Matt Taibbi: Obama Doesn't Want a Progressive Deficit Deal

Obama Doesn't Want a Progressive Deficit Deal
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/obama-doesnt-want-a-progressive-deficit-deal-20110711">rollingstone.com

One expects the debt-ceiling mess to involve a lot of ostentatious chest-pounding on both sides, for despite the fact that this is a deadly serious issue – the fact that we're even considering incurring an intentional catastrophe via a default is incredible, a testament to the bottomless stupidity inherent in our political climate – this whole debate is primarily an exercise in political posturing.

That Republicans are holding up what should be a routine, if unpleasant, decision to raise the debt ceiling in order to portray themselves as the uncompromising defenders of the budget-balancing faith (a howling idiocy in itself, given what went on during the Bush years) is obvious to most rational observers. It's the obvious play for the lame-duck party entering an election year, and they're playing it, with the requisite hysteria.

But what is becoming equally obvious, to both sides, is that the Obama White House is using this same artificial calamity to pitch its own increasingly rightward tilt to voters in advance of the 2012 elections.

It has been extremely interesting in the last weeks to see observers on both sides of the aisle make this point. Just yesterday, the inimitable New York Times conservative Ross Douthat listed http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/11/opinion/11douthat.html?emc=eta1">Obama's not-so-secret rightward push as a the first in a list of reasons why the Republicans should dig in even more, instead of making a sensible deal

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/obama-doesnt-want-a-progressive-deficit-deal-20110711">more...

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This headline brought to you by Masters of the Obvious.

Anything and everything Obama supposedly says, offers, suggests is not going to happen. PERIOD.

It's a shame Taibbi doesn't bother really delving into the Republicans and their strategy.

The Republicans couldn't be any further dug in. They will not make a sensible deal.

The best political reporting out there is in Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair.

so he ain't shit no more.

Thanks..

The "0" soldiers typical to the "0" philosophy are watching 0's back even here, no matter from under whoever's rug he is yanking to get another step up in the corporate poodle stables.

The guy is on top of it.

The whole political process is moving Right. Or, haven't you noticed?

that the 'left' hasn't declared persona non grata for disagreeing with the right leaning policies of this administration?

Taibbi hits the nail on the head as always.

I supported this president, and like so many others placed so much hope in Democrats to start to undo the damage done by Republicans. I did NOT support bringing Republicans back into power, in his cabinet, as people to seek 'ideas' from, I thought we all agreed that Republicans don't have any good ideas. And where are the progressives in this administration? On the economic team, eg?

But facts are facts and I'd rather face them now, than overlook them before it's too late.

I suppose it's easier than thinking.

If you have a disagreement with what Taibbi's written, why not attempt to argue your point of view using reason?

Simply vomiting up baseless derision won't win many people over to your side, particularly when the person you slander has such a strong reputation for his accurate, insightful reporting and rich prose.

Without any credible rebuttal on your part, you are clearly the amusing one in this discussion.

I'd like to see your criticism of the substance of Taibbi's article of of his book Griftopia.

Obama is playing us for idiots and has been since he appointed Geithner who "used to be" a Republican and still acts like one.

Our neoliberal Administration went to so much trouble in setting up their political cover-- Taibbi could at least attack the BAD COP in this phony little drama.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_itjNqajMfsQ/SUNYCGRov3I/AAAAAAAABPQ/RT5atQGt-r4/s400/UNDER+THE+BUS+II+copy.jpg

:rofl:

:D

:rofl:

I could have sworn that this good cop/bad cop routine used to be more believable, but maybe I was just more naive. I don't know how our overlords expect me to believe that the Republicans are going to let the bankers eat the default; there's way too much rich people money at stake. I suppose Obama and the Republicans are doing their level best to find a way to cut SS/Medicare without taking responsibility for it, but it just seems so ham-fisted this time around.

I don't know whether it's because we've seen this same play several times now, or because this one was telegraphed for long (with the Deficit Commission, etc.), or what-- but it's comically phony.

