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bhikkhu

(10,789 posts)

25. Because that's what the president said

Sat Oct 26, 2013, 01:26 PM

Oct 2013

that's where his overall oft-spoken priorities lie, and that's what the proposal of last summer was structured to do.

If you want another example, there was the president's suggestion a couple of months ago to reduce corporate taxes to 28%. That sounds bad too, but it was made with a raft of small changes that would have wound up increasing actual corporate taxes overall (by closing loopholes), and reducing income inequality.

I'm not exactly in favor of this congress attempting any reform of entitlements, but I do trust that the president's proposals and the democrats in congress who might support them are all in the direction of protecting those most in need and reducing income inequality. Social Security is a great program, but its not a perfect program; it could be stronger financially and it could easily be more progressive.

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FFS... the PURPOSE of ENTITLEMENT REFORM is to REDUCE benefits [View all] cthulu2016 Oct 2013 OP

And it's a solely Republican endeavor, not a Democratic Party one. Let's make that clear. BlueCaliDem Oct 2013 #1

Also Pre-Paid Benefits LiberalEsto Oct 2013 #5

Considering we draw more than we put in, BlueCaliDem Oct 2013 #16

Interest. JDPriestly Oct 2013 #97

Excellent expose, JD. Perhaps we should all send a copy of this to our Senators and Congressmen. BlueCaliDem Oct 2013 #116

Don't forget! Just a few years ago, Obama thought that Social Security was in such good shape JDPriestly Oct 2013 #118

Medicaid is already means-tested. JDPriestly Oct 2013 #98

I dont have a problem with the word, I paid into it, I'm entitled to it. 7962 Oct 2013 #23

Perception is king. Republicans have successfully marketed the word, "entitlement", as BlueCaliDem Oct 2013 #44

The purpose of making the word entitlement pejorative was also to distort the numbers. When you okaawhatever Oct 2013 #59

From: 9 Democrats who are selling out on Social Security cuts jtuck004 Oct 2013 #38

There is zero reason for Democrats to wade in the Republican cesspool of cutting benefits BlueCaliDem Oct 2013 #40

"Even Orly Taitz got more votes than Strimling did" jtuck004 Oct 2013 #47

Well, I can chuckle about it now, but I was incensed back then. BlueCaliDem Oct 2013 #49

Feinstein is a horror story. JDPriestly Oct 2013 #100

But one that not very many Californians know about. And we've got to change that BlueCaliDem Oct 2013 #117

Except that... Oilwellian Oct 2013 #60

He did? Do you have a link to that report? eom BlueCaliDem Oct 2013 #66

. Dragonfli Oct 2013 #71

Are you saying that these people are not Democrats? (I agree by the way, but Washington doesn't) Dragonfli Oct 2013 #69

Unfortunately, no, it's not solely a Republican endeavor. It's in Obama's budget. cui bono Oct 2013 #77

Can you provide a link so I can read it myself? eom BlueCaliDem Oct 2013 #81

Here, Dragonfli had it posted above: cui bono Oct 2013 #85

Solely a Republican effort? Orsino Oct 2013 #80

Not so BlueCali bamasher Oct 2013 #82

what are you talking about? Doctor_J Oct 2013 #86

Entitlement Reform = Benefit Reduction leftstreet Oct 2013 #2

Thank you. Reform does mean cut. Entitlement is meant as a demeaning slur. djean111 Oct 2013 #3

How about "I want to REFORM SS/Medicare to SAVE it." CTyankee Oct 2013 #17

K&R It is well past time to demand more from Democrats. woo me with science Oct 2013 #4

Democrats are wimps bamasher Oct 2013 #83

Thanks, but I have to disagree that corporate Democrats are wimps. woo me with science Oct 2013 #87

I distinctly remember that Obama favored raising the cap in the 2004 debates with Hillary. JDPriestly Oct 2013 #102

Conservative Democrats always appear more 'progressive' when campaigning. NorthCarolina Oct 2013 #113

Here's what ProSense Oct 2013 #6

K&R for your post and the OP DJ13 Oct 2013 #10

The Semantics War homegirl Oct 2013 #7

Personally, like "Obamacare", I really don't care what things get called bhikkhu Oct 2013 #9

You earned it, you're entitled to it. Take it up with those who wrote the Social Security Act. n/t duffyduff Oct 2013 #52

Of course you are more or less right, but the devil is in the details bhikkhu Oct 2013 #8

I don't know why you would expect Enthusiast Oct 2013 #13

Because that's what the president said bhikkhu Oct 2013 #25

I used to trust the President. Enthusiast Oct 2013 #30

Because the past is not the present bhikkhu Oct 2013 #32

But there are ulterior motives involved. Enthusiast Oct 2013 #35

I wouldn't say that's the only reason bhikkhu Oct 2013 #61

"More progressive" = means testing. Means testing and cutting benefits weakens the program. Enthusiast Oct 2013 #70

Means testing isn't evil, its progressive, as you say bhikkhu Oct 2013 #75

We must primary any Democrat that votes for Chained CPI. Enthusiast Oct 2013 #90

I don't think any would, realistically bhikkhu Oct 2013 #94

LOL. Enthusiast Oct 2013 #95

Thank you. woo me with science Oct 2013 #89

Means testing makes SS a poor people program Prophet 451 Oct 2013 #107

Yes. That is why it is so disturbing Enthusiast Oct 2013 #114

Yes, the devil is always in the details. QuestForSense Oct 2013 #24

"have to" as in looking at the CBO projections bhikkhu Oct 2013 #29

If there is a problem with Medicare we need to increase its funding. Enthusiast Oct 2013 #33

