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Darren Goode at Politico gives support to the Democratic contention that the 2011 budget fight is entirely down to abortion, because the EPA riders have been ditched:
An evolving deal to avoid a government shutdown would include a study of the economic effect of environmental regulations rather than Republican riders to block EPA rules on climate change and mountaintop mining, senior Senate Democrats and a key House Republican say.
That would be a major victory for Democrats and environmental groups who have been fighting to keep policy riders on a host of regulations out of any deal.
“EPA riders as proposed by the House will not be included,” Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told reporters. He said the deal could include a study instead.
“It’s one of the proposals. It isn’t all done until it’s all done,” he said.
A study is a classic Washington compromise that just puts off any policy change indefinitely. We already have a “study committee” on the effects of environmental regulations – it’s called the committee of jurisdiction in the House and Senate. So those riders are basically done and done. Legislation in the future can come out of the committee, but not this budget. And it’s not just the greenhouse gas regulations – the rider on mountaintop mining rules is gone too, according to Kent Conrad.
Which reinforces the fact that we’re hours away from a government shutdown because Republicans want to use their hatred of lady parts to extract maximum budget cuts. Apparently John Boehner agreed to drop that rider last night, if we’re to believe Harry Reid, but then Boehner sent a 4am email saying he couldn’t sell it to his caucus. He’s not really in control.
There is, incidentally, a political implication and a policy implication to this fight. On the politics, it seems like the Democrats are winning, at least today. On the policy, Democrats lost a long time ago, when they not only abandoned any job-creating stimulus ideas but will now cut the budget at a time when 14 million Americans are out of work.
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I don’t think Dems can win a government shutdown over PP. It’s hard to explain to the public why PP needs federal funds. And in fact they don’t, since they have Warren Buffett’s wife.
Dems should say NO compromise NO riders and let the chips fall where they may. Allowing any of these heinous riders to stand is political suicide. They have the power to say NO…if they say Yes to even one rider, they are just as guilty of betraying the country as are the Pukes. JMHO
It is not the time or place for them to debate PP.
Shouldn’t we the people be the winners?
Take a look at this NYT chart of the amendments and how the vote went down — you can even check on your own rep:
http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/bills/112/hr1/amendments
I am happy about the EPA … but, funny this, I am EVEN ANGRIER now about the lady parts problem. And it’s a whole whack of health care for disadvantaged women, NOT just abortions. Neat how they managed to make one equal the other. Fuckers.
*spitting red hot radioactive nails*
Why do Republicks hate women?
“Dems should say NO compromise NO riders and let the chips fall where they may.”
They should but they won’t. They have yet to draw a line in the sand on anything, I don’t expect them to start now.
But, no economic effect of unregulated pollution, no doubt.
The rider to prevent DOD from sponsoring NASCAR teams was rejected. Fuck me.
Agreed but that hasn’t stopped them in the past. The Hyde Amendment came about exactly the same way.
Sickening…it’s hard to decide which side is worse..the one you could say no to, or the one that won’t say no. They are all criminal bribe takers.
I know, I know, but I just had to say it…again..let me count the ways..grrr
Seeking Dim Spines, Sleepless In Sacto.
Dims have GOP by the balls, but won’t squeeze to save vagina’s.
Why does Fascist Corporate America hate women and children, before they’re born n then again after they’re born?
This shit alone is grounds for a major revolution, or at least some form of major blowback from the masses.
Ladies, a little Lorena Bobbitt leverage maybe? SOMEone get pissed and stand in the streets about this, it’s yer time wimmens. Make the call, mens will follow if they know what’s good for them (and good for the wimmens).
Grrr.
Great reportage on all this Mr. Dayen, thanks to you and all @ FDL for keeping us readers updated.
The abortion issue with PP is just one more step in the Regressive’s agenda of killing Roe v Wade. IMO that’s why they’re clinging to it.
For WHO to debate PP?
SOMEONE should be fighting hard in the streets for PP n wimmen’s rights . . . it’s time to put these rabid GOP dogs n doggettes down so they stop infecting others with their foaming and frothing.
You don’t negotiate or debate with them, you just put them down and make sure they never get a chance to rise again.
No gloves, no talk. Just do it.
Cuz ladies I’m sure ya realize the GOP or the Dims ain’t gonna help ya.
Ya gotta do this . . . mens will follow.
Somebody should run in on these negotiatons and start through plastic uteruses as the various assembled personage.
…I hope the Dems can save Planned Parenthood from the evil Republicans. They sure will be my heroes if they do… /s
This whole stupid thing looks like a game in which they do a dance to scare the hell out of the left, then dial it back so that we’ll thank them for having saved something that we already had anyway and just forget about the fact that they worked with Republicans to screw over the country big time.
Here! Now you can screw with these all you want. Leave the real ones alone!
Of course.
N this is a time that women everywhere should be up in arms and SCREAMING and fighting this shit, from GOP and Dims alike.
On the contrary, John Boehner is quite fond of them.
Stare?
