One Step Forward Two steps Back
December 14th, 2014 | 
Author: I know this kind of deceitful seduction has been a part of American politics since our republic was born.
But my mind is made up.
Up until now, as cynical as I am, I bought into it.
I hoped.
I did.
I’m guilty.
But what I see now is a breach of trust that threatens to, and probably should, divide the democratic party in the same way the tea party has divided the GOP. In some ways for the same reason. Purity. The only real difference being that the tea party is developmentally challenged and real democrats can breathe through their noses. It’s a fundamental difference but it doesn’t seem to matter anymore.
So yeah, a last minute must pass spending bill. We’ve seen this movie before. Republicans were tolerated and even encouraged to shut down the government over what, health care for people who couldn’t afford or otherwise couldn’t get it? That’s why they did it and they were fucking proud of it. It cost their party nothing. They were lionized. Heroes were made.
What we have here is spineless democrats who won’t even consider shutting down the government to prevent big banks from doing the same things they did to cause the second greatest financial disaster in American history. They won’t do it to keep the taxpayer from hanging his ass in the wind for a $300 trillion gamble instead of the the filthy rich who clean up when the ridiculous risk pays off but lose nothing when all is lost. They won’t even consider doing it to stop the moneyed from being able to spend seven to ten times more to buy the politicians that make it even more convenient to do it again.
Seven to ten times more. Think about that. It makes whatever you and I might contribute completely meaningless.
They refuse to make a stand for what are supposed to be the core principles of what the democratic party is supposed to be about. The defense of the middle class, the protection of the poor, minorities and the disenfranchised. It cuts another $93 million for food assistance. The amendments to this spending bill, written by Citigroup and overtly lobbied for by the likes of Jamie Dimon, are insanely avaricious and nothing at all else. The democrats can’t even consider the threat of shutting down the government as a symbolic gesture over things they goddamn well know that no average middle class citizen could eat without puking.
Even if one were able to carefully explain these issues to the average bible thumping God and guns neanderthal republican, he’d come up swinging.
If democratic leadership is unwilling to draw a line in the sand here, for these things, then what good are they?
The democratic party now audaciously begs the question, what is the difference between them and the evil empire? Obama, Harry Reid and company are no longer content with merely being the resident poltergeist. They are now shamelessly complicit, more than willing to meet the devil at the crossroads in broad daylight and sign over the soul of America in the form of the “cromnibus”.
They sold us out.
Maybe we should just hasten our demise, vote for Mitt or Jeb or any other flavor of corporate fascist with a ridiculous first name and get it over with.
Be done with it.
What’s the goddamn difference?
I’ve never quite owned this feeling before.
The feeling that no matter what we do, we’re fucked.
Drinks for my friends.
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I almost can’t believe this is happening. Elizabeth Warren has been standing in front of the senate TELLING THE TRUTH and the democrats are still going to pass this bill. Maybe they are all unfamiliar with “truthiness”, since more lies are told in the house and senate than probably anywhere else on earth.
The democrats are angry with Elizabeth Warren. Can you believe that? Some have called her, “The Ted Cruz of the Democratic Party”. Really? Can anything be further from the TRUTH? Everything out of Ted Cruz’s mouth is a lie and/or designed to manipulate people. Elizabeth Warren? TRUTH.
They are setting everything up to happen again, to crash again. People haven’t recovered from the
first time. How many are just getting by now and wouldn’t survive another crash. I could myself as one of them. The banks? They are doing just swell. Their earnings are in the billions, even after paying a paltry few billion in penalties. How much more do they want to make?
Is there ever enough? If the economy crashes, the banks will have another excuse to lay off thousands and thousands of workers. Then they will get their bailout, but not hire the people back so they’ll make even MORE money.
You are right. We are fucked. When truth is spoken in the senate and no one listens, we are well and totally fucked.
There isn’t even a pretense of democracy anymore. And President Obama? Calling house members to get them to vote yes? Yes, the government shutting down at Christmas isn’t great, but how much worse can the democrats do in an election than was already done in 2014 (and 2010)? Shut the government down and people are inconvenienced for a little while. Don’t shut it down and–WE’RE ALL FUCKED. I think Obama has finally lost me. He had a chance to do the right thing–and he still can–by vetoing this bill, but he has proven himself to be another corporate lobbyist. I feel betrayed.
