauguration Day. Franklin Delano Roosevelt becomes President of the United States.

March 5  The President proclaims four-day Bank Holiday with the suspension of banking transactions and gold and currency exports.

March 9  Hundred Days Congressional session begins. Congress passes the Emergency Banking Act.

March 15  Congress passes the Economy Act

March 31  Congress passes the Reforestation Relief Act, (establishing the Civilian Conservation Corps).

April 19  The President announces US departure from the gold standard.

May 12  Congress passes the Emergency Farm Mortgage Act. Congress passes the Federal Emergency Relief Act. The President signs the Agricultural Adjustment Act.

May 18 Congress establishes the Tennessee Valley Authority.

May 27  Congress passes the Federal Securities Act.

June 6  Congress passes the National Employment System Act.

June 13  Congress passes the Home Owners Refinancing Act.

June 16 The end of the Hundred Days session. Congress passes the National Industrial Recovery Act, (setting up the National Recovery Administration), the Farm Credit Act, and the Banking Act of 1933.

We can see why Wall Street was so interested in and contributed the most to our little sock puppet president.  They did not want a repeat of FDR’s 1932 Victory Over Wall Street again.

Concede and die. The time to be figuring this out for patriots is past.

For Obama to attempt to characterize this ‘compromise’ as ‘solving problems’ is to
an insult to every citizen in America.

There is no spin cycle that can convince any voter of the wisdom of this action.

Obama keeps losing voters, but more importantly voters keep losing.

And the President seems to be at the forefront of the give away to the wealthy.

The author asks:

Can Democrats ‘Up Their Game’?

My response is only by voting against the nominally Democratic President.

I cannot convey the absolute dismay with which independents, liberals and
sensible Republicans face the President’s actions.

The vote coming in the House will tell us how many Democrats there are left in
Congress.

We can scratch off the President, many in the Senate. Let’s see how many
Democrats are left in the House.

But, be prepared to wash your hands of the Democratic Party. It has almost
ceased to exist. Farewell.

According to CNN Radio News, the compromise calls for extending the tax rates for another two years, and extending unemployment compensation for 13 months. Without extending the current tax rates, there will be no extension of unemployment compensation. Hard choices are unavoidable. Are you willing to deny unemployment benefits to the truly needy, in order to deny the Republicans their filthy tax breaks?

That’s the political reality. You can condemn the Democrat’s spinelessness if it gets you off, but realize that in this case, Democrats developing the spine you wish them to have may break the backs of the truly needy. Are the Republicans bluffing? Do you want the Democrats to call this bluff (?)?

Most “Middle Class” Americans are over extended, or underwater, allowing the tax cuts for the “Middle class” to expire will be a hardship on the “Middle class” and decrease demand in the economy. That, and possibly denying an income for the most needy, will be the outcome of calling the Republican bluff(?).

Do you believe that both Political Parties, the media, and the American people have bought into Austerity, and that policies to promote Prosperity are no longer on the table? Not that it maters, the Right, the media, you, and the American People will condemn the Democrats i.e. government, regardless of how this dilemma is concluded. The Republicans will ride this tidal wave of anti-government sentiment into a total Corporatist takeover.

Many prophesy a coming inflation; I lack the economic prognostication skills to know if these prophesies are prescient, but if the Fed keeps pulling money out of thin air in order to finance their financial institutions, it would seem that inflation is inevitable. Currency wars may also occur. Under the current economic crisis, wages will not increase, working people, and people on a fixed income, will be further impoverished, the value of the dollar will decrease, and cost of living increases will be frozen.

Cheney told Treasury secretary Paul O’Neil, “Reagan proved deficits don’t matter.” Paul O’Neil was looking for a job a month later, and Paulson joined the no tax and spend Bush team. If the tax increases for the richest Americans are enacted, our deficit will be decreased by 700 Billion (One trillion when factoring in interest,) over the next ten years, about the same amount for one year of military spending. Few if any of our politicians, least of all the Republicans, are willing to subject our military to Austerity Measures.

Wikipedia

“In October 2007, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that additional war costs over the next 10 years would range between $570 billion and $1.1 trillion, depending on troop levels, with overall costs for the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the “global war on terror” reaching $1.2 trillion to $1.7 trillion by 2017.”

