The Budget Smackdown Feels as Staged as WWE

[radhika]

I personally feel that all sides (Dems, Repugs and O) are milking and amping the staged drama, just to titillate their bases. And try to hold on to their marketable brand for fundraising purposes. Now we are focused on Women's Issues and Planned Parenthood. A desperate attempt to save something precious. Sort of like Little Nell on the railroad tracks. We saw this at year end. Then it was the Unemployed.

Character Arc: Orangina gets to look like he's a tough dude, man pants, like the Bag Lady challenged. Harry Reid, little dude, still doing his gosh darn best to flag that train away before it snuffs little Nell. And he's holdin' on, yes he's holdin on but he could sur' use some help. Tada! Charismaatically waiting in the wings, just as we're starting to give up hope, out comes Hop-a-Long Daddy-O, who will pretend he was the wise Solomon-like grownup that made peace in the schoolyard. Charisma Power.

This Story Arc isn't selling to me. GOP/Baggers will get most of what they want financially, with or without a shutdown. Obama rarely goes the mat for the working/middle classes. If there is a take away, it's done at the cost of something the working people or (gasp!) Progressives want. Nothing of $ub$tance is taken away from corporations, banks, 1%-ers or Wall Street. Maybe he's savin' it all up for the Pay-4-View event of November 2012!!

But...if Little Nell only loses a leg or arm on those tracks this time, I guess it's all worth it.

[Iris]

1. well done

:applause:

[CoffeeCat]

2. It does...it feels so staged...

My guess is that this is why the 'talks' are done in secret.

They're all sitting behind closed doors, drinking cocktails and laughing their asses off at how
gullible we are. 99 percent of them don't give a rip about abortion, women's rights, this, that,
or the other thing.

As you said, they're stoking their bases.

No wonder they despise us so much. They lie to us with these horrendous acts, and we believe
every word of it.

[icnorth]

23. Yep. The Donald Trump thespian road show

has more credibility than this farce.

[Contrary1]

24. I said pretty much the same thing to my husband...

but you forgot to add the Cuban cigars.

[emulatorloo]

3. Conspiracy Theory Underground n/t

[young but wise]

4. +1

[Jakes Progress]

6. Oh, yeah. The Democrats are fighting so hard.

It's less conspiracy. More Kabuki. Slight of hand. A show for the easily duped. Welcome.

[emulatorloo]

9. You guys need to get a grip. Stop posting wackjob crap and pretending it is true

Don't bother concocting something else.

[Jakes Progress]

19. What have you got a grip on. Let go and look around. Stop the pollyanna bullshit.

You are the one in need of reality if you don't think politics was being played tonight. Are you new to this stuff?

[emulatorloo]

21. Yes! It is just like when Elvis faked his death and staged his OWN funeral!!!!!!

http://i15.photobucket.com.nyud.net:8090/albums/a396/emuloo/elvis_conspiracy.jpg

[Jakes Progress]

25. Okay. I give up. I'm cynic and you are a cock-eyed optimist.

You are Pangloss to my Martin. I question. You accept.

You will probably be the happier for your unquestioning nature. In my 60 plus years, I have come to have a more jaundiced eye.

But just stop calling the OP a conspiracy concept. That term is not used. it does not apply. The OP describes political maneuvering. Surely even Dr. Pangloss in his best of all possible worlds, would know the difference. Do you? Saying the OP is s crack pot conspiracy theory is a shallow and, if deliberate, dishonest way to argue. Just say you don't think the parties are playing politics and jockeying for re-election an move on. You name calling and hysteria are not good traits.

[emulatorloo]

26. "your unquestioning nature" LOL I did the whole Dems = Republicans back in my early 20's

Then Reagan's second term disabused me of that notion.

OP appears to be saying that there Obama, Boehner and Reid had a :"secret agreement" from day one and the rest was a stage play they agreed to put on.

Sorry, sounds like a conspiracy theory to me.

OP Seems also to claim the Dems don't GIVE A FLYING FUCK about Title X, it is all a "show." That is preposterous and fact free.

Well anyway, nice talking to you. At least we didn't call each other assholes. As to the deal, don't know the details but I know I will be unhappy about some stuff.

