Five Things for Liberals to Like in the Debt Ceiling Deal

http://swampland.time.com/2011/08/01/five-things-for-liberals-to-like-in-the-debt-ceiling-deal/

By Jay Newton-Small Monday, August 1, 2011

As the broad strokes of the debt ceiling deal began to leak out over the weekend, progressive groups filled reporters’ inboxes with outraged e-mails. “Seeing a Democratic President take taxing the rich off the table and instead push a deal that will lead to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefit cuts is like entering a bizarre parallel universe — one with horrific consequences for middle-class families,” Progressive Change Campaign Committee Co-Founder Stephanie Taylor wrote. “This deal is the exact opposite of what the majority of Americans support, and all Democrats in Congress should oppose it.”

“MoveOn’s 5 million members, along with the vast majority of Americans, will not stand for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefit cuts–not now, and not six months from now,” wrote Justin Ruben, Executive Director of MoveOn.org, “Congress should reject both ‘triggers’, and a ‘Super Congress’, and pass a clean debt ceiling bill that doesn’t force the middle class and the poor to bear the brunt of this crisis.”

But as the details of the compromise emerged, it seemed there was actually a lot for liberals to like about this bill. If and when the House passes the bill on Monday, it will likely be with the help of a lot of Democrats. Here’s why some liberals are actually happy with this deal:

It represents on the whole, a major concession to teabagger hostage taking tactics and their framing of the issues.

If I was a senator I would vote for cloture to let it come up for a vote, but vote against the actual bill.

This thing is one big, pathetic drama that was ginned up to make it seem like Congress is going to do something, without really doing anything at all.

Frankly, the angst from the left is HIGHLY disproportionate to what this thing is ...

It is a whole lot of not a lot ...

The things in the deal that the Republicans like are by and large enacted immediately (the raising of the debt limit I call a bipartisan "victory" in that no sane person wanted to see the U.S. default), while the details of the deal for the Democrats are promises down the line, wholly dependent on Republicans' good faith in keeping their word.

I am not optimistic that a promise built on such a foundation has much chance of being kept.