House Democrats To Obama: No Cuts To Social Security

[babylonsister]

House Democrats To Obama: No Cuts To Social Security
Brian Beutler | September 2, 2010, 3:38PM


Democrats led by Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chair Raul Grijalva are drawing a line in the sand before the White House's fiscal commission: If your report recommends cuts or other changes to Social Security, they will say, you'll lose our support.

In a letter to be sent to President Obama, obtained by TPM, House Democrats will pledge to vote against any legislation based on the commission's report unless Social Security is taken off the table.

"We oppose any cuts to Social Security benefits, including raising the retirement age," the letter reads. "We also oppose any effort to privatize Social Security, in whole or in part.... If any of the Commission's recommendations cut or diminish Social Security in any way, we will stand firmly against them."

The effort is intended to tie the commission's hands, at least on this issue.

"It's up to members of Congress to pre-empt the commission," says Alex Lawson, communications director for the advocacy group Social Security Works

Grijalva's effort is a response to signals and reports suggesting the commission, riven over issues like taxes and defense spending, is reaching common ground on Social Security cuts.

more...

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/09/house-democrats-to-obama-no-cuts-to-social-security.php?ref=fpblg

[HughMoran]

1. As expected

not surprising - why would anybody imagine the Dems would want to support cuts to SS?

[IndianaGreen]

3. Sadly, this is the same group that drew a line in the sand for the public option

only to cave-in later on.

It is up to us to save Social Security and Medicare, and to punish those in Congress that failed to stand on our side of the barricades until the bitter end.

[ibegurpard]

5. exactly

[HughMoran]

8. Yep, Congress is going to be punished. Oh, the House passed a PO - FYI

:eyes:

[IndianaGreen]

10. and then they were forced to buy Baucus's Senate bill

have you forgotten?

[HughMoran]

11. to IndianaGreen - The House can control the Senate?

:rofl:

[IndianaGreen]

23. House Democrats were ordered by White House to not amend the Senate bill

so the public option, which Obama wants referred to as "just a sliver," died an ignominious death.

[Citizen Worker]

7. Then we better be organized for street action because it's going to happen.

And remember it took a "democrat" to pass NAFTA, WTO and repeal Glass-Stiegel, pass the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, roll back welfare and we've recently learned that Clinton's chief of staff and current co-chair of Obama's deficit reduction commission, Erskine Bowles, was in negotiations with Newtie to begin privatizing Social Security but thanks to Monica Lewinsky that plan was derailed and the rethugs turned to impeachment. The die has been cast social security is on the chopping block and the "progressive caucus" is poised to regress, once again. It will take street heat to change the plan.

[phleshdef]

2. This is exactly why I'm not that concerned about it. It will never reach any President's desk....

...unless we let the Republicans seriously take over, but I don't think all of them would go along with it either, too risky.

[stray cat]

4. If you don't want SS cut - we better keep the house in democratic hands

Only idiots think the GOP likes SS

[IndianaGreen]

6. Pete Peterson and Erskine Bowles are Democrats opposed to Social Security

just voting for a Democrat is not good enough, that's why we ended up with people like Max Baucus, Blanche Lincoln, Ben Nelson, and NAFTA.

[ProSense]

9. Pete Peterson a Democrat? No

he isn't:

In 1971, Peterson was named Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs by U.S. President Richard Nixon. In 1972, he became the Secretary of Commerce, a position he held for one year. At that time he also assumed the Chairmanship of President Nixon’s National Commission on Productivity and was appointed U.S. Chairman of the U.S.–Soviet Commercial Commission..

Peterson was Chairman and CEO of Lehman Brothers (1973–1977) and Lehman Brothers, Kuhn, Loeb Inc. (1977–1984).<4>

In 1985, Peterson co-founded the prominent private equity and investment management firm, the Blackstone Group, of which he is currently Chairman Emeritus.

Peterson swearing in first woman officer of the NOAA.In 1992, Peterson was one of the co-founders of the Concord Coalition, a bipartisan citizens' group that advocates reduction of the federal budget deficit. Following record deficits under President George W. Bush, Peterson commented in 2004: "I remain a Republican, but the Republicans have become a far more theological, faith-directed party, not troubling with evidence."<5>

link

[HughMoran]

12. Which is why the "punish Demoicrats in Congress" line is so outrageously misguided

I shake my head when I try to imagine what people are thinking when they say such things.

[stevedeshazer]

13. The Democrats can pound the shit out of the Republicans on this issue.

They sure as hell should.

[customerserviceguy]

14. Raul Grijalva - who's that?

I doubt most people here could pick him out of a lineup. I don't see anyone who is somewhat known to the general public who is opposed to this commission.

[Enrique]

19. it's odd no one has a Grijalva avatar at DU

you'd think the co-chair of the progressive caucus would have some support like that at DU.

[customerserviceguy]

24. When he starts attracting the big names

to his cause, then he deserves to be called a leader, till then, he's just some unknown congresscritter with a beef.

[Faryn Balyncd]

15. K&R

[denimgirly]

16. Heard this before...In the End Democrats always, ALWAYS Cave to Pressure

So as it stands you can read it as "SS is on the table" and the WH and the democrats will support the cuts...YIKES!!

[GeorgeGist]

17. Lines in the SAND...

'nuff said.

[Enrique]

18. Grijalva also drew a line in the sand on the public option

will it go the same way? Obama totally blowing off Grijalva, Pelosi literally laughing at the idea of progressives standing up to Obama, and liberal pundits reassuring us that Grijalva's concerns are unwarranted, and that progressives questioning Obama's committment to Social Security are foolish, and that we should just blindly follow Obama.

[Vincardog]

20. Does that mean you are not going to call you congresscritter and tell them to sign the letter?

[Enrique]

21. good point, the progressives need support not cynicism

I'll call my congresscritter even though he's a republican. :thumbsup:

[Vincardog]

22. Good. I already called mine. Now can we get 100 Million of our closest friends to do it too?

:toast: :toast: