Exit Strategy on Social Security Is Sought (GOP talking with Rove)

[truthpusher]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/15/AR2005061502300_pf.html

Exit Strategy on Social Security Is Sought
----------------------------
GOP Leaders Cite an Impasse With Democrats on Proposed Private Accounts
----------------------------
By Jonathan Weisman and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, June 16, 2005; A09
----------------------------
With the Senate Finance Committee at an impasse on Social Security and House leaders anxious about moving forward, Republican congressional leaders have told the White House in recent days that it is time to look for an escape route.

Senate GOP leaders, in discussions with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and political officials, have made it clear they are stuck in a deep rut and suggested it is time for an exit strategy, according to a senior Senate Republican official and Finance Committee aides.

(snip)

"There is absolutely no way is he is going to put his members on a roll call where they fall on their sword on a bill with no chance of going anywhere," said one Republican House member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of crossing White House political officials.

White House officials at the highest levels recognize the problem, congressional aides say, but to pull back from private accounts now would undermine Bush's congressional allies -- such as Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) -- with no guarantee that a compromise could be reached without the accounts.

complete story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/15/AR2005061502300_pf.html

[Hobarticus]

1. All hands, abandon ship....every man for himself

The crew sez, let the Cap'n go down with his own damn ship.

[ribrepin]

3. Good--Every Republican for himself

Just like always.

[Tommymac]

2. NOW they want our Help....go stick it *

Besides, Emanuel added, after five years of pushing legislation through Congress with virtually no consultation with Democrats, White House officials can hardly complain that the Democrats are not there now.

"They never wanted our votes on a prescription-drug bill. They didn't want our votes on taxes, and now they want it on Social Security?" he said. "Go ahead. Have your party-line vote. We'll see how it turns out."

[Carla in Ca]

27. But last night, he rakes in 23 million dollars at that

dinner calling the Dems obstructionists!
He is starting to get it from both sides now...
Exit strategy for his 'war AND social security
All we need now is an exit strategy for HIM!

[Warren Stupidity]

4. The strategy all along

has been to goad our compromising tutu-wearing fair-playing going-along to get-along Democratic 'leadership' to put forth their own proposals to 'fix' a SS system that simply is not broken. So far, despite some suggestions from fools like Carvill and others, including some folks right here on DU, no such stupid move has been made by the Dems. So plan B is to scuttle the whole effort and blame Democrats for 'obstruction'.

Good. If our leaders have any sense they will accept that label. The Democratic Party stood firmly at the door and obstructed Republican efforts to break in and ransack social security. Good for us. Finally we stood in solidarity on this one issue. It wasn't so hard, and I'll be darned but the world did not come to an end.

[TahitiNut]

6. Agreed.

Social Security is a "canary in a coal mine." When the Fascists drive down payrolls then the payroll taxes go down, too. The Social Security Trustees' actuarial 'projections' incorporate assumptions that the working class will continue to be raped.

[confludemocrat]

42. I like your "see it wasn't so hard" to stand together line

That goes for alot of other things too that we can stand together on: support for choice, Civil rights, freedom of speech, equality and diversity and against racist appeals court appointments, appointments of torture justifiers, or who take part to pass laws that support only the powerful etc. stop labelling as "stupid" or "eating our own" when pansy ass, grandstanding, weak-kneed or opportunistic, hackish Demos are called on their desertion of liberal, progressive Democratic party principles. It's not hard to stand with these principles and stand together, just takes some stiffening of the spine.

[TahitiNut]

5. More fucking kabuki.

They'd do ANYTHING to funnel Social Security billions into the equities market and line the pockets of their investor banker cronies. Anything ... except pay off the national debt and leave no other place for Trust Fund savings.

The only "problem" with Social Security is that the "lower 90%," from whom about 75% of payroll taxes come, has had their payroll reduced for the last 5 years. When the payroll goes down, the payroll taxes go down.

They could begin to 'solve the problem' by increasing the fucking minimum wage!!

[deadparrot]

7. Run away!

[Inland]

8. I'm hitting myself on the head with a hammer. Give me an exit strategy!

I mean, I can't just stop hitting myself. I need an excuse or some cover to explain that I always meant to hit myself and now have found a reason to discontinue the otherwise honorable and intelligent practice of hammering my own skull.

