'The vast majority of Dems on Capitol Hill would prefer not to have to do anything on entitlements'

[flpoljunkie]

This is an unfair and untrue characterization of Congressional Democrats.

Obama Urges Dems To Accept Changes To Medicare, Social Security
Susan Crabtree

July 11, 2011

President Obama said both sides have to be willing to sustain some political pain in order to reach a deal on cutting the nation's long-term debt, and he urged his own party to accept changes to entitlement programs in order to wrangle some targeted tax increases out of Republicans.

Recognizing that he has a lot of work still ahead of him to convince Democrats to agree to altering Medicare or Social Security, Obama tried to lay some ground work Monday at a press briefing.

"The vast majority of Democrats on Capitol Hill would prefer not to have to do anything on entitlements, would prefer frankly not to do anything on these debt and deficit problems," he said.

But doing nothing is irresponsible and is really not an option, Obama argued.

"If you look at the numbers then Medicare in particular will run out of money and we will not be able to sustain that program no matter how much taxes go up," he said. "It's not an option for us to just sit by and do nothing. if you're a progressive that cares about he integrity of Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid ... then we have an obligation to make sure that we make those changes required to make this sustainable in the long term."

more...

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/obama-urges-dems-to-accept-changes-to-medicare-social-security.php?ref=fpb

[polichick]

1. The president is in campaign mode - hoping indies will go for lines like that.

[flpoljunkie]

2. Apparently, or it's some Machiavellian chess move Congressional Dems can't see.

Me, neither.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

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[Unvanguard]

4. Oh, bullshit.

There are ways to reduce Medicare spending without reducing benefits. Obama's own health care reform package implements some of them. They can be strengthened. And, yes, we can also raise taxes to fund Medicare. Other industrialized countries cover everyone on single-payer plans without going bankrupt. Whether health care costs are paid with private or public funds, they're still paid. If we can't afford to pay them, we have to actually reduce health care costs, not attack Medicare.

When will Obama learn that trying to adopt the rhetoric of the "responsibility" crowd's irresponsible proposals gains him essentially nothing, while harming all the important progressive goals he was elected to champion?

[whosinpower]

5. He isn't talking to democrats

He is talking to republicans....and that is also who he is listening to.

snip from the official whitehouse transcript -

I've been hearing from my Republican friends for quite some time that it is a moral imperative for us to tackle our debt and our deficits in a serious way. I've been hearing from them that this is one of the things that's creating uncertainty and holding back investment on the part of the business community. And so what I've said to them is, let's go.