The plot to steal our future

[Hannah Bell]

CLOSED-DOOR meetings in Washington, attended by a carefully chosen collection of America's corporate and political elite. The crusade of a megalomaniac billionaire, and the un-scrutinized activities of his supposedly philanthropic foundation. Political agendas and records obscured by a manipulated media. The fates and futures of hundreds of millions of people on the line. Sounds like the ingredients of a cheesy thriller, right? Think again. This is exactly what's happening in Washington today with the campaign to wreck the Social Security system for current and future retirees.

THE COMMISSION has been meeting all year, with a carefully timed deadline for issuing its recommendations after congressional elections in November. The commission's report will then be taken up by a lame duck Congress. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have promised a vote on the recommendations before the end of year--under special rules that bar amendments.

Rumor has it that the commission will take up other austerity measures--a new squeeze on the Medicare and Medicaid government health programs, and perhaps a regressive value-added tax that would increase the price of consumer goods. But Social Security has taken center stage in what limited discussion there has been about the panel...

http://socialistworker.org/2010/09/13/plot-to-steal-our-future

[Syrinx]

1. the solution to the problem is simple and obvious

Slash the pentagon. The "defense" establishment is a leech.

I think we should still have the strongest military in the world. But it is insane that we spend more than the rest of the world combined on weapons.

Slash the Offense Department.

[Scuba]

2. Agreed....

...we could take SOME of the money we spent on military and provide food, clothing, shelter, education and health care for every man, woman and child on the planet. We could use some more to revitalize America's infrastructure and economy.

With the remaining, we could have the largest military in the world to protect us from the dozen or so people who would still consider us an "enemy".

[xchrom]

3. Taking from the masses when the masses

Have so little to give.

It's become a time honored tradition.
Like christmas.