Social Security: Can Democrats Save Obama From Himself?

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/economy/social-security-can-democrats-save-obama-himself



President Obama picked the very day that new job creation collapsed to propose a deflationary budget deal featuring cuts in Social Security and Medicare. This is perverse economics and worse politics, on several grounds.

The economy created just 88,000 jobs in March, down from close to 200,000 in other recent months, for one main reason: The January 2 budget deal and the March 1 sequester that hiked taxes on working people and cut public spending.

In the January deal, payroll taxes on working people were raised by some $120 billion. The more highly publicized tax hike on the top one percent raised less than $65 billion. The sequester added another $85 billion of budget cuts. The combined economic contraction will be about $270 billion this year, and according to the Congressional Budget Office the result will be to cut economic growth roughly in half.

But the deal that Obama is trying to coax the Republicans into accepting would cut the budget at this rate for an entire decade. The economics are just insane. There is no evidence that banks are waiting to lower interest rates (which are already rock bottom) or businesses waiting to invest, pending progress on a grand budget bargain. Businesses are hesitating to invest because customers don't have money in their pockets -- and a deflationary budget deal will only make the economy worse.

[newfie11]

1. We can enjoy the results that Cyprus/Spain is enjoying

Why???? This is insane!

[Autumn]

2. I'm not the least bit worried about saving Obama from himself

I'm worried about saving myself and millions of others in my situation from him and some of the other idiots in office.

[progressoid]

3. Yep. n/t

[Glitterati]

5. Exactly!

At this point, the guy I worked my ass off to get into office is going to starve me to death!

[on point]

4. Nope. Too late. He drank the supplyside nonsense fool-aid