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Debt Discussions Demonstrate Democratic Divisiveness
 Just as Senate Democrats were sitting down Thursday to a scheduled meeting with White House budget director Jacob J. Lew, rumors of a new debt-limit deal flashed across their BlackBerrys. One after another, they demanded that Lew explain what the president was doing.The Democrats were winning, the senators said. The American people were with them on tax increases for the rich Why should I pay more for gasoline without a pay increase? When Lew left, Mikulski turned to her colleagues and said, "I haven't seen a meeting like this in my 35 years in Congress." Outside the room, Lew said he was "not aware of a deal."  In the House, rank-and-file Democrats said the situation had grown dire. "It would concern me greatly if these folks -- the tea party group -- have been able to convince the president to go along with a deal that basically gives them everything they want but yet still takes away from those who are our most vulnerable," said. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings.Funny. That's what we think about the Dems - they're waiting to get everything they want. They're winning. "We won." Too bad the media can't provide a balanced perspective. Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (Ariz.), a leader of the House Progressive Caucus, Often kept in check out of loyalty for their president, congressional Democrats have grown increasingly suspicious of Obama's motives over the past year. Many in the House didn't appreciate what they saw as meager support for Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) in her final, embattled months as House speaker before the 2010 midterm election. She was re-elected, wasn't she? Kwitchyerbitchin. Among Senate Democrats, there is still bitterness about the deal Vice President Biden negotiated in secret in December with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) that extended all of the George W. Bush-era tax cuts, including those for the wealthy. There's still "wealthy" left? We haven't progressed enough! The T-word -- "triangulation" -- began to circulate across Capitol Hill as lawmakers recalled how President Bill Clinton distanced himself from his party's liberal base and from conservatives as he positioned himself for a reelection run. You go, WaPo. Tear off the old scabs! Pour in the salt! Sell newspapers! Republicans didn't mind seeing a little open feuding on the other side of the aisle. Throughout July, the Capitol has been absorbed by a GOP soap opera as Boehner has privately jousted with his younger leadership lieutenants. Sounds like it wasn't so private, after all. Posted by: Bobby 2011-07-22 |
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