I wonder if these people aren't in so much of a bubble that they don't realize how rich-person centric their manufactured "crisis" actually is. I mean-- the debt ceiling? Seriously? I may get a punch in the gut from a default, but I'm not that far from raising my food in a garden anyway, if you know what I mean. For the Wall Street/Beltway crowd, an economic meltdown would be like being ground into a fine paste. It'd be a major catastrophe. It would completely wreck their pampered lives.

There is no way in hell the business community will tolerate a default, so this whole thing is absurd on it's face.

I think they're getting lazy. They just stole umpteen trillion dollars from us, and no revolt happened. IMO, they're probably confident that nothing they could do would ignite the blaze.

Full steam ahead...

years and years of ramping up the stupid and creating the smoke screens in a consolidated media. I mean, I hear the same exact talking points on every single information source except for the tiny exceptions. NPR and C-Span are the worst because they used to be somewhat trusted.

:rofl:

please tell me the identity of those under the bus.

but then like acorn, they threw him under the pug steam roller.

Nobody threw HIM under the bus. He got busted for corruption. And Blago wasn't exactly a guerrilla in the people's cause.

You have no idea what you are talking about. Matt is the best in the business.

There you go... there's some "delving into the Republicans and their strategy" for you. And, since you've demonstrated you can't digest what you read for yourself... I'll present the whole paragraph for you.



That seems to me to be as delved an examination of Republican strategy as delved can delve. They're saying no, and acting hysterical about the deficit, in order to keep themselves in the news prior to the elections.

The real story though, despite your attempts to deflect for Obama, is the head-scratching choice on the part of the White House to negotiate in what seems like an incompetent fashion. That's what the article does—it reframes the entire negotiation in such a manner as to make Obama's negotiating strategy seem less wildly idiotic and incompetent, and it cites Krugman and Douthat analyses in support of the reframing.

The only answer that can be distilled from the observed behavior, presuming that Obama isn't a stupid asshole, is contained in that last paragraph:



There's no need, if the analysis is correct, to worry about the "strategy" of the Republicans... because Obama is interested in the same goals as they are... the only question is one of negotiating the exact numbers... and, how good a "Br'er Rabbit" Obama can pull on both the Republicans and his fellow Democrats.

This analysis is one of the few that I've seen that doesn't make Obama into a naïve goof... maybe you have an analysis, rather than a baseless assertion of faith, that suggests otherwise?

If you'd care to spin some possible strategies that involve depth, I'm all ears/eyes... but I haven't seen anything to indicate anything other than the superficial.

By all means... drop some clues of possible strategy beyond the fucking obvious on the part of Republicans. Please?

The problem is that a lot of people are having trouble dealing with the fact that they were wrong, very wrong about Obama. It is just painful to have to admit when we are wrong, simply, utterly, irrefutably wrong. It's almost like a grieving process.

It's like getting over a love affair. It takes time. A lot of people literally fell head over heels for Obama. Having to realize who he really is and what he is doing to the very vulnerable people in this country for the sake of just not having the courage to stand up for what is right is extremely painful.

They will get over it when they retire and don't have enough to live on. Then they will look back at Obama and say "That @#$%^%^^&!"

Is he stupid? Naive? Hopelessly insane?

Is this believable for anyone?

writing about Goldman Sachs and Wall Street?

So, which part of the following Taibbi paragraph is not accurate?

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You two have got a lot to talk about.

We have (HAD) higher expectations from our brilliant president. We thought since he was a constitutional lawyer, he'd protect us from the derangement of the Bush justice dept. No, he's tacitly approved their illegal stacking the courts with Repugs, condoned their illegal torture, and more. We expected him to raise taxes on the rich, he ran strongly on that point - and did zip zero nada in that area, in fact decreased them further while raising taxes on the poor. Repugs stand up for their beliefs, absoslutely wtih no facts to back them, just the power of repitition. Obama sells out every Dem point, castigates us, and fawns over Repugs, using their talking points (lies) again and again. Confidence isn't the reason the big corps are sitting on money, it's called total greed. they see a chance to take all the pie and are going for it and Obama is assisting.

