I am very proud of President Obama and the Senate Democrats today.

[WilliamPitt]

Holding the line.

Not negotiating on that which can not, and should not, even be part of a negotiation.

With the exception of slippery Sen. Manchin last week, there has not yet been a hint of give in the Democrats' posture in this thing.

I am very, very glad about that.

I want to be proud of them in the morning.

Hold the line, Mr. President.

Hold the line, Mr. Reid.

Hold the line.

Not tonight.

Not tonight.

Hold the line.

[RetroLounge]

1. I agree.

I listened to POTUS speak on NPR today and stand up to the teabaggers.

Very proud to have voted for him...

RL

[msanthrope]

2. I'll see you all those men, and raise you a Bette Davis. nt

[Bjorn Against]

3. Agreed, I am often critical of the party because they cave so often

This time the vast majority of them are doing exactly what they need to do, hopefully the House Dems will show some real backbone tonight as well. I think there is still a good chance for a last minute deal that does not give anything to the teabaggers, it seems as if there are a few establishment Republicans who are getting nervous about what the Tea Party is doing and may team with Democrats to stop a shut down.

[Zorra]

4. +1

[11 Bravo]

5. Thanks for the goosebumps, dude.

Hold the line indeed. Because if not now, when?

[joshcryer]

6. red line you can get behind?

[appacom]

7. Manchin makes me ashamed to be a West Virginia Democrat

[SunSeeker]

17. But even Manchin said he would not vote to shut the govt down over the ACA. nt

[DonViejo]

32. When did he make that statement? The last I heard from him...

Manchin: I'd Support Delaying Obamacare To Avoid Govt Shutdown

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014603496

[SunSeeker]

45. September 26, on his Senate website.

Here it is in full (it is the first of five statements offered on his homepage):

Sep 26 2013
Manchin Statement on Avoiding Government Shutdown
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) released the following statement on the threat of a government shutdown.

“I have always opposed the individual mandate, and I continue to have concerns with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the cost and choices West Virginians will have in the health care exchanges. That being said, I do not believe that this issue should be used to shut down the government, and I will not vote to shut down the government. We need to work together as Americans to solve these problems so we can get our economy back on track and create American jobs.”

http://www.manchin.senate.gov/public/

He made it within hours of the earlier statement suggesting support for the delay of the ACA in exchange for a continuing resolution. His statement forced Fox to edit its earlier crowing headline by noting that he had "walked it back." http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/09/26/sen-manchin-bucks-dems-to-back-obamacare-delay/

[Mopar151]

67. maybe he had a West By God Viginia ephiphany!

"This shutdown thing stinks so bad I can smell it from inside the outhouse!"

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

37. Maybe Harry Reid took him aside and had some choice words for him because I see he wised up

and voted right in the end. Good on him.

Democrats united. Let's learn from them.

[pacalo]

8. The longer the Republicans hold out, the longer they are facilitating a negative media storm

against them.

[truebluegreen]

39. I "hope" they continue to play with their new toy for a couple of weeks

until they bump up against the debt ceiling. I hope Democrats and the media flay them all that time, which should provoke them to ever greater depths of folly. And when default is threatened, and the big money boyz go after them? I think they will fold like a cheap suit...

At least that's what I hope will happen, with the caveat that I'm not hoping for more burdens for Americans. I just don't see any way to avoid them, and they will only get worse if we don't stop this now.

[pacalo]

40. I'm watching (the nutty) Professor Sessions schooling the Senate on why a bill that's law

should be repealed. C-span: http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Votes-to-Kill-House-Amendment-Sends-Continuing-Resolution-Back-to-House/10737441638-19/

[truebluegreen]

41. You have a stronger stomach than I do...

where did they get their preposterous sense of entitlement and righteousness? As if they get to decide, minority or not, lost elections or not, constitutionality or not, what the laws are for everybody else. Is it a religious thing, that they picked up from the evangelicals among them, or is the Party simply a cult? It is nutty, and painfully obvious.

