When Reform Means Eliminate: The Plot to Kill Social Security

[Hannah Bell]

In Washington each new day brings a fresh call to “reform entitlement programs..." Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a bi-partisan group that is set to attack Social Security in a way where, in the end, both political parties will be blamed, so that neither party is overburdened with guilt. The Republicans — having made their contempt for Obama more than known — are salivating at the chance to cooperate...

Since the foregone conclusions of Obama’s panel will be so unpopular, the Washington Post explains that they will be announced after the fall elections, in December 2010...Just last week, Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin announced a privatization plan that just happened to coincide with the creation of Obama’s commission. Michael Hiltzik of The Los Angles Times called Ryan’s plan “a roadmap for killing Social Security..."

The killing of Social Security and Medicare cannot be a one-act drama. If both programs were instantly destroyed, the public outrage would be uncontrollable. Obama’s deficit commission, then, will likely work to undermine the program in a variety of ways so that a future Congress can finish the job... instituting benefit cuts, increasing the age in which benefits are received, and introducing a limited option for personal accounts. Also possible is the implementation of a tiny, ineffectual tax on the rich to give the illusion that everybody is making “sacrifices.”

Whatever methods are used to attack Social Security, they will surely erode the last vestiges of credibility from the two-party system. Most Republicans are aware that their cooperation on the elimination of Social Security and Medicare will destroy what’s left of their party, which is why they are in the midst of creating a new, more radically right-wing party — now a mere tea party...

http://www.counterpunch.org/cooke02242010.html

[Enthusiast]

1. There is no reason to accept this.

We don't want social security privatized. Bush could not get to first base with this even before his popularity declined. We should not accept a compromise in social security. We should demand the legislators take steps to protect contributions until they are needed.

Why are there I.O.U.s in the trust fund? Increasing contributions during the Reagan Administration should have made SS solvent but the increase only served as a middle class tax increase to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy. How about we promote these talking points. SS was robbed.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[fasttense]

3. There was a post on DU that asked about changing the Social Security

Retirement age to 70. Many people responded, many negatively and a few positively.

They don't even know that the FULL retirement age is ALREADY at 70. Ronnie Raygun and Greenspin changed it. I thought most DUers were well informed. I was shocked at how uninformed they were.

Most people think that if you retire at 62, 65, 66 or 67 you are getting your FULL Social Security Retirement benefits. But you lose anywhere between 20 to 50% of your benefits, that you paid double for, if you do not wait until the full retirement age of 70 years old.

So how much more does our rich, fat, old, balding Oligarchy want to take away from us? They want to take it all away and then crush us under their boots.

And this panel designed and pushed by billionaire Pete Peterson is going to do it thanks to President Obama and our Democratic Congress.

[pipi_k]

7. Actually, the full retirement age

for my birth year is 66 years old.

I just checked it two days ago.

And it rises slightly to age 67


http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/agereduction.htm

[Flubadubya]

4. Who here believes that Obama intends to deliberately kill Social Security...

just like an effin' Rethug? Is this possible?

I must say I'm not enthralled with all the "aspects" Obama has revealed of himself thus far, but giving the "coup de grace" to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid is not something I would ever dream he would be up to or capable of.

Just askin'... :shrug:

[MadHound]

5. Given that Obama is deliberately killing public education, I would say anything is possible

It took Nixon to go to China, so it very well could take Obama to kill SS.

[Hannah Bell]

8. I believe this administration's goal is to make changes that will continue the process down that

path, yes.

The first step on the path was the 1983 "reforms" which jacked up rates to create a huge surplus in the Trust Fund, raised retirement age, & started taxing SS.

They won't try to do it all at once: that would spark resistance. Just step-by-step change they can bill as "reform". I'm quite sure, I would bet on it.

[bbgrunt]

6. it can only be done by a democrat (DINO) just like

Clinton was the one to decimate welfare and push through NAFTA.