Paul Ryan: Not My Problem 22 Million Will CHOOSE To Lose Healthcare

Bad deal: The White House’s last-ditch plan stinks

Bad deal: The White House’s last-ditch plan stinks

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This afternoon, President Obama is meeting with congressional leaders in a last-ditch attempt to avoid going over the so-called fiscal cliff. Most people in Washington think the effort is futile. That’s probably good thing, as going over the cliff is better than enacting the deal the White House is reportedly putting on the table at the summit.

While the details are sketchy and reports conflicting, according to the New York Times, the proposal would extend the Bush tax cuts up to $400,000 (instead of the $250,000 most Democrats want), and it would extend some important tax credits, but it would leave the estate tax as is, do nothing about the sequester (the automatic spending cuts that will go into effect January 1) and do nothing about the debt ceiling.

If you’re a progressive, those items are, respectively, mediocre, somewhat positive, bad, mixed and terrible. While the $400,000 threshold is tolerable in a larger deal, it’s no good in a bad deal. Changing the estate tax is a must, as current rates exclusively help the heirs of wealthy people to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue. Some of the tax credits are vital, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, but these should be passed automatically, not as something Democrats need to bargain for. The sequester is mixed because half the cuts come from the military, which are valuable and generally politically unachievable, but the other half come from the rest of the government, including programs like Medicaid and food stamps.

Other reports paint a more positive picture of the deal Obama will offer, but they seem less realistic, as the contours outlined by the Times fit with the deal Obama previously offered, which liberals rejected out of hand.

Alliance for Retired Americans--social security, medicare

Alliance for Retired Americans

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Please send a message to Congress asking to protect the guarantees of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid!

Time is short. Politicians and special interests are demanding that the deficit be reduced dramatically – paid for by deep cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – to guarantee more big tax breaks for the wealthy and Wall Street. We need to protect what we've earned.

Take action now and send a message to your U.S. Representative and Senators.

Obama Meeting With Progressives & CEOs

---------- soar 11-3 supports Richard Trumka on this issue.

Tell Congress: No Benefit Cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid

note: I already both called and e-mailed the politicos both senators gave vague remarks (staffers) take note: cut these programs and face some serious wrath next election time. folks in Missouri have long memories perhaps our votes and couple bucks make no difference

Fiscal Cliff: Richard Trumka, Head Of AFL-CIO, Calls Out 'Manufactured Crisis'

Fiscal Cliff: Richard Trumka, Head Of AFL-CIO, Calls Out 'Manufactured Crisis':

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 WASHINGTON -- Digging in for the looming battle over deficit-reduction, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka will make organized labor's case Thursday against cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, declaring the doomsday debt talk in Washington a "manufactured crisis."

"There is no fiscal cliff," Trumka says in prepared remarks to the National Mediation Board Conference in Washington on Thursday. "What we’re facing is an obstacle course within a manufactured crisis that was hastily thrown together in response to inflated rhetoric about our federal deficit."

Democrats and Republicans are headed to the bargaining table to address the so-called fiscal cliff that Trumka alludes to -- the point after the New Year when painful automatic cuts hit the federal budget, unless legislators can find other ways to reduce the $16 trillion debt. Negotiations last year indicated that Democrats are open to cutting social programs that liberals have long considered sacrosanct, as well as trimming programs that aid the poor and elderly.

President Barack Obama met with labor leaders, including Trumka, on Tuesday, assuring them he was committed to letting the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy expire. But organized labor is just as concerned about social insurance programs. The failed "grand bargain" nearly struck by Obama and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) last year reportedly included cuts to Medicare and Social Security.

Trumka told HuffPost last week that the AFL-CIO, a federation of unions representing 11 million workers, will not support any deal including such cuts. "The voters yesterday rejected that notion soundly," he said the morning after the election. "The answer is, if it includes benefit cuts to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid, we'll oppose it."

Why won't Akin meet with constituents?

Why won't Akin meet with constituents?

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from article





What is congressman Todd Akin afraid of? Tuesday 75-100 of his constituants marched to his office to speak with him and let their concerns be known when he did not accept an invitation to meet with them at a town hall gathering. Others had been turned away from his office.

Who are these fearsome constituants? Retired teachers, clergy, moms with babies, union members, small business owners, citizens concerned about womens reproductive services, those needing jobs, people concerned about Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, students, young and old, black and white, men and women. WHy did congressman Akin turn these constituants down? They were largely liberal Democrats. Is he afraid of liberal Democrats because they care about the union worker, education, the poor, those trying to expand equal rights, the unemployed, the small business owner, the gay, the elderly, the sick?

Mr Akin ordered five county police cars to "control the marchers". The citizens were ordered to stand well away from his office in the sun in 100 degree heat. They were "trespassing".

The crowd was orderly, respectful, well behaved, and practicing Democracy.

Where were you congressman Akin and who do you represent? What are you afraid of?

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-to-the-editor/article_d14c572a-d288-11e0-aaba-001a4bcf6878.html#ixzz1WWBUuezu

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what is afraid of? perhaps he does not really wish to go on the record answering questions on his positions like say medicare or social security? perhaps he makes time for teabaggers and not the public?

for a lad that wishes to run for senate, such is odd unless one has something to hide

Dems' muddled message on Medicaid worries advocates - The Hill's Healthwatch

Dems' muddled message on Medicaid worries advocates - The Hill's Healthwatch

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medicaid is on the chopping block my information. One wonders what will happen when Medical care reform is in place in 2014 what will happen if it is already cut?

Medicaid is the program most of those "uninsured" will enter at that time

Time for Medicare for All?