[Initech]

9. How about they figure out an exit strategy for Iraq first?

[Rainscents]

12. AMEN!!!

[AnneD]

51. They'll come up with an exit strategy......

for Social Security before they come up with one for Iraq. Why? It's their ass in reguards to SS.

[Straight Shooter]

10. I don't see a downside to alienating Santorum.

Seems to me man-dog Rick has his own upcoming problems in Pennsylvania, and aligning himself with bush isn't going to help him either.

Help, help, I'm a Repub stuck in quicksand, oh, please, pink tutu Democrat, lend me a hand.

You guys made your bed, you lie in it.

[wallwriter]

19. Seriously. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Not only that. He dug his own grave. He ran around with his nose so far up Bush's backside that he forgot how much he was lying...

[bunkerbuster1]

34. "oh, please, pink tutu Democrat, lend me a hand."

har har. good 'un.

[Rainscents]

11. I am so glad to read this!

I remembered seeing an article someone wrote while back, This is Republicans issues and all democrats has to do was..... NOTHING!

[Pirate Smile]

13. WP: Exit Strategy on Social Security Is Sought (Repubs want escape route)

Exit Strategy on Social Security Is Sought
GOP Leaders Cite an Impasse With Democrats on Proposed Private Accounts

By Jonathan Weisman and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, June 16, 2005; Page A09

With the Senate Finance Committee at an impasse on Social Security and House leaders anxious about moving forward, Republican congressional leaders have told the White House in recent days that it is time to look for an escape route.

Senate GOP leaders, in discussions with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and political officials, have made it clear they are stuck in a deep rut and suggested it is time for an exit strategy, according to a senior Senate Republican official and Finance Committee aides.

Democrats are united in their opposition, and the Finance Committee does not have the Republican votes to approve a Social Security plan that would divert some payroll taxes to private investment accounts. But the committee, which has jurisdiction over the issue, also does not have the votes to pass a plan that would preserve Social Security's solvency without the personal accounts because too many GOP conservatives want them.

President Bush has responded by dispensing his cautious calls for bipartisanship in favor of far tougher rhetoric that blames the Democrats for the stalemate. "On issue after issue, they stand for nothing except obstruction," Bush said at a GOP fundraiser Tuesday night. "And this is not leadership. It is the philosophy of the stop sign, the agenda of the roadblock."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/15/AR2005061502300.html

[mermaid]

14. "The Philosophy Of The Stop Sign, The Agenda Of The Roadblock..."

Well...when the stop sign is put up, or a roadblock constructed, to stop a bad thing from happening, this is usually a good thing.

Can we spin these words into a positive?

Can we perhaps show a cartoon of a cliff, and various good programs being tossed over the cliff...and then, in the next frame, show the Democrats erecting a roadblock, to stop MORE good things from being thrown over the cliff?

Do you think perhaps even that message is still too complicated for the sheeple to understand?

[acmavm]

16. Dems have erected stop signs and set up road blocks so that this

ass clown and his greedy minions can't take us down the road to ruin anymore.

[Pirate Smile]

17. I'm loving it. Here is more:

"A growing number of key Republicans are pessimistic. Graham said he has come to the conclusion that Democrats will not pay a political price, at least anytime soon, for killing the Bush plan without offering their own. "The idea of not having an alternative to the Bush proposal is politically acceptable, at least for the moment," he said. "So I don't see any momentum for Democrats to come forward with a proposal."

-snip
Democrats are unapologetic. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said voters increasingly see Bush as the impediment to a compromise because the president has stubbornly stuck by a partial privatization proposal that has never gained broad public support. Besides, Emanuel added, after five years of pushing legislation through Congress with virtually no consultation with Democrats, White House officials can hardly complain that the Democrats are not there now.

"They never wanted our votes on a prescription-drug bill. They didn't want our votes on taxes, and now they want it on Social Security?" he said. "Go ahead. Have your party-line vote. We'll see how it turns out.""

[maxrandb]

32. This Rocks!!! The Bolded Part Needs to be Repeated

and repeated, and repeated...until the "cows come home"!

