Social Security is Next

[RGacky3]

Obama and Geitner today said "We won't slash social security, but we are willing to compromise to strengthen is" also "social security is not a HUGE problem with the deficit."

What that means is cuts are comming to Social Security, democrats are gonna claim they saved social security be allowing cuts.

Social seucirty does not add anything to the deficit, infact is got a surplus, which they took and gave to the rich.

its Obama and the republicans vrs the people.

You gotta listen to the way Obama talks, any time he talks about compromise, or bipartisanship, or any time he says he won't take DRASTIC measures, what your looking at is redistributoin of wealth to the rich, class war.

This is whats gonna happen, Obama the republican has gotta go, raising the retirement age would be a disaster, not only for over all living standards, but also for the economy, Obama is more of a threat to social security than Bush was.

[RGacky3]

This is why Obama is worse than a republican, a republican could never cut social security, democrats would fight them tooth and nail because it would be politically advantageous. A democrat though, CAN do it, and he will.

[Thug Lessons]

This is why Obama is worse than a republican, a republican could never cut social security, democrats would fight them tooth and nail because it would be politically advantageous. A democrat though, CAN do it, and he will.

Whoever does it will be committing political suicide regardless of their party affiliation and I doubt Obama's willing to do that quite yet. Also the President cannot cut social security himself, since it would have to come from Congress, and none of the deficit-reduction bills proposed so far do so.

[RGacky3]

Just listen to his speech, he's just waiting for the republicans to push for it, the language he's using with social security is the same he used for the public option.

BTW, watch him also cut corporate taxes, after Obamas first and only term, your gonna see almost as much damage done to the US as there was under Reagan.

2012 will be very interesting, not because I think some uber progressive will come in, but because the US is gonna have some major anti-institutional anger more and more from the left.

[Lt. Ferret]

they should only cut social security to the people who ***** too much about the government being too large, mainly old people who dont fucking work anymore and just collect social security checks and medicare then ***** that the government is too big.


certainly not our defense budget though :D

[Bud Struggle]

I really don't see anything happening with Social Security.

[Thug Lessons]

I really don't see anything happening with Social Security.

The only reason Obama would be want to cut social security would be if he suddenly decides he wants to be primaried in the next election cycle, and the only reason Republicans would want to is if they decide they're sick of winning election after election with votes from elderly Americans.

The only possible change that could come to social security would be the 'privatization' of payroll taxes for young Americans, but this is still highly unlikely. Not only was it incredibly unpopular five years ago when Bush was pushing for even an opt-in program of that nature, but there are much more attractive targets for Republicans to go after. Besides, it's not like they actually want to reduce the deficit, because high deficits play in very well with their 'starve the beast' strategy.

[RGacky3]

I really don't see anything happening with Social Security.


Bud, am I gonna have to say told ya so again?

YOu thought Obama was a leftists, we knew he was a corporatist

You thought the recession was just a bump in the road, we knew it was a major collapse and not getting better, and in fact gonna get worse.

You thought the tea party was a genuine movement, we knew it was just corporate funded astro turf.

But hey ... we'll see, they've been building up to this for wa while, did you see the deficit commission??? Obama was basically BEGGING for a reason to make cuts.

[Thug Lessons]

The deficit ("catfood") commission's recommendations on social security were extremely long-term though. Even if they were approved today they would have absolutely minimal effects for decades to come.

[RGacky3]

Even if they were approved today they would have absolutely minimal effects for decades to come.

Like 20 years, how old are you Thuglessons? If your in the US its cutting YOUR Social Security.

[Thug Lessons]

Like 20 years, how old are you Thuglessons? If your in the US its cutting YOUR Social Security.

The changes would be slowly phased in over the next 40-65 years, which would provide plenty of time for them to be reversed. The hardest hit by benefit cuts would be upper middle class workers, while the lowest income earners, (like myself), would see a small boost. The only really awful change they proposed was to raise the retirement age, but that would happen at a snail's pace, (one month every two years). Don't get me wrong, it's a bad plan, but not one to get particularly alarmist about.

