Obama, GOP look to rein in benefits

[cali]

Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security targets

WASHINGTON — President Obama will call this week for new curbs on Medicare and Medicaid spending, an aide said yesterday, while a top House Republican predicted that a bipartisan deal on reducing Social Security costs is possible this summer.

“You’re going to have to look at Medicare and Medicaid and see what kind of savings you can get,’’ Obama adviser David Plouffe said yesterday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.’’ The program was one of several on which he announced Obama’s planned speech Wednesday detailing proposed cuts — “with a scalpel, not a machete’’ — in the long-term deficit.

Meanwhile, Representative Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican and chairman of the House Budget Committee, also speaking on “Meet the Press,’’ was optimistic about entitlement cuts elsewhere, saying: “Social Security reform, hopefully, is an area where we might have a shot at a bipartisan agreement this summer.’’

The comments reflect how the political environment surrounding once-sacred social benefits for the elderly and the poor is rapidly shifting, giving hope to deficit watchdogs who anticipate that the upcoming campaign season promises to feature the most robust debate in recent memory on major social programs.

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http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/04/11/obama_gop_look_to_rein_in_benefits/

It's change alright.

[eleny]

1. "rein in"

What a bunch of crap. What needs to be reined in is the greed of the wealthy. But there's no political will to go there.

[corpseratemedia]

2. change that punches the poor and elderly in the gut

if only they knew about it in the primaries a few years back.

[99th_Monkey]

3. Everytime I hear Soc. Security labled an "entitlement", I get seriously pissed.

Workers & employers pay for this program, not "The Government". SS has not contributed one nickel to the deficit.

How do these simple and obvious truths get so TOTALLY DISTORTED AND IGNORED by nearly everyone, INCLUDING PRES. OBAMA.

It may turn out to be a long hot summer in DC this year if they try to put my SS on the chopping block. grrr. :mad:

[Raine]

4. Me too, it totally enrages me

and I don't hear anyone calling them out on it ... NO ONE!!! :mad: :grr: :nuke:

[RickFromMN]

5. President Obama will give the Republicans cover to cut Medicare and Medicaid. Isn't he nice? argh.

[Enthusiast]

6. That's why he was elected. nt