Comments on: Progressives In Congress Say “No Deal” To Social Security Cuts

By: Rodent

Rodent — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 03:53:57 +0000

I checked out the site, “Obama’s Historic Assault on Social Security.” TERRIFIC! I shared it with family. Thanks.

By: Joe The Economist

Joe The Economist — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 13:52:36 +0000

The Trustees project that (in a good economy) full benefits in Social Security may last as 2033. That is a few days away from 20 years. Everyone 47 and younger will expect to retire after full benefits are gone. People 64 and younger will EXPECT to outlive full benefits.

When cuts come the Trustees estimate that (providing voters are willing to continue to pay 12.4% into a system that is in insolvency) Social Security will provide 75% of scheduled benefits.

These are agressive assumptions since we choose to have a holiday such that we don’t pay 12.4% and we refuse to take a 5% cut over 10 years.

By: Carroll Johnson

Carroll Johnson — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 03:52:38 +0000

We let the GOP frame the debate when we worry about the deficit. Social Security does not contribute to the debt BUT deficit is not bad. In the great depression it was government deficit spending that created jobs that brought us out of that mess. Then New Deal regulations on banks kept us prosperous until “deregulation mania” created the bubbles that put us in this recession. In a way we are worse off now because venture captialists have sent much of our industry (the engine of wealth) overseas. We should mbe borrowing at this low interest rate to pay for rebuilding our infrastructure.

By: Progressives In Congress Say “No Deal” To Social Security Cuts | Jobs Not Wars

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 03:51:47 +0000

[...] [...]

By: Dana Rigley

Dana Rigley — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:22:19 +0000

Social Security is a retirement plan into which workers pay a portion of their income. If the Social Security retirement plan is to be cut, shouldn’t every retirement plan for every person also be cut by the same amount, including Congress members? Why should one retiresment plan be singled out while leaving all other plans unaffected?

By: Joe Firestone (LetsGetitDone)

Joe Firestone (LetsGetitDone) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:17:09 +0000

This is the result of progressives continuing to cooperate with Obama going all the way back to early 2010. When he appointed the Catfood Commission, after the proposal to form it had been defeated in Congress we knew he was looking to cut entitlements. At that point we should have stopped playing the game of agreeing that deficit reduction plans were needed and agreeing on the Petersonians' view that the national debt was a problem and deficits had to be reduced. That is just not true. The deficits are still too low; not too high! We know this because we have nearly 8% U3 unemployment, and more than 28 million disemployed people who want full-time jobs, but can't find them. I warned in 2010 that people at CAF and closely associated organizations were following the wrong strategy is playing the deficit reduction game, and warned that playing that game would not protect SS and Medicare. I wrote this and this at the time.

By: Tim Morgan

Tim Morgan — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 23:42:26 +0000

WHERE’S CHUCK SCHUMER?

By: Thomas Baldwin

Thomas Baldwin — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 23:39:37 +0000

Glen Ford’s opening comment from the article referenced above:

“After four years of maneuvering, President Obama finally has his White Whale, Social Security, within harpooning distance. “Obama has largely neutered Social Security’s traditional congressional defenders, who know perfectly well what their president is up to, but will not directly oppose him.”

Doesn’t this directly define where you have been coming from Mr. Heath now that you are finally speaking up?

By: Thomas Baldwin

Thomas Baldwin — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:59:23 +0000

By the way, Mr. Heath, assuming you can read here is a post Glen Ford made from the Black Agenda Report. I assume you have heard of him. Please try to learn something from him:

Obama’s Historic Assault on Social Security

http://blackagendareport.com/content/obama%E2%80%99s-historic-assault-social-security

By: John Butler

John Butler — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:55:46 +0000

President Obama and the conservative Democrats who agree with him are commiting political suicide by not standing strong against the GOP. He is not keeping his campaign promises. When he stands up to the GOP is approval ratings improve, but when he caves into them his approval ratings drop. For the sake of of our nation, I hope he changes this awful tactic of capitulation!