Exclusive: Obama may cut Social Security, Sen. Sanders tells Raw

[avaistheone1]

Social Security may be on the White House chopping block, a US Senator recently told Raw Story, expressing deep uneasiness about President Barack Obama's noncommittal attitude toward staving off cuts to the cherished program.

"I have to tell you, I have been on the phone to the very, very, very highest levels of the Obama administration, and the responses that I am getting are not assuring," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said in an exclusive interview. "What I’m told is that no definitive decisions have been made on the issue of Social Security – I expect that is probably true."

Progressive activists, fearing that the holy grail of American liberalism could fall prey to a bipartisan deal on Capitol Hill, have launched a campaign to pressure the White House and Congress to oppose cuts. And Sanders has stepped up as their champion in the Senate, confirming their concerns based on knowledge drawn from his relative proximity to the president.

"What I’m hearing does not reassure me – that we have a president who is not prepared to defend the heart and soul of what the Democratic Party has been about since Franklin Delano Roosevelt," said Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist.


http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/obama-weak-social-security-bernie-sanders-tells-raw/

[ProSense]

1. May? Does that mean he may not? He may be a willing to commit political suicide

He may be a one-term President. He may not be.

Here's a good Daily Kos diary: President Obama, Keep your Social Security promises

It links to this video: Social Security: Keep The Promise

[Jackpine Radical]

6. Weren't you the one who chided us for fearing

Obama would dump the public option?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8596675&mesg_id=8596675

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8648151&mesg_id=8648151

[ProSense]

8. Remember when the Progressive Caucus stood up for the public option?

WTF does my opinion about the public option have to do with the fact that the President has said nothing about cutting Social Security?

[Enrique]

29. also the Bush tax cuts

both were supposedly political suicide, though Obama is very much alive.

[ProSense]

32. The Bush tax cuts never represented political suicide.

There was more hype around them than anything. The position on the tax cuts for the rich was that they didn't work and rich people didn't deserve a tax cut. That is not remotely close to the political and social implications of cutting Social Security.

[girl gone mad]

45. But you did say that the payroll tax holiday was a ludicrous idea..

that amounted to bad Republican politics.

Right before you defended the hell out of that policy when Obama adopted it.

[ProSense]

48. Comparing the Making Work Pay credit to a payroll tax holiday.

Until the tax cuts were being discussed, the Making Work Pay credit wasn't even on most people's radar. Many were still slamming the stimulus bill. The payroll tax credit is more noticeable.

Also, a payroll tax holiday for employers, as some have advocated, does not have the same impact as a payroll tax holiday for workers.

Additionally, a payroll tax holiday with no offset, either covered by the general fund or via increased taxes on the rich, is a horrible idea. That is what Republicans have advocated.


Still, what does that have to do with the OP?

[Name removed]

9. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Enrique]

30. Obama won't be the one who dies

millions of Americans will suffer, and Obama will benefit politically from it.

[ProSense]

31. So this is a plot to kill Americans?

"Obama won't be the one who dies millions of Americans will suffer, and Obama will benefit politically from it."

There is a political benefit to cutting Social Security? Really?

[Jakes Progress]

59. How would you feel if

the president sided with republicans to cut Social Security? The OP appears to be inclined to disapprove of such an action on the part of the president. I would also think this is a bad thing.

I believe that if we voice our opinions about such matters it might help sway political figures to more progressive stances. Hence, I would ask how you feel about this issue.

[earthside]

2. Can this be a 'bottom line' issue?

Really, there ought not to be a single member of DU that should endorse an Obama re-election bid if he supports any cut to Social Security benefits.

[remember2000forever]

3. I Agree

While all DUers may not be of SS age yet, we all must remember that some members survive on these benefits.
I took early SS benefits to supplement my husbands VA and SS Disability benefits. If any of this gets cut, we are screwed.

[vi5]

5. We have our own 30%ers.....

You know how W's approval never dipped below 30% and there were always that many people who no matter what he did they would approve of and support if for no other reason than he was a Republican and Democrats didn't like him? We have our own version of that both in the Republican party and on DU.

I'm not saying Obama's ratings will dip that low because sadly I think that a majority of Americans actually buy into the Republican bullshit that is being peddled by them and internalized by Dems (most notably our President).

