Obama's people strongly hinting Obama will appease the GOP on cutting Social Security

[brentspeak]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-kuttner/zero-hour-for-social-security_b_806486.html

Robert Kuttner
Co-founder and co-editor of The American Prospect
Posted: January 9, 2011 04:51 PM

Zero Hour for Social Security

As I have previously warned--and I hope I'm wrong--President Obama seems on the verge of needlessly cutting America's most valued social program and the one that best differentiates Republicans from Democrats. This is part of a vain effort to appease deficit hawks in his own party and on Wall Street, as well as Republicans who are utter hypocrites when it comes to deficits--increasing them as long as the purpose is tax cuts but then turning around and demanding program cuts in order to reduce the deficits they http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-kuttner/social-security-the-comin_b_795582.html">created. All the choreography is in place for the president to embrace Social Security cuts in his upcoming State of the Union address.

snip

It's politically idiotic for democrats to join this parade. To have Republicans demand cuts in Social Security at a time when they are also demanding tax cuts for the rich is a cue for Democrats to make clear which side they're on. Obama got in big trouble with seniors in the health care bill because they were worried that it would mean Medicare cuts. In 2010, Democrats lost the senior vote, big time. Now, Obama has a splendid opportunity to point out that it's Republicans who want to cut Social Security.

But look at this exchange from CNN Friday evening. Wolf Blitzer, interviewing Obama economic adviser Austan Goolsbee plays a clip of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham demanding Social Security cuts as the price of extension of the debt ceiling. Goolsbee is resolute on the need to extend the debt ceiling, but strongly suggests that Obama is amenable to a deal on Social Security cuts:

GOOLSBEE: snip...
We should have an honest discussion about the budget. The president is not against that. He knows we must deal with our long- run fiscal challenges. And when he releases his budget in the a few weeks, I think it is going to be clear that he takes that responsibility seriously, and he's not averse to making tough choices...

[Little Star]

1. The thought of this makes me want to puke! Ugh!

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[EnviroBat]

3. If they fuck with Social Security I have vowed that I will not pay another dime

towards student loans. If they attempt to garnish my wages, I will quit my job, and begin working for myself. Fuck them all. I'm so sick of this government screwing us over, I don't think I can take anymore. Fuck them all, dems and republicans alike.

[Name removed]

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[democrat_patriot]

5. He said 'let's look at this as adults' where did he say they

were going to raise the age or cut benefits? I read it as "we're going to look at it, so we can say we we looked at everything"....

It could also mean they are cutting the defense budget just as much as SS.

[indepat]

6. This indepat thinks if Obama caves on this one issue, after caving on tax cuts for the "wealthy,"

surely he realizes he's virtually conceding the 2012 election: then the real fun will begin with pubs having total control of all three major branches of government, for we ain't yet seen anything like what will be in store for us. ;)

[HeroTwins]

7. got facts?? or just endless speculation?

[Name removed]

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[dionysus]

9. try harder, you can do better.

[barbiegeek]

10. Graham & Blitzer are both LIARS--Don't believe them