NYT: Obama unlikely to embrace the debt commission recommendations

[HeroTwins]

"Mr. Obama is unlikely, they said, to embrace the recommendations of a bipartisan majority on the debt-reduction commission he created, which proposed slashing projected annual deficits through 2020 with deep cuts in domestic and military spending, changes to Social Security and Medicare, and an overhaul of the individual and corporate tax codes to simplify them and to raise additional revenues...

In general, the theme of deficit reduction will be less prominent in the speech as Mr. Obama emphasizes spending “investments” and “responsible” budget cutting at a time when Republicans have proposed spending cuts, unspecified, of 20 percent or more".

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/23/us/politics/23obama.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha2

What do you know, Obama's not going to cut Social Security.

Who could have foreseen this?

[Name removed]

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[HeroTwins]

2. you bet.

[gateley]

3. The Republicans want to cut EVERYTHING that doesn't directly

add to their coffers. I read a summary and thought "there goes America".

I'm grateful Obama understands the long term view apparently better than they do.

[yourout]

4. To me this smacks of the Obama camp seeing how pissed average americans were....

at the idea of messing with SS and started back pedaling furiously.

[Name removed]

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[CountAllVotes]

6. Pres. Obama said ...

There will be no changes to Social Security under my watch.

I must believe him. He is who I voted for and Mr. President represents me.

:kick:

[DrDan]

13. he also said modest changes were necessary

[CountAllVotes]

15. What exactly did he say?

If they keep it as is it would remain solvent. However, these little two-bit tax cuts (that little "increase" you might see in your paycheck) IS less money going into the Social Security Trust Fund which was and is a very poor idea at best.

Who will save that money in a little retirement savings account for 30 years? Answer is likely almost no one (did you give two hoots about your "retirement" when you were 20 years old? I know I didn't even think about it ... ! ). It will take but one negative event (like getting sick or a spouse/child getting sick) to wipe it all out and you won't be able to recoup it for it will be lost forever.

Now that was/is a dumb idea and no that is not the type of change that I believe in if this is what you are referring to. :grr:

[DrDan]

23. he said

“Social Security is not in crisis,” Obama said. “We’re going to have to make some modest adjustments in order to strengthen it.”

“There are some fairly modest changes that could be made without resorting to any newfangled schemes that would continue Social Security for another 75 years, where everybody would get the benefits they deserve,” he said.

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/08/18/obama-says-social-security-not-in-crisis-but-needs-modest-adjustments/

[HeroTwins]

39. and, somehow, you translate that into massive cuts to SS

I'll pass on the FDL link. But at least we know where you are getting your misinformation.

[DrDan]

40. I said "massive"???? Please show me where.

No need to make up crap.

Misinformation? Didn't he say it? Are you denying that?

[Hello_Kitty]

8. Yeah, it's not possible that the WH took one look at all the public polls they were being shown

And realized talking about "entitlement reform" would go over like a lead balloon.

[phleshdef]

12. Right because Obama hasn't been around politics long enough to know what the 3rd rail means.

Me, I'm only 31 and have only been following politics since my early 20s, yet I've known what the 3rd rail means for quite some time and that messing with social security falls under that category. Yet Obama has somehow managed to become a state senator then a US senator and then President of the United States. And he never picked up on that until this week. Yea, thats REAL likely.

[Hello_Kitty]

14. Setting up a Deficit Reduction Commission and appointing 2 noted foes of SS to head it.

Doesn't speak much to his understanding of 3rd rail. Not firing Alan Simpson after he described the program as a "milk cow with 310 million tits" doesn't either.

[phleshdef]

18. I believe he thought that by appointing 2 recognized deficit hawks...

...he would get some honest results on what is really driving the deficit. He may have miscalculated.

Simply appointing them is not "touching the third rail" anyway. Most Americans won't even be paying attention unless the President himself suggests it or Congress proposes a bill that actually does it.

[Kahuna]

27. Nonsense, yet again. These things are always done to APPEAR

to be open to non-partisan solutions. When the President says, nothing is off the table, that's just political-speak for, I'm a moderate and consider everything. It doesn't mean that he will actually do it.

[Name removed]

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[Kahuna]

28. As wrong as they were about DADT. The President is methodical

in his movements and how he gets things accomplished. He doesn't make a big show until, BLAM!!! Then the pundits are pissed including the professional lefties because they never saw it coming. Obama also never responds to the chattering clause. I think he gets amusement from proving them wrong.

