The next battle in 2012....
You need to know this. The tax cuts compromise deal is now at the President’s desk. The House of Representatives passed the legislation late last night by a vote of 277 – 148. Earlier in the afternoon – it looked as though liberal Democrats in the House were ready to blow the deal up when they protested the planned vote in the afternoon -forcing the House into an indefinite recess. But in caucus meetings later in the night – Speaker Nancy Pelosi was able to wrangle up enough Democratic members to bring the legislation to the floor and pass it. Ultimately – 112 Democrats didn’t support the bill – including the entire Democratic leadership aside from Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. Now - with the President’s signature – the bill will become law. Congressman Peter DeFazio from Oregon – one of the most outspoken opponents of the bill - summed up the conclusion of the tax cut debate by saying, “This basically concedes the argument to the supply-side Republican failed economic policies.” And unfortunately – he’s right. Progressives lost this fight - capping off 2 years of losing battles. But since the tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires weren’t extended permanently – we all need to get to work to make sure progressives win the next battle in 2012.
Comments
If the tax cuts were extended through 2012, that means they were extended into the twenty-second century. Why? The Republicans will take hold of the Senate and the WH. Our nation will be COMPLETELY Republican through the this century. Gone will be social security and Medicare. Gone will be all of our safety nets. A complete gestapo takeover awaits us.
Tom, if you would like to encourage callers to participate, please don't let them sit on hold for more than one hour. Some of us out here are unemployed and only have a cell phone. On the rare occassion that we might want to contribute to the conversation, it often gets too costly. If I ever call again, please have your producer be considerate enough to inform me. If she finds that I'm not on topic or, for whatever reason it's necessary to let me sit while 2 dozen callers are marched on in front of me, then TELL ME. Please Thom, treat us with the respect that you solicit from your listeners every day. Thankyou.
Many times Thom has talked about the Tea Partiers and Progressives getting together because we have so much in common. What is missing is just how we are going to do this. I would like to suggest that interested folks "Youtube" Sheldon Solomon, professor at Skidmore College. Listen to the clips of his lecture on Earnest Becker. Don't miss the opportunity to do this. He is funny, entertaining and informative. This lecture helps to explain the dynamics of groups and why members of the group will defend it's identity to the death. If we are going to form coalitions and make changes, we need to know what these groups (Republican, Democratic, religion), provide for their members.
I would like to suggest that Thom has this guy on as a guest.
In addition, a great book to read that helps to understand the other side is, Deer Hunting With Jesus. by Joe Bageant.
To turn things around, Obama has to grow a pair and remember to have the last dance with the guy that brung him.
I hold great respect for Peter DeFozio but I have to disagree with his statement that the extended tax breaks are a failed economic policy, on the contrary , they are very successful manipulated economic
policy for and from the wealthiest members of an elite aristocracy. An aristocracy that takes their royalty and power very seriously. Perhaps some of them see themselves as omnipotent in doing the most considerate thing for the rest of us who are only interested in a" ho down" and a" six pack", but I'm sure the majority are quite self serving and intoxicated with power. The exclusive power of having control over a nation by extorting it's citizens. I myself grew up in a medium size town dominated by the wishes of one very wealthy manufacturing family who control the town, it's mayor and public officers
and can at will make life, employment, and success impossible for critics, or resisters.
Every election most house holds in Newberg can look forward a personal letter suggesting how they would like a vote to be cast. They also participate on a larger state and federal level.
In our current economic crises I abhor the tax breaks for the wealthy and the fact that they extort a policy of continuing economic gloom and non creation of jobs if they don't get their way. They (the elite) have had plenty of tax break time to create jobs and improve the economy at home. Instead they break unions, and outsource. Eventually I foresee a time when citizens will no longer be separated by the tired old liberal/conservative cliche' but instead become united in anarchy and looting for survival. The elite and privileged have always been short sighted in their greed up until it's to late to save their own lives. We had a good constitutional plan to begin with in this nation. It's time we got it back on track.
Peoples United turned over the deed.
Peoples United turned over the deed.
We need to manufacture product in America. I have been trying to buy American made clothes and have found it to be a full time job with little satisfaction. The product is scarce and expensive. I think if the government were to offer rebates for American made product, commsurate with the cost. This would encourage people to go to the trouble and expense of searching out American products. Then, of course, manufacturers would begin to make things here. This would be more stimulative than any plan I have heard with the exception of infrastructure improvement.
Obama 2012-2016 will want to go down in history as the modern era Franklin Delano, after he wins re-election he's going to unleash a fury from hell onto the right.
He wants that 2nd term so bad he stepped on us progressive's, he probably will do it again to head fake the republicans into complacency. He is rideing that fine line keeping his base and not infuriating the right to much.
2012-2016 , Obama plays basketball which requires alot of head and body fake's befor you pull up and hit that 25 foot jump shoot to win the championship game and thats what he's moving down the political basketball court to do folks in 2012-2016.
