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DCCC Chair Steve Israel Leads Sheep to Slaughter
According to House sources who were present at the Democratic caucus meeting last night, the new DCCC chairman Steve Israel (D-NY2) is telling members of Congress that there are seven “private” national polls somehow showing that the public is actually behind Obama’s tax deal with Mitch McConnell to extend all the tax cuts.
I frankly don’t even know how this is nonsense is possible given that the most recent Bloomberg poll taken during and after the deal was announced shows that keeping the tax cuts for the wealthy is unpopular, with only a third of Americans supporting even temporarily keeping the highest tax rate low. By the same token almost every recent poll before the deal was announced, like this CBS News poll, showed the public is behind the original Democratic position about ending the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000 and oppose extending all the tax cuts.
The CBS New poll found only 26% of Americans support extending the tax cuts for all American. This talking point from Israel only makes sense if you are trying to claim that the 53% people who only want the tax cuts extended for people under $250,000, would some how therefore want all the tax cuts extended because according to Obama that is the “only way” to extend the low end tax cuts.
It is amazing how correct President Obama was when he said this was “the health care fight all over again.” Just as former DCCC chair Chris Van Hollen did during health care, the incoming chair is again going around feeding the rank and file members some ridiculous line about how polling shows this vote for this will some how turn out to be a political “win.”
The President wants this deal with Mitch McConnell to pass, and the Democratic members of Congress are apparently supposed to walk the plank once again. After the electoral wipeout the party suffered when they bought Van Hollen’s propaganda about how their numbers would all go up once the health care bill passed, you think they’d stop believing in “secret polls nobody can see.”
Isn’t the DCCC supposed to be a “member organization?” When did their job become leading the members who provide their war chest into political disaster?
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Uh, 1968?
In 2012 are the polls that DCCC have going to show that people hate the BUSH TAX cuts for the RICH? Because Obama says he going to fight to cut them in 2012
Where can I get some of these DCCC polls, they seem to say whatever you want? :)
The Obama White House lackeys are becoming desparate.
No, Dem that votes for these tax cuts can talk about the ECONOMY in 2012? this is a huge problem for dem candidates in the SENATE and HOUSE facing PRIMARIES.
All the dumb stuff Obama done the last 18 months, made him a 1 termer, Obama is going no where in 2012
How many Dems want OBAMA helping them in 2012? None
Right there at the convention.
I don’t think we should even be thinking about Dems in 2012. I want to know, if we have to take our own poll: Where is the exodus going to go? Green is good, Coffee is fine, Socialist, fine. The Dems are just going to keep screwing progressives. But I’m not here to complain. I’m sick of pointless bitching. I want to know: Are we going to move in big enough numbers to matter? Pick another party or create one of our own?
Steve Israel is a blue
douchedog. It’s beyond me why they would put this clown in charge after his caucus was decimated in the last election. We thought Van Hollen was bad? Stand by for Rahm Emanuel Jr.“The disconnect between the actions of the government and public opinion is the central fact of American politics today. It doesn’t seem to matter whether liberal Democrats or conservative Republicans are in power. Only minor, marginal reforms ever take place. The basic outlines of American economic policy and foreign policy remain the same, even as Congress and the White House change hands. The changes promised by progressive Democrats and Tea Party Republicans are quickly discarded after the elections.”
“Many Americans have come to the conclusion that nobody represents them in Washington anymore. They are right.”
“If you keep elections but get rid of mass membership organizations, then democracy breaks down, as it has in the U.S. Contemporary American politicians interact with ordinary Americans only at the polls. The politicians do not need the money of ordinary people, as it is easier to raise large sums from rich people and lobbies. And between elections, the advocacy groups of the left and right that meet with politicians and their staffs are usually funded by the rich and large foundations, rather than dues-paying members.”
From here:
http://www.salon.com/news/populism/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/12/07/lind_american_people
So Steve is a private poller now? Does he own the companies or just share ownership? HA!
Good Post!
It’s becoming clear that the D party is the largest impediment to actually improving peoples’ lives in this country, because it pretends to be for them but in fact it is a hired wolf that enriches its leaders at our expense.
This party has become so corrupted it can no longer be repaired.
3rd party now.
The only time Obama puts up any kind of fight is when he needs to recruit members of Congress to follow his lead in selling out to the Republicans.