Democrats are unapologetic. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said voters increasingly see Bush as the impediment to a compromise because the president has stubbornly stuck by a partial privatization proposal that has never gained broad public support. Besides, Emanuel added, after five years of pushing legislation through Congress with virtually no consultation with Democrats, White House officials can hardly complain that the Democrats are not there now.

"They never wanted our votes on a prescription-drug bill. They didn't want our votes on taxes, and now they want it on Social Security?" he said. "Go ahead. Have your party-line vote. We'll see how it turns out.""

I would also add, "they never wanted our votes on judges, they never wanted our votes on Bolton, they never wanted our votes on Terri Schiavo, they never wanted our votes on Texas re-districting, they never wanted our votes in Washington State, HELL, they never wanted our votes in Ohio"

Then I would add, "Hey Repubs! Go fuck yourselves"

[Al-CIAda]

44. They had BETTER stand firm -fucking weasels. STOP THE RAPING

AND LOOTING OF OUR TREASURY by the corpratists you fucking sell-outs.
Congress' primary responsibility are the purse strings. You have FAILED.
If you cave on SS, this party is DONE!

[Mokito]

35. suggested positive sound bite

Stop signs and roadblocks are there for a reason
...Your safety!

[Mokito]

36. Positive spin (in a sound bite)

Stop signs and roadblocks are there for a reason
...Your safety!

[elehhhhna]

46. Putting the brakes on Bush!

[shanti]

15. yes, the rats are cornered

we should be verrry alert.

[napi21]

18. I hope Rove and Chimpy stick with their plan!

I don't want them finding a way out now! Keep it going, and keep Chimpy's #'s falling!

[LuPeRcALiO]

20. Here's an exit strategy.

It worked pretty well last time.

[ezee]

22. I LOVE it!

[rodeodance]

29. excellant headline

[Journeyman]

23. Thanks, LuPeRcALiO. . .

that's an exit strategy I can support wholeheartedly.

[LuPeRcALiO]

25. the day is coming

and boy am I ready!

:toast:

[Inland]

31. The simplest solutions are the easiest and most comprehensive.

[grytpype]

21. There will be a horrible price for those who do not follow Dear Leader!

Those who do not join Dear Leader in his quest to reform SS will pay a dreadful price!!!!

Right!!!!

[The_Casual_Observer]

24. The exit strategy will simply be to immediately change the subject

and never bring it up again, at least until after 2006 elections.

The real concern then becomes what the hell is he going to replace the subject with, since he needs some kind of constant Iraq distraction.

[Iowa]

26. I kind of enjoyed watching clips of the chimp

out on the road selling his SS "plan" to a bunch of his doofus, churchee, invitees. It was a perfect way to display his borderline intellectual functioning. I'd guess his IQ to be around 85 - slightly less than that of his audiences. The complexities of the SS trust fund are so obviously beyond his grasp that even most sheep can see it. What a dumb-ass! Nevertheless, this is good news for everyone who will depend on Social Security to provide a good chunk of their retirement income. I'm breathing a little easier with each passing day.

Oh, and one more thing: Don't forget that Charles Schwab & Co. has aggressively pushed the Bush SS plan all the way, so if anyone here uses that company, consider dumping them. They're one of the shittiest companies in the country anyway, so you'll almost certainly do better elsewhere.

[rodeodance]

28. this is all about NOT losing face at this point.

[Logician]

30. Need to Force Roll Call

We need a way to force a roll call on Shrub's supported Social Security bill. The 2006 elections are coming fast, and this is a perfect opportunity to emphasize how *out of touch* the Rethugs are with healthy, socially supportive good old fashioned American values-- values like supporting our already successful SS program which keeps millions of retired Americans out of poverty!.

Rove's strategy is usually to create diversions, to do the utmost in dirty politicking to win at any cost. I cannot see how he could possibly help the GOP to tactfully disengage. He does not have the intelligence in this capacity. (See Casual Observer's post above about the probably exit strategy! What dirty, diversion can Rove cook up to take America's focus off of this important debate?)