What is this? Obama has not revealed all that is going on. But Obama who's side is he on? Just like "Top Gun". Obama is dangerous and we do not "know" his loyalties. Yet CSI evidence shows he caves to the irrational whims of the rich. Time and time again. Too much like Bush says the fox. But? Obama slaps his base in the face "Buck up", yet wines and dines neocons?
Is there an Obama lingering lounging secret Muahmmed Ali punch waiting for neocons to knock them 6ft back and up in the air? Liberals hope so for all things payback for Bush/Cheney evil.
PASSION elected Obama in 08. Passion of hating BUSH/CHENEY elctected Obama in 08. Gee academically we need to appoint 2 liberal Supreme court justices. Gee HOW? Where is the PASSION for 2 supreme court justices? IT IS NOT THERE. QUIT LIVING IN A DREAMWORLD. The majority of the American PASSION is why isn't my family eating? NOT 2 Supreme Court Justices.
You and Thom want 2 Supreme court justices? Then you need to bring the PASSION baby. Otherwise? You are pi**ing in the wind and wasting time. AND? You will lose 2012
Obama can't win 2012 doing what he did in 2009 and 2010. Obama has to learn to fight right handed not just left handed.
So far what I see is Obama is a whimp, who caves everytime the rich say "jump!"
Maybe Obama is holding back waiting for the right moment to strike for that populist victory, but maybe Obama is just a sellout to corporations like he has been for the past 2 years.
C####p you can't believe in.
John
You know,
We might have been better off if McCain - Palin had won. They would have been balanced by the Dem majorities and there would have been more people like Bernie Sanders talking truth back to the Republican BS propaganda machine.
Maybe the American people would have had a better idea about how they're being screwed.
What do you think it will take to turn this around?
Frankly, things need to get bad enough for people to give a damn and start a real movement, and actually have a desire to learn for themselves what the issues are. Things are bad now, so there are a lot of people starting to get it, but there is so much disinformation out there that people are being confused into diverting their attention in a useless direction and that is true for both the left and the right. I am afraid things will have to get worse before more people wake up. I think more than half of Americans are still relatively isolated from the plights of the rest.
Because most lack necessary empathy, until more people are directly affected (including the rich), disparity will continue to grow. The wealth will continue to consolidate at the top, until a threshold is reached where capitalist kings have so much and the poor so little, that the entire system collapses completely from the top heavy weight crashing down on an economy built on a deck of flimsily stacked cards.. i.e. it will be impossible to continue the lie, and truth will finally win.
Until then we need to keep the truth alive, and keep pushing it hard via advertising, activism, and grass root movement politics like the sierra club, drinking liberally, and bold progressives.
America needs a Cspan like paparazzi. Have you ever noticed no paparazzi? Thom just witnesses a Senator drunk and being held up by 2 females(probably hot). But? Where is the paparazzi? Yes the American people are partially to blame for DC, but not entirely because we cannot see what is going on. If we saw in pictures the 2500$ plate dinners with Senators and CEOs (Bank CEOs, oil and gas CEOs, etc) then the American people would put 2 and 2 together.
Where are the damn pictures?
Where is the paparazzi?
Obama I think will just turn over the keys in 2012 after putting up a losing fight. He will lose and sacrifice every key liberal populist fight along the way because he is a corporatist sellout. because that is his job as a corportist - is to obstruct the liberal will of the American people, as he has done for the past 2 years. Bush/Cheney should be in jail. Filibusters should have been rare. And? Not a word from Obama. Not from the bully pulpit. The only way to breakthrough the FOX News Reich Krieg is the bully pulpit of the President AND Obama rarely uses it, but when he did he attacked his base. Obama is not stupid so? It is intentional. Obama has conceded the bank bailout(keeping Geitner and Sommers), the public option(allowing Baucus to throw liberals in jail - where was the bully pulpit of Obama? SILENT), etc.... It goes on and on Obama is complicit with rape of liberals because he is silent. So much was lost. Just look at all the Pelosi bills passed through the House and stopped in the Senate. Where's Obama? Silent. Always silent.
Obama is Obama's worst enemy(liberals too). Obama chooses not to turn things around. We can work as hard as we can to turn things around But? If Obama keeps his wrongheadedness continuing the way he has, and the bully pulpit SILENT, we can do nothing to very little facing huge Neocon/Republican propaganda forces.
Obama is losing because he chooses to.
If you apply what Thom has said about voters choosing a real Republican over a Democrat who acts like a Republican then bingo! Obama is a Democrat acting like a Republican and he will lose 2012. If Obama keeps slaping liberals in the face he will lose 2012. If Obama bully pulpit remains intentionally silent while liberals are thrown in jail Obama will lose 2012. If Obama continues to fail the liberal fight of bringing the issues to the American people when there is a problem(like FDRs fireside chats) then Obama will lose 2012. THAT is why I think we should run Feingold in the primary against Obama, because Obama is doing everything to fail. We have nothing to lose because Obama is already choosing to lose 2012.