Our problem used to be just that people bought the Republican spin on things that was being parroted by the mainstream media. But at least we had some semblance of a Democratic party that fought against it and defended traditional Democratic values and positions. But now that we've got prominent Democrats (including the President) who is also parroting this same bullshit then we're pretty much done for as a party.

[ProSense]

7. When

"But now that we've got prominent Democrats (including the President) who is also parroting this same bullshit then we're pretty much done for as a party."

...has the President ever said anything about cutting Social Security?

[Jackpine Radical]

10. Is Bernie Sanders hallucinating?

Or is he just paranoid?

[ProSense]

12. From the OP

"I have to tell you, I have been on the phone to the very, very, very highest levels of the Obama administration, and the responses that I am getting are not assuring," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said in an exclusive interview. "What I’m told is that no definitive decisions have been made on the issue of Social Security – I expect that is probably true."

Unless I missed it, Sen. Sanders didn't claim President Obama said he's going to cut Social Security. You know why: because he has said no such thing.

[Jackpine Radical]

13. He never told us he had already bargained away

the public option.

I take no assurance from the fact that he hasn't announced an intention to cut SS. He has certainly laid some groundwork in that direction, as when he cut the payroll tax by a third.

[ProSense]

14. "I take no assurance from the fact that he hasn't announced an intention to cut SS. "

OK.

[avaistheone1]

15. Senator Sanders is one of Obama's ardent and

steadfast supporters. Sanders is always thoughtful and measured in his statements.

If Sanders says there is a serious reason for concern on this issue, you can bank on it - there is.



I believe the only ones who are hallucinating on this issue are the ones who have a very highly developed sense of denial.

[Jackpine Radical]

18. "Sanders is always thoughtful and measured in his statements."

Agreed. He's a personal hero for me.

[mkultra]

25. call congress, thats were laws are made

[emulatorloo]

19. I think he is asking you to call your Senators and Reps

and express your interest in protecting Social Security.

I find it difficult to believe that Obama is going to call for cutting Social Security. On the other hand I am still calling my Sens and Reps.

[stranger81]

40. What you said., [n/t]

[NorthCarolina]

4. Who didn't know this once the appointments he made to the Deficit Commission were announced? nt

[JoePhilly]

38. Obama hates America

[vaberella]

11. Talk to me when he does. n/t

[NorthCarolina]

17. Yes, it's much better to wait until the horse is out of the barn

before deciding to shut the barn door. :eyes:

[BklnDem75]

22. There is no horse, that's the point

After jumping the gun so many times, only to be proven wrong over and over again, it starts getting old.

[JoePhilly]

39. Where is the DADT horse?

[vaberella]

41. Yes, because rumor and conjecture begun to start drama on the Left helps just as much.

:eyes:

[Jefferson23]

16. We have been warned before. Take this as a call for action...it may

not help in the end but we need to be as proactive as possible.

Write your local papers, email every elected rep. etc.

[emulatorloo]

20. +1

Personally I do not see Obama advocating cutting Social Security. But I think it is a good idea to call/email Senators and Reps about protecting it.

[Vinca]

21. I hope Bernie is wrong, but if he isn't . . .

I can't imagine the Democratic Party staying at its current strength if it harms Social Security. I know I'd be out.

[Phx_Dem]

23. Except Bernie doesn't offer one iota of evidence to support his very vague statement

[avaistheone1]

24. Not true.

At the very beginning of the article Sanders is quoted as saying he has spoken to the top of the Obama admin and the response has not been good on Social Security cuts.

"I have to tell you, I have been on the phone to the very, very, very highest levels of the Obama administration, and the responses that I am getting are not assuring."

[BklnDem75]

26. It's vague at best

We neither know the questions nor the answers in that conversation.

[stranger81]

43. We do know what WASN'T said, and what would have been easy to say if it were true.

What wasn't said was "SS cuts are off the table." And if you're naive enough to think that the Administration's refusal to deny that SS cuts are in the offing means nothing about what's coming down the pike, then I've got a bridge in Arizona to sell you.

