Lawrence analyzes the latest developments in the ongoing debt ceiling negotiations and explains why Obama has the upper hand.
Decoding Obama on the debt talks
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Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:35 AM EDT
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About The Last Word
The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell airs at 10pm ET, Monday through Thursday on MSNBC. The show channels O'Donnell's extensive background in politics and entertainment.
O'Donnell, in my opinion, is the top of the heap when it comes to honest commentators. Cuts to the heart of the matter in language we can understand, calls out the worst of the worst, focuses on matters that the everyday folks need to know and understand. Is open and honest about his political leanings and how years in DC brought him to his current stance on issues.
Keep up the good work, we need an informed electorate.
I repeatedly see the shadow of treason in the words "Our first priority is to see that Obama is a one-term president." ..... no matter what it takes!
It is bad enough that they refuse to consider bills before the House that would be good for the nation. These would also make our President look good. And if presented to the House, they would be defeated, proving that there is more concern for fat pockets than American citizens, which could displease any voters still thinking GOP. And no one is willing to displease the Tea Party and the Big Boys. Instead they try to repeal a light bulb bill. And they vote against keeping water clean and tell the states to handle it. That should be pretty simple along, say, the Mississippi River.
It is worse that they are willing to force a default. Again, their apparent reason is to keep the Tea Party and the Big Boys happy. Logic would dictate that compromise should be considered. Logic would dictate that those at the top of the heap, those whose income and profits have continued to rise, should pay a fair tax. Logic would dictate that those whose income has dwindled cannot possibly bear the entire burden.
They say if they took all the income from the top and put it in the nation's coffers, it wouldn't be a pimple on the backside of the debt, so it isn't worthwhile asking for anything from them. After all, you don't want to put a fly in the ointment of the "job-creators". In the meantime, ordinary people are losing jobs and homes and life savings.
The worst, however, is the latest fad. Voter registration. Your ability to vote. People will go to the place they've gone to for 20 years and will be unable to vote. People who have never voted will be required to jump through hoops as never before. College students will find it impossible to cast a vote. And why? Because there is a voter fraud issue. Really? Suddenly? Where?
It is important that communities make sure that any new requirements are made known. This election is important, as they all are. Prospective voters must be sure they are able to let their voices be heard.
And all the while, that shadowy cloud hangs over Washington. Just how far will it go?
Treason is a high charge but more appropriate would be subversion since the actions are systematic and includes state governments. Think about it! State after state that has elected new GOP governors are signing laws that clearly show a unified agenda. Everything from union busting (regardless of how you feel about unions), voter ids, cutting medicaid funding at the state level (this is being done in anticipation of the health care law), and cutting funding to public education. All of these actions are so subtle that most Americans might not notice the changes already happening. So no matter what occurs at the federal level, these foot soldiers (governors and state legislators) are already mobilizing at the most direct level. In fact, find out what ALEC is and means. You'll be surprised on how organized their efforts REALLY are!
As I mentioned previously' one definition of subversion are actions designed to undermine the military, economic, psychological, or political strength or morale of a governing authority.
The GOP's statements (efforts focused to unseat the President), signing pledges not to raise revenues for the nation (this can be contradictory to duty in office) , refusing to allow legislation to reach the governing body floor for debate, not willing to compromise in any way shape or form, and others. All of these activities could be considered a form of subversion because their efforts are so skewed that it does not benefit the nation. Many GOP elected officials do not want to do anything to improve the economy because they know that will help the President. They do not want to compromise on any efforts in good faith because they assume it will end their political future. All of these are self-serving or only serving a few and refutes to benefit the nation as a whole. In essence they are starving the economy and the nation from its ability to recover and progress all in the hopes of defeating President Obama. Even Rep. Bachmann has mentioned a hope that (paraphrasing) unemployment worsens in which to help her chances. Just think about it!
Ben - seems like subversion is the perfect word for what is happening in Washington and statehouses across the nation. So isn't this some sort of crime? And why is everyone else sitting on their hands?
And who's going after ALEC? Surely it's illegal!
You have the Attorney General on your side. Quit talking about it and start arresting Republicans who speak against your beliefs.
Where is Holder in this, anyway? If it is true what you say, shouldn't he be held accountable for dereliction of duty? And his boss, Obama?
The DOJ is broke. Holder is big business. Governemt is broke. Government is for big business.
