Wait a minute...since when was proposing cuts to the safety net a step towards "the center"?

[YoungDemCA]

Cutting Social Security is a step towards the Right, especially the Far Right.

I keep reading about the President's supposed "political courage" in "going against the wishes of his base", which will endear him to "the center."

Let me be absolutely clear; there is nothing, nothing courageous about proposing cuts to Social Security-or any other social program, for that matter-when right-wing government policies have meant that the rich have gotten richer, the poor poorer, and the working and middle classes have seen a decrease in their standard of living for the last three decades.

There is also nothing "moderate" or "centrist" about agreeing with the Right that government benefits are "too generous" to the poor and middle class, and should therefore be "rolled back."

If we're going to talk about what is being done, let's at least have some semblance of intellectual honesty here.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

1. Only people with no skin in the game are saying that.

The fact is both sides are starting their negotiations from the right. Which means we all get fucked.

[bowens43]

2. Exactly right, it's all bullshit that the administration is trying to shove down our throats

Obama has betrayed the people who elected him.

[xtraxritical]

20. Is it possible that...

if Republicons reject this budget (which includes 98% of what they asked for) the President and Democrats can squarely lay the pain of sequester at their feet. If they further refuse to raise the debt ceiling this summer, after rejecting this offer, the Democrats can hammer home the theme of RepubliCON obstructionism. I hope this will be the denouement.

[treestar]

3. It could mean being equally intransigent

As the right wing is. If an R President proposed to a Dem Congress something like a small hike in taxes on the rich, causing Republicans to go off the rails, what would we think?

This puts it in perspective.

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[ForgoTheConsequence]

5. That picture puts nothing in perspective.

But continue on with your cartoons.

[MNBrewer]

25. +1

Cutting Social Security benefits is not the only way to improve the solvency of the program. There are others. Obama is cutting SS because that's his preferred method. He says it's not "optimal" to do so, but it's what he's preferring to do.

[socialist_n_TN]

7. I saw this in the Tennessean this morning.......

How many times does it have to be said? SOCIAL SECURITY IS A SELF FUNDED PROGRAM. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BUDGET.

Unless you want to talk about the $2 TRILLION or so that's been "borrowed" from the Trust Fund for unpayed wars, tax cuts for the already wealthy and unfunded health care privatization of Medicare.

[Rex]

10. It doesn't matter, the capitalist pigs will lie

day and night to destroy the program for their 1% masters.

[noiretextatique]

16. this is the "centrist" argument

and it's completely full of shit.

[tokenlib]

8. we'll just have to agree to disagree on that cartoon...n/t

[rug]

11. Ah, it's only a small cut.

[treestar]

12. Hair is a better metaphor

Since it grows. The "cut" is applied only to raises based on inflation.

[rug]

15. Hair is dead. The elderly and disabled are not.

[noiretextatique]

18. and you think that's just fine?

[MNBrewer]

26. So it lessens the ability for people on SS to keep up with inflation

Got it...

[PA Democrat]

13. "Equally intransigent" would be true if those "small tax hikes" on the rich

caused as much pain as the chained CPI. You do realize that the chained CPI also raises middle class taxes at a greater rate for the middle class than for the wealthiest?

I think your perspective is skewed to say the least.





http://www.thenation.com/blog/173786/top-5-myths-about-chained-cpi-debunked#

[salib]

19. The moral underpinnings of this

and right-wing austerity drenched memes are truly disgusting.

So, I guess we are just "clipping" or "trimming" some of that blue hair, huh?

[Art_from_Ark]

22. This has got to be one of the most disingenuous cartoons I've ever seen on DU

Last edited Thu Apr 11, 2013, 10:01 PM - Edit history (1)

It gives the ridiculous impression that Granny will be getting way more in Social Security than she will need, but for the vast majority of Social Security recipients, that is just not the case.

A much more realistic cartoon would show Granny with almost no hair at all, with the barber still trying to cut it, and Granny desperately trying to get out of the chair and shouting, "No more cutting, dammit!"

[winter is coming]

4. Given the number of Republicans that are also opposed to cutting SS, it's a loser

move even for the right.

[xchrom]

6. i think it has something to do with electing a dem.

cause if bush had proposed this....

[Rex]

9. It is not, our leaders got caught acting really stupid

and like all good megalomaniacs...decided to blame the weakest group in all this. It really shows how not only out of touch D.C. is with the rest of us, but how they never can admit to failure.

Sad really.

[noiretextatique]

14. bs MSM spin

it's absolutely ridiculous

So as a governing document, it’s dead on arrival. But it’s still useful: By taking a step toward the center on this one element, Obama demonstrates a willingness to go against his political base – and that base has helped him publicize that point by vocally and publicly objecting to his proposal. By extension, his move on chained CPI could be helpful in dealing with other elements of his agenda.

“Obama is cleverly using it as a bargaining chip to give himself wiggle room on other key agenda items like gun control and immigration reform, while still leaving open the minuscule possibility of reaching a budget grand bargain,” says Republican strategist Ford O’Connell.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/2013/0410/Obama-budget-changes-Social-Security-Are-Republicans-on-board?nav=655577-csm_article-leftColRelated

[Zorra]

17. Left - Center - Right.

The center is a blend of left and right. They blend half left wing ideology with right wing ideology.

That's why the center has so many right wing ideas and pushes so many right wing policies, like austerity and cutting social security.

[Faryn Balyncd]

21. Even 54% of REPUBLICANS !!! oppose cutting SS with chained CPI :

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022072768


and 56% of independents....

(and 68% of Democrats.)

This is a rare issue in which a broad majority of virtually EVERY ideology, party or group, other than the professional pseudo-"centrist" lapdog PUNDITRY and their right wight financiers are united.

[Babel_17]

29. Check out this poll, even stronger opposition

http://www.aarp.org/work/social-security/info-03-2013/social-security-cola-chained-cpi.html

And I think the opposition is solidifying. Looking "serious" is all fine and well when locked arm in arm with other "serious" folks but not so popular when the villagers have leaders as well as pitchforks and torches.

[fascisthunter]

23. Since washington politicians started paying trolls to spout propaganda on DU

[MotherPetrie]

24. K&R

[Evergreen Emerald]

27. See? That is the plan...propose radical stuff like Ryan's budget

And in contrast, cutting the safety net becomes compromise, a "move to the center." And appears reasonable in comparison.

That has been the R plan all along.

[Honeycombe8]

28. Agreed. I've earned my credentials here for being a moderate (in the # of people ignoring me)...

and even I am upset by this turn of events.

People over 50 have based their retirement plans on their Social Security benefits....not just the amount at first, but the amount as it supposedly sort of keeps up with inflation.

This changes the rules and will hurt millions of people, many who are too old to save more money to make up for the loss. It's simply too late for them.

Add to that the fact that we STILL have that provision that prevents Medicare from negotiating drug prices....and it all adds up to increased costs for the elderly. It stinks.