Bi-Partisan Senators plan to cut Medicare and Social Security wins powerful new allies in Senate.

[Better Believe It]

Deficit Proposal Picks Up New Allies
By DAMIAN PALETTA And NAFTALI BENDAVID
March 10, 2011

The effort of a bipartisan group of senators to attack the long-term budget deficit has won notable new support in recent days, raising lawmakers' hopes of reaching a deal within weeks. Sens. Mark Warner (D., Va.) and Saxby Chambliss (R., Ga.), who are leading the push, believe they have the tentative backing of 31 senators: 16 Republicans and 15 Democrats.

Democrat Erskine Bowles and Republican Alan Simpson, who co-chaired the White House's deficit-reduction commission last year, have embraced the effort and launched a new nonprofit organization to raise public awareness about the debt and possible solutions.

Pete Peterson, the New York billionaire who often funds projects aimed at cutting the debt, met with Messrs. Warner and Chambliss Wednesday morning and said in an interview later he was "seriously" considering giving money to the nonprofit.

And Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), who many had seen as a potential obstacle of the senators' effort to build a larger consensus within Congress, threw his support behind the process Wednesday.

Read the full story at:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703453804576191010111787594.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5

Peter Peterson seems especially optimistic about the chances of reaching a bi-partisan deal to cut government "entitlement" programs and the White House budget director, Jacob Lew said the White House thinks "it's a good thing" this bi-partisan group is exploring those kinds of ideas. Remember, everything is on the table for consideration on how to cut government deficits on the backs of working people and the elderly.

The Republicans will begin a new national propaganda campaign on March 19 to convince people that a "Reckless Spending Spree" for Social Security and Medicare is responsible for the federal deficit. And Republicans will of course propose massive cuts in other government progams such as education, the environment, health and safety, etc., The growing bi-partisan gang will endorse that and will likely propose increasing taxes on working people by eliminating home mortgage interest deductions for starters. That's so they can cut the top tax bracket of rich people to 26% and lower corporate taxes to next to nothing. Democrats will only meet Republicans half-way in the spirit of bi-partisan compromise. That's comforting.

Read the full article to find out more about the bi-partisan game plan to ram these measures through Congress. This will make Governor Walker's operation to cut Wisconsin jobs and social programs seem like pretty small potatoes because we're talking national folks! The wealthy Senators, with encouragement and help from the White House, hope they can cut a backdoor deal in a matter of weeks, not months.

President Obama will of course sign whatever nasty budget cutting legislation is passed by Congress. BBI

[madrchsod]

1. he has our best interest at heart of course...

one has to believe he has one.

[chill_wind]

2. K & R. Nothing will surprise me.

Beyond that, what I'm feeling right now isn't fit for print.

[neverforget]

3. hmmm I'm going to bet that all Republicans will be behind "screw the

poor and middle class" on Medicare and SS deal. Add 15 turncoat Dems and it's going to pass easily. The House is a sure thing. What will Obama do?

[w4rma]

4. He'll sign it with fanfaire. He appointed most of the turncoats on this commission.

And his cheerleaders begged us to "wait and see". Well, now we're going to see and it isn't going to be pretty.

[Better Believe It]

9. "What will Obama do?" He'll sign the legislation, unless there is a massive turnout of opposition

that will make the Wisconsin protests seem like just a little dress rehearsal for the really huge wave of protests .... something we haven't seen since the Great Depression.

[neverforget]

11. I'll be in the streets if this thing comes to fruition

[JDPriestly]

48. The crowds in Wisconsin will seem small in comparison.

Americans overwhelmingly oppose cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

They are trying to do to us what they did to Argentina. It failed in Argentina. It will fail here. Hopefully we can kill this bill before old people start to die in the streets.

[neverforget]

51. God I hope so. This pisses me off to no end.

[Better Believe It]

5. Bi-Partisan Senate 'Gang of Six' may solve U.S. debt mess

'Gang of Six' may solve U.S. debt mess
By John Avlon, CNN Contributor
March 10, 2011

The heroes of this story are the so-called Gang of Six. The group is led by Democrat Mark Warner and Republican Saxby Chambliss, who are joined in meetings by Senate veterans of the president's deficit reduction panel -- Republicans Tom Coburn and Mike Crapo and Democrats Kent Conrad and Dick Durbin. The group's off-site negotiations have attracted more than 30 of their Senate colleagues.

The leaders of the bipartisan Gang of Six can give political cover to this practical reality: We can't cut or tax our way out of this problem alone. Now the time has come to move from talks to specific proposals, putting the principles of deficit reduction into legislative language.

"The bipartisan Senate group that is focusing on fiscal responsibility and sustainability is a positive example of members who are dedicated to progress over partisanship," adds former Comptroller General David Walker, currently director of the Comeback America Initiative. "Their efforts should be applauded and expanded over time."

