Sanders: "I applaud the president for standing up for Social Security."

[ProSense]

Sanders Hails Decision To Go Light On Social Security In SOTU

Evan McMorris-Santoro

On a conference call with reporters Monday afternoon, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), a leading progressive voice on Capitol Hill, praised reports that President Obama will not endorse the changes to Social Security suggested by his deficit reduction commission.

<...>

Progressives had worried Obama might embrace the growing call from Republicans to make significant changes to the way Social Security works. Sanders said the news that Obama would say nothing specific about the program one way or the other was good enough to alleviate those fears.

"I was very pleased to see in the media this afternoon that the president will not -- underline will not -- advocate raising the retirement age," Sanders said. "I applaud the president for standing up for Social Security."

Sanders was on the call with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who joined with the Vermont independent in condemning the Republican budget plan -- which was proposed by the Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), who Republicans chose to give their official response to Obama's speech tomorrow night. The two Senators said that decision amounted to a tacit endorsement of Ryan's budget-balancing plan by the GOP majority.

more

[HeroTwins]

1. How long til Bernie gets tossed under the FDL bus??

[mzmolly]

2. 5,4,3,2 ...

.... :nuke:

;)

[Drunken Irishman]

3. I'm surprised they didn't toss him under the bus for his support of healthcare reform!

[Armstead]

5. That's because he was a staunch defender of real reform and said so

He felt strongly -- and still does -that we need universal coverage or at least a public option. He only went along with it despite objecting to much of it when he knew that the watered down version was going to be inevitable, and only when he at least received support for community clinics.

Bernie's a fighter, and when he goes along it's for good reasons.

[harun]

76. He called it what is was, Health Insurance Reform not Healthcare Reform.

Like Bernie I am an advocate of Healthcare Reform.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Divine Discontent]

6. Hear hear!

[JoePhilly]

7. Breaking news ... FDL is shutting down after an epidemic of heads exploding.

A similar out break hit Huffpo, but the infected appear to have been quarantined.

We're still awaiting news from DU.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Radical Activist]

68. When will FDL apologize to its readers for their exploitative fear mongering?

I understand that you can get a lot of site hits by scaring people about social security, but it's time to admit that their self-serving speculation went too far.

[Number23]

69. One could ONLY hope that cesspool would shut down.

It's hard to distinguish which is more disgusting -- their lies and fear mongering or the number of fools who happily succumb to them.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[gateley]

10. Bernie gives credit where its due, and criticizes when its warranted. I love him. nt

[cutlassmama]

12. Yes he does. He's a good man. Probably the only "liberal" left in

Congress.

[vaberella]

14. That's not 100% true. He joined the bandwagon of wagging tongues from the left on SS.

I took issue with this. The entire SS tax cuts were claims coming out of the left wing camp. I heard very little on the right wing. But the right wing took advantage of hearing the left rail loudly over rumors that no one knew an origin---but was based on a sort of "no comment" style speaking. Bernie is no the only one to have fallen for this style of rhetoric in the past. Barney Frank has fallen from it when he had heard from the left wing side that Dept. of Justice was using incest to defend against DADT. Which was a misinterpretation of the situation. Then he later apologized for not checking on up on the information in advance.

There seems to be a massive divide from those who listen sincerely and those who get railed into the hoopla. I was surprised even when he kind of aided fuel to the fire by stating in an interview that he talked to the highest echelons in the WH Admin and no one would give him a definite answer. Well Bernie...it's called governing and making sure the message isn't wrong from the start. They tried diplomacy from the start but people from FDL and HP and even The Salon heavily implied Obama was going to sell out the American people. This was promoted heavily on DU and many said---those of us who didn't believe this would have another think coming. However that turned out not to be the case. Instead of clearly stating they were in the wrong---they found something else to be angry about and I'm sure this will start building up steam in the left as the SS cuts did. This new faux outrage is that Obama said he believes that raising the retirement age is not a good idea. He's using DIPLOMACY, while a good number on the board suggested that's his new plan of action. To raise the retirement age.

Do you see the problem here? This is not a President who can sit back and get the benefit of the doubt, not by the American people, those on the left and obviously by those in his own party in Congress.

