Reply #4: Plouffe on Spending [View All]

[cal04]

http://www.nationaljournal.com/the-sunday-shows-plouffe-on-spending-20110410

(snip)
He said Obama's speech this week will detail a "balanced" way of gradually reducing the nation's $14.2 trillion debt, including what is certain to be a controversial attempt to raise taxes on the rich. Plouffe also took a swipe at House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who released a high-profile debt reduction plan earlier this month that would restructure Medicare by passing more expenses on to the elderly while simultaneously imposing across-the-board tax cuts. Plouffe said the Ryan plan would save the average millionaire $200,000 per year in taxes, savings he suggested the wealthy neither needed nor deserved.

(snip)
Whither Social Security Reform?

9:40: After largely getting a pass in Ryan's budget blueprint, will Social Security be spared in Obama's plan? Plouffe was noncommittal when asked by Fox News Sunday's Chris Wallace. "He (Obama) does not think Social Security is a chief contributor to our deficit, especially in the short term," Plouffe said. However, "if there's a way to preserve Social Security, we should strive to do that."


Obama to deliver speech on deficit reduction this week
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/04/obama-to-deliver-speech-on-deficit-reduction-this-week/1

(snip)
Plouffe said on ABC's This Week that Obama does not believe Social Security to be "a significant driver in our deficit in the short term." But he added, "if there's a way to strengthen Social Security that doesn't hurt retirees and beneficiaries in the short term, and doesn't slash benefits in the long term, he's willing to work with Congress on this."

As part of deficit reduction, Obama will continue to fight for the expiration of George W. Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest taxpayers, Plouffe said. Obama and congressional Republicans agreed to a two-year extension of those tax cuts in December in order to prevent expiration of all the Bush tax cuts for all taxpayers.

In his speech, Obama will say that "people like him .., who've been very fortunate in life, have the ability to pay a little bit more," Plouffe said on NBC's Meet The Press.