Would you buy a used tax
scamplan from this dude?“Seriously, it’s only been driven (off a cliff) by a retired ex President. Very low mileage. (Odometer has been rolled back several times.) Let me talk to my sales manager. We’ll see what kind of a (horrifying) really good deal we can get for you. You’re ready to drive it off the lot today, right? This deal is only good for today…”
This deal can be viewed from a number of perspectives. Some are now contending that when viewed in the aggregate, as opposed to focusing on the excessive windfall a relatively small group of our wealthiest citizens reaped, the deal looks better.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_12/026982.php
Agreed. So where should we turn? Who isn’t corruptible?
Furthermore, any candidate attempting to give hope or make change is going to be pummeled mercilessly by Obama’s disingenuous stump speeches. Whoever the candidate might be, he or she will have to assail both the Republicans and the Democrats, regardless of which party is in power.
And how will the new party survive its initial bludgeoning when the Democrats sniff that the new party handed an election or two to the Republicans?
The entire Democratic party is a Trojan horse, and a damn good one at that.
As marcos posted: Since 1968.
Washington Monthly? You’re kidding, right? That’s nothing more than a DLC organ.
Paths of Glory.
Hold everything! We’re being purists again! It’s just a typo! He actually said, “7 Poles.”
Kind of a small sample size…
Political suicide for teh win! Yaaayyy!
Jane and her staff have brought us a very long way the last 18 months.
Jane and her staff were some of the first people shouting to the masses, we have elected a trojan horse.
Now the FDL bandwagon is filling up and we have a lot of people running behind it trying to get in wagon.
3rd parties are fantasy land, good luck!
it is easier to take over the DEM party
We can think OBAMA for that, Obama has been such a DISASTER he is making this task very easy! (most people in DC and a lot of people outside of DC know Obama is un-electable in 2012)
yes! the 23 dem senators up for re-election in 2012 and house members up for re-election are talking about 2012, just like a lot of us are, because this is the way of politics
FDL information is powerful. (KO and RACHEL seem to be getting their footing on how to deal with OBAMA, CENK is awesome, this is not 1994)
it is sort of ironic, the most political incompetent president in a long time OBAMA is helping the left organize like never before. :)
Yesterday was an AWESOME DAY!!! :)
more and more Dems politicians hate the fact that this is not 1994.
A tax deal like Obama’s would have walk thru the congress a long time ago, with no risk, do a deal like that today and there is a lot of risk.
cheer up!
Now you’re just being sanctimonious!
They have seen this movie before on Capitol Hill, have they not?
Ya gotta quit readin’ neoliberal rags if ya want good information. Free market economics are a sham, just for starters.
oldgold
you do know any dem that votes for this tax bill, can kiss talking about the bad economy good bye! in 2012
so all of them will be sitting ducks for a primary challenge, and they will be powerless against reps in a general. (what are they going to say, I was against the Bush Tax, before I voted for them)
because this deal is not going to lower un-employment
most democratic senators and house members are not going to get re-elected talking about the BOB DOLE health care bill. :)
on top of that OBAMA froze fed pay, and gave the ultra rich a tax cut, have you ask any fed workers how they feel about this deal.
defending OBAMA is hard work
good luck :)
Well we’ve really gone beyond spin here, and these bald-faced lies are pathetic attempts at Soviet style propoganda.
It’s a patent load of crap; I can’t get my shovel out fast enough.
That said, most of the population is soundly asleep at the wheel. Who’s going to *really* protest this blatant rip off?
No. I am not kidding. I think the graph is interesting. It offers a different perspective. It is something to consider. I am not contending that it is dispositive.
Is there anyone left that can say free market economics are good? While keeping a straight face?
Completely agree.
Sorry, OldGold, but the Washington Monthly is full of it. With respect, try changing your reading material for starters.
Sorry Oldgold but graphs & stats can be made to say whatever people want. Ain’t buying that, but feel free to do so, if that’s what you want.
Here’s the simple math.
Cost of extending UI for SOME of the people whose benefit WILL be expiring after January 1st – $56 Billion
Cost of tax cuts for the rich – $130 Billion
Now, with that $130 billion, you could extend unemployment another 2 years and 8 months. Or you could help all of the 99ers who have already lost their benefits and extend for the folks whose benefits are expiring. $130 billion would cover 19 months of additional benefits for ALL, if I’m not mistaken.
What’s the right thing to do, here?
So where did they get these poll numbers? They pulled them out of their ass, as usual.
Here’s a deal. Why doesn’t he poll his database of activist Democrats. I’ll bet he wouldn’t show you the results.