[BklnDem75]

49. You don't know what was said, period.

Please spare me your assumptions. If this Admin divulges anything, it'll just be something else the evil Obama is trying to kill. I'll wait for an actual reason before I get upset, thanks.

[stranger81]

50. Feel free to disbelieve Bernie Sanders if you must.

Personally, I take him at his word. And yes, it is possible to determine what statements have been made publicly by the Administration and which have not (and this one has not). There's this Google thing, you see . . . .

[BklnDem75]

51. Google must not be working for me

I can't find any articles of the Admin mentioning the need to cut SS. :(

Didn't say I didn't believe Sanders. Without knowing the questions, it doesn't explain why he wasn't happy with the answer. Saying you're going to fix something that's broken isn't always welcoming news to people that likes things broken.

[stranger81]

52. Why are you implying Sanders wants SS "broken"?

Or pretending there's some mystery about what Sanders asked? He stated pretty clearly that he asked the Administration for a committment that Social Security cuts are off the table, and that the Administration would not give him that assurance.

The time to try to prevent cuts is NOW, not when it's already a fait accompli.

[Caretha]

56. SS is NOT broken n/t

[Hello_Kitty]

61. What is broken about SS?

[BklnDem75]

62. I was speaking figuratively

Everyone's so literal all of a sudden. :eyes:

[Phx_Dem]

35. WTF does that mean? Nothing. He couldn't be more vague if he tried.

And I think he is trying because he's got nothing.

[Drunken Irishman]

36. It is true...

That's not evidence.

No more than my uncle's son's dog walker said Obama is a Muslim!!!!!111ONE

:eyes:

[vaberella]

42. Because no one wants to divulge information doesn't mean that's EVIDENCE.

He's not in the White House.

[Hello_Kitty]

60. If you think he's lying you should take it up with him.

[Jefferson23]

27. K&R because Bernie is not a bullshitter. He is giving fair warning..so act people.

Make a damn phone call, tell your elected reps ahead of time that you do not
support any possible cuts.

[Cali_Democrat]

28. If this is true, the Republicans will be getting the Dems to do their dirty work for them

Then they'll run ads attacking Dems for cutting Social Security even though the rethugs love the idea.

Will the Dems fall into this trap and slit their own throats to the benefit of the rethugs?

We shall see......

[Jackpine Radical]

33. It would not just be political suicide.

It would be murder. To cut the benefits of elderly folks who are just scratching by, forcing them to make choices between catfood, medications and heat, that is a lethal game.

[Blasphemer]

54. Which is why I cannot see it happening

No matter what he says to the contrary, he wants to be re-elected.

[stranger81]

44. Wouldn't be the first time they managed to accomplish that. [n/t]

[Thrill]

34. I won't entertain this because I have to believe No Democratic President in my lifetime

would this fucking stupid.

[Hawkowl]

46. Obama is a DINO

Eisenhower, hell even Nixon, were considerably left of Obama.

[stranger81]

47. Except "Democrat" doesn't seem to mean today what it did then.

It's a whole new party, friends. The party of the Big Tent.

[krawhitham]

37. So the WH does not want to answer Bernie's questions so he creates a new cycle for himself?

Does Bernie have a D next to his name? Then the WH should not give him any answers.

[stranger81]

53. You know, Bernie Sanders is the closest thing that Democratic principles

have to a friend on Capitol Hill. He's a damn sight better than many of the folks with "D" after their name.

[HeroTwins]

55. so, no decisions have been made? why isn't that your headline?

[midnight armadillo]

66. What decision is there to make?

Cutting SS should simply not be up for discussion. Lowering the payroll tax while removing the salary cap on it to improve finances AND give most people a tax cut - now that's something the WH can talk about.

[HeroTwins]

67. so, I guess we should just assume the worst, huh?

:sarcasm:

[WillyT]

57. K & R !!!

:kick:

[trayNTP]

58. Tax Deal + Debt Commission appointments = guaranteed cuts in Social Security

[Jakes Progress]

63. Kick. Because

if you don't know it's happening, you don't get to have a say before it happens.

[oasis]

64. To "fiddle in the middle" on Social Security is risky business. (eom)

[Arkana]

65. "No definitive decisions."

Yep, that sure seems like a reason to run around like a chicken with your head cut off to me. Go hog wild!