We need to somehow convey to the Democratic party and congress that they need to force a roll call on this bill! Or if not, and a roll call is blocked by the Rethugs, they need to shout loud and far about how the GOP, once again, is blocking an open and transparent vote which would reveal who among their ranks are supporting our wilting Shrub (42% approval rating today!) and his plan to destroy one of the most successful programs enacted by our party.

[maxrandb]

33. Exactly

because soon the MSM will have something like the MJ civil trial to cover, maybe another missing blonde Alabama teen in Aruba, and before you know it, Repubs will be out on the stump saying;

"Social Security??? what Social Security??? now let me talk about how I'm going to keep homosexual from getting married, illegal immigrants from getting dirvers lisences, and letting you keep more of your "own" money..Yahooooooo, and praise Jesus!"

[SaveAmerica]

37. Exit strategy on Bush is sought by SaveAmerica

[papau]

38. Exit strategy on Social Security is sought

Exit strategy on Social Security is sought

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/15/AR2005061502300.html

GOP Leaders Cite an Impasse With Democrats on Proposed Private Accounts

By Jonathan Weisman and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, June 16, 2005; Page A09

With the Senate Finance Committee at an impasse on Social Security and House leaders anxious about moving forward, Republican congressional leaders have told the White House in recent days that it is time to look for an escape route.

Senate GOP leaders, in discussions with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and political officials, have made it clear they are stuck in a deep rut and suggested it is time for an exit strategy, according to a senior Senate Republican official and Finance Committee aides.

Democrats are united in their opposition, and the Finance Committee does not have the Republican votes to approve a Social Security plan that would divert some payroll taxes to private investment accounts. But the committee, which has jurisdiction over the issue, also does not have the votes to pass a plan that would preserve Social Security's solvency without the personal accounts because too many GOP conservatives want them.

President Bush has responded by dispensing his cautious calls for bipartisanship in favor of far tougher rhetoric that blames the Democrats for the stalemate. "On issue after issue, they stand for nothing except obstruction," Bush said at a GOP fundraiser Tuesday night. "And this is not leadership. It is the philosophy of the stop sign, the agenda of the roadblock."<snip>

[iamjoy]

39. I Am Glad For That Stop Sign

as Bush refers to the Democratic philosophy. I will go one better, it is the flashing lights and gate at a rail crossing and the Dems have put it down because there is DANGER ahead.

added on edit:
we must change the framing on these issues from "Obstructionist Democrats" to "Protecting" or "Defending"

[papau]

40. "Defending" works well for me - as I see the common guy under attack.

:-(

[elehhhhna]

47. Protecting. Protecting.

[damntexdem]

41. It would only take a Republican or two.

They could agree with the Democrats on the committee to sponsor a plan whereby the income cap on SS taxes would be raised or eliminated, making SS fiscally sound. Of course, that plan would then be promptly voted down by the GOP majority in the Senate, but it would at least resolve the impasse on the Finance Committee.

Of course, the GOP senators who so acted would then encounter hostility from their peers, and likely future severe electoral challenges from within their party; but GOP senators are always anxious to put the good of the country above that of their party or even of themselves -- right? ;-)

[papau]

52. no Soc Sec loophole for the rich is called on Fox "an attack on the rich"

no wage cap for either the calculation of benefits received or of the calculation of the tax to be paid makes so much sense that the mainstream media will never ask why the GOP does not endorse the idea.

It is not like the mainstream media is controlled by right wing Boards of Directors and right wing editors, or that they fear rich advertisers - they just choose to act like they are controlled by the right.

[democrat_patriot]

43. The spin: "We were obstucted!"

"We wanted to saaaaaaave you your money. Our hands were tied. Woe is us. Those damn Liberals"

[tk2kewl]

45. Bush's plan deserves an UP-OR-DOWN VOTE

Sign your political death warant you bastards

[elehhhhna]

48. CORRECTION: GOP Cites Impasse With Citizens on Proposed Private Accts

WaPo's headlines should support the facts.


Rats! I guess blaming greedy old people didn't work so well.

[Kurovski]

49. Will Karl Rove

Take Jeff Gannon out of his mouth long enough to answer?

[Arugula Latte]

50. Take your ball and go home, Rethug losers

or "loosers" as your followers spell it.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: