GlassSteagallfan
8th July 2011, 19:06
Obama's Call To Destroy Social Security Is Last Straw for Leading Democrats
July 8, 2011 • 9:45AM
President Nerobama is not fiddling while Rome burns, but actively setting the fires. Before his meeting today in the White House with Congressional leaders, Obama announced that he planned to put not only Medicare and Medicaid on the cutting block, but also Social Security, sending Democratic leaders into conniptions. Obama also said that his original plan for $2 trillion in cuts over the next decade was not adequate, doubling the figure to $4 trillion. As he said Tuesday, he sees the current total collapse of the real economy as "a unique opportunity to do something big to rebalance the nation's finances," by slashing the entitlements, doing something "big" in a "grand bargain" with the Republicans.
Obama did not consult, or even inform, the Democratic leadership of his plan to destroy the general welfare policies of the nation. Harry Reid, who has repeatedly insisted that Social Security could not be touched (and led the fight against George W. Bush's effort to privatize it) refused to answer reporters' questions about Obama's call, and got testy when reporters followed up on the issue. Nancy Pelosi was not informed, nor was Chris van Hollen, who had been part of the failed bipartisan team with Vice President Joe Biden working on a budget-cut plan. Van Hollen told CNN: "Congressional Democrats are not going to support something that seeks to balance the budget on the backs of Social Security beneficiaries."
Obama called the two-hour meeting in the White House Thursday "constructive," and told reporters that he (not a cooperative 'we') would convene a second meeting on Sunday.
The dog-and-pony show about "cuts vs tax hikes" continues, with Obama claiming that he is trading the destruction of the general welfare for taxes on corporate jets and closing some tax loop holes. Democrats in the Congress are furious, and the "nationalist block" in the Congress against Obama's nazi policies and for Glass-Steagall will be growing rapidly over the coming days. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) said: "I think when the president does a deal, he ought to talk to the Democrats."
Even the pro-austerity Democrats are angry. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and part of the Concord Coalition of budget-cutters, said he has never believed that Social Security trims should be used to reduce the debt. "Any savings from Social Security should be used to extend the solvency of Social Security," he said.
The Progressive Caucus Democrats exploded, sending a letter to Obama, demanding that Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid not be touched. "The middle class has experienced enough pain during the last three years," it said. "Republicans are willing to inflict even more. We will not join them." The signers include Reps. Raul Grijalva, Keith Ellison (Minn.), Judy Chu (Calif.), John Lewis (Ga.), Mike Honda (Calif.), Danny Davis (Ill.), John Conyers (Mich.), and Luis Gutierrez (Ill.).
Source: http://www.larouchepac.com/node/18698
July 8, 2011 • 9:45AM
President Nerobama is not fiddling while Rome burns, but actively setting the fires. Before his meeting today in the White House with Congressional leaders, Obama announced that he planned to put not only Medicare and Medicaid on the cutting block, but also Social Security, sending Democratic leaders into conniptions. Obama also said that his original plan for $2 trillion in cuts over the next decade was not adequate, doubling the figure to $4 trillion. As he said Tuesday, he sees the current total collapse of the real economy as "a unique opportunity to do something big to rebalance the nation's finances," by slashing the entitlements, doing something "big" in a "grand bargain" with the Republicans.
Obama did not consult, or even inform, the Democratic leadership of his plan to destroy the general welfare policies of the nation. Harry Reid, who has repeatedly insisted that Social Security could not be touched (and led the fight against George W. Bush's effort to privatize it) refused to answer reporters' questions about Obama's call, and got testy when reporters followed up on the issue. Nancy Pelosi was not informed, nor was Chris van Hollen, who had been part of the failed bipartisan team with Vice President Joe Biden working on a budget-cut plan. Van Hollen told CNN: "Congressional Democrats are not going to support something that seeks to balance the budget on the backs of Social Security beneficiaries."
Obama called the two-hour meeting in the White House Thursday "constructive," and told reporters that he (not a cooperative 'we') would convene a second meeting on Sunday.
The dog-and-pony show about "cuts vs tax hikes" continues, with Obama claiming that he is trading the destruction of the general welfare for taxes on corporate jets and closing some tax loop holes. Democrats in the Congress are furious, and the "nationalist block" in the Congress against Obama's nazi policies and for Glass-Steagall will be growing rapidly over the coming days. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) said: "I think when the president does a deal, he ought to talk to the Democrats."
Even the pro-austerity Democrats are angry. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and part of the Concord Coalition of budget-cutters, said he has never believed that Social Security trims should be used to reduce the debt. "Any savings from Social Security should be used to extend the solvency of Social Security," he said.
The Progressive Caucus Democrats exploded, sending a letter to Obama, demanding that Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid not be touched. "The middle class has experienced enough pain during the last three years," it said. "Republicans are willing to inflict even more. We will not join them." The signers include Reps. Raul Grijalva, Keith Ellison (Minn.), Judy Chu (Calif.), John Lewis (Ga.), Mike Honda (Calif.), Danny Davis (Ill.), John Conyers (Mich.), and Luis Gutierrez (Ill.).
Source: http://www.larouchepac.com/node/18698