Sanders warns President Obama not to agree with GOP on Social Security benefit cuts

[cal04]

Source: The Hill

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Independent from Vermont, is pressing President Obama to keep his campaign promise not to cut Social Security benefits in a possible deal with Republicans.

Sanders has joined a lobbying campaign by more than 200 labor unions and liberal groups pressing Obama to make a strong statement against cutting Social Security benefits in his State of the Union address, scheduled for Jan. 25.

These groups fear that Obama may agree to cuts to Social Security in exchange for Republican support for raising the debt ceiling later this winter or as part of a broad agreement to reduce the deficit.

(snip)
“I urge you to once again make clear to the American people that under your watch we will not cut Social Security benefits, raise the retirement age or privatize this critical program,” Sanders wrote in a letter to Obama. “Social Security is a promise that we cannot and must not break.”



Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/138061-sanders-warns-obama-not-to-agree-with-gop-on-social-security-benefit-cuts

---

Before He Cuts Social Security, I Hope the President Listens to This 'Obama' Guy
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/before-he-cuts-social-sec_b_809331.html

Letter
https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://sanders.senate.gov/graphics/soc_sec_ltr.pdf

[DrDan]

1. Go Bernie!!!

[gibby2433]

45. Obama cutting SS would be his "jump the shark" moment for me

I don't know if I could vote for him again in 2012. That's my sacred cow. When so many economic experts say SS is fine and not "in crisis" as the Right so loves to say, Obama "using" Social Security to make a "deal" to raise the debt ceiling is beyond ludicrous. Raising the ceiling is a no-brainer and simply needs to be done, even if its necessity is distasteful. That's the problem with intelligence; you realize not every fix is fast-food easy and painless.

Won't he PLEASE just grow some fucking balls?

[defendandprotect]

51. By the time we get to Social Security .... it's way too late ...

Why wasn't Obama's derailing of single-payer/public option MEDICARE FOR ALL

a "jump the shark moment" ?

That was also done in back room deals with Big Pharma and the private Health Care industry.

[obxhead]

63. That was a jump the shark moment for many.

The bad tax deal and any attack on SS and unions are just additional nails.

[leeroysphitz]

67. It was for me. I will not forget it. n/t

[RufusTFirefly]

103. Why do you hate America's noble pharmaceutical Industry?

Our President was simply giving them a voice in our diverse democracy.

:sarcasm:

[defendandprotect]

121. Another shocking and hurting time was when Sen. Bryron Dorgan tried to push ....

legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate on drug prices -- this must

have been around the time this back room deal by Obama was being made.

The Congress just let him stand alone on it -- it was disgusting.

Dorgan was also planning to try to restore Glass-Steagall -- and he was

so demoralized by the way Dems/Congress treated him that he announced

his resignation. Not dumb enough to think he won't get some terrific job

lobbying somewhere -- but that day was a large shock to me!

[bobbolink]

69. Simply because it is hard to reconcile that our "heroes" can do evil.

[Enthusiast]

82. It was for me. That and the lame financial reform. nt

[golfguru]

136. That was jump the shark moment for me

and for many Californians who are facing 57% increase in health insurance premiums.

[txlibdem]

75. Yet Pres. Obama has the balls to smack down Progressives at every opportunity

That's not change I can believe in, that's a Republican in Dems clothing. We'll "trickle down" on you, Mr. President, in the 2012 primary season.

[crim son]

88. My sacred cow was the tax cut extension.

He's already lost my vote.

[GarH]

92. re not voting for Obama

Like all progressive Democrats I'm very disappointed in how much of a corporate whore Obama has been, but I will still vote for him in 2012 instead of any conservative Republican.

[Jakes Progress]

111. The DLC duly thanks you for your continued support.

Sorry if that sounds nasty. I'm just so pissed that we have been betrayed. All the DLC has to do is just be one sin less than the nastiest the gop can vomit onto a ballot.

[Citizen Worker]

116. And this is exactly why the democrats, Business Party #2, have us right where they want us. Until

there is a credible challenge to the status quo corporotocracy the working class will continue to get the shaft. Wake up America! Organize a SECOND political party.

[Skittles]

131. see that's the problem, GarH

we will always vote against repukes but it sure would be nice to be able to vote FOR someone, someone we could truly believe in

[No Elephants]

137. Just for accuracy, those are not the only options.

[DrDan]

100. I think I agree with you - it would be a clear sign of where his loyalties lie

[doc03]

2. He already has, hasn't he? n/t

[Kermitt Gribble]

85. I believe he stated he wouldn't "privatize" SS,

but never stated definitively that he wouldn't cut SS.

[NorthCarolina]

93. That's precisely what he said

and it's an obvious sidestep to the question of program cuts. Once again the middle class and poor will be squeezed. One thing I am pretty sure of, given the Obama appointees to the Deficit Commission, Obama is no "protector" of Social Security or Medicare.

[aggiesal]

3. It's taking an Independent to state the obvious! ...

Where are the other Dems?

[RKP5637]

5. Makes one wonder. The dems should be leading the charge. Luckily we have Bernie. n/t

[rfranklin]

12. Bernie can't stem the tide...he ain't Moses...

I have a very bad feeling that our leader is going to screw us.

[RKP5637]

17. Yeah, I know. I sure wish there were more Bernies. n/t

[destes]

39. Me Too

and I'm tired of denying the evidence, acknowledged both by my heart and mind, that Obama is simply another "in" guy, "allowed" to become president by powers who game the system.

There's just not enough out there to refute it.

My country died a little when first McGovern then Carter were made out to be fools. When the echoes of McCarthy re-reverberated at the fraud of Reagan through Bushes one and two. There is, after all, still a REAL difference between the mean spirited, short sightedness of the GOP and the hopefulness characteristic of Democrats.

It just looks to me like Obama has "passed", a lot like Clinton. ........and, a lot like Clinton, if he plays by the rules of the long view, he might be allowed to be re-elected.

That and a few other things are what I'm tired of denying. Can any sane person believe Oswald killed Kennedy by himself or that the towers fell at free-fall speed "naturally"?

What's obvious is that there are powerful people who have no problem at all reducing the entire world to feudalism by what ever means. Why would they give a whit about threatening Social Security.

[man4allcats]

56. Don't you mean

screw us again?

[Kermitt Gribble]

87. +1

Fisa, public education, unions, health care reform, backing BP in the Gulf, Bush tax cut deal, and soon to be SS. I'm sure there are more that I left out...

[defendandprotect]

52. Why was there no "wondering" when Obama presented his first team of corporate advisors?

And on and on -- now up to appointing Daley -- J. P. Morgan???!!!

[whathehell]

106. There was plenty of it...but people wanted to "give him a chance". n/t

[defendandprotect]

117. The direction Obama went with advisors was obviously the direction the administration...

was going to go in --

It's like painting a room -- you choose the color -- that's the color it's

going to be!

Give Obama a chance ... for two years?

[whathehell]

122. I'm not disagreeing with that in the slightest..

and I'm hardly one of those here who gives Obama a pass, BTW.

It wasn't two years into his administration that he "picked his financial advisors" which is the period I'm addressing..It was much earlier...and my statement statement was simply an attempt at explanation.:shrug:

[defendandprotect]

127. My apologies ....

Didn't notice that you had that comment "give him a chance" in quotes --

But, what I'm addressing is his eloping into the White House with Rahm Emmanuel

immediately after the election -- and the line up he picked immediately after

the election. Right then, Obama was pointing this administration in a pro-corporte

direction and it's remained there ever since.


:)

[whathehell]

132. No problem....

I agree..He was pointing the administration in a pro-corporate direction

but it was so early at that point, I think that most of us were just kind

of hoping it was a "fluke" or something...Remember how long

people were saying that he was playing "chess not checkers", that kind of thing?

After all the work of the campaign, which of course followed eight years of Bush,

I think people just didn't want to believe it.;(

[No Elephants]

135. '"Other" Dems--Bernie is a Demoratic Socialist who runs an an Indie.

[xchrom]

4. Recommend

[lib2DaBone]

6. Thank You Sen Bernie Sanders!!!

If Mr. Obama has even one ounce of integrity left in him.. not to betray the Seniors and disabled who supported him and voted for him...