[pacalo]

47. I think they live in a bubble, listening only to those constituents who ignorantly vote for them.

Their low-information voters apparently enjoy these low-class tactics & the Republicans are too happy to oblige -- because they can't win elections by being forthright about their motivations & their true reason for being in Washington: to get richer by supporting corporations' interests; in this case, the interest of insurance companies.

[FarPoint]

9. I would love to see cheerleaders

line-up along the Mall in front of Congress and chant the very message you have shared...

" Hold the line, Mr. President.

Hold the line, Mr. Reid.

Hold the line.

Not tonight.

Not tonight. "


Yea...hundreds of peppy-perky cheerleaders......

[redwitch]

10. I agree, hold the line. nt

[yuiyoshida]

11. This!!

:

[watoos]

12. Maybe

we should be talking about 11 dimensional chess once again, maybe?

[Sheepshank]

57. wtf?

slamming POTUS for making a stand and calling it dimensional chess?

You must have been responding on the wrong site....or if I'm wrong on that, a little explanation would be helpful.

[bigbrother05]

69. The thing about 11d chess is the inability of others, even your opponent, to recognize it

That Jedi stuff is really hard to pick up on until you're walking away with empty pockets.

[frylock]

13. hear, hear!

[blkmusclmachine]

14. Obama Picks Another Romney Advisor For Scoial Security Commission:

http://swampland.time.com/2013/09/30/obama-picks-romney-aide-who-knocked-his-social-security-plan-for-social-security-board/

[a2liberal]

20. Is this the progressive version of

posting unrelated links in a thread that is from the opposite "side" of our perennial infighting?

[cheapdate]

25. Should Lanhee Chen serve on the Social Security advisory board? Why or why not?

A. No, because he's an asshole.
B. Yes, because the best ideas may come from a mix of perspectives.
C. Who f%$king cares? It's a meaningless advisory board.

[JoePhilly]

54. Except Obama didn't pick him.

But who cares about details.

[Democat]

61. Why not start another thread to bash Obama and Democrats?

Or another website?

[Melissa G]

64. +1

I'm amazed about the amount of bashing posts I have seen from this poster in the last 24 hours.

[SaveAmerica]

68. You're a one hit wonder...

[Liberalynn]

15. Credit where credit is due

Great job so far. Keep it up. Stay strong.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

16. Blackmailers never stop. Give in on this debt blackmail & get blackmailed on the next debt round. nt

[Plucketeer]

59. I hope they DO "hold the line"

but the way I see it is that we're at this junction because it's worked for the GOP before. As much as I applaud the Dems taking a stand, there's recent incidents like Reid's "secret handshake" with McConnell and other jackass surrenders. Keep your powder dry, cause the real battle's yet to be fought here.
In fact, the ACA may well not be the real aim of this exercise. It's maybe just a convenient stepping stone to other concessions. Maybe there are some GOP loons that think they can derail this program, but you can bet the veterans know different - even ones like Bachmann and Ghomert and the like.
Don't get me wrong - I'd be giddy if this were to rent the GOP's sails and put a hole in their hull. But there's SO much money out there and SO much stupid to draw strength from. I'm gonna hold off on celebrating just yet.

[calimary]

66. Please see the TOLL FREE Capitol Hill switchboard numbers in my sig line.

I wanted to call Joe Manchin's office to tell him to stay strong with the Dems.

I was on hold for awhile before the switchboard operator picked up. She transferred me. I got a recording that said Manchin's office was closed because of the government shutdown and they couldn't respond, but if you left a brief message they could at least take that. So I did.

They NEED to hear from us, guys!!! They need calcium supplement for their new spines - and tons of it!!! Remember: the bad guys won't be letting up at all. You think the teabaggers are sitting quietly now, and behaving themselves, and not trying to butt in and drown you out and monopolize the message?

