I guess I didn't hear Obama during the campaign correctly?

[SHRED]

I missed this one.

My bad.
:sarcasm:


:banghead:

Obama Puts Social Security on the Chopping Block

— By James Ridgeway
| Wed Jan. 20, 2010 8:36 AM PST

Hope for lasting liberal change was washed away on Tuesday—not just with the loss of the Democrats' super-majority in the Senate, but with a closed-door deal that would lead to cuts in bedrock liberal programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. While Massachusetts voters were casting their ballots to install Republican Scott Brown in Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat, President Obama was hammering out an agreement with Democratic leaders to support a commission on the deficit with the power to propose reductions to entitlement programs. This proposal represents a capitulation to conservatives in both parties, and leaves liberals surrendering not only on health care, but on the core achievements of the New Deal and the Great Society.

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/01/obama-puts-social-security-chopping-block

[babylonsister]

1. Yawn. Do a search. It's a bunch of bullshit that has been disputed

for days on DU. :boring:

[Suich]

28. Can you give me an idea of where or how to search?

My neighbor hit me with this same bs today. I tried Snopes but couldn't find anything.

TIA!

[tabatha]

34. Try watching this

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2010/01/22/HP/R/28701/Pres+Obama+discusses+jobs+economy+at+ohio+town+hall.aspx

[iconocrastic]

40. Paul Krugman says it's legit. "Disputed" does not equate to false

Paul Krugman - New York Times Blog
January 20, 2010, 10:30 am
Errors of Commission

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/errors-of-commission/?scp=2&sq=deficit%20commission&st=cse

"Disputed" is a weasel word that is just spin on spin.

[DJ13]

2. I guess he feels he wont need the senior vote in 2012

Sometimes I think he's not as smart as we think he is.

[tabatha]

4. It is BS. He addressed this rumor today.

[ProSense]

6. "Sometimes I think he's not as smart as we think he is."

Maybe it's not the President who is suffering from this.

[DJ13]

10. You're right

It could be his defenders.

[tabatha]

12. No --- not on this one.

[DJ13]

17. He's is STILL not going to get the senior vote at this rate

Medicare rates increased and they claim theres 0 inflation so theres no COLA for 2010.

On top of that, the Einsteins in the administration have indicated they already know there wont be any inflation a year from now, so the seniors probably wont get a COLA in 2011 either.

Tell me, why would anyone who treats our most vulnerable citizens like this expect to get their vote?

[tabatha]

20. That is why he was fighting so hard for the HCR.

It would have reduced the donut hole for seniors.

[DJ13]

21. That doesnt solve the two issues I mentioned

The frozen benefit amount (can anyone seriously say theres no inflation?) on top of the Medicare increase.

[tabatha]

23. I don't know about those -

but I am sure you would do worse under a republican.

[DJ13]

24. Possibly, but this is the first time SS had no COLA in history

Its pretty hard to be worse on that issue.

[eridani]

41. If anyone in Congress was actuallly serious about HCR, it would be eliminated immediately

Starting right now.

[tabatha]

3. This is crap.

I heard Obama say TODAY that Social Security is fine, and will be fine for a long time with some minor tweaks (I think he would be removing the cap.)

Please find his meeting today --- he addressed these rumors specifically and said they were not true.

I am surprised at MJ.

[stray cat]

5. I sure hope he doesn't employ means testing for those making more than 10 million

can you imagine if they receive less on a percentage base than whose who made 30,000. Horrors!

[tabatha]

7. THIS IS BS!!!

[Wapsie B]

8. Dear god they'd have to give the servants Sunday off just to make ends meet!

:cry:

[liberal N proud]

9. Once again the pundits have hyped something into what its not

This is what happened to health insurance reform.

Misinformation!

[tabatha]

11. **** PLEASE ****

This has been debunked.

Also, find a video of Obama's townhall today ---- he addresses these rumors directly.

Jeez, I thought only the RWers dealt in rumors and misinformation.

[inna]

14. debunked? where and by whom? links, please, otherwise your comment is

completely worthless.

[tabatha]

18. Can you not read???

"Also, find a video of Obama's townhall today ---- he addresses these rumors directly."

[timeforpeace]

27. Probably doesn't believe you. Provide the links and other proof, we would all like to see it.

[tabatha]

30. Sorry, I watched the live broadcast.

Thus I did not get the information from a video at a link.
I thought if someone was interested they would look for it.
I guess, I'll do the work and look for it.

Here it is:

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2010/01/22/HP/R/28701/Pres+Obama+discusses+jobs+economy+at+ohio+town+hall.aspx

[Bluenorthwest]

29. Rather than be mean, you should

post the link of which you speak. People do that here.

[tabatha]

32. I watched it live and did not have a link.

I looked it up --- you can watch it here:

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2010/01/22/HP/R/28701/Pres+Obama+discusses+jobs+economy+at+ohio+town+hall.aspx

I was not being mean, just frustrated that the reply did not seem as though I had posted had any information - which appeared mean to me.

[daa]

22. I suppose they think Mother Jones is a Murdock publication nt

[tabatha]

35. from today

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2010/01/22/HP/R/28701/Pres+Obama+discusses+jobs+economy+at+ohio+town+hall.aspx

[ProSense]

15. They're no different. n/t

[Cant trust em]

13. God forbid we have a commission.

This is so lame.

[tabatha]

19. Why?

[Cant trust em]

36. It's just a lot of hullabaloo over nothing.

Sorry, my previous post wasn't clear.

[NYC_SKP]

16. DEBUNKED. You see, posting someone's opinion of what wasn't ever said is not really honest.

Obviously, it happens all the time, someone over there editorializes about some theory based on statements by unnamed sources.

Next thing you know, it's something on the internet that gets posted here.

An internet link to the story, while better than many OPs, does not make something unbiased reporting, does not make it true.

:patriot:

[struggle4progress]

25. The structure of the propaganda game here should be clear with a bit of googling:

The extremists want to end programs like Social Security, as they have ever since the New Deal. One strategy, pioneered by Grover Norquist since the Reagan era, has been to drive up the federal debt by cutting taxes and increasing spending, in hopes of precipitating a national bankruptcy, with the intent to argue then that Social Security and most other federal programs are unaffordable: as the federal debt mounts, and foreign creditors become more uncomfortable, the extremists predictably push for slashing programs

In the current Congress, Conrad and Gregg proposed a commission, of dubious constitutionality, that would have locked the House and Senate into voting on whatever the Commission proposed. At present, only about 30 Senators have co-sponsored the bill; opposition has been noted on both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate. Meanwhile, some of the extremists have pushed it, since they hope it would be an avenue for gutting Social Security. Given the gridlock that results in Congress from en bloc Republican obstructionism, the possibilities for negotiating a budget are limited: apparently, the White House has been discussing this issue with various parties. Meanwhile, the rightwing, outraged at the possible failure of their most recent attempt to slash through social programs, has decided to turn the fact (that the Conrad-Gregg commission proposal is going nowhere) into a failure of Obama's: suddenly, the commission is Obama's commission; it his sly attempt to undercut Social Security; and the fact that the commission is unpopular is attributed to courageous rightwingers standing up to Obama

Details matter. Let's not be sloppy

[DJ13]

26. Good summation, but it also points out one troubling aspect

"At present, only about 30 Senators have co-sponsored the bill; opposition has been noted on both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate. Meanwhile, some of the extremists have pushed it, since they hope it would be an avenue for gutting Social Security. Given the gridlock that results in Congress from en bloc Republican obstructionism, the possibilities for negotiating a budget are limited: apparently, the White House has been discussing this issue with various parties."


Its such an obvious conservative ploy the administration shouldnt even have discussed it.

That just lent credence to the idea that Obama might attack Social Security.

Especially when he made vague references in his campaign speeches about reigning in entitlements, which has traditionally been GOP code speak for reducing benefits.

[tabatha]

33. Obama said today that SS was fine and woud be fine

for a long time with tweaks.

[onpatrol98]

31. Hmm, my homework may be faulty

I think this is why some seniors are upset...

Okay, this is my understanding, for senior citizens, their Social Security check did not include a Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2010. And, depending on the economy, they may not get an adjustment for up to three years. This is the first time this has happened in about 30 years.

The Social Security Administration announced this last year. The recent health care bill also included a cut of billions of dollars for social security.

Now, to offset the pain of this for seniors, the president is offering a one time only payment of $250. The president did mention this today in his speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBwyQIhHLMc

Mind you, members of Congress did receive a raise in 2009. I can't wait to see what 2010 brings for them.

[DJ13]

38. ".....they may not get an adjustment for up to three years"

Its complete bullshit that the administration can claim to know there wont be inflation for the next 2 years, let alone the rest of this year.

Thats no way to treat our elderly and disabled.

[Kltpzyxm]

37. You're obviously

unfamiliar with 3d chess.

[jeanpalmer]

39. You don't need a commission

to preserve SS. Just leave it alone. The only reason to create a commission is to gut it.