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In reply to the discussion: In Case You Missed This... "The Criticism Has Irritated The White House..." - NYT [View all]grantcart
(53,061 posts)38. More BS, trying to stir up a storm among the left.
Baker quotes Trumka twitter initial reaction to the deal.
After he had a chance to read the full details Trumka had a different response:
From the front page of the AFL-CIO
http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Political-Action-Legislation/Trumka-s-Statement-on-the-Fiscal-Cliff-Agreement
The agreement passed by the Senate last night is a breakthrough in beginning to restore tax fairness and achieves some key goals of working families. It does not cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits. It raises more than $700 billion over 10 years, including interest savings, by ending the Bush income tax cuts for families making more than $450,000 a year. And in recognition of the continuing jobs crisis, it extends unemployment benefits for a year. A strong message from voters and a relentless echo from grassroots activists over the last six weeks helped get us this far.
But lawmakers should have listened even better. The deal extends the Bush tax cuts for families earning between $250,000 and $450,000 a year and makes permanent Bush estate tax cuts exempting estates valued up to $5 million from any tax. These concessions amount to over $200 billion in additional tax cuts for the 2%.
And because of Republican hostage taking, the deal simply postpones the $1.2 trillion sequester for only two months and does not address the debt ceiling, setting the stage for more fiscal blackmail at the expense of the middle class.
Instead of moving to address our nations real jobs and public investment crisis, our leaders will be debating a prolonged artificial fiscal crisis. In the weeks to come, as the confrontation over the economic direction of our country continues, the working men and women of the AFL-CIO will continue to fight to keep poor and middle class families from giving more so rich people can continue paying less. That means a fairer, more progressive tax system, an end to Bush tax rates for the 2% and protection of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid from benefit cuts.
By separating the tax cuts out and now forcing the Republicans to negotiate on each specific spending reduction and attaching further revenues to any tax cuts the President has clearly out manouvered the Republicans and that is why the Republcians are crying rivers of tears and progressive leaders like Trumka are giving full throated endorsement of the strategy.
But you are free to cherry pick statements to make it appear otherwise and manufacture a completely false image of large segments of the left being upset about the deal.
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In Case You Missed This... "The Criticism Has Irritated The White House..." - NYT [View all]
WillyT
Jan 2013
OP
He's got his walking shoes...wait...actually those are his bedroom slippers...
JoeBlowToo
Jan 2013
#6
"the next four years kind of make me nervous" -- and the four after that are terrifying
FiveGoodMen
Jan 2013
#43
"he is serving the people to the best of his ability" we must make him strive to be more
No Compromise
Jan 2013
#26
I have a hard time dealing with extra-judicial murder of US citizens -- at the whim of one man --
FiveGoodMen
Jan 2013
#44
And, of course, he is going to pass on this murder-of-US-citizens-on-a-whim to the next occupant.
AnotherMcIntosh
Jan 2013
#54
That's the op's account. I haven't heard the president say he's "irritated", have you?
Tarheel_Dem
Jan 2013
#48
I saw that too and wondered. Its interesting that Obama is "hearing" us enough to be irritated now
riderinthestorm
Jan 2013
#61
No, none of "the comments sound like Republican comments." They are the exact opposite.
AnotherMcIntosh
Jan 2013
#56
I am pissed at them too Mr. President. They haven't heard about the close the loopholes plan yet.
lonestarnot
Jan 2013
#72