But if you're part of the 93% of Americans who say they want to see less partisan fighting in Washington, it's time to stand up and support efforts like the Gang of Six. Send the message that you want to see more senators have the courage to join in the cross-aisle talks. It's one way to counteract what might be called the "Charlie Sheen-ification" of political coverage -- rewarding bad behavior with attention while ignoring responsible efforts to actually solve problems. Encouraging efforts like the Gang of Six is the antidote.

Read the full propaganda piece at:

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/03/10/avlon.bipartisan.progress/#


-----------------------------------------------



Senators pitch debt reduction to business elite
By BOB LEWIS
March 8, 2011

Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia and Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss are taking their federal debt-reduction idea on tour looking for buy-in from key business and corporate leaders.

Warner, a centrist Democrat, and the conservative Republican Chambliss told Virginia's business elite Monday that it will take more than cuts to discretionary and entitlement spending to pay down a federal debt that's about $14 trillion and growing by about $1.5 trillion a year.

Warner and Chambliss say they're among a nucleus of about one-third of the Senate's members who are talking about a mixture of cuts to discretionary and entitlement spending, raising the Social Security retirement age and cutting such prized business and personal tax breaks as the mortgage interest deduction.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9LR2KJO0.htm

[w4rma]

7. Are they really going to kill off the mortgage interest deduction in this environment?

Unless it will be kept on first homes, this is idiotic.

[KamaAina]

26. Dick Durbin?!

:wow:

And another of my former faves joins the DTM list.

[Poboy]

6. Prepare yourselves for the breakdown. Its fucking coming.

[russspeakeasy]

52. Coming ?

[somone]

8. Right on schedule

just as predicted

[sasha031]

10. K&R

these bastards make me sick

[Citizen Worker]

12. This is what happens when there's not an opposition political party.

[Better Believe It]

14. How can we achieve bi-partisan unity if the Democratic Party acts like they oppose Republicans?

We need that in order to win the future stuff.

:sarcasm:

[AdHocSolver]

13. Washington will screw the public while attention is paid to WI, MI, OH, IN, etc.

DUers. We need to put a spotlight on this now. We need some protesting in Washington, DC.

Medicare and Social Security are NOT the causes of the deficit. Bank bailouts, the military/industrial complex, and outsourcing of jobs are the cause of the U.S. economic problems.

They are just out to steal more money from the people.

[Poboy]

15. .

[jtown1123]

16. This needs more coverage, big kick

[Johonny]

17. thank god all those tea baggers voted to keep the Gov'ment off their medicare

yeah vote for the party trying to raid the medicare funds to cover the debt caused by war and tax cuts to the rich. Genius.

[xchrom]

18. recommend

[Agony]

19. Yeah, well Fuck Chuck.

this is what you get with rich worthless fuckers running things

"And Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), who many had seen as a potential obstacle of the senators' effort to build a larger consensus within Congress, threw his support behind the process Wednesday."

[Poboy]

20. .

[LongTomH]

21. Who are the 'Democratic' turncoats who are supporting this?

Other than up-Chuck Schumer?:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Better Believe It]

24. Dick Durbin, the great liberal Senator and Obama man from Illinois is involved.

[Plucketeer]

22. I've always wanted to visit DC

But I figured it would be for a more leisurely pursuit once I got around to it. I'm betting I'll have LOTS of company tho! Rotten, turncoat MFers!

[blackspade]

23. Shocked!

NOT!

No mention of raising taxes on the rich assholes who are mugging the Poor and Middle class!

[ProSense]

25. Well if the WSJ says it

it must be true, or not.

Schumer two days ago.

"Blaming Social Security for our deficit is nothing but an ideological attempt to slash benefits and privatize the program," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

link

[neoralme]

40. I want to present a hypothetical to you. Even before I joined this

forum, I noticed that in many of your posts re: entitlements being cut, you say the same things, more or less: ain't gonna happen, just a bunch of baloney, etc. Well, let suppose it DOES happen. Will you be on the streets with the rest of us?

[KamaAina]

27. "a new nonprofit organization to raise public awareness about the debt and possible solutions."

Let's make DAMN sure it abides by the regulations governing nonprofits -- specifically, only a token amount of lobbying is permitted.

[KamaAina]

28. That would be apocalyptic for people with disabilities

many of whom rely on both Social Security (especially SSI) and Medicare (most of the rest receive Medicaid, also under attack state by state). :scared:

[whosinpower]

29. the biggest pull on the deficit

Is the bush era tax cut extension. And two wars.

If they do this - the protest and overthrow in Egypt will be a drop in the bucket to what will occur on American soil.

Once a person has nothing left to lose, he has nothing left to fear....and once fear is gone, the collective will of a people cannot be constrained. They will awaken something that they cannot control. Fools.

