White House pushes back: won't consider changes that are unbalanced and include slashing benefits.

[jefferson_dem]

For whatever it's worth:

*** The White House pushes back: But a top White House official pushes back that it won’t be making a “grand offer” on Social Security. The official explains that the president has always been open to “reasonable changes” to the entitlement programs as a way to strengthen them. Indeed, as Obama said in his fiscal-policy speech back in April, “Both parties should work together now to strengthen Social Security for future generations. But we have to do it without putting at risk current retirees, or the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities; without slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans’ guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market.” Do Republicans want Social Security as part of the deal? Yes, the White House official responds. Is the White House taking it off the table? No, but it wouldn’t consider changes that are unbalanced and include slashing benefits.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/07/7033381-first-thoughts-going-big

[dennis4868]

1. seems reasonable to me

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

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

[Atman]

2. I wish I could recommend this...but I smell the stench of defeat in the air.

At 52, something tells me I better lube up for a royal screwing. I cannot trust Obama to look out for us. He's become Mr. Compromise, even if the other guys won't budge an inch.

.

[Ozymanithrax]

4. open to “reasonable changes” to Social Security and Medicare that strengthen those entitlement

It is not as melodious as, in order to save the town we had to burn it. We need to make the White House understand that there is a line they can not cross.

[vaberella]

5. This means shit. Have you seen this site? This is getting ridiculous.

I'm under the impression that there are people who call themselves Dems, who actually want to see the President say that he is slashing benefits so they can run around screaming..."I told you so." I have never seen so many articles of conjecture, interpretation, and spin in my life. A source says---how do they know what the President will say when the meeting hasn't even officially start. Obama will do this and that...How? Either he did it or is currently doing something.

While I still stand by the White House, because they have yet to really consistently disappoint me and I know the President sincerely cares about the American citizens. This post won't help matters one bit because people WANT to see him "cave" (as they like to put it), they are expecting it---based on what I have no clue. And this goes for both sides of the aisle.

There is holding feet to the fire, and defending and fighting for what you want. However, the distinct impression that he's going to do bad and threatening him or arguing on that point is not helpful.

[CakeGrrl]

17. +1000

There are some who are now simply in bomb-throwing mode for the sake of it.

They only believe the worst as soon as the MSM puts it out there to stir up trouble and won't listen to reasonable, realistic counterarguments.

It's beyond productive discussion or debate.

[polmaven]

20. You've got that right!

We have see this before...and never a "Oh, gosh, I guess I was wrong" to follow it!

[Ice Number Nine]

25. They want a reason to hate him so desperately.

Otherwise, how would they explain acting as stumbling blocks to him?

[ProSense]

6. Doesn't matter

The MSM is going to milk this and everyone who wants to attack the President is going to do the same.

To quote Krugman before the 2010 election:

Oh, and for all those older Americans who voted GOP last year because those nasty Democrats were going to cut Medicare, I have just one word: suckers!

[vaberella]

9. It's not just MSM---some Dems seem to be milking this too. n/t

[Larkspur]

7. I wish I could believe this statement

but Obama's aversion to fighting the Right and adopting the Right wing frames for our economic woes makes me suspicious of any assurances that he won't drastically cut SS and Medicare to make nice with the Republicans.

All I can say, is keep the HEAT on Obama and the Congressional Democrats to oppose cuts to SS, Medicare and Medicaid.

[Whisp]

13. how are you so certain Obama isn't fighting? Did Nancy Grace say that?

Obama has to be painted as a weak and ineffectual president by the yappers out there that will do anything to protect the status quo. Let's not forget who the media sides with, please.

goddammit it's only been said here a thousand googleplexes of times. don't believe the shitheads on the tvs and on the blogs at first glance. Can't wait for even a day or two to find out all this shit is probably made up out of nothing, by some mysterious 'insider'.
sheesh.

[bornskeptic]

23. Everybody here knows Obama isn't going to cut SS or Medicare benefits.

The bashers' game is to make a lot of noise, and then when he doesn't do what we all knew he wouldn't do, they pound their chests and claim credit because they "held his feet to the fire." Then they will go ahead and bash him some more for what they claim he would have done if they hadn't stopped him.

[yardwork]

8. Call and write the White House to insist that he protect SS and Medicare. He needs us to make noise.

[vaberella]

10. He already said he would.

I have never heard the President suggest that he would cut medicare or SS. I see people on this board and other boards saying otherwise though.

[yardwork]

12. If you do nothing, then you help the Republicans, who will be calling/writing with their demands.

The only way to win in politics is to rally more supporters than the opposition.

[woo me with science]

11. Yes. Including not rigging the CPI for stealth cuts. nt

[polmaven]

22. Oh, OK...

you're going to have to show us that one. Are you actually saying the president lied about the cost of living rates in order to stop a SS COlA?

[great white snark]

14. Why bother? Unnamed sources trump White House officials.

Can't even have a rational discussion if that is the case.

[jefferson_dem]

15. CONFIRMATION: Obama Aide On Social Security Cut Story: It 'Overshoots The Runway'

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is pushing back against a Wednesday night report that the president is prepared to offer cuts to Social Security as part of a deal to raise the debt ceiling.

"The story overshoots the runway," said a senior administration official. "The President said in the State of the Union that he wanted a bipartisan process to strengthen Social Security in a balanced way that preserves the promise of the program and doesn't slash benefits."

"While it is definitely not a driver of the deficit," the official added, "it does need to be strengthened."

The response, sent via email to The Huffington Post, provides a measure of assurance to Democrats who were taken aback by the abrupt news, broken by the Washington Post, that Social Security reform was now on the debt-ceiling table. Still, the devil is in the details, and the idea of "strengthening" the entitlement program remains the vague standard for reform.

<SNIP>

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/07/social-security-cuts-debt_n_892070.html

[jefferson_dem]

16. More...

In statement, Carney says Obama wants to address Social Security in balanced way that preserves program's promise & doesn't slash benefits.

http://twitter.com/#!/markknoller/statuses/88986572648747008

[CakeGrrl]

18. Nice try

But the WaPo has spoken! The shit has been flung!

Now people want to be proven right now that they're more dug in than ever in their belief that President Obama is a bloodless Republican.

:crazy:

[polichick]

19. The entire discussion is "unbalanced" - the WH has adopted the framing...

...when it should have rejected it out of hand.

[LiberalAndProud]

21. It's true.

The WH has been inuring us to the idea for quite a while now. It has the effect of anesthetizing us against the eventual pain. You see, whatever concessions we make won't be as bad as the worst that might have been, and we've been saying all along that we would make concessions. Why do you act so surprised?

The policy rollout always takes a very long time, so we have time to get used to the idea.

This is manipulation of public sentiment, and to a large degree it works. It is part of what makes Obama a brilliant politician. He can betray our principles while helping us to not feel terribly awful about it.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

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

[JimGinPA]

26. K&R