Social Security backers on alert for Obama 'code' for benefits compromise

[Enrique]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-25/social-security-backers-on-alert-for-obama-code-for-benefits-compromise.html

President Barack Obama may signal in his State of the Union address tonight that he’s ready for compromises on Social Security -- a political flash point for every president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt created the federal retirement program in 1935. He just won’t say it.

Obama plans to emphasize a balanced approach and shared sacrifice to address the debt, leaving specifics to his February budget proposal. For experts following the debate, uttering those words without making a firm pledge not to tinker with Social Security will be taken as an implicit endorsement of tax increases and benefit cuts.

“He’s going to speak in code,” said Michael Tanner, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, which backs benefit cuts.

“The average person on the street won’t have a clue,” said Nancy Altman, an advocate for keeping Social Security as it is, and a top aide on President Ronald Reagan’s Social Security commission. Altman, author of “The Battle for Social Security,” said she is concerned “they’ll try to wrap it into a comprehensive debt-reduction package.”

(...)

[Godhumor]

1. Oh good, now we can accuse him of speaking in code on social security

Wonderful.

[sarcasmo]

2. Shared sacrifices, political jargon for the poor getting screwed.

[chimpymustgo]

10. Bingo.

[CTyankee]

12. And taking another whack out of the middle class...

[jtown1123]

15. don't forget "preserve" and "protect" for future generations

[ProSense]

3. "said Michael Tanner, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, which backs benefit cuts"

The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the oil conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the second largest privately held company (after Cargill) by revenue in the United States.<1><2>

link

Warning, crazy zone!

[emulatorloo]

5. Cato institute is bad news.

Expecting Obama to come out strong on no cuts to social security for deficit reduction.

Even then, DU'ers will be looking for "code"

[Dawgs]

6. Exactly. Those people are scarier than the tea-baggers.

:crazy:

[emulatorloo]

4. "may signal"

Maybe not.

[AtomicKitten]

14. Exactly. nt

[Sheepshank]

7. Most ridiculous Pre SOTU article yet

raises everything to a new high for assumption, and made up shit.

[KoKo]

8. It"s Bloomberg Financial News reporting. They are wired into the Adminstration...so I

wouldn't discount what they say as "made up shit."

[emulatorloo]

17. Keep your FDL Decoder ring handy

[KoKo]

25. I think things have moved on from "FDL DeCODER" to Mad as Hell folks on Wall Street

who DO STILL HAVE MORALS AND PRINCIPLES and are Fighting Back...LOL's We aren't alone in our WILDERNESS!

:D

[msanthrope]

33. "Buy Ovaltine!" n/t

[subterranean]

9. It's all speculation, of course, but this has been Obama's style up to now.

He signaled his willingness to compromise on the public option and the tax cuts for the rich before he actually did it. We'll see if the pattern holds for his position on Social Security.

[JoePhilly]

24. His body language will tell it all!!!!

[KoKo]

26. He's a VERY COOL BEING....but what Planet does he Come From?

CORPORATE PLANET...from the PLANET OF "Corporations make you Feel Good."

[Starbucks Anarchist]

31. A much saner planet than the one you came from.

[jenmito]

11. Maybe he'll BLINK in code which will signal that he wants to cut SS.

:eyes:

[dionysus]

16. 3 blinks means FEMA CAMPS!1!1!

;)

[jenmito]

19. Unless you're a birther...

in which case 3 blinks is a secret message to his Muslim brothers that he's on track to implementing Sharia Law. :)

[Sheepshank]

22. Leads me to believe we completely misunderstood Palins winking n/t

[harun]

13. The average person won't have a clue because they won't be watching.

[KoKo]

27. Jobs at Mikey D's and Wall Mart will do that to 'ya! n/t

[SidDithers]

18. Exactly. Let's not listen to what he actually says...

lets listen for code, and let our interpretations of what he actually says tell us what he actually means.

And, when in doubt, lets go to the Cato Institute for opinion. :banghead:

Sid

[KoKo]

28. The sad thing about it with him...is that the "code words" are the signals to

the folks who backed him. We thought it was US...the Millions of Little Donors...but, it ended up that it was Goldman-Sachs and Wall Street who funded his Presidency.

That's WHY ...he doesn't need to listen to Us OUT HERE! Why should he...we are the people he threw water bottles to when we fainted during his speeches we were so OVERCOME!

Sad........ What fools..

[emulatorloo]

20. WAPO/NYT: "Obama draws line in sand on Social Security"

Jan 24. 2011

WASHINGTON — President Obama has decided not to endorse his deficit commission's recommendation to increase the retirement age, and otherwise reduce Social Security benefits, cheering liberals and drawing a stark line between the White House and key Republicans in Congress.

The White House has informed Democratic lawmakers and advocates for seniors that Obama will use Tuesday's State of the Union address to emphasize the need to reduce record deficits, but that he will not call for reducing spending on Social Security — the largest federal program.

[thelordofhell]

21. o-nay uts-cay o-tay ocial-say ecurity-say

Tin foil hat brigade out in force again. There will be no cuts in Social Security. Stop falling for the republican noise machine line.

:tinfoilhat:

[namahage]

23. I predict a rise in sharpshooters in Texas. n/t

[ProSense]

29. Now he's sending subliminal messages

Conservative blogger: Obama's SOTU contains "subliminal bow to Mecca"

Good grief.

:rofl:

[msanthrope]

30. They shoud play the record backwards, and then they'd get the REAL SOTU message--"Thank You SATAN."

like this guy did, with Obama's campaign speeches....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqALdkTArqs

[tekisui]

32. Text of speech relevant to SS:

To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations. And we must do it without putting at risk current retirees, the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities; without slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans’ guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market.

And if we truly care about our deficit, we simply cannot afford a permanent extension of the tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. Before we take money away from our schools, or scholarships away from our students, we should ask millionaires to give up their tax break.

It’s not a matter of punishing their success. It’s about promoting America’s success.

In fact, the best thing we could do on taxes for all Americans is to simplify the individual tax code. This will be a tough job, but members of both parties have expressed interest in doing this, and I am prepared to join them.

So now is the time to act. Now is the time for both sides and both houses of Congress – Democrats and Republicans – to forge a principled compromise that gets the job done. If we make the hard choices now to rein in our deficits, we can make the investments we need to win the future.

http://nationaljournal.com/whitehouse/exclusive-obama-to-declare-the-rules-have-changed--20110125