Oh yeah uh How believable is it that Obama will fight the tax cuts in 2012? Lol what? I don't see Obama fighting the tax cuts for the rich. What I see is Obama giving away the house and the kitchen sink AGAIN while getting a few crumbs in return. Michelle must have negotiated for their house, because Obama can't negotiate for S#*#. Just kidding. Obama negotiates to win for the rich and negotiates to lose for the poor.
Obama will just lose the negotiation for the nomination of a tiebreaker Supreme Court Justice for Kennedy. So we might as well try to primary Obama with Feingold in a very "positive" primary. Otherwise, we will just hear some bogus excuse about why Obama could only negotiate for another Alito to replace Kennedy.
Sorry folks Obama is damaged goods. Obama is the only one who can turn things around, but I don't see it happening. The Republicans are even stronger now which just means Obama will give them more of everything while getting less than a few crumbs in return.
We lost so much in the past 2 years. Obama really sold America out. Why would liberals want Obama to win in 2012? THEY DON'T. So wake up out of fantasy land pretending Obama is something he is not. Primarying
Obama is the only chance America has.You never know we could make history again with Feingold.
Sorry folks I wish it were not so. I voted for Obama, because I believed what he said. Now I see he says and does 2 different things. So? It is time to move on by building a primary movement against Obama.
I am so tired of hearing about why we have to accept c*#*# and crumbs because Republicans are are the extreme crazy alternative otherwise. Don't you see that is just the rich having a temper tantrum and manipulating everyone to get their way? Wakeup Stand proud Take a chance on America.
You never win without taking risk.
Primary Obama with Feingold.
John
"Fox news" is not news it is the Nazi Fox Reich "Fox politische paramilitärische, propagandaapparat organisation".
The Reich propagandaministerium Premierministerin is Joseph Goebbles otherwise known as "das schwein Rush Limpballs".
John
Another comment for December 18, 2010
The defense budget has now ballooned to $725 billion that we know at this point. However, we do not know what is under the table. Is it another $725 billion? Average Americans will pay this bill so the American rich and their fat asses are protected. The rich received another tax break; yet they are the people who should be paying a higher percentage of the taxes because they have the most to lose. Personally, average Americans would be better off living in a socialist environment.
@fatfax, chances are little and none that Obama will be in the Oval Office after January 19, 2013. He is history!!!
Who are we kidding. There has been a coop by the rich to take over the Country and they're almost done. They don't want government regulation or taxes, they don't want government period. They are getting they're way and there's no will in the Country to stop them. The party's over. I'm retired, but most of you will become the working poor.
Accidentally repeated on Blackberry
Accidentally repeated on Blackberry
Accidentally repeated on Blackberry
The only hope for this country is to elect Bernie Sanders or Russ Feingold in 2012. We have nothing to lose (Supreme Court will self-implode as it is now constituted). Put a fork in him. Obama is done.
Accidentally repeated on Blackberry
The only hope for this country is to become a socialistic nation where the Golden Rule is practiced on a daily basis.
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Images of Thom
At Mondragon - both the mountain and the cooperative city - in Spain (written about in "Threshold" book)
Even if we have no smoking gun, should we not at least, officially, be investigating both the location from whence came the immense roaring sound of the Buntline Special heard by witnesses and the slug in the victim that will lead to the perpetrators?
Doesn’t the metaphor apply here in the reference below at another Abu Ghraib or Gitmo-like brutality scene, this time not at CCA in Idaho but at CCA, Eloy AZ, the "model" prison extolled by our Pahrump, Nye County, prison-pushing 2008 Commissioners (one of whom is now a convicted felon, and another of whom has been found guilty of ethics violations). For detailed info re the cruelty allegations against CCA at Eloy AZ please do a search on the internet with the words:
Courthouse News Service Dec 2010 Private Prison Brutality Eloy
And here: How smoky does the gun have to get, or at least, how loud must the shot be before action is taken? What about investigating Stacia Hylton instead of promoting her to Head of the US Marshals. Posted by pahrumplife on Thom’s Blog 2 weeks ago: http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2010/12/something-must-change-or-president-obama-will-be-one-term-president
Please comment Thom. We are big fans and would like to hear your thoughts on this subject. Clearly, if verified, these above actions by for-profit prison corporations and people in them and in our government have great portent and will have great - I believe as much as any other newsworthy contingencies including the wars, climate change, Wikileaks, tax breaks, bailouts, oil spills, air pollution, the Tea Party, future water availability, fracking for gas, alternative energy – and as much impact on world economics and on many of the freedoms we have enjoyed in America; and, unbridled, will surely continue to negatively impact citizens’ health, safety and welfare and lives in the present and in the future with more brutality, suffering, human trafficking for per diem rates and for untold future employment as the cheapest work force and as ready cannon fodder. “The greed, negligence and brutality” in the history of private for-profit prisons is well documented and can be easily researched. A good start is: http://www.privateci.org/