General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: FFS... the PURPOSE of ENTITLEMENT REFORM is to REDUCE benefits [View all]bhikkhu
(10,715 posts)especially when it comes to government funds. Everybody pays taxes on a means-test basis, otherwise it would be crushingly unfair to the majority. Health insurance subsidies are also means-tested, otherwise most people couldn't afford it. All that means is that you get more help if you need help, and less help if you don't need help.
It would be wonderful if there was so much money that it could be distributed equally to all whether people needed it or not, but the first thing any responsible party would do if the money supplies were looking questionable would be to consider giving less to the people who didn't need it, in order to ensure that there was enough for the people that really did need it.
If that violates some ideology or other I'm not too concerned, other than it bothers me when people talk about "primarying" any democrat that supports entitlement reform; that's the sort of bone-headed refusal-to-really-look-at-the-issue posture that has served the GOP so poorly. If there is a better way to do it, that would be fine too, but I'm not jumping ship based on some vague general fear that there is a hidden agenda.