That's a good sentiment, but if you look at the numbers - how? bhikkhu Oct 2013 #96

Excellent post, QuestForSense! Enthusiast Oct 2013 #31

You have NO understanding of what an "entitlement" IS. duffyduff Oct 2013 #55

Thanks for enlightening me. QuestForSense Oct 2013 #72

more bogus b.s. grasswire Oct 2013 #34

Means testing: bad idea. Abolish the FICA cap: good idea. Jim Lane Oct 2013 #91

means testing bad idea....because....? grasswire Oct 2013 #92

Social Security and Medicare are politically stronger because they benefit everyone. Jim Lane Oct 2013 #93

The projections have consistently proved themselves to be Egalitarian Thug Oct 2013 #43

Yes, the projections are almost always wrong bhikkhu Oct 2013 #63

K & R! dchill Oct 2013 #11

yep awoke_in_2003 Oct 2013 #12

K & R historylovr Oct 2013 #14

Cutting the farm bill would be entitlement reform. Can I be for that? Recursion Oct 2013 #15

You, or I, are free to exempt ourselves from a term of art cthulu2016 Oct 2013 #22

SNAP, Food Stamps, are tied to the farm bill. Would you be for cutting food stamps Zorra Oct 2013 #56

Not anymore Recursion Oct 2013 #57

Really? When did that happen? I was under the impression that House Republicans were trying Zorra Oct 2013 #62

As I read up, apparently it's in conference limbo now Recursion Oct 2013 #65

That's what I thought, and I agree about the subsidies. nt Zorra Oct 2013 #76

We should commandeer the term cojoel Oct 2013 #18

It's like when they claim "waste fraud and abuse" but never on no-bid contracts. Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2013 #19

"Cost Plus" no-bid contracts. Enthusiast Oct 2013 #37

+1. Cuts to your benefits means more for the 1%, and less for you. blkmusclmachine Oct 2013 #20

Promises on "strengthening Social Security" bvar22 Oct 2013 #21

Not necessarily - it could me to improve efficiency treestar Oct 2013 #26

Yeah, it's going to be New and Improved. Superlative even. jsr Oct 2013 #27

We have seen this bullshit act before. Enthusiast Oct 2013 #36

+100000000000 woo me with science Oct 2013 #64

I hate the term "entitlement," too. THESE ARE EARNED BENEFITS. Th1onein Oct 2013 #28

Here's a thought. How about a benefit just for being a citizen of the richest country in the world? Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2013 #45

Entitlement equals earned. Sick of people who don't understand it. n/t duffyduff Oct 2013 #50

Rather reminds me of Welfare "reform" <- AKA screwing the poorest of the poor. ~nt~ 99th_Monkey Oct 2013 #39

Exactly - why aren't they proposing to use the CPI-E (the inflation index for elderly people)? Make7 Oct 2013 #41

I remember when it was pointed out the price of gas had doubled.... Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2013 #46

Fortunately the things elderly people buy are transported by horse drawn buggies. Make7 Oct 2013 #53

They would PREFER to eliminate Social Security and stick em in an old folks home run by a church,... Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2013 #58

That is included in the Strengthen Social Security bill n/t eridani Oct 2013 #104

Look, we are "entitled" to these benefits for the simple and obvious reason that we "earned" them. RVN VET Oct 2013 #42

It was "reformed" 30 years ago. HooptieWagon Oct 2013 #48

Peter J. Peterson owns the White House and Congress. He's a crook, pure and simple. duffyduff Oct 2013 #54

The phrase, "There's a sucker born every minute" caught on for a reason. Egalitarian Thug Oct 2013 #68

+1000000000000000000 woo me with science Oct 2013 #84

Yup, won't go further here than a thumbs up nadinbrzezinski Oct 2013 #51

If I could accept the good faith of the people arguing about entitlement reform... lumberjack_jeff Oct 2013 #67

A truly righteous rant. AAO Oct 2013 #73

If any of those bastards mention..... DeSwiss Oct 2013 #74

Is that the case with Medicare? Couldn't entitlement reform pnwmom Oct 2013 #78

Reform has become a code word for dismantle Lordquinton Oct 2013 #79

K&R. Meanwhile, Apple pays virtually no taxes, and it is just one of a number of corporations JDPriestly Oct 2013 #88

That's where the reform needs to happen. I'll bet most Americans aren't aware of the corporations Dark n Stormy Knight Oct 2013 #103

Reform always creates the same equation IkeRepublican Oct 2013 #99

Depends. Raise the cap, no benefit loss. joshcryer Oct 2013 #101

There aren't enough "richest" to make even a tiny dent in the system total payouts eridani Oct 2013 #105

C-CPI has a poverty exemption. joshcryer Oct 2013 #106

It's basic math, btw. joshcryer Oct 2013 #108

So what? There is also the productivity math to consider eridani Oct 2013 #110

Not sure about that. joshcryer Oct 2013 #111

Given productivity increases, fewer workers don't matter eridani Oct 2013 #119

Of course, that was the whole intention Prophet 451 Oct 2013 #109

Some things to consider The Wizard Oct 2013 #112

kick woo me with science Oct 2013 #115