How could Democrats vote for the "Cromnibus"???
By Thom Hartmann A...
Last night, with only hours to go before the government shut down, the House of Representatives passed the so-called “Cromnibus” bill to keep government running. As usual, Republicans used the looming deadline to force through massive cuts and more deregulation. And, once again, far to many Democrats went along with the Republican hostage-taking.
The $1.1 trillion dollar spending bill passed in a 219-to-206 vote, with 57 Democrats voting to approve the budget – despite its disastrous provisions. Thanks to the new legislation, the IRS and EPA budgets have been slashed and the Pell Grant program was hit with $300 million in cuts. Pension guarantees for retired workers have been gutted, and programs like HUD and Section 8 were denied nearly a billion dollars of their requested funding.
In stark contrast, those cuts didn't prevent billions in new spending for military operations, or stop Wall Street from getting taxpayer-backed protections for the same high-risk derivatives that crashed our economy. And, as if that wasn't enough, a rider in the bill made it possible for billionaires to give ten-times more money to political parties, and for the rich to have even more power in our political system.
Despite all these facts – and the many more that are sure to be uncovered – 57 Democrats refused to stand with their Progressive colleagues and stand up to Republicans. This is what happens when lawmakers answer only to those at the top, and that's not limited to those on the Right. This legislation is a slap in the poor and the working class, and a big holiday gift to Wall Street and military contractors.
Every time Democrats give in to this type of legislation, they set themselves up for the next round of Republican demands. It's time to let them know that we've had enough. We've got two years to make it clear that we want lawmakers who will stand up to the hostage taking at all costs, so let's get busy making our voices heard.
Comments
#2
I have voting in every election without fail for the last 25 years or more. I have watched in the last 10 years my vote be worthless for the most part. People are not coming out to vote for numerous reasons. I have also watched the country become more aggressively taken over by radical far right wing.
Sorry Thom I think that with the current events occurring in the USA our founding fathers would be organizing and cleaning their weapons, not just voting.
#3
Right now I am so pissed off at repugnicans I'm wishing I had a gun and the guts to commit murder.
In Michigan, the repugnicans just passed a bill allowing medical professionals and EMTs to refuse medical services to gays, on religious grounds. WHEN WILL THOSE BASTARDS STOP PROMOTING HATRED?!?!!!
My religious beliefs require me to kidnap, torture, and execute any politician that promotes hatred! Take that you christian bastards!
If any person dies because because an EMT refused to help them becasue their gay, I hope that EMT is severly beaten and killed.
My apologies if my language offended anyone...except hateful christians.
Merry fuckin' christmas.
#4
I expect nothing but total obediance to their owners of our politicians. I expect to never see honest elections in my country during my lifetime. I expect to see greed and dishonesty rule the day, day after day, year after year, decade after decade. I've observed politics in America for over 60 years and in that time our nation has become a Nazi wet dream and a corupt quagmire. I even lived to see our President choosen by our Rightwing Supreme in a coup-------------if the citizens stood still for that--we are done as a nation!
#5
I share your hatred of republiCons! They are fearful, lustful, angry, and greedy people who glorify themselves at the expense of good, hard-working people. This is nothing new! I think we are about to enter into another Civil War in this country, where we will be fighting the republiCons and the Billonaires for the heart and soul of this country…”that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”. We will have to unite together into one solid organization dedicated to stopping these greedy-minded people from enslaving people and disenfranchising them from our Democracy.
#6
Increasingly there is less difference between the Democratic and Republican parties in that they are two wings of the same power structure. Democrats today are roughly Eisenhower Republicans, while Republicans are just weird. But, with a few shining exceptions, they all answer to the same masters.
#7
Reply to #1: It's getting harder and harder for me to disagree with assertions like Joe's. I am bloody sick of the Democrats. Maybe I should register with another party. They SUCK.
#8
All the comments are the way many of us feel. Let's not to forget to fight the good fight. We are on the right side don't lay down now. (Good to hear from A/W)
#9
Thom says,
"We've got two years to make it clear that we want lawmakers who will stand up to the hostage taking at all costs, so let's get busy making our voices heard."
NO WE DON'T "have two years".
As long as we do not have a House of Representatives with 7,000 Representatives and a Senate one third that size, as our Constitution REQUIRED before the most corrupt Congress in the history of this country put an unconstitutional cork in the count in the early 20th century, there is ZERO chance of ANY vote by U.S. citizens to put a dent in the Fascist Fossil Fuel, War Profiteering Oligargarchy Modus Operandi that runs the USA.
NO TAXATION, TORTURE, WARS or ANYTHING ELSE WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!
