Efforts to Set Up Benefits Talks Sputter (secret meetings on social security "solution")

[Robbien]

WASHINGTON - Back-channel efforts by the White House and Capitol Hill Democrats to begin trying to negotiate a solution to the fiscal problems of Social Security and other federal benefit programs appeared to collapse Wednesday.

At issue is a little-publicized attempt by the White House and lawmakers to set up a working group of lawmakers and top administration officials to construct a Social Security solution. Three-fourths of the group, evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, would have had to agree on any solution.

But Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., accused the White House of acting in bad faith at a panel hearing that turned acrimonious over White House Budget Director Rob Portman's unwillingness to acknowledge that tax increases should be part of any fix for Social Security's long-term problems.

"We have an opportunity here to work together, but the only way I know in human relations for there to be resolution between parties who have different views is for both sides to compromise," Conrad said. "Unfortunately I see virtually none on your side. And I regret that more than I can say."

Conrad then gaveled the hearing to an end and immediately left.

more
http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2007/02/07/ap/politics/d8n52k301.txt

[partylessinOhio]

1. A congressman on C-Span this morning said that *'s budget includes

cutting medicare payments to hospitals and doctors, cutting medicaid, cutting veterans benefits and cutting social security retirement in HALF.

The congressman said that Americans will be shocked when they see what is in the president's budget.

A retired Repuglican caller said that he already is strapped trying to live and if his benefits are cut in half he will be homeless and in the streets. He said that many other retirees will also be homeless.

(Sorry, I don't remember the name of the congressman.)

If there are back-channel efforts by the White House and Capitol Hill Democrats, I believe even worse shocks are in store for current and future retirees.

We must have impeachment to get this insane hell-bent on destroying Americans person out of power.

[MadMaddie]

2. It seems like I say this once or twice a week..

Just when you think it can't get any worse.......:grr:

[WePurrsevere]

3. I've been trying to find out more about this person's comment...

"cutting veterans benefits and cutting social security retirement in HALF" and haven't found anything specific about Social Security benefits being cut yet (without trying to sludge through the whole darn budget on the gov site... I'd rather have a root canal w/o any Novocaine. :banghead: )

Some Republican's have been out to kill Social Security since it's inception and BuShCo seems to be doing all they can to make it's destruction one of their many crimes against the poor and middle class citizens of the US not to mention humanity in general. :grr:

[UpInArms]

10. there aren't any details in the budget - here is what I found

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2008/pdf/budget/ssa.pdf

Social Security today operates on what is known as a “pay-as-you-go” basis, in which current
worker payroll taxes are used immediately to pay for the benefits of current retirees and other beneficiaries.

In 1950, there were about 16 workers for every retiree. Today, there are just more than
three workers for every beneficiary, and by the time today’s 20-year-olds retire, that number will
fall to two workers for every beneficiary. Furthermore, Social Security is paying greater benefits for
longer periods of time as life expectancy increases, and the imminent retirement of the baby boom
generation will result in added strain on the system. By 2017, the Social Security system will collect
less in taxes than it pays in benefits and will shift into a permanent cash deficit that will grow every
year. In 2040, Social Security will exhaust its Trust Fund assets and lack the resources to pay the
benefits that have been promised and that seniors will be expecting. If Social Security’s finances are
left unresolved, future changes would require today’s young workers to see their benefits sharply cut,
their payroll taxes raised, or both.

The President is committed to strengthening the Social Security system and has reiterated his
commitment to a bipartisan reform process in which participants are encouraged to bring different
options for strengthening Social Security to the table. The Budget supports the proposals the
President has put forward to date. Under these proposals, Social Security would include voluntary
personal accounts funded by a portion of the worker’s Social Security payroll taxes. The Budget
includes the estimated impact from the creation of such personal accounts. In 2012, the first year of the accounts, contributions will be capped at four percent of Social Security taxable earnings up to a $1,300 limit, increasing by $100 each year through 2017.

As part of a solution to restore the system to sustainable solvency, the President has also embraced
the idea of indexing the future benefits of the highest wage workers to inflation while providing for
a higher rate of benefit growth for lower-wage workers. Benefits for lower-wage workers would be
tied to wage growth as under current law, ensuring that their benefits would grow faster than the
poverty line. Progressive indexing coupled with voluntary personal retirement accounts will provide
future seniors with real money and real security instead of the current system’s unfunded promises.

what I read is that Dimson is ignoring that no one wants his bullshit crap and he is intent on shoving down our throats anyway.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. NYT: Undisclosed 2-Party Talks on Budget Fall Apart Amid Friction

2-Party Talks on Budget Fall Apart Amid Friction
By STEVEN R. WEISMAN
Published: February 8, 2007

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 — A leading Democratic senator said Wednesday that previously undisclosed behind-the-scenes bipartisan budget talks with the administration had collapsed because of comments by Vice President Dick Cheney and others in the administration.

The senator, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, also accused the administration of undercutting the possibility of talks by refusing to signal a willingness to compromise on taxes to save Social Security and Medicare or to balance the budget in the years ahead....

***

At its root is a Democratic strategy of saying tax increases, or rescinding tax cuts, are essential to solving many fiscal problems, but demonstrating reluctance to be first to offer a specific proposal.

More specifically, Democrats fear that if they propose, and pass, tax increases, they will be vetoed and Republicans will club them over taxes for the next two years.

Democrats say tax increases might come out of bipartisan talks like those under Presidents Bill Clinton and the first George Bush....

***

Mr. Conrad, also in a telephone interview, said that “back-channel communications” with (Rob Portman, director of the Office of Management and Budget) and Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. had made headway but that Mr. Cheney undercut progress by saying last month that the administration still opposed tax increases....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/08/us/08budget.html

[illinoisprogressive]

5. Dick is such a dick

[Webster Green]

6. And a dicktator....

..running the shadow government from his bunker.

[countmyvote4real]

7. And a despot and traitor. n/t

[salin]

8. kick for the morning readers.

[Megahurtz]

9. Shit.

Everyone needs to see this. They're trying to pull Crap on us behind closed doors again.:grr:

[cosmicdot]

11. kick

too late to R

"back channel" efforts?

"previously undisclosed
behind-the-scenes
'bipartisan'
-budget talks"

--- excuse me?