More CEOs Join Push to Cut Social Security in a Grand Bargain (and it could happen sooner than you

[avaistheone1]

imagine)


Top CEOs from 80 large companies across a variety of industries have joined the push for a grand bargain deal that could happen during the lame duck session. In a statement organized by the well-funded Fix the Debt campaign, the CEO’s called for a bipartisan deal to reduce deficit the by increasing revenue and cutting spending.

The statement comes only a week after the biggest executives on Wall Street sent a letter to Congress expressing a similar sentiment, but this new statement is more explicit in what the CEO’s are really after from a deal. Mainly they want to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid so they can have lower tax rates while increasing the number of lower income Americans paying federal taxes. From the statement in the Wall Street Journal.

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2012/10/25/more-ceos-join-push-to-cut-social-security-in-a-grand-bargain/

[limpyhobbler]

1. Cat food is actually more nutritious than a lot of people realize.

[tosh]

2. And an excellent response

was published by Senator Bernie Sanders

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/102512%20-%20JobDestroyers3.pdf

[avaistheone1]

5. K&R Senator Sanders

[ProfessionalLeftist]

10. +1000 n/t

[limpyhobbler]

23. There are still alot of

good people in government making these points but they are outnumbered by the cutters it seems.

[wilt the stilt]

3. you guys killed pensions

now you want to kill social security.Why should I trust you?

[Jackpine Radical]

15. You can trust them because

their record is so consistent.

They killed pensions, as you said. Now they want to kill SS/MC, etc. YOu can trust them on this.

[avaistheone1]

20. They have killed jobs too, offshored them.

They have NAFTA'd and CAFTA'd the jobs.

No work, you are fired if you are over fifty in a lot of these corporation, there will be no or little Social Security, and no or little Medicare.

They are driving the people of this country to lower and lower living standards.

We are racing to be bottom so rapidly.

[rsweets]

4. they are all in because it's their last chance ...

the economy is coming back, if they want to survive they'll
have to hire.

[Angry Dragon]

6. Social Security has nothing to do with the deficit ......... why is no one saying this??

[avaistheone1]

7. No one. NO ONE

said anything to clarify that point during the presidential debates. Not a moderator. Not either of the presidential candidates. Not any of the pundits.

No candidate corrected the moderators during debates that Social Security is not an entitlement either.

[Selatius]

9. It does now. That was the bargain when they cut SS payroll taxes.

Money from the General Fund would be transferred to Social Security to make up for the two percent drop in the SS payroll tax rate from 6.2 to 4.2 percent.

Of course, any spending under the General Fund would necessarily increase the deficit for the year if there isn't sufficient revenue to cover costs.

Funding for Social Security didn't directly affect the General Fund until now because it was a program entirely reliant on payroll taxes but not anymore.

The problem now is that if no deal is reached in Congress before 2013, the Bush tax cuts will expire at the same time as the SS payroll tax cut. The two are now very likely going to be linked in any bargaining, and I don't consider that good news.

My fear is that the 4.2 percent rate is going to be locked in permanently, making Social Security a program that also adds to the budget deficit. I was not as willing as other DUers here when the idea of cutting payroll taxes first got floated because I feared it was a backdoor towards making Social Security out to be a program that needs to be cut because of the deficits.

[Angry Dragon]

11. I felt the same way at the time

I believe there is a law that says SS can not add to the deficit ..............

[Selatius]

16. Apparently, they amended it as part of that grand bargain, or they ignored it altogether.

The whole reason FDR wanted Social Security to be self-funding and separate from the General Fund, which is controlled by Congress, was entirely to avoid entanglement with Congressional forces that were then and still are now hostile to the idea of Social Security.

[Liberal In Texas]

13. Remove the cap. Problem solved. n/t

[Selatius]

18. I support that, but only in conjunction with going back to the 6.2% rate from the current 4.2%.

Otherwise, Republicans in the House and Senate will claim and technically be correct that it adds to the national deficit as far as funding the last 2 percentage point shortfall, and I want to remove that off the table so that they don't have a leg to stand on as far as using the deficit excuse to attack Social Security.

[avaistheone1]

17. I posted several times similiar sentiments on DU when that payroll taxes cut were first discussed

here as well.

I think it is really dirty politics if there are cuts in Social Security as a result of that deal. Some of us that follow politics may have understood that may be the result, but it wasn't presented or sold to the the public that way.

[hollysmom]

12. we say it,we say it all the times,

people just don't want to believe good news

[ProfessionalLeftist]

8. I'd be willing to bet these are some of them:

Top Corporate Tax Dodgers

Meet a few of the job destroyers and tax evaders that want to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid while lowering the tax rate for the top 2%

Compiled by: U.S. Senator Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.) Washington, D.C.

Today, a group of 80 CEOs are lecturing Congress about the need to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, while lowering tax rates for millionaires, billionaires, and the largest corporations in America.