[steve2470]

18. agreed !!!! nt

[CaliforniaPeggy]

19. Once more into the breach, dear friends..........ONCE MORE!

We must not fail, not this time.

[fadedrose]

50. Group hug

[mountain grammy]

21. Yes, hold the line.

[fadedrose]

51. and hold hands too

Us old biddies gotta stick together before they push us off da cliff...

[mountain grammy]

55. For sure!

[deutsey]

22. Agreed

[Johnny Noshoes]

23. Not this day NOT this time!

[heaven05]

24. glad to finally see some

steel in the backbone of my Party. About time.

[NuclearDem]

26. ...but before that, we held the line!

[Skittles]

27. THIS is how he should be MORE OFTEN!!!

[texanwitch]

62. Yes.

The President and the Democrats in Congress caved in to many times.

This is what you get giving in to bullies.

The best way to deal with bullies is to stand up to them.

I hope they don't give in.

I give this a week.

The republicans that are not crazy will be working on a way out of this.

Not all of them live in safe districts.

[TDale313]

28. They need to hold strong.

You can't negotiate with these teaparty bullies.

[fredamae]

29. I'm proud too! n/t

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

30. High stakes poker and finally, finally,

The President is calling the bluff and not folding!

[cilla4progress]

31. Did Obama call Boehner?

I saw it on a banner in passing on the TV, but not seeing any confirmation online.

[WilliamPitt]

34. Yes, per MSNBC

No data on the content of the call.

"How's your fundraising going?"

"Great! Yours?"

"Couldn't be better, thanks."

/cynical

[bowens43]

33. Agreed. Don't cave Mr President

[4bucksagallon]

35. Too bad you had to include the Mel Gibson clips.

He does not deserve any respect from me or you, but Republicans love him.

[WilliamPitt]

36. I'm very glad

there was something for you to nitpick. Feel better? Good.

[gopiscrap]

38. I agree

[Pisces]

42. K & R

[NBachers]

43. Yes- It is a night of tragedy, a night of strength. Hold the line Mr. President; hold the line, Dems

[DisgustipatedinCA]

44. Recommended.

[lonestarnot]

46. So far so good! Asshats are going to get their clocks cleaned.

[grahamhgreen]

48. Right wing authoritarians are unable to negotiate - they bully.

[DrewFlorida]

49. I agree 100%!

[IrishAyes]

52. I'm always proud of them

But especially last night, and I'm sure in the days to come.

[Laelth]

53. Say what you want about the President, but ...

... he has been a strong leader of our Party. He got the Progressive Caucus to vote for the ACA without a Public Option, even though they swore they would never vote for it without a robust Public Option. He knows how to twist arms and get things done.

I do admire that.

-Laelth

[barbiegeek]

56. Damn that made me proud

[magical thyme]

58. Agreed. Hold the line.

Personally, I hate ACA because it doesn't address health care; it's a boondoggle for insurance companies, who profit by denying care. I continue to support single payer, period.

But the teabaggers have no right to shut down the government because they don't like the law. It's time to put the 2 year olds down for a nice long nap. Period.

[The Second Stone]

60. Some backbone at long, long last

I hope they stand firmly in favor of government of the people, by the people and for the people.

First thing to do is stop their paychecks.

I hope their Wall Street corporate masters take careful note of what their servants are doing.

[tclambert]

63. I would negotiate with Republicans, and not hold the line.

I would demand they give up more every day. Boehner fucked himself and fucked his party, and I would make him eat shit and smile. Every day I would add more to MY LIST of demands.

[oldandhappy]

65. Please continue to stand up for us!!

Thank you, senate. Thank you, Mr. President. Please do not sell us out.

[florida08]

70. nice when we can come together

and cheer with one voice. This is the way you play chess. Check mofo teabaggers

[BlancheSplanchnik]

71. for all the repukes' misplaced fulminating about the Founding Fathers...

this is one time when one *could* reference them fittingly.

[stonecutter357]

72. K&R