Now, in all fairness, Greg Sargent did not call John Boehner's hostage demands an act of class war. That was me, and others like me, others like Robert Greenstein of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), as reported by thinkprogress.org
How Boehner’s Debt Plan Produces ‘The Greatest Increase In Poverty And Hardship’ In American History
John Boehner’s debt ceiling proposal would add $1 trillion to the current $14.3 trillion debt limit (which would be expected to allow the government to continue borrowing into April of 2012), reduce spending immediately and cap future spending to save $1.2 trillion over 10 years, and establish a 12-member joint committee of Congress charged with reporting back to both chambers by Nov. 23 with recommendations to reduce the deficit by an additional $1.8 trillion over 10 years. The plan also calls for a vote on a constitutional balanced budget amendment before the end of 2011.
It’s a plan that the usually “mild-mannered” Robert Greenstein of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) is describing as “tantamount to a form of ‘class warfare’” that “if enacted, it could well produce the greatest increase in poverty and hardship produced by any law in modern U.S. history.” Since Boehner’s blueprint contains no tax increases and his first round of cuts targets discretionary spending, the joint committee will have no choice but to achieve its $1.8 trillion in budget reductions by cutting entitlement spending, Greenstein explains:
In short, the Boehner plan would force policymakers to choose among cutting the incomes and health benefits of ordinary retirees, repealing the guts of health reform and leaving an estimated 34 million more Americans uninsured, and savaging the safety net for the poor. It would do so even as it shielded all tax breaks, including the many lucrative tax breaks for the wealthiest and most powerful individuals and corporations.
ThinkProgress.org
Pure class war, and immediate increase in poverty the likes of which the US hasn't seen and total protection for the wealthiest among us. This is the budget for the next Great Depression, only in Great Depression 2.0 the rich don't jump out of buildings, you do it for them. The rich get to keep ALL profits and the tax paying public, the workers and consumers all have to sustain the sacrifices that come with any losses. The fraud is thick enough to eat with a fork if there wasn't so much horseshit everywhere. The banks rob us, commit predatory financial fraud, capture the regulatory agencies, capture the elected officials and then declare themselves Too Big To Fail, and now you are screwed, totally screwed to John Boehner's vision of the new House Republican Great Depression, that is, unless some one stands up to stop them.
And that someone, as history has deemed, is President Barack Obama, and that is why when I read Greg Sargent report, as others have for weeks on end, about how Obama is trying to compromise somewhere between a total GOP class war where the working class are exploited to feed an already bloated oligarchy and a more pragmatic approach, whatever that may be, I am not only disheartened, but I get tired of Obama's most ardent supporters yelling at me like the Progressive in the room is to blame for not being reasonable enough to except that some class war is going to have to take place.
Could Boehner and Reid plans both hurt recovery?
By Adam Serwer
With the House looking more likely to pass Speaker John Boehner’s debt ceiling bill today, and with Harry Reid pushing his own plan, it’s worth asking: How would each of their plans impact the economy?
David Dayen writes that the International Monetary Fund estimates that fiscal contraction — which both plans would do — could increase unemployment.
Think about that for a second. At a time when unemployment is hovering close to ten percent, both major parties in Washington are proposing legislation that could increase joblessness instead of lessening it.
From the point of view of helping the economy recover, this is idiotic. For Republicans, of course, increased unemployment and lower GDP increase the possibility of Obama being a one term president. The reason few people are stating the obvious — that there’s something oddly masochistic about harming the economy at time when so many are unemployed — is that both sides are pushing plans that could damage the recovery. That’s because we’re trapped in a Beltway Deficit Feedback Loop, where no one’s talking about unemployment and everyone’s talking about the deficit.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
Bold text added by the diarist
Both parties pushing this austerity rubbish on us have plans that will only harm the economy for the working class, the only debate here is whether the super rich should have to throw the equivalent of a few pennies in our begging bowl or if the rich should be allowed to steal our blankets and cardboard shelters as well.