USA Today

“Going into the 2010 fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, more than $900 billion had been budgeted for military and diplomatic operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and other regions in the war on terrorism. Even before Obama’s latest plan, the administration had requested about $140 billion for fiscal 2010, which would bring the total above $1 trillion.”

10 times $140 billion is 1.4 trillion.

Washington Post

The Iraq War Will Cost Us $3 Trillion, and Much More

By Linda J. Bilmes and Joseph E. Stiglitz
Sunday, March 9, 2008
There is no such thing as a free lunch, and there is no such thing as a free war. The Iraq adventure has seriously weakened the U.S. economy, whose woes now go far beyond loose mortgage lending. You can’t spend $3 trillion—yes, $3 trillion—on a failed war abroad and not feel the pain at home.

“Welcome to the New American Century.” Hopefully you’ll be able to leave a few bucks to your kids, they’ll need it.

Shenonymous, December 6 at 2:25 pm Link to this comment

ardee you speak well about the reality of politics in America today. As a life-long Democrat in the classic liberal camp, I have reserved my opinion of Obama and Democrats for two years thinking the rabbit would be pulled out of the hat, and strong voices for the
people would prevail but it is time to face the real world. 

Blind pigs find acorns every so often, I guess I found one here. But thanks and thanks for climbing on board, better late than never. Next step is to chart a path for political reform extant of the Democratic Party methinks…..

Do not minimize your importance, every vote counts, every mind that turns from the fraud of our two party system is a step forward ( or left), every citizen who stands up and says no more to the Duopoly helps to halt, ever so slightly perhaps but halts nevertheless, the creeping fascism that envelops us.

The wars continue, war on drugs, war on terrorism and the war on working families, children and seniors rage unabated. The money migrates ever faster to those who really run this nation, and for their own benefit. Thus every voice raised in opposition to this trending is an important addition.

We should discuss third party politics , and soon. Perhaps after Obama’s next betrayal?

Right, and they can’t beat the Republicans at their snakeoil
game! That is why the 49%ers have to regroup and do something
by 2012.  Also force the Democrat senate and house reps to throw
wrenches into the “game” at every turn.  They have to be the ones to
obstruct now. 

Tit for tat is the only way to even the sides.  All strategists say TFT
is the best game plan to win any conflict.  It won’t even take every
Democrat in Congress:  Only a handful of thinking responsible
Democrats to shove Republicanism up Republican tight self-serving padoopas and neutralize the bend-over Democrats.  That is now my new name for them.  The Bend-Overs.

What game?

Those chickenshits couldn’t beat their way out of a paper sack!

Can Democrats “up their game?”

What, have they not supported enough wars, torture, ripping Bill of Rights to
shreds, supported corporate healthcare etc etc?

Who in the hell wants more of that?

Oh yeah. Democrats. Along with their partners in crimes, Republicans.

Please carry on with the Kabuki Theatre of pseudo opposition.. We need the
entertainment.

Sigh

Can Democrats “up their game?” No. If they did, they wouldn’t be Democrats anymore.

This nation will see just how much clout Pelosi has. The compromise
of keeping the tax cuts for two years is absurd.  It is exactly what the
drooling Republicans are hoping since January 1, 2011 they take over
the House and will work their asses off in getting the George Bush tax
cuts for the wealthy permanently installed.  After the two-year fiasco
just suffered, it cannot possibly be imagined in anyone’s wildest
dreams the Democratic politicians of the Senate will do anything to
stop it.  If all the tax cuts sunset, so be it.  The world will know it was
because the Republicans held the country prisoner to their fealty and
devotion to the wealthy.

It is wondered, to nudge a bit farther as ITW says, if Obama and Reid
just don’t pervertedly revel being rolled over and over and over.  There
really ain’t no clover and I think the 49% of Americans who did
not vote Republican ought to unite and reclaim America for all of the
people.  The Republicans seem to think this country is just for them
and that they represent the majority of the people.  That simply is not
true.  They had a simple majority of simpletons. I think that if a strong
movement for liberal interests gets started, it would be an incredible
surprise just how strong it would be.  The people need a strong and
charismatic leader.  Look at what Obama pretended to be!  Only this
time a tried and true liberal is needed, one who has shown their
political brawn.  There are a few:  Chuck Schumer, Howard Dean,
Anthony Weiner and there are a few others.  We now have two years
to get that snowball going.  By November 2012, it should be gigantic!