[Kahuna]

25. Nonsense again. Americans want "entitlement reform." they just don't

want reform of the entitlements THEY'RE getting. But for politicians to say they will reform entitlements is a plus with the voting public.

[jaxx]

19. Agree on that one!

Just like DADT would never be repealed. Until it was and then crickets.

[HeroTwins]

22. the SS outrage is the new DADT outrage

[Name removed]

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[Hello_Kitty]

54. Actually it's crickets on the DREAM Act

What happened to that, jaxx?

[HeroTwins]

57. You know what happened. The Repubs blocked it.

Why ignore the obvious?

[HeroTwins]

9. or could it be that the people spreading rumors for the past few weeks just didn't have a clue?

Like a poster said above.

If you had listened to Obama, this would not be news to you.

[DrDan]

11. I agree - throw the idea out and see what the polling indicates

[Kahuna]

30. Nobody needs to take a poll on that. The polls on that never change.

Obama is running for re-election. He really is not trying to piss off the most consistent voting block. That would be stupid, and the president is not stupid.

[DrDan]

32. then why put together a commission headed by those that are clearly in favor of

significant cuts

[Kahuna]

36. To appear moderate and non-partisan on the issue maybe?

Do you think the president doesn't know what a right-wing hack simpson is?

[DrDan]

38. and then back away from any and all "cut" suggestions they bring to the table? How does that

make him "appear moderate and non-partisan"?

[bornskeptic]

41. The commission was created to design a plan for dealing with the deficit problem,

which doesn't have anything to do with Social Security, so the opinions of Bowles and Simpson on Scial Security weren't relevant to their selection to head the commission.

[DrDan]

42. but they are known as SS-foes - how is that not relevant in the context of deficit reduction

[dionysus]

21. you can beleive in your heart of hearts that mean 'ol obama REALLY DID want to cut SS,

bu then you'd be wrong...

[DrDan]

48. what does "cut "mean to you? Is raising the full-retirement age in your definition of "cut"?

Or does that mean slashing paid benefits only?

[NorthCarolina]

52. How do you have ANY ironclad idea what Obama's true position is on SS?

Do you have some direct connection to his psyche? Or, are you employing the Fox News style tactic of "I say Obama never wanted to cut SS , so therefore it is a fact"?

[Kahuna]

24. Nonsense. People have talked themselves into believing that

the President is naive or stupid. He's neither. What person running for president would mess with SS benefits or terms during a re-election cycle? Duh. I hate to borrow a term from sarah palin, but people have been getting themselves all wee-wee'd up over nothing.

[DrDan]

26. "wee wee'd up over nothing" unless you are one that needs SS to surive

and the President declares some "modest" changes are needed and puts together a commission driven by SS-hacheteers.

I fully understand their fears.

[Kahuna]

35. Wee-wee'd up because common sense should dictact that during

a re-election cycle, the president isn't going to do something that would massively piss off voters. That's why I said it was over nothing. I suspect that you really did know that.

[DrDan]

37. "should" . . . as I said, if one's sole livelihood was SS, then I fully understand

the concern. His commission and his "modest" change comments do not lend a sense of security to those less fortunate who NEED those meager funds.

[polmaven]

44. Back pedaling from what, exactly?

The "Obama camp" doesn't need to back pedal from hysterical rumormongering.

[AtomicKitten]

46. the firebaggers are hilarious

[dionysus]

49. +1

[Name removed]

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[BklnDem75]

55. LOL!!!

Yeah... We didn't see this position coming at all. The 'either we're right or we forced him' position.

[SidDithers]

7. Shocked. Shocked I am...

and welcome to DU :hi:

Sid

[dennis4868]

10. but but...

DUers said he was a sell out....WTF?

[Kahuna]

31. Now they're going to claim that THEY or polls (that never change

on the subject) made him do it. :crazy:

[dennis4868]

33. SAD BUT TRUE.....

:-(

[argonaut]

20. I'm actually kinda disappointed by this.

I'll admit to being a bit of a closet deficit hawk, and was looking forward to Obama taking the lead on this issue. It's a shame.

[jaxx]

34. LMAO

nt

What is there to say.

[ClassWarrior]

43. K&R... Let's hope so.

NGU.

[Name removed]

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[steve2470]

47. k&r nt

[Name removed]

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[eridani]

51. Gee--maybe he got enough holy hell at the White House contact site

--to change his mind?

[HeroTwins]

56. or maybe you just were wrong about what was on his mind.

Occam's razor isn't on your side.