Agreed. I REVEL in days like yesterday.
Even the most blind Dem sycophants have to wake up and smell the coffee that was brewing ever since Obama took office, and nominated Larry Summers. I want more days like that. I want this Tax Bill to be defeated so fast that it takes Obama down with it. Forever.
Events are literally overtaking Progressives who want a primary challenger to appear. The Administration’s continued bungling of every conceivable issue makes a primary challenge, or a Third Party candidacy, practically inevitable.
Completely OT, but this just popped into my head and made me laugh! Kind of along the lines of free market, and it’s results.
Tony Heyward apologizes on South Park.
In the 9 polls I’ve recently conducted, 100% of responders feel Israel is full of shit and the tax deal stinks. Trust me, it’s true.
By all means, it’s a free country (supposedly). But if that’s where you get your information, you’ll never want for moonshine. That’s a DLC propaganda rag.
The deal involves $900 billion, not just $186 billion as “your simple math” suggests. For instance, the payroll tax reduction is worth $120 billion.
As to what was the right thing to do, that is what I am trying to figure out by, in part, considering the matter from a number of perspectives.
Do you contend the graph is inaccurate? If so, in what respect?
Maybe you should try Limbaugh’s “perspective” then. He insists it’s “racist” to oppose this pos. Is that just another “perspective” you’ll incorporate into your ultimate decision?
I haven’t even looked at the graph. I know what it will say just like I know what I’ll hear if I turn on FAUX “News”. Graphs, polls, samples can all be manipulated. Trust me, I used to get paid to avoid doing such things and to make sure that kind of manipulation didn’t happen. As a scientist, I am not going to look at something produced by somebody with a stated position on the issue. Period.
Edit: That graph is so broad and unscientific that it’s rendered meaningless. The whole premise of it is simplistic and unverifiable.
Of course the deal involves $900 billion. Unless you talk to the folks who say it involves $700 billion. Or the Republican Congressman who said this morning that it only involves $200 billion.
That aside, these are the direct stimulative measures that are at the forefront of this debate. These are the things Americans are most concerned with. Tax cuts and unemployment insurance. Have you heard people clammoring for a tax holiday or hiring incentives for small businesses?
Bad graph – it includes UI extension and is not a tax-to-tax presentation.
When you take out the UI, the BIPARTISAN looks the same, and then should be a pie chart. The time values also do not appear to be equal, as the +$250k cuts (red) appear as expressed for one year, where the other values (green) appear for multiple years.
I have always admired your interest in and knowledge of science.
As such, it surprises me that you would dismiss something without looking at it.
As I said before, this graph is just one perspective on the issue. It isn’t dispositive.
At this point, I am not endorsing the deal or condemning it. There is a lot to consider.
I will check that out. Thank you.
An actual graph would have more than 3 bars labeled “GOP high end tax cuts”, “Obama’s priorities” and “Bipartisan tax cut extensions”. It’s meaningless gibberish, designed to lead you to a conclusion. I would have been fired outright for producing something like that.
I did look at it oldgold, against my better judgment. Please see comment @43 and edit @ 38. It confirmed my opinion of what it was going to look like. Unscientific gibberish.
And again: It is absolutely against the principles of good science to pay attention to material produced by people with a dog in the fight. It’s like all of the “studies” the tobacco industry did that unsurprisingly showed that smoking was perfectly alright.
“It is amazing how correct President Obama was when he said this was “the health care fight all over again.”
amazing is perhaps not the right word. I would have used staggering, or stunning, or mind boggling. But Obama thinks HCR was a “win” for him so i guess its not so suprising. I suppose thats what hapens to a human brain which sustains long term exposer to lobbyists.
The DCCC has been a corporate tool for several years. The fact that Steve Israel is their chairman is verification of that. It defies description that such polls generate such results. It also defies description that Obama can so predictably surrender on so many fronts in such a short period of time. If there were world records of such capitulations, Obama would own them now, and he can be counted on to break them again in the future. He has totally lost our support. It is actually hard to believe that he could be so totally clueless or so impressively inept. He is beyond defense on taxes, DADT, Afghanistan, whistleblowers, Guantanamo, the environment, his economic advisors, and on and on. The list grows daily. We cannot stand a third Bush term. I’m for impeachment. Barring any better or more legal solutions, we may be headed for street riots in 2011 or 2012. Not pretty –but humiliated, jobless, desperate, and hungry is quite unattractive and breeds extreme measures.