I BEG you Mr. Obama... please stand up for the less fortunate... and not the Wall Street hucksters....

[howaboutme]

10. I'm beginning to wonder.

The Democratic Party used to be all about the common folk and working man/woman. That all changed when they were hijacked by the bankers, hucksters, war profiteers, lobbyists, and that mostly occurred when private sector organized labor was shipped to China and elsewhere thanks to MFN status and NAFTA, etc.(thank you Bill Clinton) We should thank the same Wall St. banksters who prefer labor without borders, and countries without sovereignty, and politicians who will do their bidding.

I'm seeing the Party using certain special issues to just barely keep their hooks in the common folk.

[Dappleganger]

16. Well said.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[fasttense]

38. WOW, Thanks SheddingTiers for posting the most interesting link I've read in months.

And a big hearty Welcome to DU to you.

I'm adding your link to my favorites. Wow, some very interesting reading.

I now know why Glenn Pecker-head is on his show dehumanizing Professor Piven. Every day for the last several months, he has accused the elderly woman of being the cause of everything from the economic collapse to the national debt. If Glenn Pecker-head hates her sooooo much. We need to take a good long look at her work.

She outlines how the unemployed organized to get FDR's attention and help. I think I will read her work and try to imitate what she describes. If Glenn, the insane, hates her, you know she's on to something.

[defendandprotect]

128. Agree -- and glad I picked up the link --

cause for some reason the post has been removed!!??

[defendandprotect]

53. Thank you ---

Huey Long, as I recall was also active in pushing for social programs such as

Social Security -- and since FDR began with Henry Wallace, I'm wondering what

effect he might have had pre-the election or during his time in the administration.

Of course, he was pushed out in the last race and replaced with Truman who became

VP four months before the death of FDR!

Truman was a turning point to the right, imo --

[howaboutme]

81. Capitalist fallacy

A successful capitalist takes credit but rarely gives credit to where it is due. They always credit themselves with hard work and ability for their own success as though nothing else such as luck and society at large was to credit. They should credit the fact that they have succeeded based upon a government and country with infrastructure, education and most of all the luck of having good health.

Those who claim to hate government and regulation should move to Somalia where there are no regulations and government. Then when they succeed they can claim they did it on their own.

We need a good dose of "socialism" that gives and spreads opportunity to all. Germany as one of the largest exporters, and the benefits to its people, are in far better fiscally than the USA. We've had a corrupt government controlled by people that don't put the USA as numero uno in priority.

[Jakes Progress]

114. Let's not forget that the Great Society

came after the summer of riots.

Would that our "leaders" cared enough about the people that it didn't take massive street protests and riots to convince them to do the right thing.

[juajen]

30. We always blame Bill Clinton, and he should bear part of the blame;

however he couldn't have done this without a complicit congress. It is not just Bill Clinton's NAFTA. We would not have a democracy at all if it were that easy to pass legislation. Even now, if enough Congress critters wanted NAFTA done away with, it would be done away with. So, start blaming your congress and yell loudly for him to get on board with doing away with this bad legislation.

[Enthusiast]

35. American workers blame Clinton.

He signed NAFTA. It is a matter of public perception.

If President Obama doesn't veto attempts to cut social security it is he that will receive the bulk of the blame. That's just the way it works. Besides he commissioned the Deficit Commission.

[Jackpine Radical]

57. Clinton pushed NAFTA as well as signing it.

Gore was aboard on that push.

[howaboutme]

79. Absolutely

Could Chelsea have married a Wall Street hedge fund manager if Bill Clinton had vetoed NAFTA? This is a club that takes opportunity from most Americans and gives the opportunity to a few. It is a club that most Americans will never get the opportunity to join. One's odds of becoming a member are similar to purchasing a Mega Millions lottery ticket. It is a club of connections fed by the desire to keep the club exclusive.

We need politicians like Bernie Sanders and some others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q

[newspeak]

108. yeah, but don't forget that

NAFTA was Poppy's baby. I was stunned and felt betrayed when Clinton signed it. My eyes clearly opened reading Casolero's articles on Iran-Contra and BCCI--knew if the people didn't investigate and prosecute we were going down a very bumpy road. Also the S&L theft, which apparently was not reported until AFTER Poppy was elected. I believe a deal was made with certain journalists to not expose it so he could get elected.

I'd say the american people have been conned for quite some time now, and the results can be seen of what's going down today.

[No Elephants]

139. Please see Replies 57, 124 and 138. Poppy was not able to get NAFTA done; Bubba was.

Some--not I--say Dems do what Rethugs cannot get done and vice versa, thereby giving each other's programs credibiliy. Hence, it was Bubba who got NAFTA and welfare "reform" passed, not Reagan or Poppy.

I am not there yet.

[No Elephants]

138. A Democratic President is also head of the Dem Party. He leads Dems in Congress;

[Enthusiast]

34. I'm seeing what you are seeing.

And it ain't very hard to see.

[Enthusiast]

83. We shouldn't have to beg.

We elected him. He owes us!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

7. I love Mr Sanders

[sarcasmo]

8. One of the few who is not bought and paid for by the Corporations.

[Frisbee]

11. I'm surprised...

he hasn't been a victim of a "poorly maintained" small plane. Seems those with his kind of integrity and concern for the average person seem to all too often meet an early (and suspicious) end. I guess maybe the sad truth is that so many (in both major parties) are owned by the corporate overlords that they no longer even worry about a handful of congress people who actually care about the people they were elected to represent.

[jtrockville]

14. Maybe he doesn't...

fly on small aircraft. If I were him, I wouldn't.

[defendandprotect]

129. Agree .... and I'm also surprised ....

have thought that he is quite a contrast with the mean-spirited and filthy

agenda of the corporatists -- and in a number of ways, a threat to them!

We are really dependent on a very few like Bernie Sanders to fight for us.

It's expecting a great deal -- but always grateful to him when he tells us

what's really going on.

[closeupready]

9. +1000.

K&R

[defendandprotect]

13. This is the man who should be president -- and he could run on a Dem ticket ....

[newspeak]

113. yes, I'd love Bernie Sanders to run for president

of course, anyone who would go for mainstreet would be shredded by the corporate media. They only push those who will be most advantageous for the corporate line.

[defendandprotect]

118. Yes ... agree ... but we need to begin to have some effect ... some leverage ... Draft Bernie?

Bernie could run on a Dem ticket -- so could Tom Hayden -- so could many others -

Why are we fooling around with these already bought and paid for politicians?

Same with Congress -- let's find people who can run on a Dem ticket form outside

of the party. Finance them ourselves -- run campaigns on the internet where we can

actually hear what various candidates of every stripe think should be going on!!

Like ending the Drug War --

Ending all the wars --

Raising taxes on elites and corporates --

Ending monopolies --

NATIONALIZING the oil industry --

And, guess we'd have to call out the National Guard if we set our minds on that!!

On the other hand, the elites are dismantling the New Deal -- when of the greatest

stimulation programs ever -- and we're not making a peep!

[SoapBox]

15. I have no doubt that Pres O will sell us down the river, all in the name of being "bipartisan".

...just the way that it is going.

And most certainly NOT what I thought that I was getting when I worked hard to get him elected.

[defendandprotect]

119. Agree ... obviously, there's a lot going on with Obama that he didn't tell us about!!

Not only corporate -- pro-war --

Don't like what I'm seeing at all -- too much like W --

[cal04]

18. Release: Sanders Urges Obama to Save Social Security

http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=088f20cc-de97-40c1-aa42-6d5df1266b28

Sanders Week in Review on the Thom Hartmann Program
http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/media/listen/?m=d68e0e05-f240-466a-a86b-f6429664030a

[yurbud]

19. before they cut anything for working & middle class, cut every corporate subsidy, make all defense

contracts for cost with contractors on the same pay scale as the military, and seize the assets of those on Wall Street who intentionally broke our economy so they could profit by betting against it.

[Enthusiast]

36. Thank you, yurbud. Plus one!

The working class has taken enough hits. It is way past time for President Obama to demonstrate his loyalty to those that elected him.