[gateley]

23. Yes - I see the point you're making. I went to look for Obama quotes

on Social Security but, as you say, there are none that I can find. As for Bernie, I found a piece where he 'warns Obama' (author's words) not to agree w/GOP on SS changes. Here's the take on what he was referring to, I think:

*************************************

/snip

The package extended Bush-era tax cuts for the nation’s wealthiest families and set the estate tax at 35 percent for individual inheritances above $5 million, exempting inheritances below that threshold.

Especially alarming for Sanders and other Senate Democrats, the tax deal included a one-year reduction in the Social Security payroll tax from 6.2 percent to 4.2. The administration has promised to replenish the $120 billion in lost revenue to the Social Security trust fund from the general treasury at a future date, but Sanders and his liberal allies are skeptical.

“The danger of doing that is that this precedent becomes extended,” Sanders said in an interview. “I know as surely as I’m sitting here that a year from now, when President Obama says this is only a one-year program, what are Republicans going to say? They’re going to say no.”

Liberal Democrats are worried about Obama's appointment of former Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.) to the fiscal commission. They view him as a longtime antagonist of the program.

They say Obama could have picked other former Republican lawmakers or GOP economists with greater sympathy for Social Security to serve atop the panel./snip

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/138061-sanders-warns-obama-not-to-agree-with-gop-on-social-security-benefit-cuts

********************************

Again, from the author's perspective but that was the only Bernie quote I could find. Admittedly I didn't spend a whole lot of time on it. So I'll take your word for it but even if he was railing and kvetching, he does generally support Obama and praises him when he does the right thing, and of course, speaks his mind when he doesn't agree with him. I'll give him a pass on this one, I think he was maybe just giving Obama "advice"?

[vaberella]

26. Hiya....I'm speaking about the two posts below with the same quote or implication.

Note how it encourages the left to get even more anxious over nothing...

1. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x221273
2. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x593394

[gateley]

59. Hi - thanks for the quotes! Should have know I didn't need to look further than

DU!

I'm still giving him a pass, though. My interpretation is that he was expressing a legitimate concern, and the fact that he wasn't getting a definitive response from those in the WH would cause even more uncertainty.

It's true that Obama has made some moves that have surprised/disappointed many liberals (and Bernie is THE liberal :7) so again, I think it's understandable Bernie was wary. Obama has had to compromise in order to accomplish even part of his goals (I'm thinking health care, tax cuts for the wealthy, etc) so it's not unprecedented.

But I DO see your point. But maybe Bernie's alarm poked people to let Obama know how strongly we feel about this which helped make his decision. If he hadn't had this stand all along, I don't know why he didn't come out with reassurances when the questions first arose. :shrug:

So potentially it MIGHT have been something! Those who overreacted and went the "I'm through with Obama!" route are those who didn't listen. Bernie didn't say definitively that Obama was caving on SS, just that he MIGHT.

:hi:

[Kweli4Real]

67. I wonder why that is?

"This is not a President who can sit back and get the benefit of the doubt, not by the American people, those on the left and obviously by those in his own party in Congress."

I think we both know ... and it has nothing to do with his unkept campaign promises that by any fair estimation have largely been kept.

[Kahuna]

72. He sure did. Last week he added fuel to the fire.

:eyes:

[woo me with science]

33. Me too.

I hope he is right here.

[DJ13]

11. I applaud him as well

Now what about screwing SS recipients by changing the way COLA's are measured.......?

[namahage]

16. How did he do that? Link?

[polmaven]

19. He didn't....

But we can't let that stand in the way of our outrage.

[Kweli4Real]

13. I would accept some significant tinkering with S.S.

But before you blow a gasket ...

How about if PRESIDENT Obama announced an increase (or out-right lifting) of the earned income cap?

Or, how about if PRESIDENT Obama announced a change in the funding formula to include all income derived from employment, e.g., the income "earned" by hedge fund operators that are currently taxed as capital gains, rather than earned income; or the income derived from stock options profferred to CEO, in lieu of (or in addition to) salaries?

Or, how about if PRESIDENT Obama announced a lowering of the retirement age and paying for it with an increase in taxes of $1,000,000 filers.

Each of these "changes" would be considered tinkering with the S.S. system and may be what PRESIDENT Obama had in mind with his often cited to, often speculated on, but otherwise unexplained comment.

[vaberella]

15. They're not considered. The idea is that Obama is a traitor to the American people.

And the worst President alive. What you're suggesting actually might put him in a good standing with the left---obviously many on the left don't want him to be...in actuality, many on the left might think you're wrong and a traitor to the American people because SS is fine as is.

[Kweli4Real]

66. No, , sadly,

Making those proposals would not put PRESIDENT Obama in good standing with the left. Those detracting would just find another (republican) talking point to get all outraged about.

[jtown1123]

63. How often are those proposed by serious lawmakers? Changes terrifies

us regular folks because all the proposals swirling around the beltway now are cuts.

[elleng]

17. Good to see something positive from Bernie re: Prez O. Thx

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

21. President Obama

inherited two wars, and his http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=596525&mesg_id=596525">working to end them.

The manufacturing sector added jobs for the first time in 13 years.

In saving the auto industry, nearly 100,000 workers got the biggest profit-sharing checks in a decade.

Things are looking up, but more needs to be done.

[jeanpalmer]

22. He didn't inherit two wars

He had a choice. Discontinue them, or continue them. He chose to esacalate them, in balance.

[jenmito]

24. Bull...

he inherited both words which you acknowledge by saying he had a choice to discontinue them. That means they're already going on-he inherited them.

If you hadn't noticed, he pulled out all combat troops in Iraq as promised and will have the rest of them out by the end of this year as promised.

He also has a timeline for getting out of Afghanistan-starting in July of this year and finishing in '14.

[vaberella]

27. You don't remember history.

He was given Iraq----which was still going on and Afghanistan. I'm a bit shocked and appalled that people say Obama did not inherit two wars. You people are fuckin' nuts man. Just nuts. Where in the cookies is that coming from I will never know. I don't know who you talk to or where you get your revisionist ideas----but it sounds freakishly right wing. Shit, I don't think the right wing would even say Obama didn't inherit the two wars. That's for some special people on the left.

He discontinued Iraq----and the last 50,000 troops (cause that's all that's left in Iraq by America) are set to be removed this August---this was posted on the Rachel Maddow show by a General (if I remember his rank properly). The first number of troops will be coming out of Afghanistan this summer.

People seem to have forgotten that thousands of troops were removed last August and this misinformation still exists. This is why I don't trust the left as much I don't trust the right. You both switch history to fit your own vision. As Obama has continuously said...you are entitled to your opinions but not your own facts.

[Number23]

71. +1 million, vaberella

This is why I don't trust the left as much I don't trust the right. You both switch history to fit your own vision.

'Tis a sad, sick truth. But a truth nonetheless.

[JNelson6563]

73. "Inherit" is a tricky word...

....for some. ;-)

Julie

[Arkana]

60. Yes he absolutely DID inherit two wars. What the fuck do you think "inherit" means?

They were initiated by his predecessor and still going on when he took the oath of office. That's the very definition of "inherited".

[hulka38]

20. Not screwing with SS is what I'd expect from Democratic President.

Still don't know what going light on SS means.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[VeryConfused]

28. Credit where credit is due

[olegramps]

29. Is it conceivable that perhaps Obama began listening to the base?

I have the feeling that he has changed within the last few months. Every attempt at bipartisanship has been met with opposition by the Republicans. Perhaps he is beginning to realize that his future isn't to be found with appeasement of obstructionists. I can't help from feeling that the sharp criticism from the party faithful may have had an effect. It has been an uphill battle with a situation that he inherited. In fact, I believed that he had to be nuts to take on this mess. However, I do believe that the solution is not to be found in compromise with those who are intent on his destruction and he is beginning to accept the reality of the situation. I have little doubt that he isn't fully aware of the DU.

[boston bean]

30. hailing a dem prez for this is fuckin crazy, it should be expected.

WTF??

edit grammar

[Godhumor]

31. Hail the president after people make a concerted effort to drive BS stories on how he will cut SS

If that never happened, we wouldn't be talking about it.

[boston bean]

34. praytell, what does everything on the table mean. Have you looked at the make up of the "deficit"

commission.

Did you experience the healthcare debate? Did we get the Public Option.

Are you so sure even now that there won't be cuts to SS.

Obama did say any HC bill must contain a PO, while he was cutting deals to make sure it never happened.

Go ahead and blame people, and don't put the onus on the prez.

I intend to speak and speak loudly to make sure what he is telegraphing and saying, if you listen closely, never happens.

Would be nice if you could join.

[Godhumor]

36. I intend to speak loudly on the horseshit that surrounded the president on SS

And hope that people can admit that the hysteria was unjustified.

