From HP:
House Republicans unveiled a stopgap spending bill on Friday afternoon that would avert a government shutdown for two weeks while making dramatic cuts to social programs, totaling $4 billion. Senate Democrats flatly rejected such an offer on Wednesday, but today took a more conciliatory stance, while continuing to press for a monthlong extension.
We all know what this means. It means Harry Reid, scared as usual, is rationalizing his abandonment of social programs because he can't seem to avoid a checkmate in our current game of "Who will orchestrate the blame for a government shutdown?" And the problem is this is not over an actual budget, but he's willing to give make these cuts for a TWO WEEK EXTENSION.
Once again, the republicans have made demands and, once again, we democrats have caved into them without even a fight.
Lets make this perfectly clear. If a government shutdown occurs, it will be the republicans fault. THEY are the only one's calling for it. THEY are the only one's demanding cuts that effect the poorest of us when they have already won the cuts that enrich the wealthiest of us.
Tax cuts for the rich.
Cuts in social programs.
No wall street reform.
No public option.
How much do our elected officials, the people who said they stood for us, have to left to offer that they are not willing to bargain away out of personal fear and an inability to fight?
This is the watershed moment. Our party HAS TO STAND FOR SOMETHING. And standing up doesn't mean standing down. There are those out there who believe it's all fixed. That our party has happily accepted second rate status so they can receive their lobby money and pork. I reject that. Our side can't seem to agree on anything, least of all a behind-closed-doors ruse on the public.
The truth is we have elected people, from the President down, who have no fight in them. Without a fight, everything in the democratic agenda is vulnerable. EVERYTHING.
Will anyone EVER defend us?Updated by Verbalpaintball at Sat Feb 26, 2011, 03:01:26 PM
It AMAZES me the amount of people who are willing to defend the democrats capitulation here. You do realize this battle has been going on for half a year. This is the first administration in decades that has not been able to SET A YEARLY BUDGET and all of this is due to push-back from republicans.
Furthermore, these tax cuts our cowardly senators have agreed to are only agreed to so the government can avoid a shut down FOR ONLY TWO WEEKS. If they're not willing to stand their ground now (or the other three times continuing resolutions were forced on them over this) what makes you think in two weeks, when this bullshit starts all over again, they're going to be any different?
As it is right now republicans have bragging rights - and essentially their opposing party agreeing silently that cuts must be made.
Cuts in this budget - the current budget, not even 2012 - are for shit. All it means is we've lost again. I just don't understand people who enable and support obvious failure.