hmmm... you know Obama has succeeded in doing something I really didn't think I'd see in my life time... the Senate Democrats are growing a bit of a spine and speaking up. Though I truly doubt this was the end game Obama was playing for. Sounds like the Senate Democrats are screaming CHECK! Looks like the King is in jeopardy to me.

N

As much as he has tried to avoid conflict, Obama has to fight now, whether its for Progressive or Conservative principles, the gauntlet has been thrown down.

I suspect he'll go Conservative, he seems to be more scared of them than the Progressives... tis a pity if he does go that route, but that's my expectation.

N

Go Bernie, Go Bernie, Go, woo woo!

N

There is no American Industry to employ the unemployed. It is time to go on offence and propose a stimulus package that will actually stimulate the economy. This means bringing jobs back to America. Obama has bought into the notion of “trickle down economics”. Tax breaks for the wealthy will not stimulate the economy because they won’t create new demand. But neither will tax breaks for the poor, or unemployment compensation which does create new demand. THERE IS “NO” AMERICAN INDUSTRY TO SUPPLY THE NEW DEMAND. A Democratic proposal is needed to educate the populace and counter the Republican and Obama’s notion that increasing spending power of the wealthy does not equate with new jobs. AND, increasing the spending power of the poor and unemployed does not stimulate our economy either. We no longer have an American Industry providing the goods people buy. Demand side economics only works if we have American Manufacturing supplying the Demand. The public is perking up to the Democrats new found intestinal fortitude and it is a most opportune time to present the Democratic Solution. It is American Industry that will be the engine to pull this nation out of this recession. It will be American Industry that will pay off our national debt. It will be American workers employed by American companies that will make the Dollar strong again and bring economical prosperity back to this nation. The top priority of the Democratic Caucus is to create jobs and get people OFF OF UNEMPLOYMENT. Let us get people off of unemployment. Let us create the jobs they and America needs. Let us show the Republicans what it means to be an American!

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“it is not necessary to hope in order to persevere.” - William of Orange
'Recovery begins with realism' and there is nothing to be gained by 'hoping' for Obama to come to his senses. Galbraith asks who Obama is really working for.- James K. Galbraith is right!

http://www.commondreams.org/print/63311

I guess the thing that bothers me the most is that these tax extension negotiations are being done behind closed doors. These issues are so important to basic American principles of Democracy and fairness that they should be debated in the open on the House and Senate floors. Congress men and women should be held accountable for their votes and beliefs. Who will vote to deny desperate people who have lost jobs through no fault of theirs, and who are unable to feed their families or pay their bills, the meager lifeline of unemployment compensation. This is not a handout to deadbeats like Republicans would like voters to believe; it's insurance paid for by the worker in lieu of wages. And who will vote to reduce seniors or disabled workers Social Security and Medicare benifits that is paid for through payroll deductions and employer contributions paid in lieu of wages. These retirement benefits are earned through almost 15% of earnings paid into the Social Security Trust Fund. If these wealthy Republicans put 15% of their earnings into a private retirement fund for their entire working life, they would certainly expect to retire at full pay when they reached 55-years old. But they expect middle-class wage earners to wait till they're 68 or 70 years old to get barely enough to survive. Republicans are trying to put America in such deep debt that the government will have no alternative but to cut Social Security, Medicare and other critical social programs.

And who will vote to extend tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires who don't need it and in many cases have said they don't want or deserve it. What true conservative will vote to increase our already exploding deficit and pay interest on that debt to China and other countries in order to pay for those tax cuts. What true conservative will vote to deny investment in our infrastructure and pay China interest so they can invest in green technology, high-speed rail and build skyscrapers. Who will vote to hold the middle class hostgage so that wealthy taxpayers can become even richer than they have over the last 10 or 15 years. These so-called conservatives should be held up to the voting public for what they are; greedy, uncaring and unpatriotic spendthrift handmaidens of the rich and powerful. And President Obama should make sure through weekly press conferences, that the true republican conservatives and independants who abandoned him and the Democrats in the midterms clearly understand who voted for and against these programs and why. Meaningful change has seldom come from our elected officials without the protests and full force of the American public. As the President has told us many times, he can't effect the change he promised and that America's middle class desperately needs without our help. All Americans have to hold their elected officials accountable for their actions. We have to force the President to stand by his promises and principles. Let all the tax cuts expire. Force Congress to vote on each issue seperately and let those standing in the way pay the consequences. If the Republicans vote against extending unemployment compensation again, the President should declare an economic emergency and do it through a Presidential decree. These Republicans are clearly setting a trap for the Dems. They will soon blame the President for the almost 1 trillion in additional debt. And when the unemployment rate is still almost 10% in 2012, the Republicans will take over the Senate and probably the White House. The time to make a stand is now, not 2 years from now. President Obama must at least place the blame where it belongs.

I support Obama on this. He spent months campaigning all over the country for dems. He was horse from making speeches and going to rallys. Yet the democratic voters decided it wasn't that important to get out and vote. We lost the repubs won. Then to add insult to injury the senate couldn't even pass the middle class only taxcut after the election!! Now this is the best we can get. Not only is letting unemployment beneftis expire in this economy cruel it would be horrible on the economy. Look this economy needs more stimulus and ending unemployment benefits and raising taxes on the working and middle class could very well take it down again. I think the rebelling house dems are irresponsible, immature and self-centered.

Many Democrats still refuse to open their eyes and see that Obama is a right wing corporatist Republican in spite of every move he has made since he came into the Oval Office, which proves without a doubt who and what he is. Many Democrats are so emotionally and intellectually invested in their choice of Obama for President they are incapable of admitting they were wrong.

I knew exactly who and what he was before the campaign and urged my fellow delegates in Washington not to support him. But they would not listen. Now we have a liar and a hypocrite who has done just enough for the Democrats in Congress to stop outright rebellion, but when it comes to the most important issues; prescription drugs, health insurance, oil drilling, and tax cuts for for the rich, he made his deals with his corporate cronies behind closed doors.

He has no shame about breaking his campaign promises and uses lies and spin to convince those who still have blinders on that he has the good of the middle class and poor at heart. He was an excellent con man during the campaign and continues to be an excellent con man after occupying the Oval Office.

Until all Democrats recognize Obama for the liar he is we have no hope of replacing him with a true Democrat. And that would be a disaster. I have no doubt that after Obama shoves through tax cuts for the rich he will begin to help his fellow Republicans destroy Social Security. I expect him to do that sooner rather than later; as soon as his tax cuts for the rich drive up the deficit and he explains to us all how we have to sacrifice for the good of the country.

He and his rich Republican cronies however, will sacrifice nothing.

didn't president obama n speaker pelosi want to have this debate and vote before the elections? now people's lives/livelihoods/basic needs are in the balance.

I find it odd that when the media or politicians speak about the unemployed it seems to have the under tone that they (the unemployed) are only democrats. I must live in a box because I have yet to hear a word from an unemployed republican that they think it will be ok to loose their benefits and that the wealthy folks of their party (republicans) are entitled to receive a tax break with no way to pay for it. Yet that same party screams that everything must be paid for. OMG my head hurts. 13 months vs 2 years and no screams