Ezra Klein has been purely speculating that a deal that has bad ideas such as medicare age raising is taking shape. I do not think he is right. He has speculated in the past, and has been wrong before. However, we must NOT take things for granted. Never underestimate the ability of right wing forces to create reticence in Democrats away from their principles and sane progressive values FDR had.
The left has been currently pressuring senate democrats, Nancy Pelosi, and Obama to keep away from bad ideas that misguided President Obama and other Democrats at key times. So far it has been working.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
"House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi takes a similar position against this change, as has Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid"
http://www.dailykos.com/...
The attendee tells me the White House is cool to the idea of going over the cliff, but added: “Would they if it’s between that and compromising their core principles? I was left with the impression that they would.”
“They remain in the same place: They expect taxes to go up on the wealthy and to protect Medicare and Medicaid benefits,” the attendee added. “They feel confident that they don’t have to compromise.”
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/...
“It’s a weird thing that Democratic leaders like Dick Durbin and Chris Van Hollen appear to be embracing the ideas that progressives are pushing,” Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, told TPM. “I read Dick Durbin’s speech and it’s actually beautiful.”
Even Adam Green has been less skeptical of Democrats like Durbin who have been willing to place nicely with bad ideas in the past.
However, we still need to be more vigilant as ever. Those who are skeptical have reasons to be so. Emmanuel Cleaver recently made a medicare means testing statement that makes us good people bang our hands on the table. So has Steny Hoyer. It has happened so many times where Democrats make mistakes and get badly influenced/misguided (President Obama tried a bringing people together governing style for much of his first term. Boy did that have side effects on messaging and how he did his job). However, I think the left (like Trumka holding feet to fire) has been doing such a fantastic job of MAKING Democrats be the best recently. Obama and Democrats will NOT back down as long as we keep up the pressure. I wish there was more of that in Obama's first term. Van Jones wonders where the left was in Obama's first term. I do not remember the left having townhall meetings and influencing Democratic politicians holding those meetings the same way the tea party was.
I have always said the left needs to be organizing, building up their vigilance and infrastructure to MAKE society and politicians be accountable to progressive values. That is how the right got so powerful and "in-line all the time". The right-wing focused and built up long-term.
Here is the White House's number
Write or Call the White House
President Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible administration in American history. That begins with taking comments and questions from you, the public, through our website.
Call the President
Phone Numbers
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
Nancy Pelosi
(202) 225-4965
Harry Reid
(202)-224-3542
Dick Durbin
(202) 224-2152
Organize. Do not agonize. 2012 was a turning point election because the left has huge leverage and opportunity to be a force to society for the long-term.