[RGacky3]

which would provide plenty of time for them to be reversed.

it takes a HUGE fight to get stuff for the working class, it takes a nod and a wink to take it away.


The hardest hit by benefit cuts would be upper middle class workers, while the lowest income earners, (like myself), would see a small boost. The only really awful change they proposed was to raise the retirement age, but that would happen at a snail's pace, (one month every two years). Don't get me wrong, it's a bad plan, but not one to get particularly alarmist about.

once the ball starts rolling, this happened in parts of europe too, the government said "don't worry, we're juts gonna snip here and snap there, privatize here, raise cost there" until social-democracy and the welfare states almost collapsed.

[Bud Struggle]

Bud, am I gonna have to say told ya so again?

YOu thought Obama was a leftists, we knew he was a corporatist Obama is a Leftist (an American Leftist--not a Radical Leftist.) He is bowing to pressure from the Republicans especially after the last election where the American people showed their displeasure with his policies. All he is trying to do is get reelected so he's going with the flow. The Conservatives have the initative.


You thought the recession was just a bump in the road, we knew it was a major collapse and not getting better, and in fact gonna get worse. No things are getting better in general. It will be a slow recovery, but the main jist of things are getting better. The real answer to the recovery is to raise taxes and cut government spending--and that seems difficult to do fro the government.


You thought the tea party was a genuine movement, we knew it was just corporate funded astro turf. The Tea Party and those that love them are the ones that are driving Obama to the Right. They are the ones you are protesting about trying to distroy government unions in your other thread. I know they were started by big money buy they are doing a pretty good job shaping the way things look in congress for the nex two years at least.


But hey ... we'll see, they've been building up to this for wa while, did you see the deficit commission??? Obama was basically BEGGING for a reason to make cuts. I just don't think they'll do it because it will piss too many people off.

We'll see.

[RGacky3]

Obama is a Leftist (an American Leftist--not a Radical Leftist.)

Based on what, name me ONE American leftist policy he faught for, give me one, even establishment left, not even American left, Senate/House left, What left/progressive policy has he put forward?

(if you find one I'll find 20 or more corporatist, but I doubt you'll find one).


He is bowing to pressure from the Republicans especially after the last election where the American people showed their displeasure with his policies. All he is trying to do is get reelected so he's going with the flow. The Conservatives have the initative.


He "bowed" from the begining, with the full house and senate, if all he does is bow, EVEN THOUGH its politically idiotic (given that he'll loose voters), he bowed prematurely, to anyone with a single brain cell it shows that this is what he wants.


The real answer to the recovery is to raise taxes and cut government spending--and that seems difficult to do fro the government.


Really is that the answer? How, how would that fix this recovery?


No things are getting better in general. It will be a slow recovery, but the main jist of things are getting better.

Based on what?


The Tea Party and those that love them are the ones that are driving Obama to the Right. They are the ones you are protesting about trying to distroy government unions in your other thread. I know they were started by big money buy they are doing a pretty good job shaping the way things look in congress for the nex two years at least.


Obama "folded" from the begining, before putting up the fight, he is a corporatist, plain and simple, hes not a leftist at all.

They are not only started by big money, the were started by them, their policy is set by them, they are funded by them and organized by them, its astro turf (plus they arn't really THAT powerfull numerically).


I just don't think they'll do it because it will piss too many people off.

We'll see.

Has that stopped Obama in the past?

[Dean]

The Tea Party and those that love them are the ones that are driving Obama to the Right. They are the ones you are protesting about trying to distroy government unions in your other thread. I know they were started by big money buy they are doing a pretty good job shaping the way things look in congress for the nex two years at least.

I just don't think they'll do it because it will piss too many people off.

Bull. Something will happen to socsec. Firstly, its important to remember your recent history: The Dems have been passing the budget decisions on to republican-oriented caucuses. There was massive talk about it - in the senate & house - before they shut up for election season.

But what we know will happen: social security will tighten its coverage. Indeed, this has already occurred: a significant rate (I think 15%) of benefit collectors were cut off recently, it was claimed that these were all benefactors who were fraudulently or inaccurately receiving coverage.