Congressional Liberals Mobilize to Keep Social Insurance Out of Shutdown Talks

[antigop]

Source: The Nation

We’ve seen this movie before: Republicans force a showdown in Congress over funding the government, the debt ceiling or, in the present case, both. Then a “grand bargain” is proposed to solve the impasse—one that includes serious reductions to social insurance programs.

That’s just how the GOP would like the current drama to play out. Wednesday, National Review’s Robert Costa reported that House Speaker John Boehner and Representative Paul Ryan are rallying nervous Republicans by telling them that while Obamacare may not end up getting defunded, GOP leadership is cooking up another big budget deal that includes cuts to the safety net so cherished by many conservative members. “It’s the return of the grand bargain,” one member told Costa. “Ryan is selling this to everybody; he’s getting back to his sweet spot,” said another.

In particular, Costa mentioned Chained CPI as one component of the emerging proposal. This, you may recall, is a cut to Social Security benefits dressed up as a ostensibly “more accurate” recalibration of the formula used to adjust benefits to inflation. (It’s not.)
...
Thursday morning, more than twenty liberal members of the House gathered outside the US Capitol, along with a large group of retirees and other activists. The message was simple: they will not support cuts to Social Security or other safety net programs.

Read more: http://www.thenation.com/blog/176494/congressional-liberals-mobilize-keep-social-insurance-out-shutdown-talks

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. No talks until there is a vote on a clean Continuing Resolution. Now and forever.

Continuing Resolutions are to cover obligations already voted on; bills that must be paid. They are not a proper vehicle for holding the US economy hostage, not now, not ever.

When there is a vote on a clean CR, there can be talks. But nothing in negotiations must be held hostage to the next CR and the next one after that, and so forth.

Enough hostages!

[pangaia]

5. No talks EVER...about any of this.

Not even if there is a vote on a 'clean CR.'
Let them eat...... shit.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. From Harry Reid's wallet:

I was there, fighting the fight, one of the 12, voting against Medicare, because we knew it wouldn't work, in 1965.

-- Senator Bob Dole, Republican

Now we didn't get rid of it in round one because we don't think it's politically smart. But we believe (Medicare) is going to wither on the vine.

-- House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Republican

Medicare has no place in a free world. Social Security is a rotten trick. I think we're going to have to bite the bullet on Social Security and phase it out over time.

-- House Majority Leader Dick Army, Republican

[pangaia]

7. Yes, I've seen this. It's all over DU.

[cheapdate]

2. We've seen this movie before, and it ended without a reduction in SSI benefits.

[JoePhilly]

9. This movie has more sequels than Halloween.

Each time ... Social Security is going to DIE!!!!!

Lots of screaming.

Then, nothing.

[Liberalynn]

3. No negotiations on SS

not now, not after. It's not the problem.

[Doctor_J]

4. Hopefully the president will take all of the cuts to the neediest off the table

OK, I can hope. Obama and the Repukes vs. the real Dems.

[JoePhilly]

10. Leave it on the table and let Boehner DEMAND SS cuts.

The GOP loves to touch the hot stove ... why should we turn off the burner for them?

[bhikkhu]

8. I'd be in favor of some changes

but it can easily wait for a couple of years. Hoping for more favorable conditions for real improvement after 2014.

[stupidicus]

11. they apparently took BHO putting chained CPI on the table seriously

kinda like the Syrians/Russia did his sabre-rattling.

In both cases it's the promotion of such that is damning by themselves, whether they actually occur or not.

There appears to be a whole lotta people that are incapable of understanding that, and prefer the "Nth dimensional chess/bluffing" stuff that in no way excuses a dem pres putting it on the table to begin with.

I think this has to do with them being horribly ignorant as to who and what they voted for http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=11&cad=rja&ved=0CFEQFjAK&url=http%3A%2F%2Famericablog.com%2F2012%2F05%2Fobama-2006-too-many-of-us-have-been-interested-in-defending-programs-as-written-in-1938.html&ei=ZiROUrORD8LXqgG_nIDwBw&usg=AFQjCNEqy3rZEO3O0lhCn3c8cglAjZvdag&bvm=bv.53537100,d.aWM which is hardly somebody that sees the safety nets as a "Third Rail", but rather something to be modified from "how they were written".

[bvar22]

12. Let this "Liberal" explain it:

#t=26

It is embarrassing how FAR this country has lurched to the Conservative Right when one has to Look Left to see the ghost of Ronald Reagan.



You will know them by their [font size=3]WORKS.[/font]

[bananas]

13. k&r - nt

[jsr]

14. Yep.