Well, somehow we have to get an accounting of what the 900 billion is and what it is expected to do or not do. Where do we get such a thing? Is there a source everyone can agree on?
I take it as a given that 900 billion increase in the deficit these next two years that was not otherwise accounted for is stimulative. Maybe not aa much as we like but it is above zero.
Or we can take the Ed Shultz approach and abandon this game and go after bigger game next year. At the moment we may back into this strategy since no one seems to agree on much of anything.
What’s the possibility that the WH is scheming to elect Republicans? Would have seemed a paranoid fantasy a year ago but has some plausibility now. Or Obama is deluded. There’s not much in between, anymore.
Perhaps you should read some of the comments below the faux chart.
What oldgold doesn’t understand
the disparity in wealth is accelerating upwards. How can you possibly say further increasing that requires more consideration.
Going to Washington Monthly to look at a chart about how wonderful Obama’s plan is is like going to FOX News to view a chart on the awesomeness of conservatives vs the lameness of dirty fucking hippies. You know what you’re going to see because the result is always a foregone conclusion. Otherwise it wouldn’t be in there. That’s not science, it’s a point of view, the antithesis of science.
I love it when you talk dirty.
Dang ya did it again!!1
You get my ✭ ✮ ✯ ✰ ★ award for the best comment of the day!!
Hope all is well Peg ☺
Looked at it quickly and do not agree. Will look more closely later.
Rubbish. Washington Monthly is a far cry from Fox News.
It is then up to to you to provide a different breakout.
It should not include UI extension either. That is a separate issue from taxes.
They’re just as in the tank for Obama as FOX was in the tank for W. That’s my point. Nothing else. I didn’t mean they are as bad as FOX in any other area than that. They are selling A POINT OF VIEW. I know the concept of good science is generally misunderstood but understand this: You can’t do good science by looking at material produced by somebody with a point of view. Do you really want to argue what constitutes good science with me?
EDIT: I feel a diary on general science coming on now though…
Here on my little Tropical Alcatraz, the local paper [Maui News], which contains only AP stories and local high school sports, “covered” the tax “deal” like something from a press release straight from the White House. [This was the AP story, so it went out to tons of similar outlets.]
Chock full of lines about the positive effects the “tax cuts” would have on the economy; nary a word on anything else.
THIS is one reason the American public is so damn stupid on this stuff.
I think we should provide Congressmen our own little “poll” by calling their offices and telling them how we feel. They do tend to pay a little more attention to “numbers” from within their district or state than to generalized ones.
Exactly! News has stopped being news and has become a point of view being sold to the people, depending on the publication or the station management’s bias. DEFINITELY feel a diary coming on about good science vs opinion. I guess one wasn’t enough.
Please do Peg I love good science, always have always will. I have been reading Scientific American for over 20 years.. Helps me keep up on technology and basic sciences. So your Diary would be great to read… Please Oh Please Peg!!
.
Absolute is a term that science is acquainted with (I think): like “absolute 0” and it may be only a theoretical for the most part. So I personally am aghast at your use… (as a scientist or in the sciences as you proclaim…) of this term, in so slipshod a fashion with regard to… faux metrics… graphs… polls… &etc. These graphic presentations, so ubiquitous in the corporate boardroom, as it were… are completely garbage, but not absolute garbage, like their originators… haha.
I dislike the use of the term “absolutely” which is a stupid way to talk.
I didn’t understand much in my english class, but I don’t like it. As it is similar to a calculation where the results are expressed in decimal points that are beyond control standards.
Well, I see I am being rude, but ah… I really dislike the overuse of that word… Absolutely… it is completely wrong, not absolutely wrong, same difference, but language is like math… symbolic.
Graphs are insulting to all. If you can’t say what you mean… or you think others would not comprehend it in plain language, which is the thing that separates man from….
Graphs are cartoons. And they suck.
That was a bit absolute of a statement, wasn’t it?
You’re entitled to your opinion of course but science is the condition of knowing as opposed to the condition of believing or desiring. Science does deal in absolutes and it must. You can’t allow some bias, however small into science or it stops being science. Sorry if you don’t like the word but your opinion is irrelevant to the discussion. The context that I used the word in is correct. You cannot allow bias in. Absolutely none.
Absolutely!
Absolutely!
Absolutely!
Absolutely!
Science seeks the truth and not any preconceived bias of any kind and the proof must be Absolutely repeatable by anyone with the right tools to either prove or disprove the truth! Oh and that is why scientist have so damn many theories they can’t, they can’t Absolutely prove them.