ONE "REPRESENTATIVE" per 600,000 population is NOT a Representative Republic, a Democracy or anything REMOTELY resembling it; it 's an EVIL Government of the Corporate Elite, For the Corporate Elite, and By the Corporate Elite, PERIOD.
#10
joecan, Obama is the one who has said that he WILL vote for this piece of garbage. Maybe impeachment isn't such a bad idea after all because he always caves in at the last minute. No wonder no one takes him seriously. Idiot has let the people down just one more time. Any Democrat who votes for this should be IMMEDIATELY recalled, impeached or definitely voted out next time around when possible
#11
Think you are right Raypc800 - this is unconscionable and totally wrong. Only winners are defense, CitiGroup, bankers/wallstreeters and the rich. Pensioners of companies who the GOP allowed to underfund pension plans now face pension cuts of up to 50% and the rest of us get NOTHING but grief
#12
stecoop01, thank you for coming out so strongly on that bill in Michigan. Sick bastards and just one more attempt for the religious right to make this country into a theocracy. I'll provide the ammo because, like you, I get so angry that it is difficult to sleep at night. Mainly because we are so fucking unable to do much of anything to stop this ignorance and hate.
And do NOT apologize to ANYONE because anyone whi is offended deserves to BE offended.
Agree - merry fucking Xmas - which we do not celebrate anyohow
#13
Frosty46
Can we apply for political asylum in some other country because what is happening in this one sure the fuck is not what I signed up for and not what MY copy of the Constitution is about. Liars are
1, Cops
2. Politicians
3. Lawyers
4. Doctors
5, Preachers, priesta, Imams, etc
6. ANyone in the GOP
#14
"How could Democrats vote for the 'Cromnibus'???" Because Democrats are just Republicans in disguise!!!
#15
Aliceinwonderland
Don't think it is any other party which would be any better. I changed my affiliation to NPA (no party affiliation) years ago but do not like all of any of them Only 2 on my list of likes right now are Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. All others suck bit time - and in the case of Obama, maybe literally in order to cement his future with CitiGroup and Jamie Dimon
#16
trueamericavet, how do we fight when we don't know who hte right side is anymore. They are all liars and out for only their future and to enrich them on our taxes before they leave offfice with a good job in CitiGroup, big oil, etc.
I have been voting in EVERY election for the past 57 years and I have never been so discouraged before as I am now.
#17
agelbert, I fear that you are right. The GOP takes over in January and even though Obama will still be in office for 2 more years, he has done nothing except cave into the most obstructionist House in history. Don't expect the next 2 years to be of much use for us. We are screwed and if I were not so old and tired would seriously consider moving to another country because this one isn't working anymore.
#18
Sanders and Warren have both called out the provisions in this bill that are ridiculous. Sanders, in particular, promised to vote no based largely on the fact that this bill allocates 60% of $1.1 Trillion just for the military. Who are we kidding? Cutting pensions and HUD to fund the military? What the hell are we defending anyway, the right to work your ass off your entire life and then retire to live in the street? If I don't see anyone even try to filibuster this atrocity, I'm going to go into shock.
#19
It just seems it was Obama's agenda. He had priorities he pushed by using his Chief of Staff and VP. I'm sure he believes we lose in the Big Picture(plug) by fighting this. I watched that vote in the House yesterday, the one that passed. I couldn't believe what I saw, and then to watch Boehner's attitude after being bailed out? Merry Christmas he yells, to flaunt he's going home and his job is done. Then today, I watched Bernie Sanders on your show and on the Senate floor, again making strong case. I watched Elizabeth Warren's strong statement and layout for those watching of just what had and has been taking place. The GOP allowing Citigroup to write their own Amendment basically, and that I feel is illegal, I watch Harry Reid stalling votes, knowing he will probably cave. I see clips that Jamie Dimon was allowed to directly lobby his position. Then I hear the open admission by Lindsey Graham that this is retaliation for Obamacare and Obama's Executive Orders as if punishment disregarding the feelings of the people he will be and is hurting with these actions. Put that Black man back in his place was the feeling I had. His open attack directly at Elizabeth Warren like the man putting the woman in her place. It was definitely rubbing faces in the mud, and there is nothing immediate that can be done with no backbone of Democrats and Obama. I now understand the consequence that must take place to bring havoc on the GOP, and make no mistake, it will take havoc of mass demonstration. Multiplied effect of the Occupy demonstrations on all issues. Quite frankly, the 60-70's type of involvement but further damage will be done Economically and on climate. I've been blogging answer to Senator Inhofe's answer on climate that God will and has been taking care of this. I try to put mindset that if his answer is God, that God would have certainly put responsibility to us to take care of our own home and he was just lazy. Anything to counter the smugness and create thinking minds within people who say they're mad but fail to vote and get involved. No doubt this bill will get passed and signed but it leaves the worst taste in my mouth than I have ever had. I read your book Crash of 2016, enjoyed it immensely, and fall in line with your thoughts. I also now salvaging is out of the question unless civil disobedience occurs. That is unlikely since people won't even get out to vote. I am left disturbed and fit for battle.
