But of course, if Boehner’s caucus has a problem with what the Senate came up with, they ought to blame John Boehner.

I hope that’s a joke. The GOP smells blood and they are moving in for the kill.

The President, incidentally, has counter-attacked. Two government funding measures passed Congress in the past few days, one a long-term omnibus to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year, and one a one-week continuing resolution. The President signed the one-week measure, holding off on the long-term bill until the payroll tax situation is resolved.

A presidential counterattack in this case might take many forms. That ain’t one.

Dear President Obama:

I am BEGGING you not to run again. You are either hopelessly incompetent or hopelessly corrupt. Or both. In any case, you are hopeless. And, after 3 years on the job, that is not going to change. Quit. Do what LBJ did. Quit. Do it for the country.

The President, incidentally, has counter-attacked.

I don’t understand. Not signing the longer term bill would be a political disaster.
The onus would be entirely on Obama.

So, lemme see: if the House balks, the payroll tax cut that helps gut SS ends, and the fast-track 60 window for approval of the Gravestone XL pipeline goes out the window. Imagine, SS and the environment accidentally getting saved by hard core Rethuglicans.

Of course, the unemployed get screwed but the silver lining to that is even more pissed-off voters and OWS protestors.

The irony is of course that letting all of the Bush tax cuts expire would do more to fix the deficit with less harm to the economy than anything the “deficit hawks” have proposed.

Obama should just go ahead, sign the budget, and let it happen — and let the House Republicans take the blame for it.

Maybe the R’s figure Americans have less contempt for bullies than those who allow themselves to be bullied.

This entire affair was a train wreck from the beginning. Now it has become adolescent kabuki theatre. Or perhaps even vaudeville. We can never take the congress seriously, again. What little credibility they had, has vanished. The really sad part is that they think they are being cute.

Sounds like he wants another $ 1 million in bribes (I mean free speech) to get this passed in the House.

What’s so mysterious? On the merits, the conservative Republicans believe that short-term tax fixes are bad for the economy. On the procedure, Boehner is certainly correct about the traditional approach to conflicting House and Senate bills. Hint: it actually does involve a conference, not a Senate that goes home and says “take it or leave it.”

Actually, I totally believe that you are a TROLL. However, yes, he is somewhat corrupt, and yes he is somewhat incompetent, but just who is it that YOU think would be able to deal with a House that just makes up its mind that it is going to say “NO”? Who do YOU think will be able to deal with an ultra-right wing group of Ayn Rand true believers that are convinced that those that are unemployed and under-employed are in that situation because they haven’t tried hard enough, and that they deserve everything that they get because “they’ve got it coming”. That is the philosophy of this House and you are troll because you either have no solution, you have no concept of what is happening, or you just cannot accept that there may be no solution to dealing with this Congress full of mad-hatters.

O.K., now I’ve fed the troll.

Sure, but when John Boehner says explicitly “you guys negotiate it and we’ll pass it,” which is exactly what he says, it’s on him when the finished product doesn’t meet with his approval.

I’m having a hard time understanding the real nature of the opposition among the House Republican caucus.

Really?

The real opposition of the House Republicans is that they want the economy to suck, they want Washington to not work and they want anything Obama proposes to fail. They know that the vast majority of people out there don’t follow the machinations of Congress and will just see this as a failure of Obama. All they are interested in is winning next fall; they’d burn the country down to do so.

(This analysis of the horror of the Republicans in opposing Obama does NOT mean I support Obama.)

“I’m having a hard time understanding the real nature of the opposition among the House Republican caucus.”

Read my post @10. The House members are Ayn Randers and they believe that it is morally wrong for the government to assist those at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder because the lack of moral fiber and hard work is why “those people” deserve to be there. On the other hand, those at the top of the socio-economic ladder are there because they work hard and achieve by their merit. Government’s only purpose is for defense of the Homeland and to insure that there is no interference with the system of commerce, and what little regulation is best left to the individual states.

I’m having a hard time understanding the real nature of the opposition among the House Republican caucus.

There’s no mystery. The GOP realizes Obama is falling apart and they are moving in for the kill. The GOPers want it all and they want it now. And they will probably get it. The only mystery is that smart people profess to be puzzled by what is happening. The Cons are going to beat the presidential piñata until it cracks open and gives them what they want. SInce Obama has proved himself both defenseless and offenseless the Cons have nothing to fear.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a political class that worked to make the country a better place? You know, instead of Corporate-installed asshats who believe destroying the country for craven political gain is a good idea.

The laundry list of things the country urgently needs to survive gets longer every day, but clearly tying the hands of the .01% and purging the Congress need to be at the top of the list.

At this point OWS’s GA’s are doing more for the Public than the Congress is. It will be a de facto shadow government before long.

At this point OWS’s GA’s are doing more for the Public than the Congress is.