These are some of the same CEOs who head corporations that:

• received a total taxpayer bailout of more than $2.5 trillion from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department and nearly caused the economy to collapse just four years ago;

• outsourced hundreds of thousands of American jobs to China and other low wage countries, forcing their workers to receive unemployment insurance and other federal benefits;

• avoided at least $34.5 billion in taxes by setting up more than 600 subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and other offshore tax havens since 2008; and

• a dozen of these companies paid no corporate income taxes in at least one year since 2008, while receiving more than $6.4 billion in tax refunds from the IRS, after making billions in profits.

In other words, these are some of the same people who have significantly caused the deficit to explode over the last four years.

The last thing we need to do is listen to these deficit increasing CEOs.

Here are just a few examples of how the corporations these CEOs work for have significantly harmed our economy and the federal budget:


1. Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan

Amount of federal income taxes paid in 2010? Zero. $1.9 billion tax refund.Bank of America received a $1.9 billion tax refund from the IRS in 2010, even though it made $4.4 billion in profits.

Taxpayer Bailout from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department? Over $1.3 trillion.

During the financial crisis, Bank of America received a total of more than $1.3 trillion in virtually zero interest loans from the Federal Reserve and a $45 billion bailout from the Treasury Department.

Number of Offshore Tax Havens in 2010? 371.

In 2010, Bank of America operated 371 subsidiaries incorporated in offshore tax havens, more than any other financial institution in the United States. 204 of these subsidiaries are incorporated in the Cayman Islands, which has a corporate tax rate of 0%.

Amount of federal income taxes Bank of America would have owed if offshore tax havens were eliminated? $2.6 billion.

In 2010, Bank of America would have owed $2.6 billion in federal income taxes if its use of offshore tax avoidance was eliminated.


2. Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein

Amount of federal income taxes paid in 2008? Zero. $278 million tax refund.

In 2008, Goldman Sachs received a $278 million refund from the IRS, even though it earned a profit of $2.3 billion that year.

Taxpayer Bailout from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department? $824 billion.

During the financial crisis, Goldman Sachs received a total of $814 billion in virtually zero interest loans from the Federal Reserve and a $10 billion bailout from the Treasury Department.

Number of offshore tax havens in 2010? 39.

In 2010, Goldman Sachs operated 39 subsidiaries in offshore tax haven countries.

Amount of federal income taxes Goldman Sachs would have owed if offshore tax havens were eliminated? $2.7 billion.

In 2010, Goldman Sachs would have owed $2.7 billion in federal income taxes if its use of offshore tax avoidance was eliminated.


3. JP Morgan Chase CEO James Dimon

Taxpayer Bailout from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department? $416 billion

During the financial crisis, JP Morgan Chase received a total of more than $391 billion in virtually zero interest loans from the Federal Reserve and a $25 billion bailout from the Treasury Department, while Jamie Dimon served as a director of the New York Federal Reserve.

Number of Offshore Tax Havens in 2010? 83.

In 2010, JP Morgan Chase operated 83 subsidiaries incorporated in offshore tax havens.

Amount of federal income taxes JP Morgan Chase would have owed if offshore tax havens were eliminated? $4.9 billion

In 2011, JP Morgan Chase stashed $21.8 billion in offshore tax haven countries to avoid paying income taxes. If this practice was outlawed, it would have paid $4.9 billion in federal income taxes.


4. General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt

Amount of federal income taxes paid in 2010? Zero. $3.3 billion tax refund.

In 2010, not only did General Electric pay no federal income taxes, it received a $3.3 billion tax refund from the IRS, even though it earned over $5 billion in U.S. profits.

Number of offshore tax havens? At least 14.

GE has at least 14 tax haven subsidiaries in Bermuda, Singapore, and Luxembourg for the purpose of avoiding U.S. income taxes.

Taxpayer Bailout from the Federal Reserve? $16 billion.

During the financial crisis, the Federal Reserve provided GE with $16 billion in financial assistance, at a time when Jeffrey Immelt was a director of the New York Federal Reserve.

Jobs Shipped Overseas? At least 25,000 since 2001.

Since 2001, General Electric has closed more than 30 manufacturing plants in the United States, cut 34,000 American jobs, and added 25,000 jobs overseas.

General Electric now has more workers abroad than it does in the United States.

On December 6, 2002, Jeffrey Immelt, the CEO of General Electric, said at an investor's meeting: ``When I am talking to GE managers, I talk China, China, China, China, China. You need to be there. You need to change the way people talk about it and how they get there. I am a nut on China. Outsourcing from China is going to grow to $5 billion. We are building a tech center in China. Every discussion today has to center on China. The cost basis is extremely attractive. You can take an 18 cubic foot refrigerator, make it in China, land it in the United States, and land it for less than we can make an 18 cubic foot refrigerator today, ourselves.''

-Jeffrey Immelt, Chairman, CEO of General Electric, quoted at an investor meeting on December 6, 2002.


5. Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam

Amount of federal income taxes paid in 2010? Zero. $705 million tax refund.

In 2010, Verizon received a $705 million refund from the IRS despite earning $11.9 billion in pre-tax U.S. profits.

American Jobs Cut in 2010? In 2010, Verizon announced 13,000 job cuts, the third highest corporate layoff total that year.


