National Memo: Supercommittee Cuts to Social Security Divert from Real Issues

[Scuba]

http://nationalmemo.com/article/super-committee-cuts-social-security-divert-real-issues



..snip..

The Congressional Super Committee to cut the budget deficit, due to report soon, has let it be known that it will cut Social Security benefits. Let me be short and sour about this. It is a public relations stunt. They basically say so. All this is about is showing the world America is serious about cutting its long-term deficit. The nation has the guts to do what it takes. It is no bleeding heart country. It is willing to beat up on the elderly.

In exchange for these Social Security cuts, the Democrats expect the Republicans to consider tax increases. They are probably going to be rolled again by the intransigent Republicans, who believe avoiding all taxes on the rich is the sure path to infinite re-electability.

...

But let me remind us all: There is plenty of room to raise other taxes. America is almost the lowest taxed rich nation in the world. But it doesn’t have the highest standard of living for its average citizens — not compared to free education in Europe, much cheaper or free health care, and so on.

Let me also remind us that Social Security is not very generous. The average payment is $14,000 a year. It is getting less generous. It used to replace 55 percent of retirement income, but benefits were reduced in the 1980s. It now covers on average 41 percent of retirement income. In 2031, it will cover 32 percent of retirement income. We have already reduced the program’s generosity. Yet Social Security provides nearly all income for one quarter of the elderly and more than half the income for more than half of the elderly.


..end..

[still_one]

1. anyone who puts social security and medicare on the table for cuts should be thrown out in the next

election. Any democrat who votes to cut social security or medicare will not get my support or vote, and that includes the executive branch

[Ship of Fools]

3. I've migrated to that conclusion as well. Throw them out, dems & all ...

[DirkGently]

2. There is no Social Security crisis, other than the 1%'s desperation to never pay back what it stole.

[opihimoimoi]

4. The BIG 3 should be IMPROVED....larger payments...TAX THE RICH n all will be FINE

[woo me with science]

5. This is a MORAL issue.

Any politician who supports this deserves contempt and expulsion from office.

[dtexdem]

6. It may be a diversion, but it's also attempted theft.

But as a diversion, just think about it: let's respond to today's so-called budget-deficit problems by attacking a program that might run into fiscal problems in twenty-five years. The real message: let's steal the bank account (U.S. bonds) today of a program that has enough banked for at least twenty-five more years.

[workinclasszero]

7. I will oppose for the rest of my life any and all so called democrats that

vote to cut social security! They can go to hell! They are worse then the most rabid teabagger. They are worse than rush limpballs!

They are stinking traitors moles working for the enemy as far as I'm concerned.

[Scuba]

9. +1

[Huey P. Long]

8. National memo: Corporatist/Fascists are in both parties. -eom