So Huffington Post, which has been wrong about President Obama

[WonderGrunion]

cutting Social security and Medicare for the last 4 years, is to be believed now for what reason? Is he really, really, really going to cut it his time? Are they sure?

[BlueStreak]

1. Uhhhh, that's the Washington Post

if you are talking about Ezra Klein.

And he is generally NOT wrong about these things.

[WonderGrunion]

3. I've just seen the huffPost articles linked in all the bloviating

Ezra has been wrong a lot about President Obama.

[democrattotheend]

2. The White House leaked the latest proposal

It's not speculation on HuffPo.

BUT I am thinking that they leaked it because they want to look reasonable and know the House won't pass it.

[WonderGrunion]

4. Obama has leaked stuff he knows won't pass before to make the Pubs look bad

I won't be surprised if he's doing it here too.

[democrattotheend]

5. When has he done that before?

I can't think of any specific examples. But I would love it if we were both right on this one.

[WonderGrunion]

7. Bowles Simpson

President Obama knew that stinker was going nowhere, but put it out for all to see.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

6. So you're like the rest of us: you know nothing, but make assumptions

Unless someone on DU is actually negotiating with the President, none of us has firsthand knowledge. We are left to depend on any journalism we opt to trust, while you're left to browbeat people for interpreting the tea leaves in a way that disagrees with your preconceived notions. What qualifies you for this station?

[WonderGrunion]

8. My preconceived notions have been right for the last 4 years

Yours....not so much.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

11. You have no idea what my preconceived notions are

I have them, but I've never told you a word about those notions. Since I know you know nothing of any preconceived notions I have, please do tell me more about all the advanced thinkin' you've been doing about this budget deal. Your word is gold, after all.

[libdem4life]

9. All politicians do this. Don't need a degree in Poli Sci to figure that out.

Same with pot. Now you see it, now you don't. Yes we did...no you didn't. The "leaks" seldom are ... or AKA "inside sources".

[DisgustipatedinCA]

13. Leaks are made by a lot of people for a lot of reasons

Some of these leaks are sanctioned, some are not. Conclusion: one cannot be drawn based on the information we have. Ergo, the OP is browbeating people over something he doesn't know.

[libdem4life]

15. That is true. But then again, we can't rely on what many of them actually say, either.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

16. Do you gave a specific distrust issue with Ezra Klein?

I think he's one of the best in the business, irrespective of how the budget deal works out.

[Matariki]

18. Or maybe he leaked it to provoke enough outrage that the Republicans HAVE to listen?

[DisgustipatedinCA]

10. I believe it's been inconveniently pointed out to you

...that Ezra Klein is employed by the Washington Post. You're working from an invalid premise. Next.

[WonderGrunion]

12. Almost all the links I've seen on DU have been to HuffPost puff pieces

You're the invalid one. Next!

I never mentioned Ezra in my Op.

[Luminous Animal]

14. Well, Jay Carney, the Presidents spokeperson, has admitted that chained CPI is in Obama's

proposal. Granted, Social Security and other low income serving services may be exempt from chained CPI (we can't know at this point, because We The People" apparently are not allowed to see the President's proposal), but even if targeted programs are exempt, chained CPI is a regressive tax and will it greatest impact will be on the poor and labor class...

Even if Social Security is exempt, it is going to hurt the majority of us.

The Chained CPI would also effectively raise taxes on virtually all working Americans, especially middle and lower income families. By applying it to all government programs, including the annual adjustment in income tax brackets, the Chained CPI would cause those thresholds to rise more slowly than they do now. That would lead to incomes jumping up to higher tax brackets faster, or in other words, income tax increases.
According to Congress’ Joint Committee on Taxation, if individual income taxes were indexed to the Chained CPI starting in January 2013, by 2021, 69 percent of the gains in revenue would come from taxpayers with incomes below $100,000, while those in the highest income brackets would barely be affected. For example, workers with incomes between $10,000 and $20,000 would experience an increased tax burden of 14.5 percent, while those with incomes over $1,000,000 would just see an increase of 0.1 percent. 9 This contradicts the idea that the negative effects from benefit cuts due to a switch to the Chained CPI would be offset by increased revenue from the wealthy.

The above is an excerpt from a report from the Center For Economic And Policy Research. You can download the report from this page:
http://www.cepr.net/index.php/publications/reports/the-chained-cpi-a-painful-cut-in-social-security-benefits-and-a-stealth-tax-hike

And a link to the press release
http://www.cepr.net/index.php/press-releases/press-releases/chained-cpi-cuts-social-security-benefits-while-raising-taxes-on-the-middle-class

[CakeGrrl]

17. The "Obama GOP trojan will destroy the country" crowd

is hoping they're proven right, apparently.

He didn't manage it in 2010, but this year, he will "fulfill his dream".