Media ignores the fact that entitlement 'reform' will strengthen Medicare, Social Security

[flpoljunkie]

The Sunday talking heads ignored this and continued to parrot the Republican line that nothing but 'cuts' to entitlements will do. The most obvious example of entitlement reform would be lifting the current $106,500 FICA wage ceiling. As for Medicare, Republicans want to block the considerable Medicare cost savings of "Obamacare' because it would mean less profits for the health care industry. The CBA has projected the Affordable Care Act would reduce the deficit by $1 trillion in its second decade.

Our pundits seem to be willfully uninformed on what entitlement reform means.

[vaberella]

1. The media is made up of a very little intellectuals. n/t

[Tennessee Gal]

2. I am for raising the FICA wage ceiling.

Have been for a long time.

[customerserviceguy]

12. So am I

but only modestly, as the higher the ceiling, the higher the maximum benefit when one does retire.

How about making the sky the limit on the employer's share? If some megabank wants to pay its CEO $10 million to run the thing into the ground, why shouldn't it pay the employer portion of FICA on all ten million? It would not raise the maximum benefit for the CEO after he's put out to pasture for his poor decisions.

[elleng]

3. Right, junkie, and lots around here seem to 'ignore' too.

[MannyGoldstein]

4. But mostly, entitlement reform means cutting benefits

Obama's Deficit Commission voted to recommend a 22% cut in the average Social Security recipient's benefits. 22%.

Since there's http://www.handsoffss.org/will-social-security-go-bankrupt-in-the-future.html">currently zero problems with Social Security, that's not "strengthening" - it's stealing money from people which will put millions into poverty.

[flpoljunkie]

7. Simpson Bowles Commission recommendations were not submitted to Congress

[MannyGoldstein]

9. Is Congress less able to vote for them?

A majority voted for the SImpson's and Bowle's plan. There was no guarantee that the Senate would vote on them, no matter how many voted to recommend.

The Commission was started precisely to give cover to Congress to take the vote. Simpson was very open about that for years.

[flpoljunkie]

10. Social Security reform was not a part of their charge from the president. They themselves added it.

[MannyGoldstein]

13. Yes it was:

From http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Executive_Order_13531">the authorizing bill: "the Commission shall propose recommendations that meaningfully improve the long-run fiscal outlook, including changes to address the growth of entitlement spending and the gap between the projected revenues and expenditures of the Federal Government."

[flpoljunkie]

15. I read that Social Security was not a part of their charge. Guess it depends on what the meaning of

'entitlement' is. Social Security is certainly an entitlement, but is not a part of the federal budget.

[flpoljunkie]

16. Judging from Obama's press conference, I'd have to say you're right on Social Security.

Of course, as Nancy Pelosi said the other day regarding entitlement reform, 'The devil's in the dirty details.'

[daa]

14. +1

[Enrique]

5. the media are activists FOR entitlement reform

as long as I can remember, the media have been pressuring politicans to reform entitlements, and celebrating "courageous" centrist democrats willing to take on their party;s "sacred cows"

[flpoljunkie]

8. Their definition of entitlement 'reform' is 'cuts.'

[polichick]

6. Why should the media tell the truth when leaders of both parties lie about it?

[mzmolly]

11. Happy

to K and R this thread. :hi: