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In reply to the discussion: FFS... the PURPOSE of ENTITLEMENT REFORM is to REDUCE benefits [View all]Prophet 451
(9,796 posts)109. Of course, that was the whole intention
The Republican aim is very simple: To destroy the social safety; both to lower taxes and to enact the corporate dream of producing a labour pool that will work for pennies and no benefits until they drop and to whom the corporates owe nothing. Eliminating Social Security helps achieve both goals: Payroll tax goes away and they get a new pool of ultra-desperate labour. Making it means-tested turns it into a poor persons benefit and benefits for poor people are always the first thing to be cut because the right (and their pet media) have demonised the poor as lazy moochers.
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And it's a solely Republican endeavor, not a Democratic Party one. Let's make that clear.
BlueCaliDem
Oct 2013
#1
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
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
There is zero reason for Democrats to wade in the Republican cesspool of cutting benefits
BlueCaliDem
Oct 2013
#40
But one that not very many Californians know about. And we've got to change that
BlueCaliDem
Oct 2013
#117
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
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
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
"More progressive" = means testing. Means testing and cutting benefits weakens the program.
Enthusiast
Oct 2013
#70
Social Security and Medicare are politically stronger because they benefit everyone.
Jim Lane
Oct 2013
#93
SNAP, Food Stamps, are tied to the farm bill. Would you be for cutting food stamps
Zorra
Oct 2013
#56
Really? When did that happen? I was under the impression that House Republicans were trying
Zorra
Oct 2013
#62
It's like when they claim "waste fraud and abuse" but never on no-bid contracts.
Spitfire of ATJ
Oct 2013
#19
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
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
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
Look, we are "entitled" to these benefits for the simple and obvious reason that we "earned" them.
RVN VET
Oct 2013
#42
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
If I could accept the good faith of the people arguing about entitlement reform...
lumberjack_jeff
Oct 2013
#67
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
There aren't enough "richest" to make even a tiny dent in the system total payouts
eridani
Oct 2013
#105