#20
My Godpeople Just look at GOP agenda / speeches - far right wing laws / policies / deregulation / push to privatize medicare so Wall St can gamble it away and charge huge fees. We saw what Wall St is capable of ! Fraud massive Greed & indifference. GOP congress keeps blocking everything- good or not to crush Obama as they vowed to do in jan 2009 . Many years under GOP policies & laws have greatly favored the super powerful & wealthy , corps by passing huge UN funded corp tax cuts, loopholes, subsides. Corp Welfare - Wars are crippling the US ! Note how GOP pushes 'right to work states - ( work for less pay ) They fight birth control . They love the fetus - the baby ? Not so much . Bush Cheney Rice Rummy started 2 failed wars based on lies- fear tactics and war profits - killing maiming 1000's, wasted trillions Caring for our injured troops ? another trillion. Forget Fox Hannity Drudge Savage Rush Ryan McConnell Rove - ( Recall crook Tom DElay ) Ignore 100's of far right radio shows- They. are . hateful- devious - anti middle class - pro corp greedy hacks. Fox is so slanted its useless . try pbsnews hour M-F 6- 7 pm Central / Free speech TV Read newspapers Books at library . Use logic Recall where we were in Fall 2008 !!! Losing 700 K jobs A MONTH - World collapse - panic - depression- edge of global meltdown. How poor our memories are How short sighted and lacking in critical thinking skills Its tragic for our kids- grand kids future I voted GOP most of my life Never again General Eisenhower was last decent GOP President He got us out of war - built US interstate highway system - and cared about all the people !
#21
Warren & Sanders are liberals who actually care and work FOR we the people Doesn't that tell you something about parties ?
#22
I said it/commented on various blogs back in 2008-2009 – that the federal govt should have never, ever bailed out the banks. Lives were already ruined, the economy almost tanked (which, instead, we should have rightly plunged into a huge Depression - at least, that would have stopped most of the academic,political, ivory tower b.s. about how the elite should be ones running the country instead). And if you think this is bad, wait ‘til the TransPacific Partnership goes through.
Senator Elizabeth Warren needs to reframe some of her talking points, starting with this: Mr. President, this bill isn’t about Compromising. It's not about the bipartisan clap trap we keep hearing from both Parties and from you (the president himself). It’s not about you, Mr. President. It’s not about being anti-free markets, anti-innovation, anti-Wall Street, blah blah blah. Mr. President, this bill is about what our Founding Fathers warned against… Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson.... even the former president Ronald Reagan (Repubicans' second coming of Christ president) knew about unchecked powers, income inequality.
I would ask you and Senator Elizabeth Warren, where is Hillary Clinton on the issue of TBTF, Wall Street, Citizens United, Keystone Pipeline, Transpacific Partnership and other issues since the time Senator Warren in a letter, had endorsed Hillary's possible candidacy for president?
Hey, Thom, why HIllary so quite on Keystone, and now this spending bill you opined above, in your blog.
#23
What was supposed to be a slow decline and fall of the American Empire (sic) has become an avalanche. Absolutely everything that is done in the political, medical, educational, business, agricultural etc. spheres is to the detriment of the people of the United States. Thom, your conversations with great minds tonight was excellent, as usual, and it was noted that Obama is looking over his shoulder at all times at JFK and MLK, hoping he is doing what will not put him on this list. This means granting the things the Republicans and especially the Pentegon and Wall Street are determined to get. I expect he hopes that the next election will allow these wrongs to be righted, but I for one hold out no hope........... after all George W. stole two elections because enough of the electorate voted for him that this was possible -- how very very sad.
Thom, keep up the great work.
#24
stecoop01....I'm sure Jesus is rolling over in his tomb wondering how these bigots could get his teachings so wrong. ..... He's thinking.... WTF??? ...give me some more wine!
#25
Quote 2950-10k:stecoop01....I'm sure Jesus is rolling over in his tomb wondering how these bigots could get his teachings so wrong. ..... He's thinking.... WTF??? ...give me some more wine!
You're probably right...but there isn't enough wine on the planet to block the reality of what these 'christians' are doing.
#26
The filthy rich never win in the end...read your history books...humanity keeps coming at them....in relentless fashion!..... they simply don't have the numbers.
#27
How could they vote for it? Dems are...for the most part on board with Repugs.