Subversion is under Chapter 115 of Title 18 of the United States Code (penal criminal code). It falls in line with treason, actually but its normally a very tough charge to levy without substantial proof. Sadly, the GOP has tipped their hand with their wide spread actions on such a large scale. No offense to the other comments, but it has nothing to do with being broke or merely chasing after ideology contrary to my own. We are a democracy and should operate in that instance but this willingness to crash the economy (limit growth, limit recovery, encouraging the federal deficit due to not taking in new revenues) and hurt the nation is significantly bad. In the most broadest terms, and my opinion, the GOP is very close to this charge. Think about it:
1. GOP members have signed pledges not to raise revenues. The stance on these pledges are hurting the nation with its ability to pay for its obligations. Not new spending but previous spending!
2. Refusing to raise the debt ceiling will increase interest rates on the ENTIRE nation. Not to mention diminish our nation's standing in the global marketplace.
3. Refuses to bring any jobs to help address the role in which government plays during recession. Government often times temporarily create jobs to help jump start the economy. It happens often, but the ARRA was different because 40% of the 800 billion were tax cuts alone! So, economists were correct in their assessment indicating not enough cash was being pumped into the economy.
4. State Legislators have been taken over by the GOP and the majority of their bills do not address job creation. A majority of their bills do not address state regulations that might inhibit job creation. The majority of their bills are socially related.
5. This group is focused on providing tremendous financial incentives to the wealth and little to no benefit to other Americans.
6. ALEC is a clear indicator of an organization that is scripting bills that benefit corporations in large part.
As I previously said, ideology has to make way for compromise. Ideology is a foundation and not an absolute. Anytime someone works in absolutes, the few benefits and whole losses! We are the United States of America and should work hard to benefit ALL Americans. When a political party puts politics ahead of the good of the nation, its time to look closely at why and whom does this really benefit.
Holder is in Obama's charge. Are you saying Obama is big business, etc. There can be no middle ground on these charges. If you are right, then Holder (Obama) needs to act fast.
If you are wrong, then, well, we are used to liberals ranting and raving about nothing in particular.
Rusty,
The President is probably not going to show his hand on this. I would not even prompt such a matter but the GOP has backed track on so many issues. They propose spending cuts, the President agrees and then they are no longer interested. Why would they do that? The President is prompting huge spending cuts with a margin of tax revenues. These revenues will not come from an increase in the marginal tax rate. By not affecting the marginal tax rate, middle income and even some upper income Americans would NOT be impacted.
According to the CBO, the U.S. last had a surplus during fiscal year (FY) 2001. From FY2001 to FY2009, spending increased by 6.5% of GDP (from 18.2% of GDP to 24.7%) while taxes declined by 4.7% of GDP (from 19.5% of GDP to 14.8%). The math is simple to see what's happening. We need to reduce spending AND we need to increase revenue!
That is the only way to address our nation's deficit! Just reducing spending alone will cause great domestic harm. This idea of comparing government to Americans sitting at a kitchen table is not realistic. If anyone wants to use that simple comparison cannot understand the depth and reach the federal government already has. President Barack Obama has not created this reach, its always been there. We depend on the government to monitor air traffic, we depend on the government to inspect food, we depend on the government to prepare for diseases or other disasters, we depend on the government pay our troops and veterans, we depend on the government to enforce employment laws (not just discrimination but also overtime pay provisions), and the list goes on!
the republicans don't want our food to be inspected, they don't care if the gov't prepares for diseases or other disasters, they also don't care about employment laws, these are all just regulations that get in the way of the rich getting richer. as far as air traffic control, they don't really care about the hours that the air traffic controllers work, or how tired they get. we saw how much the republicans cared about our troops during the iraqi war, putting them in harms way for a war that was based on a lie.
the republicans care only about the rich getting richer. they don't want to regulate anything, because it gets in the way of that, even though it keeps americans safer.
but why worry about americans when money is the bottom line?
Mr. O'Donnell, in my view, you told me the President was being dishonest and deceptive to the American people. If I want to hear this kind of verbiage I'll listen to Fox News.
maybe you feel uncomfortable knowing how politics really works. maybe, like my sister who thinks that no one would ever steal an election, or lie about going into iraq, you don't want to know "too much".
it would be nice if our President didn't have to cajole and manipulate to try to back the republicans into a corner where they have no choice but to offer up something so we do not default.
so i would ask you, what is wrong with a game plan, what is wrong with a little strategy when the republicans are not willing to put taxes on the table? how else should he go about making sure that we do not default? he has worked with these sophmoric republicans long enough to know that he has to outmaneuver them to get something done for the country.
Suzette, thank you--you nailed it!! BTW, his guest Jonathan Alter agreed with Lawrence.
