New GOP Plan Would Save Military From Sequestration By Cutting Social Security
Source: Huffington Post
WASHINGTON -- A pair of House Republicans have a new bill that would spare the military from sequestration by cutting the Social Security benefits of many Americans who already experience painful federal budget cuts.
Reps. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) and Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) are introducing the Provide for the Common Defense Act on Tuesday. The legislation would cancel out the next two years of sequestration cuts for the Pentagon by putting a heavier burden on senior citizens and federal workers.
Specifically, the plan would change the way cost-of-living adjustments are calculated for Social Security, using a measurement called "chained CPI." The result would be less money in the pockets of beneficiaries. It would also increase federal employee retirement contributions and means-test Medicare premiums. Critics of means-testing argue that such a change would undermine the popularity of the program, turning it into welfare for lower-income Americans.
"Washington has a spending problem, but incessantly and mindlessly cutting national security will not get us out of our fiscal mess," said Lamborn in a statement. "President Obama must realize that out-of-control entitlement spending is drowning our country in debt. Our bill cancels national security sequestration for two years by enacting a few Obama-endorsed reforms that will actually produce over $300 billion in savings over ten years. Two-thirds of the savings will go toward debt reduction."
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/03/military-sequestration_n_4377517.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
Chained CPI and "means testing" of Medicare (which in reality means raising rates for the middle class) must be defeated.
"Means testing" which would require the middle class to pay more for Medicare will destroy the bi-partisan support for Medicare from the masses which is a big reason why politicians of both parties have so far not achieved these cuts. "Means testing" must be defeated if we are not to undermine the long term support for Medicare as an earned retirement benefit and not as a welfare program which would not receive such continued support.
