Republicans Demanding Social Security Cuts Soon...Can We Count on Obama to Defend It?

[jtown1123]

Republicans are signalling, as evidenced by the following interview with Se. Lindsey Graham, that they will not vote to raise the debt ceiling without cuts to government spending, mainly Social Security and Medicare cuts...

From Sunday's "Meet the Press" Interview:

The U.S. will likely need to increase its debt ceiling this spring, and Congress blocking that would be very bad for the country, Graham said.

“To not raise the debt ceiling could be a default of the United States’ bond and Treasury obligations,” he said. “But this is an opportunity to make sure the government is changing its spending ways. I will not vote for the debt ceiling increase until I see a plan in place that will deal with our long-term debt obligations, starting with Social Security.”

Making Social Security solvent will likely require raising the age when benefits can be taken and testing individuals for whether they financially need to tap the system, he said. That test should also apply for Medicare Part D, the prescription drug program.

Graham also said, “on the spending side, I’m not going to vote for debt ceiling increase unless we go back to 2008 spending levels, cutting discretionary spending.” Source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/need-to-reform-social-security-sen-graham-2011-01-02

We CANNOT allow a Democratic President to cut Social Security and Medicare. Please, everyone, if you can, pester the White House incessantly that cuts are UNACCEPTABLE in any way shape or form. We can no longer stay silent on this issue.

Happy New Year!

[whathehell]

1. K& R.

[Cleita]

2. I wish we could, but if he acts like he has in the

past two years, he will find common ground with them and give them what they want. :-( I know my opinion will be attacked but it's the spots he's shown since he's been in office and I will be surprised if they change. As far as pestering the White House incessantly, we did so trying to get him to stand firm on a public option in the health care bill and were ignored even after overwhelmingly pushing for it. Our only option is to pester Congress incessantly and especially the Republicans and Blue Dogs. They may decide to treat it like the abortion issue, convenient to trot out every election as a wedge issue, but political suicide if they actually do something about it, so they don't.

[jtown1123]

6. Good idea. Here is an E-card from NCPSSM that goes to all the

House and Senate leaders: http://www.ncpssm.org/sendcard/sendcard.php

[Cleita]

8. Thanks I just sent mine and for everyone who participates,

they should send a message, make a phone call or send a snail mail every week until the next election.

[jtown1123]

13. Thanks so much. Good plan.

[Jackpine Radical]

12. Thanks. I just did it. Here is my letter:

This is a message from {Jackpine Radical}

It is crucial that you preserve Social Security as a public trust for our elders. For many, it is the only disposable income that they have. I believe it is unconscionable to play political games with a fund that contributed nothing to the national debt, just so those who are already wealthy beyond the dreams of an average citizen can add a few more dollar-denominated tokens to their winnings. You are playing with real lives here. Imagine yourself trying to get by on $980 or so per month after a lifetime of labor.

[jtown1123]

14. +1000

[Jackpine Radical]

3. I'm sure the WH has no interest in hearing from greedy old people

who don't understand the necessity of keeping taxes low on their betters while fighting two wars and bailing out the banks.

[spanone]

4. call his bluff....last time they tried to shut down the govt. it backfired

go for it lindsey...

[Jackpine Radical]

7. Obama's not going to do that.

No bluff-calling here. They already signalled that a shutdown would be "disastrous" and they'll do just about anything to avoid it.

They're playing chicken, alright. The problem is that the Republicans are playing fox.

[jtown1123]

9. No more negotiating with hostage takers.

[katnapped]

36. "Negotiating with terrorists", you mean

Let's not sugar-coat it.

[spanone]

10. we'll see.

[emulatorloo]

21. A lot of crystal balls here.

[Tesha]

5. Defend the cuts? Yes we can! (NT)

[OHdem10]

11. As one commentator pointed out, there are more Republicans

avoiding SS discussions.

The Republicans ran their last election with many saying
they would not change anything in SS for the group 55 and
over. This is how the GOP got the Senior vote.