Most of all, though, I am just completely FUCKED, as are most people, except they don’t know it yet. When the bottom falls out again, this time the republicans will be right when they say it is Obama’s fault (even when he’s out of office). That’s what we are reduced to: republicans being right. It would be funny if it weren’t so tragic.
Echoes of my own thinking…for which, upon voicing my thoughts, I was compared to tea party nut jobs.
I am sickened that not only the Democrats, but OUR President is going to let this fiasco go through. I am fed up, done, finished, and DONE with this country. I have been researching other, peaceful countries to reside in, and I am going to actively pursue moving within 5 years. I am a patriot. I honor my President, applaud our military, even if I am totally against war. I pay my taxes, am a small business owner, and have fought tooth and nail for everything I have. All I see “representing” me in politics, are wealthy, spoiled, self-important fakes, taking over this nation. The Senators from MY state, Washington, are the only reason I have not left yet, but their voice does not matter, anymore. They are drowned out by the likes of Ted Cruz, and the other idiots people in places like Texas choose to send to Washington D.C. It’s frustrating, confused, and frankly, ANGRY that our country has come to be such a laughing stock. After spending 6 weeks in Europe this summer, I realized JUST how, pardon me: FUCKED up this country really is. Our Supreme Court is corrupt, our President is being screwed by BOTH parties, and the nation, at large, is the most divided I have ever known it to be. I am DONE.
New Zealand is a GREAT country! I would love to be able to live there! As in most cases you have to present them with a benefit to the country you want to move to. Lke a company or some special skills.
Read about this beautiful country. I guarantee you will enjoy it. Even the GOVERNMENT runs very well!!!
I would live there in a heart beat and get the heck out of this miserable country!
Michael, I came to the decision in the 2014 midterm elections, after Obama sent the bombing missions into Syria, the alleged beheadings and once again the UK, joining in the party. that I would never ever again cast a vote for any person or reason in any election EVER again… I said the very words, let them destroy us, but the blood won’t be on my hands. Yes, let me throw that gasoline on the fire… Jen, Rand, Rick, Mitt… Doesn’t matter I can’t wait for end of this play. I truly wish people would see there is NO DIFFERENCE… Six of one, half a dozen of the other. I’m tired. I want to see what happens when enough people have finally had enough.
Very sad to say, I completely agree with you …
You guys are all missing something… yes, it’s ok to be angry. But here’s the key difference between the Dems and the GOP – the Dems want govt to work. The GOP? They actively want it to fail – it’s much easier to accomplish their goal than the Dems. Shutting down the govt? Completely in line with a goal of destroying govt… but not in line with wanting govt to actually work.
The other thing – the public voted (all 36% of ’em) and they voted the GOP into power… now you’re blaming Obama and the Dems for not doing enough as the minority party? LOL. That’s exactly what the GOP wants you to do… That is their whole plan – that is their agenda.
Unfortunately, good change takes a lot of work, trust, and willingness to compromise. That situation just does not exist in the US today — and I blame hate-radio and Fox News for a huge amount of that reality. I think we are on the verge of a huge paradigm shift. It will happen. Progress cannot be stopped unless global climate change wipes us all out (or some asteroid). How easily we move into the new paradigm is completely reliant on how involved regular people become in the process. I had optimistically hoped it could happen from above — that the Democratic Party could morph into a Progressive-Populist Party, and that people would begin to see the advantages very quickly. Then, when we are mostly on the same page about the purpose of government being to serve “the general welfare”, we could begin to update parts of the Constitution and our system that just do not work any more. It’s not a bad thing that our document needs serious updating. It is a very bad thing if it begins before we can recognize that new paradigm — the one where everyone accepts that the actions of one nation, one corporation, can impact millions world-wide. It cannot happen until we all agree that all of life is connected, and deserving of respect. It cannot happen until everyone realizes that there truly is a point where one can have “way too much wealth”. It cannot happen until we determine that the amount of money one has is not the most important indicator of economically healthy communities, nations and world.
Make no mistake — it will happen. But only after people are convinced by words and actions or, for the truly empathy challenged, the world scares the shit out of us with its own natural powers. I am hoping for the former.
“Begs the question,” does NOT mean what you seem to think it does.
Google “petitio principii.”
That is all…
Sigh. I’m with you, brother.
