Two-thirds of Americans choose higher taxes for Medicare, Social Security over reduced benefits -NYT

[somone]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/us/politics/21poll.html

Poll Finds Wariness About Cutting Entitlements
By JACKIE CALMES and DALIA SUSSMAN

As President Obama and Congress brace to battle over how to reduce chronic annual budget deficits, Americans overwhelmingly say that in general they prefer cutting government spending to paying higher taxes, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

Yet their preference for spending cuts, even in programs that benefit them, dissolves when they are presented with specific options related to Medicare and Social Security, the programs that directly touch the most people and also are the biggest drivers of the government’s projected long-term debt.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans choose higher payroll taxes for Medicare and Social Security over reduced benefits in either program. And asked to choose among cuts to Medicare, Social Security and the nation’s third largest spending program – the military -- a majority by a large margin said cut the Pentagon instead...

On Thursday, a large group of House conservatives called for cutting $2.5 trillion in mostly unspecified spending over the next decade and House Republican leaders have vowed to make spending cuts a priority in coming months after winning a majority on that promise in last November’s midterm elections. President Obama is expected to make fiscal responsibility a central theme of his State of the Union address on Tuesday night and of the budget he will send Congress next month for fiscal year 2012, which starts Oct. 1.

[JuniperLea]

1. We're paying through the nose for health insurance now...

I'd say it would be very welcome to drop that heinous charge in favor of higher taxes that don't go to some fat cat's pocket.

We need to stop these damn wars... money is still funneling away from us.

[RKP5637]

2. + 1,000,000 +++ n/t

[grasswire]

4. wars, prisons, and corporate welfare

What we have here is a failure to communicate

[HockeyMom]

7. $160 a month with a $3,500 deductible

one person, private insurance. I am 3 years away from Medicare. If government can give me something better, even at the same price, I would go with it in the meantime.

[Gaedel]

9. $98 a month for Medicare Part B

Unless you make more than the threshold, then it can be up to $380 a month.

[HockeyMom]

11. I make $13/hour

so I doubt it.

[Gaedel]

12. My point was that Medicare isn't a cure all

Part A (Hospitalization) is free.
Part B (Medical) is a minimum of $98 a month per person
Part D (Drugs) has the infamous "doughnut hole and i can't even begin to explain that.

You will still have a deductible and co-pays unless you purchase a "Medigap" policy from a private insurer.
Dental isn't covered at all.

I have medicare and it is great, but isn't comprehensive.

[Hannah Bell]

14. part D = a bush scheme to enrich the drug lobby & bankrupt medicare.

[Enthusiast]

16. Accurate definition nt

[FiveGoodMen]

3. Now, can they make their "representatives" act accordingly?

[katnapped]

5. Nope...what the proles want

Isn't what Wall Street wants, so that's that.

[indepat]

6. The Congress and the administration care nary a whit what we the people say or want:

they are concerned with only what the Pentagon, large corporations, and the uber-wealthy want. If you want proof, take a good look at the pudding they have cooked up and now in the ovens. For by their works they shall be known ;)

[xchrom]

8. Barrack Obama: please pick up the nearest courtesy obvious phone.

The People have a message for you.

[NNN0LHI]

10. Wonder why a majority of Americans just voted for Republicans who promised to cut those benefits?

Something is not making sense here.

Don

[eridani]

13. Because the Repukes succeeded in their big lie about being defenders of Medicare

For the first time ever, voters trust them more than Dems on Social Security.

[Enthusiast]

15. But that is what the people want.

So what did we do? We enacted a FICA holiday. This is a virtual guarantee that they will be back for cuts in social security.

[Oilwellian]

17. We agreed to higher taxes in the 80's as well

Our taxes were raised significantly under Reagan to shore up SS for the boomer onslaught. A lot of good that did, eh?

[mmonk]

18. Whooops. Well how are the politicians going to sell reducing them?

The usual lie that they are saving it or something? How many people will buy it?

[mimitabby]

19. too bad we can't talk about the elephant in the room.