OWS has done more for leftist causes in 6 months than the Democratic Party has in 30 years. Think about that for a moment.

The President signed the one-week measure, holding off on the long-term bill until the payroll tax situation is resolved

Obama will sign the long-term bill before payroll tax issue is resolved. He will say he can’t hold the country hostage AGAIN. The only thing you can count on with Obama is that he will cave, because he always does. I’ve seen this movie before.

Ah, we DO agree on something.

Dirty republicans pushing the XL Keystone pipeline when most of the nation–even republican voters–oppose the 1700 mile pipeline. Good read at, “AP Enterprise: Russia Oil Spills Wreck Devistation.”(12/18/11)….”an environmental tradegy–drip by drip”. Given the BP irresponsibility and the do-it-quick political atmosphere surrounding the XL pipeline–rather than having open, public congressional hearingings aboutthe XL pipeline, we all know it is more about private interests and $$$$$$$$$$. Hello Hillary. Hello Barry.

Obama just had native Americans to the WH–he told them, “I have your back.” Native Americans are opposed to the Keystone XL going through their land. They already have oil piplines leaking oil into waterways on their land. What are all the lies about? This is not about “national security.” Otherwise, Canada would refine their own oil from their own land in Canada for CANADIAN “NATIONAL SECURITY.”

Obama and Hillary appear to think Canada doesn’t care about their own national security? Sounds more like a lie–like :the troops: :the jobs:

The Republicans have figured out that President Obama lacks an essential quality to be even an adequate President. He is incapable of going over the heads of Congress direct to the American people. He cannot lead.

I’ve seen this movie before

About ten times now. It totally sucked the first time (public option?) and it gets more gruesome with each showing. Bleccch!

GO PATS!

PRECISELY!!!!!!!!!!

Get thee back to the TBoggateria. Oh, did I use the “back” word? Get thee forward to the TBoggateria. How’s that, Obamabot, better for you? Let us not “detain” you here any longer.

Just received my copy of Obama on the Couch and can’t wait to read it. The same person wrote Bush on the Couch and it was very uncomplimentary. I gather that he really does a number on Obama.

Well, then maybe you should apologize for calling wbgonne a TROLL.

Never been there. And I’ll give YOU the same challenge. Who do YOU think will be able to deal with the Ayn Rand true believers in the House? And, that person must be electable. And for the record, I’m not fond of Obama either, and if this was 1970 he would be in the Republican party, which is a measure of the shift of the Overton window. But, you have to give me an ELECTABLE alternative, because a 3rd Party vote is pissing into the wind and will guarantee an Ayn Rand accolyte in the White House, to go with Ayn Rand Congress (you wanna bet that it can’t get worse?). The U.S. is set up to guarantee a two party system, and quite frankly, most Americans really don’t give a shit until their ox gets gored.

I mean is the guy able to articulate a phrase stronger than “balanced approach”? You’re never going to get on Mt. Rushmore if those are the only two words anyone remembers you ever said.

Right. We definitely need a two party system. That’s why we need a second party.

I don’t like it any better than you, but I’m just facing reality. There are some good Democrats in the Democratic Party, just not enough of them. The Republicans have managed to marginalize the Democrats to the point of impotence because they are ruthless and really, really good at what they do, plus they have just enough like minded s.o.b.’s among the Dems (the party of inclusiveness because “moderate” R’s had nowhere else to go).

We need Democrats who believe they can CHANGE REALITY. That’s what leadership is all about. If you don’t believe you can mold reality, you have no business in politics or trying to lead anything.

Never been there? You sound like old TBogg himself, word for word. It’s spooky. And you call a respected commenter here a troll for not making Obama’s apologies for him, that makes you look like an Obamabot. Frankly, I’m a bit tired of trying to persuade people who can’t or won’t look beyond the next election cycle. You are locked into a short-term strategy that has produced reliably shitty results for decades, so go ahead and vote for Obama. I am locked into a long-term strategy that is about reversing the fascist tide that your brand of lesser-evilism has allowed to come to virtual full fruition, so I must reject Obama and all the other sellout Dems. I could analyze all the other plausible options and possibilities,and the likely consequences and ramifications of each, but your ears are deliberately deaf, so why bother?

I’m with you. I think more and more Democrats have had their ahha moment, when we just say to ourselves — not one step further to the right. Not one inch. And what happens is once you get to that moment you begin to find more and more reasons why you should have gotten their earlier. Once you figure out their con game of PRETENDING they’re going to do something progressive SOMEDAY and realize they have no intention of doing anything progressive EVER AGAIN, it’s not hard to decide that the only answer is to just stop voting for them.

Book Salon up with Robert H. Frank’s The Darwin Economy: Liberty, Competition, and the Common Good hosted by Mark Thoma

It’s really the battered spouse syndrome. The first thing you do is stop cooperating and just get the fuck out. Only then can you have a reasonable expectation of being able to see what your options truly are, and only then will you have the energy and focus to pursue them.

