With the very broad, inter-party support for leaving Social Security alone, what is the reasoning

[coti]

for vichy Dems to "tack to the right" and support Social Security cuts?

Constituents of both parties, and Americans overwhelmingly, don't want Social Security to be messed with:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/us/politics/21poll.html

"Nearly two-thirds of Americans choose higher payroll taxes for Medicare and Social Security over reduced benefits in either program. And asked to choose among cuts to Medicare, Social Security or the nation’s third-largest spending program — the military — a majority by a large margin said cut the Pentagon." (01/20/11 NY Times poll)

So what's the excuse for Dems in "red" states who decide they're going to steal money from those who've spent most of their lives paying into the program? Who's not going to vote for them because they voted against cutting Social Security benefits?



Is this worry that Republicans won't vote for them just a facade covering up some other reasoning for wanting to make cuts to the program?

[leftstreet]

1. Who knows. There was broad inter-party support for single payer

broad inter-party support for ending wars...

:shrug:

[Skink]

2. In Washington only the folks that bankroll the perpetual campaign matter.

[OHdem10]

3. Could it the "vichy Dems" are more loyal to the Elites and the Haves

who do not want to pay taxes to pay for safety net.

Recently L. O'Donnell, THE LAST WORD, showed a Poll
which reflected over 90% Democrats, over 80% Republicans
and over 70% of Teabaggers do not want SS cut. Check out
those Teabaggers .

Could it be that with this Globalization harmonizing
living standards downward--lower pay scales for middle
class and poor-- the Have Mores and Elites see this
as making them have to pay more. Wheweeee a crisis
we better cut these entitlements downsized before they
raise taxes on us Rich people.

[Cleita]

4. It seems that our elected leaders have different

masters than us even though we elect them. They tell us that they will protect Social Security and once they are in office attack it because that's what their Wall Street sponsors want them to do. Our system is rampant with corruption and I don't know what we the unwashed masses can do about it without getting totally ignored. If we act up maybe we might even get arrested and shot at.

[doc03]

5. I have seen several on DU that support cutting

the SS COLA formula, raising the age and means testing. I could name several of them. one in particular likes to support his claims with all kinds of fuzzy math.