O'Donnell was doing nothing more than pointing out some of the more basic rhetorical strategies being used by the President. It may make you uncomfortable to hear the President's rhetoric being deconstructed instead of Boehner's, but that doesn't change the accuracy of O'Donnell's commentary.
The truth is, unless people are educated about the rhetorical strategies being used by all politicians, the rhetoric won't change. Until someone knows how to recognize a straw man argument, he or she is likely to fall for it. The politicians are counting on both the public's not being interested in the details as well as their willingness to think the worst about "the other guys," so the strategy works. And by the way, if people allow themselves to believe that it's only a problem for the other team and not theirs, the strategy is even more effective.
The solution is to know when rhetoric is being used and call it out, no matter who is using it. It is our right to be an informed public, but it is also our responsibility to be educated and demand a more critical discourse.
Obama told us that he was being dishonest. It has been widely reported that he told Cantor not to "call my bluff". Isn't that akin to letting everyone know you are lying but trying to get away with it? Or was there a teleprompter screw-up?
As in poker, "was it truely as "bluff"?
rusty,
you baggers just can't let let go of those childish teleprompter jabs, can you?
Normally- they keep Obama out of trouble. What happened this time?
you don't know?
the spineless eric cantor was repeatedly interrupting the president, pushing him to do a short-term resolution, even though the president told him over and over, that he would not accept one.
this isn't a poker game, like the republicans seem to think it is. the president was simply saying to eric cantor, "don't push me, i'm not doing things your way". eric seems to think he can treat the president any way he wants, and that he should get his way now, because he wants what he wants. the american people don't like the childish way the republicans are acting in regard to the debt ceiling. they will pay/are paying a huge price.
a bi-partisan compromise will be passed on the debt ceiling hopefully using the mitch mcConnell "compromise".
sen. lindsey graham has conceded that the republican party is eating their words as they try to convince the american people that they don't want the country to go into default. mitch mcConnell said he would not vote for a debt ceiling increase unless we put medicare on the table. lindsey graham himself said he would not vote to raise the debt ceiling unless something was done about spending and entitlements. other republicans have said the same thing. they have no one to blame but themselves, because they will vote for the increase in the debt ceiling, knowing they have to, even if they think they are making it look like "Obama's debt". they shouldn't have said they wouldn't vote to increase the debt ceiling if they didn't mean it.
maybe the republicans could use a teleprompter, they wouldn't sound so foolish.
Did Obama try to pass off the story about his mother getting denied health care benefits while fighting cancer again?
hey rusty, come up with some new material.
i haven't heard the baggers bring up Prersident's Obama's cancer-ridden mother for quite a while.
Actually Suzzette, I've never heard the tea baggers on this issue (although, I really don't listen or pay attention to them). The news came out this week from a NYTimes writer who uncovered his fairy tale. Kathleen Parker, who is very much a moderate independent, posted a column about the findings this week. Obama's spokesman replied that in the 15 years since his mother died, he "misremembered the details". But he did use a made up story about her being denied health benefits numerous times to help sell Obamacare.
But I don't blame liberals for trying to slough it off.
Give a read to www.alecexposed.org. I think the Ed Show or Rachel Maddow already did a segment on it. It peaked my curiosity so I did take a look and what I saw there explains at least partially what has been going on and what any person whether liberal or conservative should be very worried about. Policy differences are healthy but when an organization such as ALEC writes legislation that is voted on by member corporations and politicians before distribution of states: Republicans of course.....we have something to worry about when it comes to protection of our democracy. 800 documents were leaked from the organization by a whistleblower and are at the website for you to read. It certainly explains the pattern of similar legislation being passed on public sector unions, abortion, gay rights, public education etc. at the more or less the same time in many red states.
Website: www.alecexposed.org
Have you considered a post-default T-bill scoop? What if Corporate interests backing Republicans are after those? They let the US default, scoop up cheap T-bills, then sit back and own the US. Can they do that? Will they do that?
You can actually short T-Bills through several ETFs, including some that are 2x short. If someone thinks T-Bills will go down in price (up in interest rate), it would be a way to profit...
to odonnell: why did u attack president obama on your rogram last friday and actually call him a liar :i can't look at him when he lies" are u vying for a spot on fox news? the class war that we are in needs consistent voices who support the people who are being crushed by the real owners of this country who have most of the weapons on their side-we dont need u to add to their arsenal. if obama stretches the truth while playing a game of political poker with republicons in order to get some modicum of justice for the people=so be it.
@Mona - I am also interested in the organization ALEC--hopefully Lawrence will do a segment.
@Mona - I am also interested in the organization ALEC--hopefully Lawrence will do a segment.