It is difficult to watch TV without encountering the dog and pony show that the MSM

[Atticus]

is currently showing about the "historic" and "politically significant" first day of the 112th Congress.

One of the bits of conventional wisdom being repeated ad nauseum is that social security and the other New Deal social programs are not likely to be seriously impacted by the Republican majority in the House, as the Democratic majority in the Senate won't allow it and, even if they did, our President would veto any such legislation.

Am I the only one who is no longer sure of that?

[emulatorloo]

1. HIghly unlikely - cutting Social Security as a means of deficit reduction is unpopular with just

about everybody. Even teabaggers think it is a bad idea per polling I have seen. It is a very hard sell. Remember when Bush tried peddling that nonsense? that was the beginning of the end for him.

As to Obama and the Senate, I have read a bunch of speculative Op_Eds that claim this and that. But that is a bunch of speculation.

The dumbass catfood commission could not get enough votes to be ratified or whatever it was. Most Dems voted against it, and most of those who voted against it came down hard on the notion of cutting Medicare and Social Security.

(Doesn't mean I am not going to call my Senators about this issue)

[customerserviceguy]

5. It's who you make the cuts on

The Simpson commission proposed cuts that affect retirees in the far future, nobody collecting benefits today would be impacted much by them, except for possible fiddling with COLA calculations.

[inna]

8. i wonder why the fuck Obama went out of his way to create that dumbass commisson.

[thelordofhell]

10. Because it took SS out of the republican mantra for 2 years

That commission was a brilliant move. The repigs couldn't bring up whacking SS because the response was, "Well we have a commission looking at that.....and other things." Now that the commission is done and couldn't make any recommendations, President Obama can now cherry pick other suggestions made like raising the cap or cutting defense spending and point to the commission for making those suggestions.

[emulatorloo]

11. Good analysis, I think.

[Speck Tater]

2. Not if you watch vintage TV on DVD.

I'm currently watching some old classic Three Stooges. Not a Republican in sight! I must admit, however, that Rocky Jones Space Ranger was a sexist pig!

[Atticus]

3. HUH? nt

[Occulus]

4. Netflix.

Or a Roku box.

It'll make you want to cancel cable TV entirely.

[Speck Tater]

9. I only watch Netflix any more. I find a good TV series and load up on all of its seasons.

I get to watch interesting and exciting shows with no commercials, and I get to watch them when I want to, not when the network wants to show them to me. Plus I've discovered a lot of real gems that I never even knew existed the first time around. JAG for example, ran for 10 seasons and somehow I'd never even heard of it. Now I'm on season 6 working my way through it, and I'm finding it very entertaining.

[Raine]

6. No you're not the only one. I don't trust

any of them anymore. I have seen things coming from a Democratic administration that in the past I would never have believed possible. Sadly I guess now nothing would shock me. :-(

[inna]

7. American MSM is MOSTLY propaganda, and I mean it literally.