IMO it's a scam to get a chained CPI across the board, and "save" SS.

[woo me with science]

Last edited Wed Dec 19, 2012, 03:41 PM - Edit history (1)

Here's my prediction, watching the Third Way spin here:

The chained CPI is what they really want. They will propose a chained CPI, but they will magnanimously and ostentatiously include some protections for Social Security recipients from it...for now.

That is exactly what Durbin proposed yesterday, and notably it was spun as "saving" Social Security rather than implementing a right-wing, tax-regressive assault on the many, many vulnerable people and social programs that a chained CPI will affect.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2022061

Note that we are also hearing Third Way peeps about a hypothetical, magical, *special* chained eCPI that might actually HELP elderly Social Security recipients (but notably is absent from Obama's actual proposal...), along with the implicit spin that its inclusion would somehow make implementing the regular chained CPI across the board acceptable.

Let's be clear. The regular chained CPI affects EVERYONE.

Fuck the disabled. Fuck veterans. Fuck federal retirees. Fuck everyone who is affected by the Consumer Price Index.

The Chained CPI is what they really want, and they will implement it by promising that, for now, it won't affect Social Security. And they will spin the whole filthy deal....THE ADOPTION OF A REGRESSIVE ASSAULT ON VIRTUALLY EVERY SOCIAL PROGRAM AND VULNERABLE POPULATION IN AMERICA.... as a win for America, because Social Security was "saved."

[leftstreet]

1. No Republican could ever have pulled this off. Ever

I doubt Hillary could even have gotten away with it.

It's a WIN WIN for the Ruling Class

DURec

[woo me with science]

2. +1 The corporatists are very, very good at what they do. nt

[kath]

3. yes, they are. The Trojan Horse trick is an oldie but goodie.

[kath]

4. What many don't realize is that rigged CPI figures (it's bad enough as it is, & the chained CPI is

even worse) affect everyone - the tax brackets, personal exemption, standard deduction, and other tax numbers are all linked to CPI.

It also should be shouted from the rooftops that the rigged CPI of the past few decades has already SLASHED SS benefits from what they should be by 75% or more. Chained CPI will accelerate the fucking over.

[jsr]

5. Save = Destroy. Strengthen = Weaken.

We went through this kind of English class before.