Obama Undercuts the "Social" in Social Security: Democrats retreat from FDR's vision of the commons

[marmar]

from OnTheCommons.org:



Obama Undercuts the "Social" in Social Security
Democrats retreat from FDR's vision of the commons

By Jay Walljasper


This week, 75 years and 4 months since Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act, a Democratic president is ignoring his wisdom and abandoning his strategy for protecting the program from shifting political winds. This could mark the beginning of the end of Social Security as we have known it.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt regarded the Social Security Act as the cornerstone of the New Deal. “I think he took greater satisfaction from it than from anything else he achieved on the domestic front”, observed his Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins.

And well he might. Seventy-five years later, Social Security keeps more than 20 million Americans out of poverty. Almost 90 percent of the elderly receive benefits: 69 percent receive more than half their income from Social Security and more than 40 percent received 90 percent.

“No other New Deal measure proved more lastingly consequential or more emblematic of the very meaning of the New Deal,” notes Stanford historian David M. Kennedy.

One reason Social Security has proven so enduring and substantial is because of the financing strategy chosen, a payroll tax. Many of FDR’s advisors wanted financing to come out of general appropriations. They counseled, using an argument eerily similar to that offered today, that in 1935 the economy was still emerging from a deep depression and a payroll tax would have a detrimental impact. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://onthecommons.org/obama-undercuts-social-social-security

[customerserviceguy]

1. When Senator Rand Paul

decides to take up the partial privatization of Social Security in a bit less than a year from now, the President will have no foundation on which to oppose him, that he hasn't already violated himself.

[prodigals0n]

2. No one raises taxes in an election year

And that's exactly what the republicans will call it when rates are set to return to their previous levels. Just as they did with the bush tax cuts that were supposed to expire this year.

When the Social Security tax cuts are made permanent like the bush tax cuts and the shortfall has to come from the general fund Obama and the republicans will have accomplished what bush couldn't even get done.

We elected a republican in Democrat's clothing. I'll never vote for Obushma again. Never. Never.

[yurbud]

4. bingo

[4dsc]

9. But most Du'er rejoiced at this..

Damn I wish someone would stand up for the average joe in country.

[Hugin]

3. K&R

[BrklynLiberal]

5. The repukes have been waiting 7 years and 4 months for this....

Instead of reducing the deduction, they should have removed the income cap on SS deductions....

[whathehell]

7. Yes...Has anyone noticed that this simple solution -- raising the cap..is almost NEVER brought up or

heard in the MSM?

Should he give in to this, I'll never vote for Obushma again..Talk about a Trojan Horse...Jeebus.

[BrklynLiberal]

8. My feelings as well...

I feel like I have been scammed by some sort of grifter.

[whathehell]

10. Yep....Probably by more than one.

[midnight]

6. K&R

[Enthusiast]

11. K&R

The greatest betrayal of all. A Democrat would not do this.

[Enthusiast]

12. I've said it myself.

When I've criticized President Obama in the past Obamabots have said, "Why do you hate Obama?" I would always say, "I don't hate Obama, I was an ardent supporter, I even donated to his campaign." I can no longer say that. I now officially hate his fucking guts.

[sirthomas66]

14. I agree with you. But I don't have enough posts to be as ardent as

you. The repeal of DADT is now taken center stage. And putting grandma and grandpa on the street is so much less important.

[FlyByNight]

13. Don't forget: $725 billion for the Pentagon...

...which includes nearly $160 billion for the re-branded Iraq/Afghanistan occupations in the new budget year.

It's only a matter of time before calls for austerity are ringing through a core-corrupted Congress; about half of them are already millionaires anyway. The wealthy get unnecessary and fiscally damaging tax breaks and the rest of us will get "austerity".

I hope President Obama's deal was worth potential re-election. Makes me wonder if there'll be anything worth governing in a few years anyway.

[Starry Messenger]

15. k&r