6. Boeing CEO James McNerney, Jr.

Amount of federal income taxes paid in 2010? None. $124 million tax refund.

Boeing, which received a $30 billion contract from the Pentagon to build 179 airborne tankers, got a $124 million refund from the IRS in 2010.

American Jobs Shipped overseas? Over 57,000.

Since 1994, more than 57,000 Americans lost their jobs at Boeing as a result of overseas outsourcing or rising imports.

Amount of Corporate Welfare? At least $58 billion.

Boeing received over $58 billion in taxpayer-subsidized loans and loan guarantees from the Export-Import since 1994.


7. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer

Amount of federal income taxes Microsoft would have owed if offshore tax havenswere eliminated? $19.4 billion.

In 2011, Microsoft stashed over $60 billion in offshore tax haven countries to avoid paying income taxes. If this practice was outlawed, it would have paid 19.4 billion in federal income taxes.


8. Honeywell International CEO David Cote

Amount of federal income taxes paid from 2008-2010? Zero. $34 million tax refund.

From 2008 through 2010, not only did Honeywell pay no federal income taxes, it received a $34 million tax refund from the IRS, even though it earned over $4.9 billion in U.S. profits during those years.


9. Corning CEO Wendell Weeks

Amount of federal income taxes paid from 2008-2010? Zero. $4 million tax refund.

From 2008 through 2010, not only did Corning pay no federal income taxes, it received a $4 million tax refund from the IRS, even though it earned nearly $2 billion in U.S. profits during those years.


10. Time Warner CEO Glenn Britt

Amount of federal income taxes paid in 2008? Zero. $74 million tax refund.

In 2008, not only did Time Warner pay no federal income taxes, it received a $74 million tax refund from the IRS, even though it earned over $2 billion in U.S. profits.


11. Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier

Amount of federal income taxes paid in 2009? Zero. $55 million tax refund.

In 2009, not only did Merck pay no federal income taxes, it received a $55 million tax refund from the IRS, even though it earned more than $5.7 billion in U.S. profits.


12. Deere & Company CEO Samuel Allen

Amount of federal income taxes paid in 2009? Zero. $1 million tax refund.

In 2009, not only did Deere pay no federal income taxes, it received a $1 million tax refund from the IRS, even though it earned $907 million in U.S. profits.


13. Marsh & McLennan Companies CEO Brian Duperreault

Amount of federal income taxes paid in 2010? Zero. $90 million refund.

In 2010, Marsh & McLennan received a $90 million refund from the IRS.Number of offshore tax havens? 105.

Marsh & McLennan has successfully avoided U.S. income taxes by registering 105 subsidiaries in 20 countries considered tax havens.


14. Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs

Amount of federal income taxes Qualcomm would have owed if offshore tax havenswere eliminated? $4.7 billion.

In 2011, Qualcomm stashed $13.5 billion in offshore tax haven countries to avoid paying income taxes. If this practice was outlawed, it would have paid $4.7 billion in federal income taxes.


15. Tenneco CEO Gregg Sherill

Amount of federal income taxes Tenneco would have owed if offshore tax havenswere eliminated? $269 million.

In 2011, Tenneco stashed over $698 million in offshore tax haven countries to avoid paying income taxes. If this practice was outlawed, it would have paid $269 million in federal income taxes.


16. Express Scripts CEO George Paz

Amount of federal income taxes Express Scripts would have owed if offshore taxhavens were eliminated? $20 million.

In 2011, Express Scripts stashed over $50 million in offshore tax haven countries to avoid paying income taxes. If this practice was outlawed, it would have paid $20 million in federal income taxes.

17. Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman

Amount of federal income taxes Caesars Entertainment would have owed if offshoretax havens were eliminated? $9 million.

In 2011, Caesars Entertainment stashed $43 million in offshore tax haven countries to avoid paying income taxes. If this practice was outlawed, it would have paid $9 million in federal income taxes.


18. R.R. Donnelly & Sons CEO Thomas Quinlan III

Amount of federal income taxes paid in 2008? Zero. $49 million tax refund.

In 2008, not only did R.R. Donnelly & Sons pay no federal income taxes, it received a $49 million tax refund from the IRS, even though it earned $561 million in U.S. profits.


SOURCE: http://www.sanders.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/102512 - JobDestroyers3.pdf

[msongs]

14. obama agrees, he and romney have similar views on SS - not get any help there nt

[PoliticAverse]

19. I’ve been offering to the Republicans ... $2.50 worth of cuts for every dollar in spending

"I’ve been offering to the Republicans for a very long time, which is $2.50 worth of cuts for every dollar in spending, and work to reduce the costs of our health care programs."

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20121024/NEWS09/121024003/President-releases-transcript-of-Register-interview?Frontpage&nclick_check=1

[avaistheone1]

21. This sounds like is a very bad deal for the people of this country.

I am afraid it is going to come off the backs of most that rely on Social Security for their primary income. What a shame! What a country!!

[WinkyDink]

22. It's elementary, my dear Watson: The wealthy want NO Middle Class. WE CUT INTO THEIR PROFITS.