United States News Digest

Nerobama Boasts of 'Biggest Annual Spending Cut' in U.S. History

April 9—President Obama used his weekly address to the American people to boast about Democrats and Republicans "coming together" to agree on the biggest annual spending cut in the history of the U.S.

In his statement last night, Obama also laid it on thick, thanking Boehner and Reid for their "leadership and dedication." In fact, as Capitol Hill sources attest, Obama subjected Reid to vicious treatment, in order to get him to agree to the massive cuts Obama has favored all along.

The agreement will cut $37.8 billion from the Federal budget through the end of fiscal year 2011 on Sept. 30. But that's just the beginning, as virtually every newspaper and political pundit immediately noted.

By not fighting this budget cut through LaRouche's Glass-Steagall reorganization, the Democrats have left the way open for Obama and the Republicans using the higher-stakes battle in Congress over raising the U.S. debt ceiling, as a means of ramming through cuts in Social Security and other entitlements—à la the Catfood Commission.

By May 16, the U.S. government will hit a $14.294 trillion borrowing limit that can only be raised by Congress. Once this ceiling is hit, the U.S. Treasury cannot issue any more debt, which it issues to pay the U.S. debt, including interest on previous debt. As of April 6, the U.S. is $82 billion under the ceiling. The Treasury can use various measures to buy extra time, but it will run out of maneuvering room by July 8. Then, the U.S. government could go into default. The fascists behind Obama demand even bigger cuts as the condition for a Congressional vote to raise the debt ceiling.

With Obama pleased about "the biggest budget cut in U.S. history," the "Gang of Six"—three Republican and three Democratic U.S. Senators—have intensified their effort to get $4 trillion cut from the Federal budget deficit over 10 years. The Catfood Commission's recommendations include privatizing Medicare, reducing Social Security, and gutting Medicaid for the poor and disabled. Reports are that Obama will call for consideration of the Catfood Commission recommendations in his address to the nation on April 13.

Impeachment Bill Against Obama Over Libya Invasion

April 8 (EIRNS)—Bruce Fein, a libertarian who was in the Reagan Administration's Department of Justice, and is now chairman of American Freedom Agenda, has issued a 15-page Article of Impeachment against President Barack Obama, saying that "Barack Hussein Obama has mocked the rule of law, endangered the very existence of the Republic and the liberties of the people, and perpetrated an impeachable high crime and misdemeanor" in launching war on Libya without approval from the Congress.

Fein worked on the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, but also on the effort to impeach George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. He said that Obama has been "more bold than any other president," in failing to secure Congressional approval for the Libya attacks. "If he can wipe out the war powers authorization, why can't he wipe out Congress's authority to spend?" asked Fein. "If we're going to be a government of laws, and not descend into empire, this is Caesar crossing the Rubicon."

Fein said a number of Congressional offices have expressed interest in his proposal. "There's definitely been interest on the Hill. There's at least two dozen who have been open to the idea that this is a serious constitutional crisis."

New York Times Gets It Right on Obama Cowardice on 9/11 Trials

April 5 (EIRNS)—The "cowardice" of Obama comes in for attack by the editors of the New York Times in a scathing lead editorial on the subject of the Administration's April 4 announcement that the trial of the self-proclaimed "mastermind" of the 9/11 attacks will be held at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, and not in Federal court as Attorney General Eric Holder had stated his intention to do in November 2009.

In his announcement, clearly made under duress, Holder said that the trials of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other 9/11 defendants will have to be held at Guantanamo because of restrictions enacted by Congress which bar any such trials inside the United States.

"The retreat was a victory for Congressional pandering and an embarrassment for the Obama administration, which failed to stand up to it," the Times charged, which noted that the Federal courts have a much better record of trying and convicting terrorists than do the ill-conceived military tribunals at Guantanamo.

The Times does not blame Holder for the reversal, but puts the blame on the Obama Administration, citing a New Yorker article by Jane Mayer which had described how the Administration failed to lay the groundwork for a New York trial, and utterly failed to defend the idea after it came under specious attacks from Congress.

Wisconsin Fight Spreads to Coast-to-Coast

April 9 (EIRNS)—As many as 10,000 people rallied at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, on April 8, against threatened budgets cuts and to show solidarity with unions in Wisconsin and other states. Wisconsin State Sen. Spencer Coggs, one of "Wisconsin 14," was one of the speakers.

In Illinois, state workers and teachers have also staged a week-long series of rallies around the state, opposing legislation that limits collective bargaining for state employees. Hundreds were in Springfield on April 7, where Jeff Bigelow, regional director of AFSCME Council 31, said bills in the Illinois legislature are starting to mirror what's happening in neighboring states. "These bills, both for education employees and state employees, are representative of exactly what's happening in Wisconsin, exactly what's happening in Ohio, exactly what's happening in Indiana," said Bigelow.

In Chicago, union members from Illinois and other nearby states gathered in Daley Plaza on April 9 to show support for workers in Wisconsin. "This is no longer a state movement. This is an international movement on behalf of working families," said Betsy Kippers, vice president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council, who addressed the crowd. Wisconsin state Sen. Chris Larson warned workers that similar legislation is headed for their states.

In New York, thousands rallied in support of workers' rights along Seventh Avenue in Times Square on April 9. The demonstration came amid fears of large-scale public sector job cuts, with as many as 75,000 jobs threatened. Thousands of demonstrators chanted "We are one, we are one."

In Columbus, Ohio, thousands demonstrated to repeal Ohio's new anti-collective bargaining law on April 9, led by the AFL-CIO and teachers union, while the voters who had just elected Gov. John Kasich (R) indicated they no longer support him and his program. The rally was organized by the "We Are Ohio" campaign; it was signing up people to circulate petitions to put a referendum on the ballot to repeal the "no collective bargaining" law recently signed by Kasich, which applies to more than 350,000 public workers, banning them from striking, restricting bargaining, and eliminating binding arbitration.

Support for Kasich, who defeated incumbent Democrat Ted Strickland in November, has been transformed to hatred against him. An April Quinnipiac poll showed that Kasich's approval rating dropped to 30%, and that the number of voters who disapprove of Kasich's performance doubled in two months, to 46%, from 22% in mid-January.