That is not the Republican response to Obama, it is MY response to your sentiments that Obama bears no blame and is the victim of the big-bad right wing bully (AGAIN).

Obama is refusing to make the republicans OWN their intransigence. It is HIS fault that SS cuts and Medicare eligibility changes are even on the goddamn table AT ALL. He needs to be speaking EVERY NIGHT on TV, in town halls, on the stump if necessary to get a unified message out - simple one too = "WE CANNOT BALANCE THE BUDGET WITHOUT A RETURN TO HISTORICAL TAX RATES AND WE WILL NOT ALLOW THE REPUBLICAN HOSTAGE TAKERS TO PERSIST. THE TREASURY IS NOW ORDERED TO PROTECT THE FULL FAITH AND CREDIT OF THE UNITED STATES BY BORROWING WHATEVER IS NEEDED AND CUTTING THE REST FROM ALL FEDERAL SPENDING IN REPUBLICAN DISTRICTS. IF THE PEOPLE OF THOSE DISTRICTS DO NOT LIKE THIS, THEN I HIGHLY SUGGEST THAT THEY TAKE IT UP WITH MR. BOEHNER AND MR. CANTOR AND REMEMBER THIS IN NOVEMBER OF 2012."

Obama is allowing himself to be rolled at the same time he is tacking hard right and offering up New Deal programs and social safety net staples to the wolves at the gates. He is a failure and is becoming a massive failure on the order of Hoover or Bush II day by day. Pretending it ain't so or crying that the other guys are acting badly too is weak, delusional and unbecoming a person who would want to see this country become a more Progressive nation.

time right now. It really sucks and you hit the nail on the head with your comments. I feel the same way you do "Moostache!"
:grr: :nuke:

Taibbi is one of the few journalists left that actually seek out and report the truth.

I suggest you read up on his work before you call him an asshole.

the WHY IS OBAMA?

Don't know whether to :puke: or :rofl:

Imagine how much attention Bush would have paid to a House Majority leader

while he had the presidency and the Senate -- !!!


:rofl:

:puke:

Do you think Obama will make a "sensible deal"?

Pfft.

Public option, close gitmo, end Iraq, not starting any new wars, creating jobs.

All lies by the grand Obama.

He's a master politician.

and under goes Taibbi ...

Ad hominem attacks suck, however.

Enjoy your fixation on what Republicans are doing, because Obama is doing everything Republicans could ever want.

Pluh-eeze Mr. President... don't make me laugh.

"At last Sir.. is there no one in Washington that has a sense of decency?"

Why doesn't he understand it? But I guess he doesn't care as long as he gets corporate cash for the reelection campaign.

And Obama is giving them cover to do so.

And what is even worse, is that he has bought, hook, line and sinker that the only reason business is not hiring is a lack of confidence because of the high deficit.

In otherwards, Obama is pushing republican ideals and trying to get democrats to go along with it.

I do not buy into that notion. I agree that there is a lack of confidence - but it is not because of the high deficit. It is because of high unemployment. And unemployment is high because of a lack of demand.

So - we are told to eat peas, while those who have the wherewithall to hire, would prefer to do it in another country with lower wages and import to make up the future demand......and in the meantime - they have enough money now - what is the hurry?

There is no incentive for them to hire labour if they can make more money on the stockmarket flipping and trading stocks around.

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the Right is NEVER going to vote for him, they may try to impeach him tho. both Taibbi's article & the nyt article have the same quotes.

k/r

I'll judge the final outcome.

Because if it did, it may not be solvent for another 26 years.
Then it might be time to spend some time worrying about revamping that system.