Excellent analogy.

Oh I don’t know, he leads ok. He’s just not on our side. He’s accomplished quite a bit for the 1%. Though I’d bet they would prefer a Gingrich in the Oval Office.

(graceful bow in your direction) ;-)

I’m glad to see that Republicans can do something right despite themselves as the Democrats certainly aren’t doing anything right trying to tax cut our way to prosperity while giving us the XL Pipeline.

So, the Republicons thought that a two month tax break for the Proles was too much to pay for the Pipeline that their handlers want. Amazing.

You lost me at “we need Democrats”

Don’t feel all alone.

A while ago I hit someone’s comment history and found two pages of nothing but anti-Obummer comments, and nothing but, even on subjects that didn’t involve the Preznit. I was attacked for asking if they had an agenda.

Then, when I made the same comment as you about lack of viable alternatives (preznit GinGrinch scares me far worse than even resurrecting W), I was accused of trying to “shame” people into voting for Obummer.

Somehow here we have moved to the idea that punishing Ob is more important than keeping the psychopathic Repugs out. No matter how pathetic Obummer is, we can do far far worse. (Jeb anyone?)

I agree with 99% of the criticisms of Obummer, but I live in Florida where the Repugs like Jeb have actually been able to damage one of the worst school systems in the country. Don’t even get me started on pRick Scott.

No matter what you say, Nothing will get me to support the re-election of an Eisenhower Democrat. Obama believes it took a Democratic President to create Social Security, it will take a Democratic President to kill it.

Like Peter Tosh sang “Guide me from my friends, because I know the ways of my enemy”

8 trillion for vampire banks, 2.6 billion in foreclosure relief. Unacceptable. my vote is worth more than voting for the Pimp of the 1%. Emperor Obama out of obligation to a guy with no gratitude who has hippie punched his base from the day he groveled to AIPAC and chose Hillary, Gates and Geithner

I reject the cult of personality the O-bots have that somehow everything will be redeemed with a second term. Please. Look at the worst of Clinton’s second term as foreshadow to more betrayals in 2013.

Bill Clinton veto’d welfare reform demanding a humane adjustments – he veto it twice and only stopped when so many Democrats joined the GOP majority that the bill became veto proof.

What has Obama veto’d in 3 years?

What has Obama pushed for that was not a GOP idea?

To some of us this looks like the standard Obama/GOP dance – the one that ends “I have no other choice but to do what I do not want to do and give the GOP what they want” – in this case I expect anything from the end of Medicare for a voucher welfare program, a cutting of Social Security benefits via the chained CPI reduction from current law, plus a toss in of making permanent the Bush Tax cuts plus more unrequested by the Pentagon weapon systems like the new bomber that is in the one year omnibus spending bill that is about to sign – the bill that does not end indefinite detention without charge for Americans taken from their homes on American soil – despite this thing we call the Constitution.

The only question posed by the House rejection of the 2 month payroll tax reduction is what is the next gift to the GOP from our “strong” president.

The Congressional group of Democrats would have stopped most of what Obama has done – but because he claims to be a Democrat the GOP wish list is getting passed.

Seems logical to ask if it is not better to put a crazy GOPer in as President so the Congressional Democrats can go back to stopping the tearing down of the FDR/LBJ safety net.

You really think DADT would be where it is today without the Democrats (and that includes Obama, sorta)?? And Obama did make a couple of Supreme Court appointments that have turned out to be fairly reliable liberal votes. You ain’t ever gonna get that from any Republican Pres because of the enormous right-wing slide of the R’s.
Today, the WORST Democrat is still better than the best Republican, unfortunately (with the exception of Lieberman, who is an “I”). And yes, Obama has made some really bad decisions, especially when it concerns civil liberties and the monetary establishment, so I stand by my statement that 40 years ago he would be a Republican, but that makes him a better Republican than any of the current crop that call themselves such, because they are totally fascist. Obama is only partly.

So, what are you going to do that will make things better? Or, are you just going to continue to hit yourself in the head with that stick?

I would like to get through the next 5 years without “President Gingrich” and “Vice President Santorum” if I possibly can. After that, maybe, just maybe, a viable alternative will show up.

Funny how the devoted Obamabots don’t even mention assassination and detention without charges powers claimed and consolidated by Obama. We don’t need no stinking civil liberties, right? Or rule of law accountability. You guys just make me so sad.

Obamabots, Obamabots, Obamabots.

Insults to anyone that says, “what alternatives do we have?”

Do you have a workable alternative?

I have said; I do not like Ob and think he has been worse than ineffective.

Allowing GinGrinch to become president will really show him, won’t it?

And how is this better than the Repug strategy to tank the economy to take back control? Give control to these dangerous psychopaths people just to whack old berry?

This is like a guy who commits suicide just to punish someone else.