Snowe: No Cuts to Social Security and Medicare in Debt Limit Deal

[t0dd]

Here’s how out of control the debt limit debate has gotten on Capitol Hill. The Democrat in the White House is trying to increase the eligibility age for Medicare or effect a Social Security benefit cut, and the Republican from Maine is trying to stop him.

“There are solvency problems with both programs,” Sen. Olympia Snowe said in an interview on Friday, “They have to be addressed but not as part of the debt reduction talks.”

She said any debt reduction plan worked out by President Barack Obama and congressional leaders will still need the support of members of both parties and both Medicare and Social Security have strong bipartisan support <...>

She said she has no idea what will come out of the budget talks but she believes to get enough votes to pass it will have to have cuts in spending and additional revenue.

“We are not talking about raising tax rates,” she said, “but there are a lot of tax credits that are not needed and should be repealed.”

Susan Collins basically concurred with her. So that’s at least two Republicans in the Senate you could get on a deal that would probably have more spending cuts than revenue increases, but would basically hold Social Security and Medicare harmless.

That this deal, which has bipartisan support, has not been explored is probably attributable to the President wanting a right-leaning deal for the purposes of his re-election effort. Incidentally, what Snowe and Collins have in mind IS ALSO a right-leaning deal, simply by virtue of the fact that it contracts fiscal policy during a jobs crisis.

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/07/11/snowe-no-cuts-to-social-security-and-medicare-in-debt-limit-deal/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

[David Gill]

1. It might not matter.

Anybody remember the reconciliation process??

[spartan61]

2. But how do they feel about tax "increases?"

[Aerows]

3. Smart Independents and Moderates -

Republican and Democratic know Obama is delivering the kiss of death by supporting ANY cuts to Medicare and SS - raising the retirement age is a CUT.

Seniors are angry, and those like myself who have paid into the system for all of our lives are angry. Tap the group that holds 35% of the wealth in this country - the 1%.

[dissidentboomer]

4. Somebody needs to tell Snowe that the train

carrying the members of her party and a lot of the other guys, too, left the station years ago and she's not on it.

[Bluebear]

5. "GOP saving Medicare and Social Security"

That will be the headline, not your train story :(

[dkf]

6. Obama probably wants to blame fixing SS and Medicare in the Republicans.

Sad but true.

[provis99]

7. so in an election matchup between Obama and Snowe,

which way would DU vote?

[The Big Vetolski]

8. So maybe Snowe should switch parties and primary Obama.

Don't panic, people. The Dude is kidding. :)

[provis99]

10. Abide, dude. Keep on abiding.

[AtomicKitten]

9. That "out of control" feeling comes from reporting that is long on gossip and short on news.

Don't believe everything you read.

[Ruby the Liberal]

11. By design. The idiot teabaggers with their 'keep the government out of my medicare signs"

are already convinced he is a marxist/fascist/socialist/nazi (whatever the fuck that is). Come election time when their Medicare has been moved out to age 67 (or 70 - give it another week) the Rs will tell them that the Ds stole their coverage and say "*sob* sadly, we tried everything in our power to stop them".

Mark my words.