[Jakes Progress]

28. It's only secret to those who do not question.

It's politics. The OP and I aren't the only ones who think the whole thing was theater or a game of mutual cover your ass. My nasty little questioning mind would have me wonder if the Democrats caved so quickly because they saw the drama of the planned parenthood fight as a way to avoid taking a hit for cutting so many programs just when the nation needs expansion rather than contraction. Check out Krugman's take on the party bragging about their obvious failure, projecting is as a great victory while at the same time adopting as their stance the stance of the neocons that all the country needs is more tax cuts and spending cuts. Damn those children for eating so much. It's hard to see the fuck that the Dems give in this, airborne or not.

[emulatorloo]

29. Krugman's piece and the Ezra Klein piece he cites make a lot of good points

Klein always takes a pragmatic view of how to accomplish what we want to accompish. I think he is dead right about the Clinton model being inappropriate in the last three paragraphs.

I found an article that actually gives details of the deal and the riders (another DU'er posted it). You may find it useful.

FACTBOX-Details of deal reached to keep US government running
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/09/usa-budget-idUSN0727284120110409

We are never going to agree on the "Kabuki Theater" metaphor. Of course there was politicking going on. You are not going to convince me that Dems did not care about the EPA. Planned Parenthood. defunding of HCR. etc etc

[Jakes Progress]

30. They care. But it's only up to the point that their jobs,

their perks, and their money is involved.

Yes, I thin there are still good Democrats, senators and representatives who do fight the good fight. But the party is also infested with a huge number (I think majority) who are neo-dems. The run as Democrats, but work for things that they could never run on and get elected. They are very, very removed from most the people they represent. They go to Washington and make their new friends among the lobbyists and fellow politicians. They grow further and further from us. That is if they were ever one of us. I've worked with these people on legislation. Not many impressed me with their commitment to serve the people.

[Jakes Progress]

5. Rachel called them on this tonight.

Before discussion the pretend issues of Planned Parenthood and the EPA, she brought up the fact that the Democrats were caving to a $39 dollar cut in government.

It's another case of "OH Look over there" while over here they are dismantling the work of thousands and thousands of hardworking progressives. What too unions and marchers and protesters decades to accomplish, this group of "Democrats" is giving away to republicans without a qualm. There are precious few Democrats with D's beside their name in congress and the white house.

[emulatorloo]

7. Bullshit. She did not claim this was staged as OP did. She is not a conspiracy theorist.

[Jakes Progress]

18. Don't be naive. Don't change the subject by calling names.

The OP doesn't mention a conspiracy. The OPO only points out how the game is being played, how you are being played. It's called politics. Both side are working for themselves. So stop trying to pretend that the electorate is being noble served by congress and the white house. This is politics as usual. Each side give the other cover for the crap they do. They are a bunch of millionaires looking out for other millionaires. If you aren't a millionaire and you think what happened tonight was to help you and your family, then you are living in a dreamworld.

Rachel was pointing out that the deal to screw the public out of their benefits while protecting the tax cuts for the rich was already done and that all this drama was over some kabuki theatre about planned parent hood and the epa. Notice the part of the show that pointed out that this was not about the budget.

It's not a conspiracy. It's a war. You are losing.

[drokhole]

8. Yes. Thanks for saving me the time.

:yourock:

Edit: Oh, and don't forget the "Countdown to Shutdown Clock" that all the MSM ran for extra dramatic effect!

[arikara]

10. 54% goes to war machine

Funny how neither party will make any meaningful cut to the military.

[lonestarnot]

17. or recover and dough from the rich, let alone tax them. Give 'em a fucking rebate.

[drokhole]

11. What a nail-biter!

And with only seconds to spare! Now, let's all enjoy the denouement (hopefully, they'll finally tell us what the fuck is in this thing).

[andym]

12. Not to me, it feels like a major GOP victory

as the Democratic party has again surrendered. It has the bitter taste or reality.

[bullwinkle428]

13. The most puke-worthy element was Reid heaping praise upon Turtle Man.

Jesus Christ, I hope these morons break their arms patting each other on the back like this, as ordinary Americans just continue to suffer more and more.

[tahrir]

14. agreed, at the end of the day -> TAX CUTS for the RICH - NO CAKE for everyone else

what a scam :puke:

[Poboy]

15. Recommend.

[anarch]

16. well, our whole society is mostly based on bullshit at this point, so what else can we expect?

[Hannah Bell]

20. +100. It's a charade and the fix is in.

[StarburstClock]

22. Rec'd

It's all press-ops 101 or as Naomi Klein calls it "Shock Doctrine".

[labor4ever]

27. Agreed