Glad to see Sanders just did so.

[boston bean]

38. How do you know all the "hysteria" isn't what prevented cuts to ss?

Although I wouldn't call it hysteria, I would call it protest, or letting you representatives all the way up to the president what you feel is acceptable or not.

if you chose not to do that, and cuts do happen, what will be your excuse then.

i suppose you thought there was a lot of hysteria about no PO. Do you feel guilty for not speaking up?

[Godhumor]

40. Ah yes, the unprovable. "Obama never said he wasn't going to cut SS, so...

He must have intended to do so."

I agree we should have never had to hail the president for not cutting SS. I just utterly disagree with why it has become necessary. A democratic president, for me, will always get the benefit of the doubt on SS until he or she announces he is going to gut it. The only people I assume want to go after it from the beginning would be republican presidents.

[boston bean]

41. the same was said about the PO...... He LIED.....

He has stated on numerous occasions that everything was on the table regarding SS.

Again, did you take a look at his deficit reduction commission?

There is no there there, as far as you are concerned, but that doesn't mean thinking people and people who remember history of the last two years don't have a right to be concerned.

Bush Tax cuts, the Public Option...... no remembrance of the same type of arguments happening on DU and who turned out right?

[Godhumor]

42. First he was going to announce SS cuts tonight. He's not. So now we have to claim

He's going to try in the future. A good way to never have to say that right here and right now those who doubted him on this issue are wrong without having to provide any proof for being right.

[boston bean]

43. how about this. you practice your politics how you deem necessary

and others will practice politics the way they deem necessary.

You can't prove cuts won't happen, and in the light of evidence I have provide a few times to you now, you chose to ignore.

We are at an impasse.

[Godhumor]

46. Conflating the current issue with your interpretations of the past is not evidence

This thread was about the current state of SS and Sanders' reaction to it.

SS will not have requested cuts asked for tonight.

Saying, "Ah but you can't prove he won't do it later!" is zero contradiction to the above fact.

[Name removed]

47. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[boston bean]

49. What didn't occur during the HC PO debacle or Bush's tax cuts?? nt

[stevenleser]

52. Bwahahaha, keep changing the discussion and spinning when you have obviously lost! n/t

[boston bean]

55. there has been no change in the discussion of spinning. I have made the

same point over and over again. Some people just don't want to address it.

[boston bean]

48. you may think past actions and words are mutually exclusive

but it doesn't make it so.

Actually it's a pretty good predictor. What's wrong with SS being off the table by the way.

You prefer it is on the table....

[Godhumor]

51. Sorry that I don't find false equivalencies in this issue

I'd love for him to say that Social Security will remain solvent regardless of how the debt is resolved.

Now, after the speech, if everything we have been told is true, will you come back and admit that the belief that social security cuts were going to be asked for tonight was false? Without adding qualifiers, future uncertainties, or anything else?

[Name removed]

53. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[boston bean]

54. mea culpa for what. being right about the PO and bush tax cuts?

[boston bean]

56. so you are good with cuts to ss as long as the debt is resolved.

hmmmmmm very telling..

and if Barack Obama states tonight that cuts to SS are off the table, I'll wait to see what actually happens.

And if there are no cuts of any form to social security, i will issue my mea culpa, or I might take some credit for letting my congress people and president know not to do it. See, I think pressure actually helps improve the outcome.

Obama needs to know from everyone what is acceptable and not in regards to cutting social security.

If you feel differently, so be it.

[Godhumor]

57. Oh dear god, solvency means I'm ok with cuts?

Only if you take the very, very literal interpretation of any money coming out of Social Security as a cut.

I would be thrilled if he says, "We have done a cost analysis that shows we can provide the same or better benefits for the half the cost of administration within the department".

Cutting costs not benefits ensures solvency.

[ProSense]

32. How about hailing a Democratic President for

the things he has done?

Obama signs veterans, caregivers legislation

Health Reform Expands Medicaid Coverage For People with Disabilities

Providing Free Preventive Care for Seniors.

The 2011 budget (effective October 2010 to September 2011)

Social Security Administration

The President believes that all Americans should be able to retire with dignity, and is committed to protecting Social Security as a reliable source of income for American seniors. In 2009, more than 51 million retired or disabled workers, survivors, and their families received over $659 billion in benefit payments. Nearly 8 million Americans received SSI benefits totaling $49 billion. The Budget will:

Provide an 8 Percent Funding Increase to Provide Services Faster and Reduce Backlogs

• $12.5 billion for SSA, an increase of $930 million, or 8 percent, above the 2010 enacted level.
  
  
  • Includes resources to increase staffing in 2011 and allow SSA to provide services faster with a focus on key service delivery areas, such as processing initial retirement and disability claims, and disability appeals.
    
    
  • Funds targeted to lower the initial disability claims backlog below 1 million by processing more than 3 million claims and lower the appeals hearing backlog.

Significantly Increase Program Integrity Efforts

• $796 million for SSA program integrity, including a 9 percent increase in the level of medical Continuing Disability Reviews over the prior year. SSA’s program integrity efforts are part of a strong framework for making sure the government is spending tax dollars efficiently and that benefits are paid only to those beneficiaries who are eligible and are paid in correct amounts.

Restructure the Federal Wage Reporting Process

• Proposes to restructure the Federal wage reporting process by reverting to quarterly wage reporting. Currently, wages are reported to the federal government once a year. Increasing the timeliness of wage reporting would enhance tax administration, improve program integrity for a range of programs, and facilitate implementation of automatic workplace pensions. The Administration will work with states so that the overall reporting burden on employers is not increased.

High-Priority Performance Goals

The Administration is committed to building a transparent, high-performance government capable of addressing the challenges of the 21st century. As part of developing the budget, every department identified high-priority performance goals (along with the strategies and in-house resources to achieve them) that each will work to accomplish over the next two years. Highlights of this department’s goals are:

• By 2012, SSA will achieve an online filing rate of 50 percent for retirement applications.
  
  
• SSA will work towards achieving the agency’s long-term outcomes of lowering the disability backlogs and accurately processing claims. In 2011, SSA’s will process 3.317 million out of a universe of 4.316 million initial disability claims and 799,000 out of a universe of 1.456 million hearing requests.
  
  
• SSA will improve program integrity efforts by minimizing improper payments and strengthening the agency’s efforts to protect program dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse. In 2011, SSA’s will process 359,800 out of a total of approximately 2 million medical continuing disability reviews, an increase of 9.4 percent over 2010.

To see the Department’s full set of performance information, please visit: www.socialsecurity.gov/asp.

[boston bean]

35. The technology he is employing is fascinating. nt

[mkultra]

37. Sanders: "I talked right out my ass, and now I appear histrionic"

[boston bean]

39. I think he might be trying to box the president in.

Because as far as I know, everything is still "on the table".....

[mkultra]

45. well, Obama administration has indicated otherwise

i think the key phrase for you is "As far as I know"

[boston bean]

50. and you know for sure. With words like '"everything is on the table?

convince they are not and then I'll shut up. Until then, there is no harm in voicing concern about SS cuts.

People told people to shut up about the PO and tax cuts too you know....

[mkultra]

58. yeah, actually, the point is that there is little to know validity to the smears

they are just negative rumor mongering.

[woo me with science]

78. Just because they SAY everyting is on the table

does NOT mean that everything is on the table!

Will you STOP spreading all these RUMORS?! :rofl:

[ProSense]

44. Bernie Sanders on

the Lawrence O'Donnell show: video

Sanders said that he's going to force a vote on Paul Ryan's plan.

He said it's time for the debate to happen to put an end to the nonsense.

[Vidar]

61. I applaud Bernie for forcing him to do it.

[Kahuna]

75. Nice rewrite of history. Bernie got all excited over rumors he heard

from the professional left. There was never any substance to the rumors.

[old mark]

62. K&R...Bernie For President!!!!....nt

[jtown1123]

64. Earth to everyone! Obama won't mention SS in his speech. He didn't say

anything about cuts not being in his budget or backroom deals with the R's to get some tax hikes in return for SS cuts. This is way too early to celebrate.

[woo me with science]

77. Careful.

Nobody wants to hear THAT.

[Still a Democrat]

65. So does the tiny anti-Obama liberal fringe throw Sanders under the bus? n/t

[JNelson6563]

74. Hard to tell from this thread

Perhaps if there weren't so many posts deleted we could get a clearer read.

Julie

[Phx_Dem]

70. But . . . but . . . Bernie, I thought you said he was going to cut it even

though no one in the WH told you that, by your own admission.