[RayStar]

42. Yes we have

The people have worked for for ss.

[Jackpine Radical]

58. He's showing his loyalty to the ones who bankrolled him.

They needed a Democrat; no Republican could get away with destroying SocSec as he is doing. And don't kid yourself--the payroll tax "holiday" has long been a favored Republican tactic for driving the first wedge.

[Enthusiast]

59. I get the same impression

about the payroll tax holiday. Now they have a real excuse. Until now all they had was lies. Seemed to me that was a line never to be crossed. It was a line for me, anyway.

[whathehell]

124. "Only Nixon could go to China"...Maybe the PTB think they can pull a

"Only Obama could cut social security"?


If so, the PTB have vastly overrated this president's popularity while

similarly UNDERSTIMATING the democratic base.:mad:

[Enthusiast]

130. I believe you are on to something. nt

[hay rick]

43. "Shared sacrifice"?

You dreamer.

[yurbud]

107. it shouldn't even be shared: you broke it, you pay for it.

[defendandprotect]

120. Btw, we can save 28% on MIC simply by merging the services which very other nation....

has already long ago done --

[unkachuck]

20. thank you, Bernie....

....we live in a society that tolerates ungodly amounts of wealth accumulation by top corporations and individuals....we live in a society that spends a trillion dollars a year on a war-machine when there is no war....we live in a society in which politicians take bribes and call it campaign contributions....we live in a society in which criminals are allowed to loot the treasury in the name of economics....

....we have many problems in this country, but Grandma and her Social Security check isn't one of them....

[hay rick]

110. +1.

[somone]

21. But but but we must cut Social Security to reduce the deficit

:sarcasm:

[pacalo]

22. Thank you for fighting for us, Bernie!

[pacalo]

23. Wow, the rabid rightwing trolls seem to invade each article on that site.

I noticed one asked, what part of Ponzi scheme doesn't Sanders get?

If Social Security could be thought of as a "Ponzi scheme", it's because Congress turned it into one when they began using the fund as their own banking account, using it to fund other legislation. That's not OUR fault. We paid our FICA taxes to cover our own future Social Security checks & we are entitled to get back what we paid.

Why is it so hard for those nutballs to actually figure this out for themselves instead of repeating Fixed News propaganda?

[midnight]

24. K&R

[senseandsensibility]

25. KICK!

Absolutely.

[Jefferson23]

26. K&R

[neverforget]

28. An enthusiastic K & R

[Tripod]

29. K&R

[pam4water]

31. Go Bernie!

[indimuse]

32. Why does ANYONE have to tell a DEMOCRATIC president this??? n/t

sick!

[Enthusiast]

33. Thanks, Bernie! I warned him too.

If social security is going to be cut the blame should fall entirely on the heads of the Republicans.

Dear President Obama, this would not be interpreted as another gracious attempt at bipartisanship.

NO BRAINER.

[boomerbust]

37. Wont happen

Obama knows the slightest hint at cutting SS would be the end of his political career.

[tomp]

40. really? he seems to have moved pretty far in that direction.

i think that presidents are put into power for particular reasons, that the powers that be have a job they want done. some of these jobs are best done by dems and some by repubs. major cuts on one hand with bones and crumbs fon the other--that's democratic party work. the powers that be clearly want to cut ss. obama has moved the ball along so far.

[Vinca]

41. They should increase social security benefits, not cut them.

Especially now. The money would go right back into the economy.

[AzDar]

44. Loves me some Bernie!

:applause:

[hay rick]

46. About the President's supporters.

I'm looking for one of the usual suspects to say that Obama will not agree to SS benefit cuts under any circumstances. One could even add that the mere suggestion is an insult.

Not seeing it so far in this thread.

[Jackpine Radical]

60. OK, I'll try & fill in for them.

Obama is working hard to get the best deal that he can, but the Republicans and the Blue Dogs are blocking him. He has to compromise. Nothing will happen without bipartisan support. It's all about the art of the possible. We have to reach out to our colleagues across the aisle. The professional leftists are being alarmists again. They didn't get their pony. It's just retarded to think that the old people aren't going to have to make sacrifices in these tough times. The economy will be getting a lot better soon, when the rich start investing all the money that they would otherwise have had to give the government if we hadn't extended their tax cuts.