E.J. - The answer is NO. A big fat whopping NO.

I doesn’t seem that Obama knows which way is up unless it’s his rear end as the Reps stick it to him and he takes it like the compromising bitch he is.
Obama’s timing is atrocious. The job issue should have been addressed right after Wall Street was slammed with stiff regulations and many CEOs were prosecuted and jailed for financial crimes. But Obama is too scared, poor little change-maker.

I guess they want to be rolled, eh?  They certainly seem to take to it readily.

There is a movement among left-liberals and progressives in the house that Nancy Pelosi is desperately trying to quash, to refuse to allow this travesty to get to reconciliation.  IOW, if the Senate doesn’t pass basically the House version, it dies and ALL the tax increases go through.

It is illogical: If there’s no money (a/c to re-thugs) to pay for unemployment, how can there be money for the tax cuts for the top 5%?

It gets worse: How can, in this “compromise”, be money to NOW pay for both?

“Temporary” extension of two years?  The GOP is COUNTING on having the WH and the Senate back by then so it’s no compromise at all.

Yeah, Obama and Reid have been rolled, yet again (and again, and again)

Obama is ready to cave in to the Republicans on extending the Bush tax cuts on marginal income over $250,000. He’s going cave in AGAIN. Republicans call Obama a “socialist”. Progressives, who are thinking of themselves less and less as Democrats these days and more as independents (of the left, not the mythical center - hey oracular pundits who presume to speak with the voice of “the American People”, are you listening?), are starting to call Obama a “Republican”. When are the Republicans going to figure out that Obama is really batting for their team? Answer: they’ve always known that, but they will never say so publicly, because that would destroy the whole theatrical illusion of American politics. There is no more reality to the public display of heated partisan controversy in American politics than there is in the coreographed fake violence and scripted ringside bellowing of professional wrestlers. The Republican Party is a rich pig. The Democratic Party is a rich pig with lipstick and a smiley face. American two-party politics is a puppet show put on to keep you mesmerized by its coporate sponsors, the Wall Street banks. You, the disenfranchised masses, should stop calling each other names and start supporting independent candidates, or run for office yourself.

“Can Democrats ‘Up Their Game’?”

it’s not like it would take much for them to up their game ... all they’d have to do would be to stay standing instead of bending over

ardee you speak well about the reality of politics in America today. 
As a life-long Democrat in the classic liberal camp, I have reserved
my opinion of Obama and Democrats for two years thinking the
rabbit would be pulled out of the hat, and strong voices for the
people would prevail but it is time to face the real world. 

With Obama’s surrender to Republican thumbscrews, nearly kissing
their feet, and Democrat politicians turning to thumbsucking instead
of standing strong, we are down the rabbit hole rather than standing
in the magician’s shoes.  You are right that there are only a few lonely
voices who speaks to the obvious, but who aren’t shouting loud enough
or giving better arguments why acquiescing to Republican power is
asking for further ruination of this country.  The ten years of Bush
policies has nearly done us in.  Even Joe Scarborough on his right
leaning TV program stunningly admitted it this morning.  Even he is
incredulous at Obama’s concessional behavior. 

The Democrats will lose deeply and long if they fritter away the revenue
from the rich taxes that would help this country out of its deficits that
Republicans put it in.  Every news program had “experts” say what we
have been saying all along that tax cuts for the rich will not put one
cent into the jobs disaster.  That it is repairing the jobs market that will
regenerate the economy. 

I know this much, if they do not hold the line about ending the George
Bush tax cuts for the rich, I will not vote for Obama again.  Not that
there are other important issues, and maybe my one vote won’t count
for much, but that is my line in the sand. They have 25 days to
straighten their backbone.

That there are a few lonely voices within the Democratic Party speaking to obvious directions and positions fails to sway my poor opinion of the party and its leadership.

It would seem inevitable that the tax cuts for the wealthiest will be extended, despite the rather rational understanding that they are both unfair to all of us and keeps money from the govt that is sorely needed, while the cuts themselves are no hardship at all to the wealthiest.

After the Democrats cave on this issue they will move along to cave on the others as well. But they will ensure the continuation of campaign checks from the wealthy and the corporations. That, after all, is the real goal of both parties.