Liberal groups mobilize for ‘fiscal cliff’ fight over Social Security, Medicare

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/liberal-groups-mobilize-for-fiscal-cliff-fight-over-social-security-medicare/2012/11/12/b2c98f64-2cf7-11e2-89d4-040c9330702a_story.html?hpid=z2

With President Obama seeking a deal to avoid the “fiscal cliff,” liberal groups that campaigned aggressively for his reelection are mobilizing to oppose concessions they fear he could make on Medicare and Social Security.

Leaders of the nation’s labor unions and other liberal groups are planning Tuesday to press Obama at the White House to reject the kind of cuts in Medicare and Social Security that he has previously offered to make. On Thursday, left-leaning lawmakers and seniors groups plan to rally on Capitol Hill against any changes to entitlements.

Republicans are demanding entitlement changes as part of any deal to reduce the federal deficit. Top GOP lawmakers have said they could agree to raise fresh tax revenue — taking a step closer to the Democratic position that the wealthy pay more — but only if the White House accepts the type of entitlement changes that many liberals abhor.

During debt negotiations with House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) in summer 2011, Obama tentatively agreed to increase Medicare premiums and later boost the eligibility age for the program from 65 to 67. He also was willing to modestly reduce Social Security payments by using a less-generous formula for making cost-of-living increases. After those talks collapsed, Obama did not include similar proposals in his debt-reduction plan released last fall.

[HiPointDem]

1. White House Grand Bargain offer to Speaker Boehner Obtained by Bob Woodward

Below are documents obtained by the Washington Post’s Bob Woodward that show a grand bargain proposal the White House was prepared to make in order to reach agreement with the House Republicans last year. This is how Woodward described the documents on Meet the Press this morning:

"This is a confidential document, last offer the president -- the White House made last year to Speaker Boehner to try to reach this $4 trillion grand bargain. And it's long and it's tedious and it's got budget jargon in it. But what it shows is a willingness to cut all kinds of things, like TRICARE, which is the sacred health insurance program for the military, for military retirees; to cut Social Security; to cut Medicare. And there are some lines in there about, "We want to get tax rates down, not only for individuals but for businesses." So Obama and the White House were willing to go quite far."

http://presspass.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/11/15089281-white-house-grand-bargain-offer-to-speaker-boehner-obtained-by-bob-woodward?lite

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3. 'Liberal, liberal, liberal...'

Yes, I realize that labor unions are considered liberal - as are most of the 'liberal groups' to which the WP alludes - but if truth be told, opposition to cuts in Medicare and SS extend well past 'liberals.' I don't like the tone of this article, which insinuates that only 'liberals' are against cutting holes in the national safety net.