My point was only that a continuing resolution is not the place. I would if I could, but I can’t..except here.
wow that was mean to read “throw plastic uteruses at”
Apparently I can’t type today. *g*
I didn’t consider it mean at all. ;)
Hmm, continuing resolution or not, seems to me one fights at every need one has to . . . so I disagree with the strategy of NOT fighting a continuing resolution.
This shit is ugly, n there’s still not enuff fight in the american people yet, both male or female, gay or not, white, brown, black, etc.
Guess I’m just a wee bit pissed again . . . about it all, from war machine to women’s, gay’s, minority rights and civil rights in general.
Sorry if I seem a bit, harsh . . . I hope you’ll fight any way you can. In every way you can.
“their hatred of lady parts to extract maximum budget cuts.”
Don’t fret, the scary lady part rider will be gone soon enough and the Dems will participate in voting in austerity. Common ground achieved again! Victory! Obama used the same thing in his health whatever bill playbook to give away the house and get his victory with the Stupak EO. Seems like just yesterday when that vote came down to scary lady parts too. Every feel pimped out and a dollar short? Please tell me that people see a pattern here.
The Republicans and Boehner can claim a resounding victory if they come to an 11th hour deal. They forced the Dems and the inept Obama to accept 70 billion in cuts to the most vulnerable in society and the Dems are left holding the bag. It’s long past time for a new Progressive Party that has strong class consciousness and ideological philosophy.
Yeah, I had the AT figgered out, it was the START thang what got my attention . .
*G*
9% unemployment.. what to do, what to do.. I know, shut down government over planned parenthood and lay off thousands of Federal workers. The rich got their 400 Billion because they deserve it, how dare the government waste 500 Million on saving women’s lives and preventing unwanted pregnancies. Brilliant.
Patrick!
You posted a day or so ago on LLN, a vid by 57Silbverhawk (I know her and her husband from festivals in CA and CBA) that had Chuck Canote (I think I’ve seen him fiddle in camp jams at fests out here) and the vid had Tina Louise Barr on autoharp, whom I’ve also seen and picked with.
So, how you know them folks? You fest CA wise? Where n when?
Yes, same patterns.
All favoring and run dow on we the people by the same people owner and operated by the corporate fascists.
“Class consciousness” What’s that? Some weird ass theory from the 60′s. Or was it from the Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844? Something about “alienation” from ourselves, each other, and the very nature we depend on. Humm. I might need to look into that foreign concept.
This fight is not about abortion; under the Hyde Amendment, the feds haven’t funded abortions for thirty years. It’s about the size and shape of the federal government, about who gets to cut the pie and take the first pieces.
It is nominally about infant and maternal health care provided by organizations such as Planned Parenthood that are red flags to the rightwing base because they empower women, single parent families, the middle class, the young and the poor, who often vote Democratic. Defunding Democratic bases of support is one of the GOP’s top three objectives.
PP is also abhorrent to the right because it’s not afraid to say “uterus” without guffawing or grabbing one.
Pretty much, n this is why I don’t understand why every concerned citizen is not out in the streets, boycotting (and letting biz owners know why) big biz and well, the IWW has called for a general strike with date to be determined.
I say, everyone hit the IWW WEBSITE and let’s get that date etched in stone, n then honor it!
But the REASON for the strike has to be simple and over reaching to all.
Perhaps:
1) Jobs first, wars last.
2) Workers rights first, dereg last.
3) Main Street FIRST, Wall St, Last.
4) Civil rights first. ALWAYS!
Allus love yer thoughts Earl, but yer last two para’s kinda contradict yer opening posit n para methinks!
*G*
Seems kinda high up on the Dems priority list, too…
The Dems are going to help vote it in with or without the rider, earl. It won’t matter. The vote gives block grants to states for medicaid to use as they want. If they don’t want to use it for abortions that are covered under the Federal protections of the Hyde Amendment they will have the wiggle room. This has everything to do with scary lady parts and, as Larue put it, corporate Fascists, combined. It is a win win either way. Obama is a failure. It never had to come to this point.
Riders on the Bill
Riders on the Bill
Out of The House was born
Into the cold we’re thrown
Like a dog without a bone
Bad Actors bitch and moan
Riders on the Bill
RIP Jim Morrison.
N civil rights.
Nice rewrite. Bravo.
That’s been on the IWW site for some time now. They’ve certainly revamped the site recently.
Only if there’s no distinction between maternal and infant care and abortion.
The commonality isn’t abortion, even if that’s the illogical subtext the right uses to propagandize its base. It’s the likelihood that the groups that need PP’s services vote Democratic, and that they are middle class.
Anything that promotes the health and welfare of the middle class is anathema to the rightwing elite. A healthier, more educated, more employable middle class is less dependent on individual employers and more likely to advocate for things that protect them – business and environmental regulations and taxes on, you know, the people with gobs of money.
The “middle class” might need to use it soon enough, but historically low income women use Planned Parenthood for numerous services besides abortion. This is a war just finishing off the poor. Now that the “middle class” are getting their heads out of their behinds to realize it. And are more than likely only doing so now because their butts are on the chopping block.
From “Shutdown: Economic Support Systems Would Continue, Even As Housing, Small Businesses Take Hits” (Apr. 8, 2011):
We frighten them, that’s why.
thanks