And, to cap it all off, those delusional libtard purists have nowhere else to go in 2012. What they gonna do, vote for a Republican? (Hyuk, hyuk.)

How'm I doing? Do I get the job?

[MannyGoldstein]

65. well done

'Nuff said

[Ken Burch]

66. Close...you forgot "There IS no base!"

Other than that, you ran the table.

The "it's enough that he's a Democratic president" types will be showing up shortly.

[NorthCarolina]

94. Wow, that's SO close, I'm not sure of I should hit the "ignore" or not.

I won't though because that would bump you from my buddy list. :thumbsup:

[Jackpine Radical]

123. ROFL

I'd sorta like to know how many people do have me on Ignore.

[neverforget]

143. nice job!

[MannyGoldstein]

64. Perhaps that's why they refuse to bet me on this issue

I think they actually know Obama's intentions on this as well as we do.

[Jakes Progress]

115. They won't come where they have no chance.

Also, there are fewer of them every week. Some of his most ardent acolytes have gotten tired of that bitter taste in their mouths when they try do defend what has happened. Every day we can track more and more leaving the fold of the forever faithful.

[No Elephants]

47. When Bernie ran for re-election as Mayor, BOTH Parties opposed him. He won anyway.

"In an open letter to the president this week, Sen. Bernie Sanders mentioned "worrisome reports" that the president is planning to cut Social Security. These reports don't come out of the blue. They're the culmination of a months-long campaign. The White House has been privately signaling for months that it was leaning in that direction, and now the sky over Washington is darkening with trial balloons floating up from Pennsylvania Avenue."


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/before-he-cuts-social-sec_b_809331.html

[defendandprotect]

48. Thanks, Bernie ... but why are so many in denial on this -- and Obama ....

and his "Cat Food Commission" -- ???

[NorthCarolina]

50. Perhaps playing coy in order to assist the process of cutting SS

by attempting to quell public outrage?

[defendandprotect]

49. "Zero Hour for Social Security" ....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x206254

[Better Believe It]

54. No mention of changing the "cost-of-living" formula or means testing in the letter!?

Those are two other major proposals made by the deficit commission members and other deficit hawks.

I wonder why.

Just an oversight?

[Overseas]

55. K&R ! //nt

[LongTomH]

61. The Hill article is being trolled - Big Time!

Read some of the comments:

"Bernie Sanders is perhaps one of the least intrested members of the Senate in assuring our nations viability. Also, I wonder if anyone gave him money for his fundraising letter based on the Tucson SLAUGHTER. What a dangerous nasty DOLT. Vermont, you really need to think about having him represent you."

"Bernie, what part of "Ponzi Scheme" do you not understand? Soc. Security is broke, busted, tapped out, bankrupt. There are ZERO DOLLARS in your vaunted "trust fund", just a bunch of worthless paper. There is no way people under 40 are going to get anything near what they put into it. How is THAT fair? What person under 40 with half a brain in their head would EVER vote for the Democrats? Raise the retirement age to 70 this year as far as I'm concerned. Means test it, too. Welfare for old people."

"DennisK, Dear COMRADE is also well suited for PRAVDA. He would feel right at home there."

Maybe DU'ers need to go there and give Bernie some backup!

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/138061-sanders-warns-obama-not-to-agree-with-gop-on-social-security-benefit-cuts

[MannyGoldstein]

62. Obama appointed a commission designed to recommend cuts

Why do that unless he wants cuts?

[RoccoR5955]

68. Once again Bernie proves that he works for "WE THE PEOPLE,"

not them the corporations.

[Vidar]

70. Sing it loud, Bernie!

[TBF]

71. Thanks, Bernie. nt

[crim son]

72. Obama has to be warned?

Surely not. A Democratic president wouldn't consider such an action.

