On Friday, President Obama spent four hours in Afghanistan, assuring the troops that they're winning the war against the Taliban. Unfortunately, that wasn't his only disconnect from reality. In a week in which the latest unemployment numbers proved that hopes of a recovery are wishful thinking, in which Congress refused to extend emergency unemployment benefits for 2 million of the long-term unemployed, and in which nearly 27 million Americans are out of work or underemployed, the conversation in Washington is all about the deficit and extending tax cuts for the nation's wealthiest two percent. And the White House promoted and enabled this disconnect when, months ago, it set up a Deficit Commission instead of a Jobs Commission. Welcome to the fierce lack of urgency of maybe some day but not now.
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Has to say about Obama's War:
"These wars are not making us safer. They are betraying the values that lead many of our young men and women to volunteer for their country and are ransoming the futures of this generation and the next. These funds should be used to take care of the troops when they come home, rebuild our economy, and protect our communities.
Without sources of income, do you think they are going to rob republicans when they have to put food, clothing and shelter on the family?
Courtesy of MoxNewsDotCom.) with his speech to congress on CSpan. I also like Rep. Kucinich. Pelosi has done her part, but where is everyone else? Why are jobs and unemployment insurance not our number one priority?
To get the lefts wish list past you need a wizard with a magic wand elected President .
How many DIDN'T vote because Obama turned his back on his base?
American Government has turned its back on its base, the U.S. voter, for decades now, at least. But, we could debate what the base of the U.S. Government is. Is it the voter? Is it the varied international lobbying interests? International banking and business?
In fact, with all those wealthy international interests, and the Electoral College, not to forget about the rifle association, or whatever its name is, anyone, Obama included, should watch his step, his words and be very, very quitet. If you are mouthy, give backtalk, and insist on having a say, let alone your own way, you might just be stopped by some money issues, or, if that does not help.....
A few more votes came in today for the people already on the (challenge Obama in a 2012 primary) poster election we have going here. Remember you don't only have the choice of those listed here. If there is someone you want to add please feel free to do so.
We are looking for real Progressives/Liberals or even Socialists that actually care about the middle class and are not afraid to say they care about the poor too. We're looking for someone not in the pocket of WS, the bankers, insurance/drug companies and the top 2% and with the guts to stand up for us, not work against us at every turn.
Edward Rendell
Eliot Spitzer – another vote
Sherrod Brown – another vote
Russ Feingold (the most votes so far) another vote added
Claire McCaskill (2 votes for and 1 against, one undecided)
Alan Grayson
Al Franken
Bernie Sanders
Howard Dean – another vote
Dennis Kucinich – another vote
Just askin' ... ;-)
I adore Feingold, Grayson, Kucinich and many other progressives, but if we really want to move forward in a democractic way, as progressives, we cannot just blindly bet on one or the other 'Savior', we have to start taking reality into account, and in a democracy reality means that Congress, not the WH, writes and passes bills. If we progressives can't do any better than to get 10-15 progressive Senators elected, as is the case today, we will NEVER have progressive bills arriving on the president's desk, EVEN if that president was God himself (and supposing that God would respect the separation of the different branches of power ...).
It's pathetic how bad a job our elected officials are doing.
It's been feeling like that for a while now. Arianna, perhaps HuffPo can run more articles quoting wealthy billionaires like Warren Buffet who said he doesn't need or want the tax cuts. In fact, how about enlisting Buffet's help getting letters from those billiionaire who agreed with Buffet and putting them directly into Obama's hands and into the hands of each of the Senators and Representatives who are voting on the bill? Drown them in paper and in the outrage of the American people at their blatant betrayal of their countrymen and their country's wellbeing.
In the real world, you don't count on "random acts of kindness" in your budgets. Anything Buffett or anyone else sends in "as extra" wouldn't be included in an overall budget strategy and could never be counted on in future budgets. A more realistic tax rate, on the other hand, could be counted on and factored into an overall budget strategy.
At some point, people need to realize the US budget isn't like balancing their personal checkbooks.