[howmad1]

32. Oh please.

All we need is another Charlie Sheen episode and the Murkin public won't give two shits about war or taxes. You must be assuming that the majority of Americans have a brain cell working. NOT!

[madmax]

36. Amazing isn't it. - we almost didn't hear

anything about Wisconsin yeterday because Lohan was in court again.

:wtf: is wrong with Americans!?

[jacquelope]

44. Tell that to the Wisconsinites.

This could be our wake-up moment.

[jacquelope]

45. Tell that to the Wisconsinites.

This could be our wake-up moment.

[madmax]

35. +1

[FreeStateDemocrat]

30. These "inside the beltway" dickwads are moving towards a tsuami of their own when they wake the

sleeping gaint of public outrage. Bad time of the year for these bozos since it will be perfect weather for building barricades and shutting down their fantasyland freak show in the smoke and mirrors capital of the world. Bring it on asswipes.

[hifiguy]

31. The slaughterhouse is now in view

That the baggers will be turned into lamb cutlets to be served to the rich on golden platters with the rest of us is cold consolation.

[Poboy]

37. Welcome to DU. I like your flair for words.

[adigal]

33. Corporate whore Chucky will do what his Masters tell him

as will his handmaiden, Gillibrand. I didn't want her, and I bet she goes along with him.

[neoralme]

34. As long as the citizens do nothing but protest with signs and

words, they are not afraid to do whatever they want. Let the people get serious and become aggressive to the max and watch the rich begin cowering in their homes and offices. And that's the name of that tune.

[Faygo Kid]

38. Pete Peterson lives to end Social Security and Medicare.

It's over, just a matter of when.

[neoralme]

39. That might not happen if suddenly he was gone--

[YellowRubberDuckie]

41. Here's the infuriating thing:

They act like Social Security isn't something we pay into. They act like it's a government program that we just take from like welfare. We all pay into that. Why in the hell isn't that protected? Why are they allowed to loot it, decrease it, borrow from it, pillage from it. It is more like a social pension fund than welfare. Jesus Christ. Just because they don't have to count on it, there are people who have no other choice!

[ProSense]

42. Jack Lew on Social Security

here.

[Fuddnik]

43. I was just watching Michael Moore on yesterday's Democracy Now.

I agree with him that we need a general strike in this country. Right now, more than ever.

I'm getting sick and tired of getting fucked every time I turn around so the rich can have their tax cuts, Wall Street gets their bail-outs, oil companies and defense contractors get their subsidies, and all we get is the bill.

I'm disabled, but I have several pairs of comfortable shoes (bought really cheap at the thrift store), and I'll hit the pavement with everyone else.

Thanks, BetterBelieveIt for keeping us updated.

[defendandprotect]

47. Agree -- but we have to think about things a little differently ....

Strikes are also about showing that the country is united --

if unions strike, it doesn't necessarily show that the nation is with them.

Strikes can also be a little frightening for people who are nervous about losing

their jobs. Certainly, whole day and whole week strikes could be a problem for some.

We should begin with two hour strikes -- from 11:30 to 1:30 for instance.

Or make a 3:30 pm call out --


We can also use many other means of showing we are united -- turning electricity off

in the evening -- all together at a signalled time for a specific duration --


Wearing a MEDICARE FOR ALL buttons, for instance --

Wearing END THE WARS BANKRUPTING THE NATION buttons, for instance --

We need tons of political buttons -- from Bradley Manning/TORTURE to

NO SUBSIDY FOR NUCLEAR REACTORS -- on and on --


We also have cars which can be used to show our unity and strength -- taking them off

the road at a given signal -- pull into a parking space or parking lot --

buying or not buying gasoline at specific times.


On and on --

And we need increassing discussion of RECALLS and citizens discussing politics with

one another. America has never been very political. Time to change that!!


I'd also suggest that we should begin to think of UNIONIZING in terms other than of

company or corporations -- people have to decide if they are LABOR -- if you are sign

on and let's get everyone signed up in one union where we set the terms and conditions of

employment and force employees to come to us if they want help.

[defendandprotect]

46. We had better gear up for a baseball field of RECALLS ....!!!

And if Obama continues to push subsidies for more nuclear reactors --

I want a RECALL on Obama !!

[Jakes Progress]

49. Sure the president will sign it, but

you have to understand that he just hast to. I mean, he's only president. Just think of all those POTUS wimps like Truman and Roosevelt. And going back to TR and Abe. Such wimpy little figures those presidents. No wonder only senators can get things done and that no president ever had any effect on legislation.

So Obama will be forced to sign it. I bet he will feel bad about it too.

[Poboy]

50. .

[Crowman1979]

53. WE DIDN'T VOTE FOR BI-PARTISANSHIP!!!