Barney Frank: 'People Sitting On Their Asses-Telling Some Woman On Her Feet That 67's TOO Early...'

[kpete]

In an interview with TPM, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) -- the top Dem on the House Financial Services Committee -- dismissed outright, and in Frank-esque terms, the idea of reducing seniors' cost of living adjustments, or increasing the Medicare eligibility age. "That's people who've been sitting on their asses their whole lives telling some woman who's been standing on her feet as a store clerk that 67's too early for her -- she should do it till she's 70."

But he distinguished those sorts of benefit cuts from means-testing of both Social Security and Medicare, which he said would be appropriate steps to take to improve America's fiscal situation.

"A means test done in an efficient way isn't a problem," he said. "I understand that. Like in Social Security. We already have a partial means test. I get Social Security. My Social Security income is taxed as it should be. I would increase the tax rate on my Social Security income. You don't want to means test it up front -- that becomes awkward -- but say you're making more than $100,000? Tax my Social Security at 95 percent. That's fine. There's an easy way to do that."

On Medicare, "I would be for increasing copays for people above a certain income," Frank said. "I think high copays for people making more than $100,000 is perfectly reasonable."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/pelosi-outlines-revenue-free-path-forward-on-debt-limit-fight.php?ref=fpb

[Stuart G]

1. I guess Barney is correct, If you make more than 100,000 you afford more.

. What percentage of seniors make more than 100,000..I would like to know.

[Mojorabbit]

20. I disagree

I doubt the percentage of people making that amt is very big. Once you let them tinker with means testing, it changes the program. YOu Know they'll continue to lower the threshold if you let them start. I also disagree with taxing it away on the other end.It presents the same problem, ie talking about taxing it at a 95 percent rate. Let the wealthy pay more on the front end by increasing the cap and then let them collect their payment like everyone else.

[dkf]

2. How many people actually wait til the full retirement age anyway?

Most people I know collected at 62 and took the cut.

It's deceptive to say people have to wait til full retirement age.

[rhett o rick]

6. You are nuts. Those that "retire" early suffer serious reductions. Why do you hate our seniors? nm

[RebelOne]

8. Though I was still working at 65, I filed for SS.

That supplement was a big help in being able save a little extra money. Glad I did. I was laid off my job last year. Fortunately, I was able to also collect unemployment benefits. Those benefits will expire in October. But along with my savings and SS benefits, I should be able to survive a few years before I have to eat cat food.

[Bluebear]

11. I'm not surprised that you don't know people who are struggling.

[B Calm]

23. Many of us can't afford health insurance! We would love to retire early

Hell my dad retired when he was 55 with a good union pension plan that included health care, but that was back in the good old days! Now we have to work until we die!!

[Kolesar]

37. No Medicare at age 62 eom

[Omaha Steve]

3. K&R!

[liberal N proud]

4. POW!

[nashville_brook]

5. direct hit.

[rhett o rick]

7. Many people arent allowed to work until 67. Age discrimination abounds. Many are forced out

at 55 and have to wait until 67. Now the cruel Republicans want them to wait longer.

[B Calm]

24. Forced to take a min wage job because of their age. That's the republican

plan to have millions of desperate, hungry, baby boomers to hire as cheap labor.

[Patiod]

35. I heard some "bipartisan think tank" idiot say we all have desk jobs

He was telling the interviewer on NPR that "most of us work and desk jobs, and can keep working well past 65". Really?

People are rushing to hire the over-50 set?

[rhett o rick]

36. And many employers find ways of dumping the older employees. nm

[Warpy]

9. Barney Frank is correct

but I hope he and other Democrats tie that cutoff point to inflation instead of setting it into stone and gradually pushing more people into poverty when they have the bad luck to get sick.

[NC_Nurse]

10. Barney is right. let these assholes try working as a nurse when they're 70.

[Bluebear]

18. "It's deceptive to say people have to wait til full retirement age!"

See post 2!

[Ilsa]

26. That's what I've been saying: Do they want someone pushing 70

doing their loved one's chest compressions? :-)

[eilen]

34. I actually know a 70 year old nurse who has been having

trouble finding work and keeping her jobs. She knows she can't hack the hospital floors and doesn't try there but she says she gets a lot of age discrimination. Her husband died and she did not have enough with SS to cover all her bills and healthcare.

[myrna minx]

12. K&R n/t

[xchrom]

13. Recommend

[Historic NY]

14. Actually its people sucking on the publics tit telling her, while...

many never worked hard a day in their life. Washington is loaded with them they're called career politicians.

[OwnedByFerrets]

15. k and r

[Bluebear]

16. +

[Luminous Animal]

17. My mom worked on her feet for decades and had heel spurs by the time she was 57.

Every day of every year afterward was painful. Eight hours a day every day. She also blew two rotator cuffs.

She worked on an assembly line for DuPont (then bought out by Dade) and never thought that unionizing was okay until they started firing the old ladies near her age in order to rob them of them of their pensions. Fortunately, after months of actually yelling in her face we convinced her to take early retirement so she could avoid the firing line.

[Starry Messenger]

19. recommend.

[Mimosa]

21. K&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! n/t

[B Calm]

22. I get so god damn mad when I hear people are living longer now. A

big part of that is because the infant mortality rate is better now than what it use to be.

[Mimosa]

25. ^ Exactly! ^ n/t

[B Calm]

28. If only people would use their common sense when they hear this

right-wing propaganda.

[Angry Dragon]

38. I read on DU awhile ago that people live longer if they

are rich
not as long if they have struggled through life
the money makes the difference

[Mimosa]

39. That's a fact

Rich people have may advantages, not least of which is access to health care of their choice.

[PA Democrat]

27. I'll add : people who get taxpayer-funded health care insurance telling

people who do not have such generous benefits (if any at all) they should continue to be extorted by the for-profit insurance racketeers for another 2 years!

[B Calm]

29. That's my wife's aunt who is retired from the VA.

[PA Democrat]

30. Austerity for thee, not for me.

I've found that people of this mindset feel they "earned" their benefits, but have the selfish misperception that the rest of us did not.

[Solly Mack]

31. K&R

[MrMickeysMom]

32. Amen, Barney!

[snot]

33. I totally agree with Barney.