austerity is dead: stop pushing it, drop the CPI and increase social security

[xchrom]

http://www.nationofchange.org/austerity-dead-stop-pushing-it-drop-chained-cpi-and-increase-social-security-1369059674

Deficit projections have already by $200 billion for this year alone, so why do Republicans keep lunging for ever-more radical spending cuts like they were corn dogs at a barbecue? That’s more in deficit reduction than President Obama’s proposed cut to Social Security would “save” in ten. So why hasn’t he withdrawn the proposal?

It would make more sense to dial back on the sequester, which is the biggest driver of these revised deficit figures, and work on the fundamental weaknesses in our economy that are prolonging the recession. In the long run this approach would do more to reduce deficits, too.

Instead of cutting Social Security, they should be strengthening the country’s social safety net. A good start would be the passage of Sen. Tom Harkin’s bill to increase Social Security’s benefits. (If I were you I’d contact our Senators and Representative and demand that they support it. I already have, by signing this petition.)

The Mother of All Crises

You wouldn’t know it from listening to most politicians, but there’s a crisis going on. In fact, there are a few of them going on – including the crisis of un- and under-employment, the crisis of wage stagnation, and the crisis caused by lost social mobility.

[forestpath]

1. If he can't use the deficit excuse anymore, Obama will just find another excuse

to cut Social Security.

But considering all the millions his buddy Pete Peterson is spending to prop up the austerity industry, I doubt if Obama will back off his deficit cuts any time soon.