Can Senate Democrats prevent disaster?

House Republicans continue to point the finger at President Obama for the government shutdown. However, Senate Democrats are moving forward with a plan to prevent economic disaster. According to the New York Times, rather than waiting for the Tea Party to come to their senses, Democratic leaders in the upper chamber will present a debt ceiling increase proposal this week. Their plan will raise our nation's legal borrowing limit, without any strings attached. And, it will make clear that President Obama and the Democrats are not the ones holding up a fiscal deal.
Senate leadership is confident that the measure would with pass, however they will need the support of at least six Senate Republicans to pass the filibuster threshold. This solution is far from ideal, as the proposal could take about a week to move through the legislative process. That means that even if the Democrats get support, and all goes as planned, the final vote may not happen until two days before the debt ceiling deadline.
This all could be solved by Speaker John Boehner allowing a vote on fiscal legislation in the House. But, he continues to claim that there aren't enough votes to pass a clean continuing resolution, or an increase to the debt limit. President Obama replied to the Speaker's claim, saying, “If Republicans and Speaker Boehner [are] saying [that] there are not enough votes, then they should prove it.” However, allowing a vote would let the American people see who is really behind this economic terrorism.
It's great that Senate Democrats are working on a plan to prevent financial disaster, but Americans would rather see Republicans end this economic hostage taking, and stop using our economy as a pawn in their political games.
Comments


If no one has seen Thom's other article and video on global warming and the dangers of methane release they should check it out:
Here is the link to the article:
http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2013/10/last-hours-humanity-warming-world-extinction#comment-234954
That's also a better topic for discussion than this debt ceiling sideshow.

Apropos to post #2. I just recieved a reply from my House Representative concerning a letter I wrote concerning the TPP. I thought I would share that letter with you.
Quote A House Representative:Thank you for taking the time to share your views on this issue. I appreciate your input.I share your concerns about the transparency and potential impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Free Trade Agreement, which seeks to create a high-level free trade agreement between nations on both sides of the Pacific.
In July 2013, I joined several of my colleagues in sending a letter to President Obama, expressing my concern about the lack of adequate congressional consultation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement. In particular, I expressed my strong opposition to “Fast Track” Trade Promotion Authority or any other mechanism that would delegate Congress’ constitutional authority over trade policy.
The “Fast Track” approach of the last century is not appropriate for broad 21st Century trade agreements and it is important to restore Congress’ constitutional role in developing agreements that significantly affect domestic policy and trade.
Additionally, last year I joined more than 130 House members in urging United States Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk for more frequent congressional consultations as well as a more open and transparent process as the United States negotiates the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Rest assured that I will continue to advocate for increased transparency as well as meaningful congressional and public input into the outcome of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other Free Trade Agreements.
All hope is not lost. Have you written your Representative and Senator yet. Today is a good day to make your opinion known.

Just this evening on Democracy Now I watched a short clip of Kerry singing praises to the TPP, claiming it will "create jobs" and "growth" ad nauseam. We were eating dinner when this came up. I could've puked, it was so revolting. I'd already had doubts about Kerry but this has alienated me from him forever. That guy seemed to have promise forty years ago, as a young Vietnam vet just back from the war, questioning the wisdom of prolonging that murderous charade another day. Now he's just a rich old man, out of touch with reality like most members of that club.
I've remained a Democrat for strategic reasons only. But it's getting harder and harder for me to stomach a party that only seems to get more corporatized and corrupted with time. Just a few elections ago, I might have voted for Kerry when he ran for prez; but now, I wouldn't pick him for dog catcher.
You're right, Marc; it's time to write my representative and senators. I don't know how much good it would do, but it would make me feel better to have tried at least...

Aliceinwonderland ~ Thanks Alice! It may not do anything; but at least, it sure will make you feel better. I know I'm happy I tried. What do you know, I did get one positive result.
PS Kerry is through with me too. No wonder why the Repubs wanted him appointed so bad. What a sell out!
<quote>
If no one has seen Thom's other article and video on global warming and the dangers of methane release they should check it out:
Here is the link to the article:
http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2013/10/last-hours-humanity-warming-world-extinction#comment-234954
That's also a better topic for discussion than this debt ceiling sideshow.
</quote>
Thanks for the link
here is one you may enjoy or get a kick out of that could spark more interest...
http://www.thomhartmann.com/users/racadmin/blog/2013/10/breaking-news

FYI
"Most of the key actors in the US Congress and the Senate involved in the shutdown debate are controlled by powerful corporate lobby groups including, of course, Wall Street. The latter are those which ultimately decide on the outcome. They are not only in a position to influence the results of the Congressional process, they also have foreknowledge of the nature and timing of key decisions and they are in a position to reap multibillion dollar speculative gains in the derivative markets by speculating on policy outcomes of which they have advanced knowledge."
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-shutdown-of-the-u-s-government-and-debt...
It is a more conspiratorial way of looking at the kabuki theatre called "the shutdown". Precedent suggests it is intra-elite squabbling that will suddenly vanish at the last moment as a deal is struck. However, I would not put it beyond the neoliberal mentality of the banksters and their lawmaker lackeys to manufacture a crisis as a harbinger of even more extreme kleptocratic policies.
I think I know why this fiasco continues to this day, check this out. http://youtu.be/0Jd-iaYLO1A

Thank you for sharing that, Drob! Seems that a shutdown is now locked in? I always look to the two parties of big business working together to help the kleptocrats - that's how I interprete US democracy at the moment, i.e. that rule change is to prevent any ordinary lawmakers with an ounce of decency from trying to derail the crazy shutdown plan. Hope my conspiracy theory is wrong!
This fiasco is going nowhere slowly. I really don't have much to say about it that I haven't already said. The dwindling comments on these posts would tend to agree. We are beating a dead horse. Time to talk about the TPP legislation. Anybody?