Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsKatrina vanden Heuvel: Grand bargain is the wrong solution
from the WaPo:
By Katrina vanden Heuvel
Americans, listening to the intensifying debate about the fiscal showdown in Washington, must think theyve entered an Alice in Wonderland world. The lame duck Congress only returns to Washington this week, but already the lame is drowning out the logical.
Americans have just voted to reelect the president with clear priorities. They want Washington to get to work creating jobs and economic growth. They expect the president to raise taxes on the richest two percent in order to invest in areas vital to our future, as he pledged repeatedly across the country. They didnt hear much about the so-called fiscal cliff in the election campaign, but their opinions on what is acceptable in any grand bargain are very clear.
In the election eve poll done by the Democracy Corps for the Campaign for Americas Future (disclosure: I serve on the board of the Campaigns sister institution, the Institute for Americas Future), voters were asked what would be unacceptable in a large deal to reduce deficits. Seventy-nine percent found cuts to Medicare benefits unacceptable; 62 percent found cuts to Social Security unacceptable. And a stunning three in four found across the board domestic cuts that didnt protect programs for infants, poor children, schools and college aid unacceptable.
Its hard for voters common sense to get a hearing inside Washingtons beltway. Instead, the multi-million dollar campaign funded by Wall Street billionaire Pete Peterson to Fix the Debt has enlisted CEOs and the noisome former co-chairs of the presidents deficit commission, Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, to raise hysteria about deficits and debt. Republicans are arguing yet again for cutting Social Security and Medicare in exchange for lowering tax rates on the wealthy, while promising that closing loopholes would raise more revenue. Voters just rejected Mitt Romney when he tried to peddle a version of this junk arithmetic. .............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/katrina-vanden-heuvel-grand-bargain-is-the-wrong-solution/2012/11/13/6e408e74-2d15-11e2-a99d-5c4203af7b7a_story.html?wpisrc=emailtoafriend
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
2 replies, 732 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (3)
ReplyReply to this post
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Katrina vanden Heuvel: Grand bargain is the wrong solution (Original Post)
marmar
Nov 2012
OP
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)1. They need to listen to the voices of the people
Romulox
(25,960 posts)2. We're being prepped to accept something bad, I'm afraid... nt