FFS... the PURPOSE of ENTITLEMENT REFORM is to REDUCE benefits

[RVN VET]

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

The RW has gotten away with changing the flavor of the word "entitlement" from something earned and warranted to something unearned. Social Security and Medicare are entitlements because Americans pay 10's, in some cases 100's, of 1,000's of dollars of their wages to these systems. They pay it because the Government of the United States (which, more and more, seems to be loathed and despised by the g-- d--n Republican Party) guarantees them an equitable benefit when they reach retirement age. They pay it because they actually trust the Government to keep its promises to them, to honor its guarantees to them. Of course, these days, the GOP laughs at the idea of Social Security and Medicare as earned benefits. That's because the GOP, by and large, thinks that any benefit paid to the 98% is money out of the pockets of the 1%-2%. And GOP politicians know that, if they ever want to be a member of the top 2%, they had better fight efforts to provide for the rest of us.

Some Dems feel the same way, but I think most Dem pols who want to screw with SS and Medicare are more clueless than greedy. Hence our President toying with chained CPI which his people describe -- with horrible disengenuity -- as merely an administrative adjustment.

I agree with all who say we should remove the cap. But I want to go further and roll the income tax rates back to what they were in the 50's and let the top 2% either get on board with it or leave the country. Dammit, their wealth is our wealth; and, frankly, we do not need greedy, cold-hearted multi-millionaires and billionaires sucking the economy dry.