Space program, Social Security, Depression

[ChairmanAgnostic]

Earlier this week, the brain dead doofusi currently infesting the US House of Representatives voted to cancel the Hubble Space Telescope's replacement, despite so much investment and scientific promise. I cannot tell whether the flat earthers, the creationists, the Intelligent Designers, or the Christian Conservatives in the House were the ones who decided that the Constitution no longer applied, but obviously, they haven't read it of late.

Article 1, Sec 8:

The Congress shall have power . . .

To Borrow Money on the Credit of the United States.

To Promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts.

Bah. Those aren't necessary. All debt is bad, and the US should not have any. Science? All science can be found in that good book.


* *

There are some sneaky fuckers trying to tell us that a minor adjustment in Social Security would be meaningless, or 14 cents (or some other make believe number) less in the future. "Fourteen cents won't hurt gramma! Honest. Trust us. Mr. Obama knows what he is doing, with his 17 dimensional chess game!"

To them, I say, bullshit. Utter, complete, laughable bullshit.

For 75 years, Social Security has protected millions of needy and elderly. Between SS and medicare and medicaid, we have provided more social justice, a better lifestyle, and a healthier, more productive life for everyone in this country. The point is not that some minor adjustment may cause some smaller benefit down the road. That's little more than a canard, blind follower's script from the WH press office.

The real point is attacking Social Security and Medicare is precisely like Pandora's Box. There is no peaking in and simply grabbing one item. Once opened, it stays opened. Once the GOP gets its grubby little hands on even one small aspect of social security, it provides enough justification to go after all of it tooth and nail. By permitting even a small change under today's circumstances, we justify today's GOP for going after it all.

For those who did not follow Grover Fucking Nordquist over the years, or for those who simply forgot, the ABSOLUTE DESTRUCTION of Social Security has been one of the most potent, more powerful, and most important goals that the AynRandists and Nordquist have sought. For them, a social network protecting millions is an insult, an attack on freedom, the biggest target that has ever existed in their beady, nasty, gnarled, dank, presenile brains.

That is why Obama's cave in is so spectacularly horrific. If he gives even an inch on this issue, you can bet that the GOP will treat the rest of those programs as hostages to every other legislative move until the next national election. If he opens the door, it will never be closed. Every new negotiation will require Obama to cave in on some other aspect of SS. If he wants to get anything, from military contracts, VA funding, anything at all, the GOP will tie the eventual destruction of SS to the bill.

Watch them demand an increase in the age of retirement, cutting benefits, limiting access, then eventually, privatizing the whole program. And watch Obama attack us for complaining about it.

[somone]

1. Obama has shown his true colors

over and over and over again

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. True. but watching the pushback here

from his most loyal supporters is amusing and entertaining. They remind me of dealing with some evangelicals trying to promote their christian rules as social legislation. Facts simply do not matter to them, and rational arguments are like a drop of rain to a swimming duck.

[xchrom]

3. they're going to raise retirement -- that's like a mac truck coming at us.

and in itself is unforgivable.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. damned straight.

[Big Blue Marble]

5. Obama will be long gone as the assault

on SS and Medicare continues. Sadly, he has now legitimized that assault in a way no Republican can.
As you highlight, it will be a slow boiling of frog. A little here, a lot there, until poof no more entitlements.

And each step of the way, the apologists will keep assuring us nothing has changed. They will keep attacking us
for "overreacting."