I have to agree with you. I have been trying to defend the President and the worthless Dems in Congress for years now, and while the President has made some amazing accomplishments, he has also made some amazing blunders in my opinon. The Democrat Party is no longer responsive. It is being kept alive on life support machinery. It’s time to hit it with the paddles of reality and shock it back to life, or to pull the plug on it and just let it die. I intend to launch a vicious letter to the WH, the DNC and every Democrat in Congress telling them what I think of the absolute worthlessness of them as a group and that I and many other Liberals are fed up with them giving in to the right wing corporate fascists that call themselves Republicans. I will encourage others to do the same. If it turns out that they remain unresponsive, then I will in fact no longer support any Democrat candidate, and only vote for independents or Green party candidates. If that means losses for the Dems oh well, nothing different than what we have now from what I can see.
CHARLES M. BLOW JOURNALIST FOR THE N.Y.TIMES ADVOCATED FOR JUST THE OPPOSITE IN HIS PIECE THIS SUNDAY.
QUITING IS AN OPTION ONLY FOR THE WEAK. OUR GOALS OF EQUITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, WILL BE A CONSTANT BATTLE, WORTH FIGHTING FOR.
IT’S YIN AND YANG, LIFE AND PEOPLE GO IN CYCLES, DROUGHT THEN IT POURS…ONE MUST STAY BALANCED FOR THEIR JUST CAUSE. PROGRESSIVES ARE FEELING EMOTIONALLY & MENTALLY DEFEATED AND STUNNED BY THE IGNORANCE OF THE DOPES AND CORPORATE GREEDSTERS OF AMERICA. BUT NEVER BE SILENCED BY THE VILLANS & IGNORAMUSES.
I AIN’T NO CHIA PET, I CAN STILL FUCKING BREATH, & WILL REMAIN UNITED IN A MANNER THEY’LL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO RESPECT. I REFUSE TO ACCEPT DEFEAT,I’M TAKING TO THE STREETS TO PROTEST CORRUPTION AND MURDER BY THE STATE! SILENCE IS VIOLENCE, AND I WANT PEACE.
Wow. That took guts. I don’t think anyone can refute what you’re saying here. You will now join the tanks of being one of the most passionate thinkers on this issue. It’s just something that seems to happen when one has trusted only to have that trust go unrewarded in the most important ways. That experience toughens the intellect. I guess it’s the skin in the game phenomenon. I personally do not cope well with betrayal. I think trust is a precious thing that demands accountability. Neither in business nor in my personal life would I ever give myself permission to not follow through with what was promised. How do we accept such behavior from elected officials? Greedy politicians will never change. What MUST change is how we, the voters, respond to this behavior. And we better do it now before this new paradigm of both parties moving far to the corporate right becomes too entrenched to stop. The question is how best to do that. With the internet we have the tools we need, but so far the formula for effective organization has eluded us. But great job on the posting. Let’s hope lots of people see it and take the message to heart. Whatever steps come next, that’s the starting point. 🙂
You and I disagree on a lot of things Lisa but you know you have my respect. This is perhaps the closest we’ve ever come to agreeing on a political issue. I’m not yet ready to throw in the towel and concede that voting exclusively third part is the answer. Having said that I agree that this just isn’t working. The paradigm does need to change and the catalyst could very well be the internet. Like you, I’m not sure how but it’s time to start looking harder for the answer. We need to keep shouting while we figure it out. Thanks for reading.
Very true, sadly.. Where do we go from here, we cannot trust a third party situation. Because this is how the GOP kept themselves in power in the first place with the tea party. That backfired on them or had the appearance of being so. What do we do? There is no way a regular candidate has a chance in hell of getting enough national recognition to even make a mark in the political arena. One thing is campaign finance reform. Though how will that come about. If it is even tried it is dead in the birth canal. I have seen it mentioned that this type of reform should start with all contributions going into a national pot, that all candidates big and small may draw from. Also having a weekly debate time on Television and radio, where all candidates have a chance to voice their stances. In 2008 there were over 400 legally registered presidential candidates.. we only heard of 10 till the choices by party were made. Of those ten there were far better candidates but no one was hearing what they were saying. The whole system is rigged, we are sold a candidate long before the election even happens. Aside from this obvious need, there is no way we could clean house completely on the hill without state by state gerrymandering control, and forcing paper ballots back into the system.
From July 2011 I have a statement I wrote about Obama. “Why I Cannot Support Obama Again – July 2011.” Aspects of it could well apply to many other Democrats. Here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/robert-palmer/why-i-cannot-support-obama-again-july-2011/10150247078531086
I realize most want to run around with their hair on fire over this, however, instead of listening to sound bites and thinking that Elizabeth Warren is the best thing since sliced bread, maybe you need to look at the big picture.
Yes, there are some bad things in this bill, but isn’t there always? I don’t know of one bill that has been put forward in the last however many years I have been paying attention that doesn’t have bad crap in it.
However at the same time, you have to look at the good in this bill. Here is a partial list:
The bill will increase the max Pell Grant award. There will be 8.7 million Pell Grant recipients next yr, an increase of 142,000 students.
The bill provides a $108.9 million increase for Social Security administration.
The bill provides $7.42 billion for health care and support services for homeless veterans.
The bill provides $500 million more to meet the health care needs of Iraq and Afghanistan vets.
The bill provides $7.3 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF), $172 million more than fiscal year 2014.
The bill includes $24 million to help complete construction of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Also, even though it does remove some features of Dodd-Frank, it also does not remove the Volker rule from it.
Most of those yelling about the removal of a part of Dodd-Frank are the exact same ones who yelled it didn’t go far enough. Warren one of the most outspoken. She claims to not be running for President, however she is showing all signs of doing just that.
Until we get the vote out and elect local, state and federal representatives who support everything we want, which will never happen, this is what you are going to have to deal with. When we and I am saying we, because most of us don’t vote like our lives depend on it, start voting good people to represent us at all levels we will have to deal with the bad crap, and celebrate the good.
Just as the ACA is a flawed bill, so too is this one. But, look back at the Social Security Act, when it was passed it denied Blacks access to it. They were not allowed to draw from or put into SS, it had to be fixed at a later date.
What would you rather have had, a flawed bill, or no bill and the Government shuttered and nothing at all? That was the choice the President had. It is easy for a Senator or a Representative to say don’t pass this, they only have a few people to worry about. The President has the entire country and the world to worry about.
This bill, if not passed would have hurt everyone, not just a few people here in the US but people around the world.
Think about that before you just say throw the baby out with the bath water.
I am waiting for a third party to emerge. A party with a few morals that we have lost along the way. A party that really cares about the people and also knows that most of the people still believe in God and Country,and want to help those in need. I am a democrat and I believe in our president, but I’m also a Christian and I believe I should have the right to have displays in front of our churches and homes without some group making us take them down. If you don’t believe in God,that’s up to you, but don’t force us to give up our beliefs. I get so tired of every group having the right to display whatever they want, but us Christians can’t.Yes, there are democrats that still believe in God and I’m one of them!
Oh please. Christians are the least persecuted of any group America. Good luck with this.
The worst part of it all Cromnibus was led by none other than our own Harry Reid. I don’t know where even to begin my diatribe of disgust with the democrats that have rolled over to allow this to happen. As a matter of fact I will have to come back when I gain some composure to finish my thought because I’m so disgusted beyond belief. Angry beyond words right now.
I disagree, for the same reasons that A. Sousley has cited above. I have read that this bill, if it failed to pass, WOULD not only lead to a government shutdown, but that in a few months, when a new one came up, it would be far worse and it wouldn’t matter if every democrat voted no on it. It seems like this bill was the best we could get. Many republicans voted no, that should tel you something. Initially, House Republicans had seven riders aimed at undermining or defunding the Dodd-Frank law. At the end of the day, Mikulski was able to kill six of those riders. And seriously, should we have risked undermining and losing Obamacare? All of this could change in the next spending bill. Indeed, the right is already eating each other alive.
It’s a bitter pill to swallow, and we can partially thank our friends on the left (some of who are here bragging about it) who did not vote or help get out the dem vote in the last go-round. We KNEW what would happen. I am beginning to think that many on the left act like spoiled children sometimes.
The Dems are drifting to the right corrupted by corporate money. Help elect progressive Dems (real Dems, not DINOs) by volunteering from home with Progressive Democrats of America. Even one hour/week will help bring out the TRUE BLUE vote for 2016. Email MikeFox@pdamerica.org, and he’ll hook you right up. And tell him Bo sent you. Remember, we on the Left don’t have billion$ to hire political workers the way the Koch$ can. If the 98% who are excluded from the growth of our economy don’t come forward & volunteer we’ll always be playing “catch-up” against the Koch$ and corporation$. http://www.pdamerica.org