But discussing it now, in connection with raising the debt ceiling, is like asking for a raise from your boss, who is the brother of the girl you want to marry, who is against you marrying his sister in the first place.
So, then you suggest that he be your best man at the wedding, but only after he agrees to give you the raise.
And in order to get to know you better, you suggest that he should go play a round of golf with you, after he gives you that raise.
Then you guys can hang out more and get to know each other better, after you get that raise.
But, everything is dependent on you getting that raise first.

Doesn't matter if it's a dime an hour or a dollar or an hour, your entire life's plan depends on getting that raise first.
Oh, to be sure his sister is cute, but that raise comes first.
Because getting married to his sister is going to be great, and then you'll have 3 kids, one of each - an older one, a younger one, and one in the middle.
And that raise means that you can afford to have those kids you want to have with his sister, right after the two of you are married, when you can spend all of that extra money on her.
And your kids.

It will never work out exactly the way you have it all planned.
But, that doesn't mean you can't make that type of a plan.
As long as you remember that John Steinbeck wrote, "The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray."

Maybe we should worry about what will happen to your kids in 2050?
That's not so far away either, not really.
How will your kids get by in those days, when everything will cost more money.
I think you're going to have to ask for a bigger raise.
A dollar an hour ain't going to cut it, not now, not after taking into consideration the price of cars and college and clothes in 2050.
You'd better ask for about $10 an hour more, or maybe even $15, just to be extra careful.
Because you love your kids and you want them to go to the best colleges available at that time, you know, in 2050.
By then you'll be close to retiring, so what with the cost of medicine in those days, maybe you'd better ask for $20 an hour more.
It never hurts to make your plans early.

But, be careful.
Because asking for a $20 dollar raise may get your future brother-in-law upset.
He may even call his sister and tell her that you're nutz, plumb loco, and that she deserves better than a guy who flips burgers anyway.
And then be prepared to find a new job, if working at the same rate of pay doesn't strike you as an appropriate, alternative to your plans.
And try not to let his laughing bother you too much, because more than likely, he will be laughing over your "serious request" for quite some time.

And Obama's and Boehner's deficit reduction plans are just as you called it -- major hogwash.

Neither of them wants to admit that the private sector cannot and will not and is refusing to hire Americans, and that jobs are the big issue and we have to raise taxes on the very rich and let the government create jobs for Americans because the private sector cannot and will not and is refusing to do so.

He certainly wasn't going for the middle ground in his campaign. Most of what he had to say on record was very, very liberal. I guess all those people who voted for him the 1st time, while he was spouting liberal ideas, just suddenly up and moved way, way right.

He knows he has lost his second term.

It's the same game now. It was obvious then and it's obvious now.

He tells it like it is.

people. The democrats will be told be party leadership that the incumbent Blue Dogs and the President are "the grownups in the room" and that "everyone has to make sacrifices".

Meanwhile the supporters of Paul Ryan are out drinking $350 bottles of wine and Obama is having $40k a plate dinner parties.

"The not-so-secret secret is that the White House has given ground on purpose. Just as Republicans want to use the debt ceiling to make the president live with bigger spending cuts than he would otherwise support, Obama’s political team wants to use the leverage provided by those cra-a-a-zy Tea Partiers to make Democrats live with bigger spending cuts than they normally would support."

:-(

Lou

what he's written over the years! Taibbi IS NOT the enemy, he just does INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM that USED to be what journalist USED TO DO!

I've got to step away from here, I simply CAN NOT believe some of the things I read here. Even here at Democratic Underground it seems so many STILL have blinders on.

Well, TIME WILL TELL, and there may come a time soon that many of us will sit side by side with cups in our hands, asking for a dime!

needs their BS meter turned waaaaay up -- !!!

Rahman, plouffe, his economic team & mr Obama himself make it clear time & again.

I

Let's run him for president in 2012 -- !!

:rofl:

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type subterfuge operation. This is a massive undertaking.

But above all it is a coordinated attack on the working class, their unions, collective bargaining, seniors and the disabled by a combination of elements of Machiavellian right wing extremists and organized crime. That is my best assessment at this time.