Thom, please stop asserting that Obama ended the torture prorem: http://www.alternet.org/it-wasnt-just-bush-years-obama-oversees-huge-torture-program-today?mc_cid=ffff260d76&mc_eid=57581abffc
#28
Mr. Hartmann urges us to "get busy making our voices heard," but why bother? It's a lost cause. Without a Marxian super-power the equivalent of the Soviet Union to terrify our capitalist overlords into humanitarian refoms -- the ONLY reason there was ever a New Deal -- there is no possibility real progressives will ever again be heard anywhere in this world. The final, inevitable, mature stage of capitalism is fascism -- absolute power and unlimited profit for the Ruling Class, total subjugation for everyone else -- and that's what now reigns supreme everywhere on our doomed planet. So it will be until our species is extinct. All we can do now -- the most we will ever be allowed to do in the future -- is find whatever small deeds we can do locally, not to make things "better" (because that option is now forever denied us), but merely to make things more tolerable, as for example with local vegetable gardening projects to help us feed ourselves. That is truly all that is left us.
#29
Senator Elizabeth Warren was opposed to the spending bill and asked those in congress who were for the bill "Who do you work for the American people or Wall Street?". You go girl! She's my hero. She has integrity. Bernie Sanders said on Thoms Hartmans show that he didn't think he would vote for it either. It's good to see that there are still some people in congress that haven't sold out to the big business and special interest lobbyist.
#30
I mean, I hate intrellectual elitism but Americans (particularly but perhaps all people, as well) are doddering idiots. They think daddy (Warbucks - Reagan, Dick Chenney, H. W. Bush, Mitch, Mitt, Big Business, "your father's" Republican Party, etc.) is gonna take care of them and they just have to suck their asses and be obedient while the paranthetically forementioned keep the traditional paternalistic attitude a master takes to his slaves. He's cynically exploiting them and they place all their trust in him.
It's the perennial, universal, "lost dog" mentality of the exploited that throughout the world and throughout the ages has undergirded the relationships of the ruling classes to the masses and which Marx analyzed and laid out scientifically. He showed that the exploited and enslaved segments of society typically believe that their exploitation is "right, just, and even for their own benefit."
(quote from college Sociology 101 text)
Feudal serfs, African American slaves, women and now, the industrial worker are all examples of this - although the informed, urban proletariat, according to Marx, being free from the usual accompanying superstitions and ignorance (presuming they are), should have an advantage in overcoming this.
#31
Furthermore, they're stupid as frogs being boiled one degree at a time. They don't get that the carefree days of the '50s and '60s economy are over and continue living as they were then. They are not going to be able to just keep watching their same, stupid TV shows and expect to still have anything afterwards.
I don't know if it's stupidity or the immaturity that comes of consumerism.
#32
Democrats are a somewhat softer line of the same big business policy party. These days they campaign as progressives but govern as moderate Republicans in a regular "bait and switch" scam. Ralph Nader described in his book, Crashing the Party, Joe Lieberman, toward the end of the 2000 election campaign, when Al Gore was saying, "I'm gonna fight for you against the oil companies and big business!", would be on the phone with those same oil companies and big businesses that same night assuring them that Gore didn't meant ANY of it. He was just flim flammin' the public and you understand that, of course.
I knew as soon as he appointed Rahm Emmanuel, Mister " Where else are they (Democratic Party voters) gonna go?", his chief of staff that the only "change" we were gonna see was in Obama's tune.
#33
Thom,
You make no mention of the phone-a-thon that Obama and Jamie Dimon partnered-up on last week ginning up support among the Democratic caucus for the bill (ask Maxine Waters).
In light of this, I sit in wonder at your hope for something good happening in the "next two years". Obama has no interest us or our touchy-feely concerns - he is only interested in stacking up more wealth for his pals on Wall Street.
#34
The banks are gettng 45 billion per month for years under bailout. The pension fund is only short 45 billion. Why can't we give it a one time infusion of cash? Also, the crooked banks are the ones who sold these pension funds bad mortgages/papers/investments. These same banks should make up the losses to the pension funds which they caused. There was a guy on c-span who wanted to pay social security one doillar for every 10 dollars in cuts. He has been trying to privitize the social security since 1993. It failed a vote then, but it will probably will get the o.k. from the republicans in congress next time. Watch out.
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Sorry Thom but I disagree. The Democrats weren't taken hostage. This is the game that's played in Washington. We have very few real Democrats who truly care about the working class in America. I honestly believe that the Democrats would rather be in the minority so they can do the bidding of the rich and powerful and then point at the Republicans. I really think there is only one party in Washington and it doesn't represent the working class.