Birdcage liner update: WaPo continues its cheerleading for a shredding of Social Security

[marmar]

:puke:



The GOP has long chafed under criticism from President Obama and the Democrats that it is "the party of no." What its new campaign blueprint shows is that if it takes control of the House, it will become "the party of stop."

At its heart, the Republicans' "Pledge to America" represents a promise to stop Obama in his tracks - stop the economic stimulus, stop the financial bailout program, repeal and (try to) replace the health-care law, stop other spending and stop the elimination of tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

GOP leaders hope their proposal will show voters that they have plenty of ideas. Like the "Contract With America" that Republicans issued 16 years ago under their House speaker, Newt Gingrich (Ga.), the Pledge is designed not only to give candidates concrete proposals to include in campaign ads this fall but also to help the party hit the ground running if Republicans win the House.

....(snip)....

Identifying the scope of the long-term financial liability is one thing. Offering solutions - whether through raising the Social Security retirement age, changing the cost-of-living formula, offering personal or private accounts or other measures to put the system into long-term balance - is another. Faced with an opportunity to offer voters a clearer indication of how they would tackle entitlements, Republicans flinched. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/23/AR2010092306836.html

[gateley]

1. It's OUR fucking money that we've been shoveling into it -- don't we have a say?

[Nikki Stone1]

3. That's what the government conveniently forgets

We've been paying into it. It isn't a gift we get.

What they are admitting here is that they consider SS just another government program and the money we put in is just another tax.

[napi21]

2. I REALLY HOPE these dumb asses keep pushing privatizing

and giving SS over to WS! That's a sure way for them to lose in nov! I realize I'm now on SS & they "SAY" anyone 60 or over won't be affected, but guess what? I have twosons who are in their late 40's and I want the same safety net for them that I have! I know I'm not alone in that thinking either! It's the older votes who always vote in EVERY election...even the mid-terms and we WILL bring these AH'S down!

[Sherman A1]

4. Mid 50's here and

if they don't want to give me SS that's fine. I want my money back with interest and I want it right now.

I paid into it and it Damn, Well better be there when I get to retirement age. SS ain't no gift to anyone.

[napi21]

5. The advantage to SS staying as is, is that it never runs out like your

money can. Even IF you received a lump sum of what you paid in it all depends on how long you live. There are THOUSANDS of old people right now who would be starving, or most likely dead, even hough they had what they thought was a "nest egg" because they outlived their money. There really IS a reason most called SS the thrid rail that should never be touched.

The program is doing just fine, and would be solvent forever if dear George hadn't "given back your money" in 2001! The plan was to have a SURPLUS during the 2000-2030 to support the retirement of the babyboomers. Then of course we let stupid screw that up! Even as is, the fund willb just fine until around 2040 if we do NOTHING! If they do as I wish they would, and simply increase the cap some it would remail solvent forever.

[Sherman A1]

7. I understand your point

mine being that if they are going to move the goal posts (again) or make changes that affect me, I want my money back (with interest), I paid into this with the implied contract that it would be available for my retirement, if not they I think we all need to sue the Federal Government to recoup our loss.

[glitch]

6. Not only that, but after seeing them steal from us (<60s) why would you trust them to not steal

from you later?
Breaking a contract with one group does not engender trust with another group.

[Sherman A1]

8. Precisely

The implied contract has already been broken once with the move of the full retirement age(s). When I started working it was 62 & 65 for full retirement, it is now a sliding scale depending upon your year of birth. I believe that is simply stealing from us and is unacceptable.

[sohndrsmith]

9. My apologies if this comment is sardonic and/or irreverent, but

night before last I watched (yet again) "The Bird Cage", and in my mind, the correlative message/presentation of the far right (read: self-labeled "moral" blowhards - when, actually, put side by side, even during the election - the moral high ground was Obama/Biden and that's indisputable. No divorce, no adultery, no high crimes.... problems, basically).

I am no less than stunned that the GOP gets away with this crap - (droppings), but I'm doubly appalled that the Dems don't *really* call them to the carpet - relentlessly!

I used to consider the rationale that this was because Dems are the only one's who care about being FAIR, considering all arguments in wanting to do the right, ethical, greater-good thing.... but that only works if it coincides with the strength and integrity to actually fight for the things that this large tent party believes in and cares about to its core....

I understand wanting to make rational, cooperative decisions, that is/should be the primary route of governing. But when it is clear (even to ME) that this is not, no how, no way - a possible route (for people like... those of us who actually *think*) towards fundamental change, that means it's time for the good guys to knuckle down and freaking fight! Not dirty, not dishonestly (they give us so much we don't HAVE to resort to the dirty pool they, sadly, seem so comfortable with).

I'm sort of (but not quite) sick of the intellectual arguments that we lob back and forth (at each other) demonstrating our knowledge of the craziness in action and stance of our adversaries.... the debate is fun. But as we win the debate amongst ourselves, we seem completely unaware that that doesn't matter when votes are counted. Democrats are on the right side of the arguments, but they need to prove it matters enough to stop the insanity. For real.

No?

[xchrom]

10. What infuriates me is everything is repeated as 'understood wisdom'

Or as a 'commonly known' fact when it comes to
Something like this.

There is NO other engagement on the subject - we all understand SS is broken
And it can only be fixed in one way.

The whole thing is just stupid.

It ought to make everyone very, very angry.

[SammyWinstonJack]

11. K&R

:grr: :mad: :argh: