Never. Gonna. Happen.

[bigtree]

61. you act as if Democrats are defenseless to block this in the legislature

. . . or that there's some bandwagon now to enact this provision. Where?

Did you miss the last election where Ryan tried to cast Obama as a threat to SS? What happened to that cynical effort? It doesn't take much for folks out here to understand where the real threat to our social safety nets originate and persist. That's because there's an irrefutable truth to the charge that republicans are intent on dismantling SS and Medicare; there's also an immutable understanding that Democrats are going to be the ones defending, protecting, preserving, and enhancing these programs whenever they are able.

The fact that this President has actually added money and enabled the solvency of SS well into the future in his first term isn't a secret. I'll admit that it's hard to find many who will spend the time to point this out; content, instead to highlight the worst instinct in the president's budget or economic record. Then, they want you to listen to drivel about how doomed we are politically when they can't get up off of their caterwauling over this budget proposal to actually defend the efforts he's made, so far. That would take care of the politics, but I don't really expect folks claiming they're so concerned about the politics to set aside their hair-scorching and lift a finger to set the record straight.

Ask voters a year from now which party is going to protect and enhance SS and Medicare and you'll almost certainly find that a cast-away budget proposal from the WH doesn't mean squat.

Do you really believe Democrats are going to let themselves be saddled with that proposal if they disagree? How hard is it to just say so, if they don't like chained cpi? The last election and common sense should tell you that this proposal won't give republicans the cover they want for some cynical attempt to claim Obama or the Democrats are threatening the programs they, themselves, are pledged to destroy; not just reduce the level of benefit.

Is it too much to expect Democrats who have never touched SS cuts with a ten foot pole to be able to manage to avoid accountability for the WH's foolish politics? I don't think it is. You really have to push the limits of reality to get there.