Endorsing Social Security Cuts Gives Politicians the “Elite Bonus”
By: David Dayen Friday October 26, 2012 8:30 am
It is remarkable that social security hasnt been a more prominent issue in the presidential race. After all, Governor Romney has proposed a plan that would imply cuts of more than 40% for middle-class workers just entering the labor force. Since social security is hugely popular across the political spectrum, it would seem that President Obama could gain an enormous advantage by clearly proclaiming his support for the program.
But President Obama has consistently refused to rise to the defense of social security. In fact, in the first debate, he explicitly took the issue off the table, telling the American people that there is not much difference between his position on social security and Romneys [...]
But there is another set of economic considerations affecting the politics of social security. These considerations involve the economics of the political campaigns and the candidates running for office. The story here is a simple one: while social security may enjoy overwhelming support across the political spectrum, it does not poll nearly as well among the wealthy people who finance political campaigns and own major news outlets. The predominant philosophy among this group is that a dollar in a workers pocket is a dollar that could be in a rich persons pocket and these people see social security putting lots of dollars in the pockets of people who are not rich.
Basically, Baker implies that a stance of defending Social Security lowers your campaign contributions and labels you as unserious in major media. You can see this in the Washington Posts endorsement of President Obama, mainly because he understands the urgency of the (deficit) problems as well as anyone in the country and is committed to solving them in a balanced way. They almost entirely based their endorsement on the likelihood of Obama reaching a deficit deal over Romney. And the Post ed board describes that balanced way as a combination of entitlement reform and revenue increases. Theres really no greater avatar of the DC elite mindset than Fred Hiatts scribbling crew.
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LiberalLoner
(9,762 posts)We have to win in the fight against plutocrats because our lives depend on it.
Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)And we're headed for a disaster much larger than a mere economic one. It will all get very interesting as the Earth becomes less habitable, food crops fail, epidemics spread, waer becomes increasingly scarce, the air becomes less breathable
LiberalLoner
(9,762 posts)Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)LiberalLoner
(9,762 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)That seems to be a paradox, but historically, it has been the case. In the middle of the chaos, they will be the ones with the power to create the social order they wanted all along.
The peaceful revolution at the ballot box, with community organizing to present public needs to established government, was how Social Security was created. Those who call for 'revolution' to destroy the 'evil government' can give Norquist what he's working for, faster.
It's the quick fix that is rigged by the powerful, and so they enourage the romantic idea that one day, all the masses will cry out in misery and the powerful will give in. This is not the case and never has been, they have merely been shifted. They do not fear us.
The plutocrats love revolutions, that's when they sweep their opponents off the playing field and rearrange all the resources in their favor. JMHO.
bvar22
(39,909 posts)... for a near bloodless revolution.
The Populist Social Reforms sweeping across South/Central America give me hope for the World.
WHY the Hell is the USA supporting the few Right Wing Death Squad Police States remaining in Latin America?
You would think that a nation so obsessed with the word "democracy" would be supporting the actual new democracies in Latin America.
----Bolivian Reform President Evo Morales
FDR said much the same thing in 1944 with his Economic Bill of Rights.
Unfortunately, FDR and THAT "Democratic Party" are long dead,
so we have some work to do.
When the Working Class & The Poor realize WE have more in common with each other
than we have in common with the Rich Ruling Elite and their puppets in Washington,
WE can hae change here too.
Spread the Word.
VIVA Democracy!
You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their rhetoric, promises, or excuses.
[font size=5 color=firebrick]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
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