Obama offered them the catfood commission with some Democrat
always saying SS is on the table.

[jtown1123]

16. So let's hold their feet to the fire too. Constituents of all political leanings love SS.

It would be unwise for Republicans to vote on cuts. If you think pple were pissed off about health care reform, imagine the backlash on SS cuts? I think pretty much every rep. would be in trouble.

[LiberalEsto]

15. Oh, for Al Gore's lockbox

Sigh

:cry:

[Jackpine Radical]

17. That was obviously a ridiculous idea.

Remember how the press laughed him out of the debates? "Lockbox" became an albatross for foolish, sighing Earth-Tone Al, inventor of the Internet, global-warming doomsayer, and all-around nerd.

Tell me I don't need the sarcasm thingie on this one.

[LiberalEsto]

33. Don't forget the Saturday Night Live routine

Lockbox was turned into a total joke.
Nobody took Al seriously on this, but he was right. And prescient.

[sarcasmo]

18. No.

[Horse with no Name]

19. No.

He will become the President who dismantled the New Deal.
It is the stark reality that our party no longer represents the same constituency that it once did and will give in to decades of lost elections.

He's already said that he was going to have to make tough decisions. That was "code" for "I'm going to screw people who have no political voice and hope for the best". No doubt he has visions of Medicare in his sight too.

[emulatorloo]

20. Here's the problem for Lindsey - even teabaggers don't like the idea of cutting Social Security

for deficit reduction.

This is going to be a very hard sell, even with low info voters.

[jtown1123]

25. Exactly. We really don't want to wait and see though. We should put pressure on everyone.

[DCKit]

29. It's also a really short, easy to remember slogan: "The (R)s want to kill SS"

They'll think their most "conservative" reps have gone all socialist on 'em.

Next, we'll tell 'em the death panels are coming right along behind to take away their MediCare, and you won't be able to hear the RW bloviators over the din of howling teabaggers.

[eilen]

22. He is certain to say many things against it

to great acclaim and then will do the opposite.

[somone]

24. Bingo!

Always watch what he does, and ignore the pretty speeches.

[GOPBasher]

23. I want Republicans to scream this from the top of their lungs.

Their calls to cut SS will help us in 2012, unless President Obama decides to give in and accept the cuts, in which case the Democratic party will be toast for a generation or two.

[BlueJac]

26. No, he wants to be like Reagan now

[closeupready]

27. No.

n/t

[sharesunited]

28. You're against means testing Social Security and Medicare?

Means testing and removing the cap on tax collections for those funds are progressive positions.

[closeupready]

32. Means testing is a Republican wet dream. Removing the cap is indeed a progressive position.

n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

34. Bullshit.

Removing the cap, OK. But means testing makes it into an "entitlement" (code for welfare program) rather than a benefit you paid for, own, and have a right to.

It doesn't bother me in the slightest that the likes of John McCain collect that measly SS check on top of their huge earned & unearned incomes.

[kiranon]

38. Means testing amounts to a huge tax increase for most Americans.

Bartering and exchanging of services will replace cash sales or rent/lease payments and so on.

[ladjf]

30. We can count on President Obama to continue with his abandonment

of the non-rich in America.

[jberryhill]

31. Obama gutted social security weeks ago

It was all over DU. That's last month's news.

After fighting so hard to keep DADT, you'd think he'd be all tuckered out by now. But he went through social security like a hot knife through butter, and still had enough moxie left over to invite Michael Vick over to the White House dogfighting match!

[FlyByNight]

35. I have my doubts

That payroll tax cut (as part of the Obama/Republican tax "deal"), I fear, is but the first step in a series of incremental steps to "reach consensus" with sociopathic Rs. This kind of "bipartisanship" usually means bad news for the rest of us.

About half of Congress makes at least 7 figures. With few exceptions, I really don't think they give much of a shit about us.

[Better Believe It]

37. No. Anymore questions?