Reply #24: So, still just your opinion. [View All]

[enlightenment]

Can you cite where Plouffe actually stated that things were going to come to pass precisely as you unequivocally state in your OP?

I don't think you can - you can quote him, but what he said is not so clear-cut. In fact, if you want to start parsing, it could be said that Plouffe suggests Obama is considering cuts where none currently exist. To wit (and I have to use the Fox source, since that's where Plouffe was talking);

PLOUFFE: So, as I said, we've already -- on health care, over $1 trillion. Actually, the congressional Republican plan actually preserves the Medicare spending. So, the president says we have to do more. He's going to lay out his cuts about that. On Social Security, there wasn't anything really in the congressional plan on that. What the president is going to say is he does not think Social Security is a chief contributor our deficit situation in the short-term. But as we're having these debates, as we're looking at the federal budget and all these programs, if there's a way to preserve Social Security, we should really strive to do that. So, I think there's going to be discussions about the Social Security in a way that doesn't slash benefit.

WALLACE: But specifically on the entitlement, he is going to address Medicare and Medicaid?

PLOUFFE: Yes.

*emphasis mine - source: http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/fox-news-sunday/transcript/david-plouffe-new-obama-deficit-plan-rep-eric-cantor-budget-battle

Or, if you prefer to use the MTP interview:

MR. GREGORY: Will the president take on entitlements when he speaks this week? Will he lay out a plan to reform entitlements? Medicare, Social Security, the biggest drivers of our debt.

MR. PLOUFFE: Well, I'll let the president speak for himself later in the week, but I will say this...

MR. GREGORY: Why is this a secret? We know that these are huge issues.

MR. PLOUFFE: Well, he has...

MR. GREGORY: If you're serious about debt--tackling the debt, don't you have to do that?

MR. PLOUFFE: Well, in terms of specifics, let me say this, he has said--he said this in the State of the Union, even though his healthcare reform plan which, by the way, many Congressional Republicans want to repeal, so they'll have to explain how they're going to make up the trillion dollars in deficit reduction. So we've had a lot of savings in health care, we have to do more. So you're going to have to look at Medicare and Medicaid and see what kind of savings you can get. First, squeezing them out of the system before you squeeze seniors. Secondly, on Social Security, what he said is that is not a driver right now of significant costs, but in the process of sitting down and talking about our spending and our programs, if there can be a discussion about how to strengthen Social Security in the future, he's eager to have that discussion.

*emphasis mine - source - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42498976/ns/meet_the_press-transcripts/


You see? I can read the same material you are reading and see something quite different. I see someone who is strongly suggesting that Medicare and Medicaid are definitely on the table for cuts and Social Security is up for 'discussion'. That's my opinion - and I don't call it anything but that.

Your interpretation of what Plouffe said is just your opinion. You're absolutely entitled to have one, but you should consider dropping the barely veiled accusations that anyone who disagrees with you is not a Democrat - or hates Obama. That goes quite a bit beyond expressing your opinion - and it's very juvenile, to boot.