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applegrove

(118,677 posts) Sun Oct 26, 2014, 10:31 PM Oct 2014

"The Democratic Panic"

The Democratic Panic

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD at the NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/22/opinion/alison-lundergan-grimes-kay-hagan-and-other-candidates-avoid-obama.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share&_r=1

"SNIP...................

“When I think about the health care law, frustrated, disappointed, you can put a lot of words toward it, but every day I work to try to fix it,” said Senator Mark Begich of Alaska, in a radio ad. (Mr. Begich voted for the law.) In a recent debate, Senator Kay Hagan, a Democrat of North Carolina, talked mostly about the “common-sense fixes” she wants to make to the law.

Several Democratic candidates, including Ms. Hagan, Ms. Nunn, and Senator Mark Pryor of Arkansas, quickly adopted the right-wing talking point that President Obama needs to impose a travel ban on all residents of African countries with Ebola cases, even though most public-health experts say such a ban would be ineffective and could make the situation worse.

Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, who has fought loudly against the president’s energy policies, has scurried so far to the right that she even opposes legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, though her leading Republican opponent supports it.

Many of these candidates are running in difficult political environments and are being careful about what they say or don’t say in hopes of preserving Democratic control of the Senate. They run the risk, though, of alienating important constituencies who prefer a party with a spine, especially black voters, who remain very supportive of Mr. Obama. By not standing firmly for their own policies, Democrats send a message to voters that the unending Republican criticism of the president is legitimate. There is much that is going right in this country, and there is still time for Democrats to say so.
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8 replies

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Highlight:

"The Democratic Panic" (Original Post) applegrove Oct 2014 OP

It is amazing how Democrats fail so miserably to tout their successes. BillZBubb Oct 2014 #1

no politician wants to be linked to SS bmac19gg Oct 2014 #2

"no politician knows how to fix it" yortsed snacilbuper Oct 2014 #3

YEP. Rex Oct 2014 #4

Exactly. applegrove Oct 2014 #5

would one of those people be President Obama? bmac19gg Oct 2014 #6

Simple to fix - just lift the cap. Simple also to enrich it for existing SS recipients ... Scuba Oct 2014 #8

Personally, I think I would tend to agree with Mark. Blue_In_AK Oct 2014 #7

BillZBubb

(10,650 posts)

1. It is amazing how Democrats fail so miserably to tout their successes.

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Sun Oct 26, 2014, 11:14 PM

Oct 2014

They actually should have run on Obamacare. They should have linked it to other Democratic programs like Social Security and Medicare. The right wing opposed those too. It would have been perfect to draw out the republicans on those programs--which is a loser for the republicans.

Instead of being on the attack, Democrats always play a weak defense by agreeing with the republican attack points and promising to do it "better" next time.

It is really difficult to figure out what the Democrats stand for, or rather what they would actually fight for.

bmac19gg

(96 posts)

2. no politician wants to be linked to SS

Reply to BillZBubb (Reply #1)

Mon Oct 27, 2014, 12:07 AM

Oct 2014

Because no politician knows how to fix it without doing the things by which no politician wants their name attached; raising retirement age, reducing payouts, etc.

And I share your sentiment regarding the difficulty in catching sight of what Democrats stand for these days. From where I sit there is far too much name calling and diatribes and not enough functional solutions.

yortsed snacilbuper

(7,939 posts)

3. "no politician knows how to fix it"

Reply to bmac19gg (Reply #2)

Mon Oct 27, 2014, 01:11 AM

Oct 2014

It ain't broke!

Rex

(65,616 posts)

4. YEP.

Reply to yortsed snacilbuper (Reply #3)

Mon Oct 27, 2014, 01:14 AM

Oct 2014

Oh but it is to a certain type of person.

applegrove

(118,677 posts)

5. Exactly.

Reply to Rex (Reply #4)

Mon Oct 27, 2014, 01:51 AM

Oct 2014

bmac19gg

(96 posts)

6. would one of those people be President Obama?

Reply to Rex (Reply #4)

Mon Oct 27, 2014, 02:04 AM

Oct 2014

Because as a Senator, Candidate, and President has has spoke of the need for SS reform to the effect of that it has a strong base but needs to be strengthened in order to be preserved. He was asked the question "How do we fix Social Security" in the debate vs McCain and I have to believe if he didn't think it was broken he would have said so but instead he responded with an explanation as to how he planned to fix it.

Scuba

(53,475 posts)

8. Simple to fix - just lift the cap. Simple also to enrich it for existing SS recipients ...

Reply to bmac19gg (Reply #2)

Mon Oct 27, 2014, 06:56 AM

Oct 2014

... and to lower the eligibility age - apply SS tax on capital gains.

Sadly, the only "fix" the politician's owners will allow is dumping it into the big casino where they can steal it.

Blue_In_AK

(46,436 posts)

7. Personally, I think I would tend to agree with Mark.

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Mon Oct 27, 2014, 03:55 AM

Oct 2014

It does need some fixing. The health care law, that is.

He is not in favor of raising the retirement age or lowering payments, but wants to raise the salary cutoff. I'm having trouble finding the right words this late at night, but what I mean is people who make higher incomes should continue to pay into social security rather than having it cut off at $117,000 or whatever it is now. To me, that is the best solution.

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