Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumObama’s call to expand Social Security highlights a populist shift propelled by Bernie Sanders.
A bow to Sanders populist clout
Sahil Kapur and Mike Dornig
Bloomberg News
Just five years ago, Mr. Obama called for reducing future Social Security benefits an idea that at the time was in vogue for many Republicans and some Democrats, who treated it as a badge of fiscal responsibility.
No more. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, says Social Security benefits shouldnt be cut a departure from other Republican leaders such as House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. Mr. Sanders, as part of his Democratic presidential campaign, has been calling for an expansion of benefits, and the partys likely nominee, Hillary Clinton, took a similar position earlier this year. Mr. Obama joined the chorus Wednesday.
Five years ago, Mr. Obama offered to change the way Social Security benefits are calculated to make them less generous as part of a grand bargain on taxes and spending with then-House Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican. He officially abandoned the policy in his fiscal 2015 budget, then went further in a speech in Indiana on Wednesday in which he excoriated Republican economic policies and called for Social Security benefits to be expanded.
In March 2015, as the top Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee, Mr. Sanders pushed for a vote on an amendment by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren proposing expanded Social Security benefits. Forty-two Democrats voted for the amendment and only two were opposed.
Two months later, when Mr. Sanders announced his presidential bid, he put the policy front and center. Instead of cutting Social Security, he said, were going to expand Social Security benefits.
Sahil Kapur and Mike Dornig
Bloomberg News
Just five years ago, Mr. Obama called for reducing future Social Security benefits an idea that at the time was in vogue for many Republicans and some Democrats, who treated it as a badge of fiscal responsibility.
No more. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, says Social Security benefits shouldnt be cut a departure from other Republican leaders such as House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. Mr. Sanders, as part of his Democratic presidential campaign, has been calling for an expansion of benefits, and the partys likely nominee, Hillary Clinton, took a similar position earlier this year. Mr. Obama joined the chorus Wednesday.
Five years ago, Mr. Obama offered to change the way Social Security benefits are calculated to make them less generous as part of a grand bargain on taxes and spending with then-House Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican. He officially abandoned the policy in his fiscal 2015 budget, then went further in a speech in Indiana on Wednesday in which he excoriated Republican economic policies and called for Social Security benefits to be expanded.
In March 2015, as the top Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee, Mr. Sanders pushed for a vote on an amendment by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren proposing expanded Social Security benefits. Forty-two Democrats voted for the amendment and only two were opposed.
Two months later, when Mr. Sanders announced his presidential bid, he put the policy front and center. Instead of cutting Social Security, he said, were going to expand Social Security benefits.
Give 'em hell Bernie.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
11 replies, 697 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (13)
ReplyReply to this post
11 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Obama’s call to expand Social Security highlights a populist shift propelled by Bernie Sanders. (Original Post)
portlander23
Jun 2016
OP
do you mean when obama ended the "file and suspend" feature that benefiited a some retirees?
beachbum bob
Jun 2016
#1
The President said that the current system must be shored up first. You heard what you wanted
Trust Buster
Jun 2016
#2
I watched the Presiden't statement myself. He first said that the current SS system must be
Trust Buster
Jun 2016
#5
beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)1. do you mean when obama ended the "file and suspend" feature that benefiited a some retirees?
The proposed end of file-and-suspend wipes out a valuable claiming strategy for two-earner couples. One spouse could file for benefits at full retirement age, then suspend them, thereby allowing those benefits to grow in value until age 70. Meanwhile, the second spouse could file only for spousal benefits based on the others earnings record, while allowing his or her own benefits to grow.
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)2. The President said that the current system must be shored up first. You heard what you wanted
to hear.
portlander23
(2,078 posts)4. Are you arguing with me or Bloomberg?
The historical record is that Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama have supported cutting Social Security.
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)5. I watched the Presiden't statement myself. He first said that the current SS system must be
shored up first. Some chose to politically ignore that part.
portlander23
(2,078 posts)6. You're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts
Dems reject Obama's chained CPI formula for Social Security
Pete Kasperowicz
The Hill
Obama used his 2014 budget plan to call for imposing a so-called chained CPI formula. That formula would reduce Social Security cost of living adjustments by taking into account alternative purchases people can make in order to avoid goods and services whose costs are rising quickly.
Since Obama's budget was released, Democrats have criticized it as a way to shrink Social Security payments to seniors and have repeatedly rejected it in speeches on the House floor.
The resolution finds that Social Security payments average about $14,000 per year, and that more than 53 million people receive them. It also adds that the Congressional Budget Office estimates that chained CPI would cut Social Security benefits by 0.25 percent, and would reduce outlays by $112 billion over the first decade.
Pete Kasperowicz
The Hill
Obama used his 2014 budget plan to call for imposing a so-called chained CPI formula. That formula would reduce Social Security cost of living adjustments by taking into account alternative purchases people can make in order to avoid goods and services whose costs are rising quickly.
Since Obama's budget was released, Democrats have criticized it as a way to shrink Social Security payments to seniors and have repeatedly rejected it in speeches on the House floor.
The resolution finds that Social Security payments average about $14,000 per year, and that more than 53 million people receive them. It also adds that the Congressional Budget Office estimates that chained CPI would cut Social Security benefits by 0.25 percent, and would reduce outlays by $112 billion over the first decade.
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)7. That has nothing to do with the President's statement the other day.
portlander23
(2,078 posts)8. Just saying is all
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)9. What you're posting does not respond to the OP at all.
CrispyQ
(36,461 posts)3. And a few days later he stands behind DWS.
Cheese Sandwich
(9,086 posts)10. Bernie has led the way on social security.
Skwmom
(12,685 posts)11. I think it's called election time and he is backing Clinton. n/t