Obama Told House Democrats to Look at Entitlement Changes

[Purveyor]

By Roxana Tiron, Julianna Goldman and Kathleen Hunter - Mar 15, 2013
President Barack Obama told House Democrats this week that it’s better to make changes to entitlement programs when a Democrat is in office rather than risk doing so under a Republican chief executive, according to two lawmakers who attended.

Obama urged House Democrats at the Capitol yesterday to consider changes to Medicare and Social Security to make those programs more “sustainable” in the long run as part of a broader accord on deficit reduction, Democratic Representatives Robert Andrews of New Jersey and Peter Welch of Vermont said in separate interviews.

“He certainly made that point; if there are going to be entitlement reforms it is better to do it with a Democratic president in office,” Andrews said. Welch said Obama “was just really being practical about this.”

The president said that “those of us who care about Social Security and Medicare have to be the ones absolutely engaged in making sure that they are sustainable and the Democrats are committed to it, and he’s a Democratic president who is committed to it,” Welch said.

MORE...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-15/obama-told-house-democrats-to-look-at-entitlement-changes.html

[pscot]

1. Fuck that!

[Angry Dragon]

11. +13,459

[rsmith6621]

2. Must Be Time For A Republican President..

...Have the Democrats fall on their swords and risk the White House in 2016. Why does everyone talk about SS as if it is the same fund as something like Defense... Paul Krugman says it is a dedicated fund.

Scrap The Cap Mr President and stop trying to appease the republicans.

[Swede Atlanta]

3. Hey Obama, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with our current "earned benefit" programs.

#1 Stop buying into and mouthing the words "entitlement" programs. While they may technically be an entitlement, e.g. a person having reached the age of 65 is hereby entitled to a payment of $1000.00 every month until she shall croak", but these are not entitlements. These are benefits, based on a pay-forward basis, to which the recipient is entitled.

#2 We should be EXPANDING these programs. Our Social Security program is a pittance when compared with most other western democracies. Seniors that rely on social security often have to choose between food, cat food and medications

#3 Before you suggest these changes I ask you to denounce your pension, secret service protection, government provided healthcare and any other government benefits you and your family will take with you when you leave office

#4 Fuck NO, NO, NO. The rich have their wealth and continue to get richer and richer. When is it enough? Stop the insanity. Other countries are capping executive pay and throwing bankers into prison. When will it be our turn? Oh, that's right you are a double-talker. You are a populist out of the left side of your mouth and lick the corporations out of the right side.

I voted for you twice and still consider you a better choice than any Republican but how would I vote your performance overall? Let's see, on social issues, including LGBT I give you an A. As to dealing with the blood-sucking rich? I give you an F-

[rsmith6621]

6. KR a BILLION X

Your awake..... I am tired of being sold out for the sake of compromise...

[subterranean]

4. Is that the change he meant in "Hope and Change"?

Social Security could be made sustainable for at least the next 75 years simply by lifting the payroll tax cap on incomes over $250,000, as Bernie Sanders has proposed. That kind of change I could go along with. I believe President Obama has proposed this idea before too.

But if he is talking about cutting benefits (and it's not clear that he is), well, where outside the Beltway does it make sense to cut benefits right now to avoid possible cuts two decades from now?

[forestpath]

14. I think he really MEANT "change" though - as in SS recipients will now get pocket change.

[Tx4obama]

5. Depends on 'what' the changes are... some changes would be 'good'

We need prescription price negotiations.

Raise the limit on the rich folks of the amount that they have to pay in.

Etc.

[Purveyor]

7. I agree that some tweeting is necessary, indeed. eom

[Still Waters]

8. What Simpson-Bowles proposed

is what he wants and will push for. All that "good" stuff like CPI, raising eligibility ages, etc. None of that "bad" stuff like lifting the cap.

[dtom67]

9. I'm sorry,

but its just not possible that the President doesn't know that this is not necessary. Not only is it not needed, but most Americans ( Dem and Repub ) do not want SS or Medicare reduced. There are not many reasons left to do so: Stupidity or Corruption are all I can think of.

I do not believe he is stupid, therefore........

[Mnemosyne]

10. K&R nt

[WorseBeforeBetter]

12. Jobs? Raise the cap? Cut defense? Negotiate drug prices?

I want fucking details on these practical, sustainable "reforms."

[forestpath]

13. I'll give him one thing - NOW he's as transparent as a pane of glass. I can see right through him.