They can make this stuff all they want. They are trying to set the stage where they are forced to cut Social Security by the big bad Repubs. The payroll tax cut which places SSN on a dependence for general revenue is the opening salvo. The Dems need to realize, that it is programs like SSN, Medicare, Medicade that make them different than the Repubs. If the Dems decide they would like to be good little corporatist then good luck competing with the corporate spawn. They cave on this giant unpaid for tax package, the Repubs will hang it around their neck. The progressives will have less enthusiasm than they did in 08.
People routinley use that word, ( absolutely),,, well that is what I am objecting to. And as much as you may think you have some bigger view of it, I don’t agree, because there is no absolute in any context.
This term… absolute is only a theory. It would be better if we could find some term that makes more sense, like that: somethings shows that somethings may seem to indicate… that maybe something might… etc etc.
Absolute, well they make a good vodka, but you must know, absolute, is not.
Most of what you say is true, however certain relationships and formulaic outcomes may be true but require a visual representation to give a clearer picture of the relationship. A PERT chart does not give any magical prophetic qualities to data or change any of the relationships. It can however bring clarity to interdependencies or choke points in a process relationship. The numbers all stay the same, but the visual representation allows people with preconceived notions about the process to reassess and rethink their approach to the data.
Had to this is for English Learners.
ab·so·lute·ly
Pronounced:
/ˈæbsəˌlu:tli/Listen to audio
Function:
adverb
Meaning:
1 : in an absolute way: such as a : completely or totally ▪ He is absolutely certain who will win. ▪ Let me make one thing absolutely clear. ▪ Keep absolutely quiet during the movie. —often used to make a statement more forceful ▪ We had an absolutely wonderful time. ▪ I absolutely love the car. ▪ His fans have gone absolutely crazy over his latest CD. ▪ That restaurant serves absolutely the best food I’ve ever eaten. b : with unlimited power ▪ The king ruled absolutely.
2 —used in speech as a forceful way of saying “yes” or of expressing agreement ▪ “Would you like to see a movie tonight?” “Absolutely!” ▪ “We all need to work harder.” “Absolutely!” ◊Absolutely not is used in speech as a forceful way of saying “no” or of expressing disagreement. ▪ “Do you think he’s right?” “Absolutely not!”
The word in contention was absolutely used in the correct usage of the English Language.
Wait a minute. How did I miss this? His name is Israel. Talk about a lack of credibility.
Absolut makes crappy vodka and you are about as wrong as it’s possible to be. “Absolute” is not a “theory” which is defined as the “analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one another” or “the general or abstract principles of a body of fact, a science, or an art” or “a belief, policy, or procedure proposed or followed as the basis of action”. The word absolute isn’t a theory anymore than peanut butter is a marsupial.
While most things in the world are shades of gray, science cannot be. That’s why we have the “theory” of gravity or the “theory” of evolution although without gravity, ballistics don’t work and without evolution biology is nonsense. Therefore, since proof is a matter of absolutes, we have the sciences of biology and ballistics wrapped in among the theories of gravity and evolution. Context, in this case is everything. I agree the word is sometimes misused or overused but I don’t think misusing the word “theory” is an effective response to it, do you?
EDIT: I told you that you didn’t want to have this argument with me.
That is supposing that someone will braver during the 2012 Presidential campaign to do what should have been done this week, kill the cuts. The cost is much higher out 10 years and much much more if made permanent. The entire Bush Tax cuts cost 4 Trillion over ten years. That is without the magic estate tax giveaway. Extending any of these is a deficit expander. Anyone that wants these cuts extended is NOT a deficit hawk. This is bigger than everything except the wars. How do you pay for the supplies, armor, health recovery for all of the soldiers at war if you wont pay taxes. It is an affront to the brave men and women that are fighting for us.
And who said after 9/11 Just keep spending that is what is needed there is no need to sacrifice.??
The Rich make money off this “War on Terror” and they don’t want to have that golden goose taxed.
No I don’t really think so. I will agree it was too strident and so on. But I am only talking to parts of what is there.
I sure don’t ever want to be in the least rude, or harmful, in this venue,. what is them bastards… I mean… Like putting in a cut on the Social Security (tax),
do you get what that is? The bstd is up for to put the screws to, you and me pardnar. The bstd is exposed to all who have any iq. And that is a small demographic by the way…
The main thing that makes a statement is The 2% cut on social securitiy input. They want to kill it.