So here you have the Boehner plan for the Great Duhpression of the Republican House, which is referred to as Class War, and said to be a pathway to crushing poverty for millions, and the Obama White House is leaning towards it, because we wouldn't want to appear to partisan in outright rejecting a plan that would amount to massive defeat for the working class in America, you know, that 98% of America known to the people in DC as "Voters" and the people in corporate boardrooms as "suckers".
By Greg Sargent
According to a source close to the talks, Vice President Joe Biden has been in discussions with multiple officials on the Hill from both parties, about ways of realizing this aim.
One idea being floated in multiple private discussions would in effect be a fusion of the Boehner plan and the original McConnell plan to transer control of the debt ceiling to the President.
~snip~
Again, these ideas are in flux, are nebulous, and are far from being anything official. But the intensity with which officials are thrashing around for some kind of solution right now is a clear indication of just how deep the quicksand is at this point.
Okay, now, to emphasis his point, Sargent states that everything is still in flux, noting is certain, so panic is not sensible, and part of me is inclined to think about that for a sec. You should to, but hold that thought until you get below the fold.
So, here is one plan that is described as punishing reverse Robin Hood style class war, and between that the other position being offered is a moderate compromise allowing some crushing class war in exchange for the promise to not destroy the world economy.
How the fuck did it get to this?
The Republican plan is to threat to destroy the present for everyone if you don't let them destroy the future of the American working class.
And the Democrat is to have only a slighter class war to appease the Republican in exchange for the ending of a long, drawn out hostage situation, which will resume immediately after this brooha passes to return a week from now when the budget debate begins.
And the alternative to both of these plans, if no deal is made, if no clean vote can be had, the alternative is a world wide great depression.
Really.
So the pragmatist says to I, Mr. Smarty Pants Liberal, that I am not being reasonable, I am being a Debbie Downer and not a team player when I say I don't want ANY CLASS WAR, and I will be fucking furious with any compromise that include part of Boehner's plan for ‘The Greatest Increase In Poverty And Hardship’ In American History.
If your policies delivery pain to the working class, does it make a difference what the party affiliations are anymore?
When both parties embrace Hoovernomics, is it not obvious that the super rich, the banksters, the Oligarchy owns both parties? If my choice as a voter is between "I Hate You Conservatives" and "Compassionate Conservatives along with a few dirty fucking hippies" than maybe that is the cause of a lack of voter enthusiasm. And to those who insist that Obama is guilt free in all of this and that those who are disappointed in him are misinformed to think so, let me ask you this, what part of "The Greatest Increase In Poverty And Hardship’ In American History" do you not understand? And why the fuck should I compromise at all with that? We should reject it, openly and loudly, it should not even be considered, and the crooks who proposed it should be laughed out of the bargaining room and exposed to the public for the snake oil salesman that they are.
But instead, we are told that "neither party is to blame" by the President as he addresses the nation about this GOP caused hostage situation. We are told that only through compromise is anything achieved.
Compromise with lunatics who lie and plan to hurt you so they can protect their rich and powerful friends.
This is insanity.
Until Elected Democrats, especially the leadership, in both policy and word, can reject this open and obvious Class War, they will be the GOPlite, with the same policies, the same friendly attitude to the special interests with whom they try to "work with", and the same shitty lukewarm results in both their policies and voter enthusiasm. You want me to feel "fired up" and "ready to go" to vote for more Democrats and another term for Obama? Great, you can start by flat out rejecting the GOP class war and call it what it is, robbery, and then you can try making the strongest case possible for what the Democratic Party stands for today, because I have no fucking idea what that is anymore when the Democratic party is willing to sacrifice every piece of their bedrock legislation from the last century.
Because the GOP clearly stands for whatever Rush Limbaugh and Fox News tell them, and if the only thing Democrats stand for is whatever compromise they can get from Rush Limbaugh and his crowd, then Great Depression 2.0 is on the table, but a future with a strong American working class is not.
Then again, multi-dimensional chess is not my strong suit. I am more of a poker player, but I can tell a rigged game when I see one.
I want to see a party that fights FOR the working class, not one that is willing to negotiate away the future of the working class.
So talk me down, I would like something to hope for.
Peace and love to all
You can follow me on Twitter @JesseLaGreca