[cal04]

73. Liberals warn of Democratic schism if Obama backs Social Security cut

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/138121-liberals-warn-of-democratic-schism-if-obama-endorses-social-security-cuts

The battle lines are forming within the Democratic Party over the charged question of reforming Social Security in the days leading up to President Obama’s State of the Union address.

Liberals, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and labor unions, such as the AFL-CIO, AFSCME and SEIU, have taken a firm stand against cutting Social Security benefits.

They are still reeling over the deal Obama struck with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in December to extend almost all of the Bush tax cuts and chop the Social Security payroll tax for one year by 2 percentage points.

(snip)
Sanders told The Hill on Friday that a group of Senate Democrats may support raising the retirement age. But he said there is also a faction of the caucus, led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), staunchly opposed to benefits cuts.

[seabeckind]

77. So if they raise the retirement age

in 30 years or so, how does that help our economy TODAY?

And if they raise this age, just where are these people going to work? Unloading a truck at Walmart for minimum wage?

Meanwhile at an army base in Germany, a major is planning his long weekend in the black forest. A colonel at an air base in Italy on the other hand is planning his in Tuscany.

Isn't defending democracy wonderful? And profitable?

[seabeckind]

78. As far as chopping the payroll tax by 2%

You really think that was done for OUR benefit?

I have a virtual fence in Arizona I'd like you to look at, you might want to buy a piece of it.

[democracy1st]

74. K & R

[seabeckind]

76. Passed my moment long ago

There was more than enough money in the theft of our investments to cover anything we might want to fund -- except a couple of wars and pentagon bases all over the world.

When he appointed his economic "advisors" and a chief of staff who gave the credit for taking congress in 2006 to the DLC, I'm afraid that was when I started to look a little closer at the wool on this sheep.

Everything after that? Meh.

Somebody asked the other day on an opinion show just where the left has to go. What other choice do they have? Will they vote for a republican? He doesn't have to play to his base.

The answer to that? I'm afraid they take way too much for granted. Where will I go? Out for a couple of very nice dinners with some excellent wine -- instead of sending them money. I'll donate to my local rep, Jay Inslee I think is doing a great job. But to Obama? Nope. I've got a sweatshirt I haven't worn in over a year. But of course that doesn't matter to him cause he found somebody else with a lot more money than me to be friends with. Fine.

Where will I go on election day? Gee, I don't know, maybe use that time I would have spent voting for Obama to darn some socks. I can't afford to buy new ones, especially since I know they aren't sewed here.

And don't wave the Sarah threat at me. It won't work. At this point I don't see a lot of difference. And NO! I DON'T!

Sorry for shouting. Your pompom is making me sneeze.

[mdmc]

80. ..

r

[Faryn Balyncd]

84. This is THE issue of the year...K&R.

[swilton]

86. We've Got to Get Behind Sanders on This

even if it means supporting him over the President.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

89. I wish Sanders would run against Obama in 2012 (n/t)

[hay rick]

99. Write in his name in your primary.

I will be writing in a name in my primary if no name other than Obama appears on the ballot. I will also write in the name of a progressive Democrat (or somebody like Sanders) if no better alternative appears on the ballot in the general election if Obama is nominated. Or Obama could turn 180 degrees from his current course and regain my support...

[cascadiance]

105. It perhaps would be tough for him to run against him and defend his senate seat...

... as an independent then.

If he runs against Obama in 2012 in the general election, Kaine's DNC and the DLC won't hold back at trying to go after his senate seat then unlike 2006 when Howard Dean's DNC intentionally didn't run a Democratic candidate against him then.

That's why part of me would like him to lead the charge to have the Greens and other current indpendent progressives to "take over" the Democratic Party and for him to run in both senate and presidential Democratic nominations then. Would be harder for the Democratic Party to sabotage his senate seat then I think, even if they don't give him financial support.

I know that he doesn't want to obligate himself to what he perceives as certain problems with the Democratic Party agenda, which is appreciated by me, but I think perhaps he needs to help make his agenda the Democratic Party's agenda, and move towards leading the nation towards where he is now (so we can have more "Bernies")!

[Initech]

90. No one should be agreeing with the GOP on anything!

[shanti]

91. k&r!

he'd better NOT touch it!

[Red Knight]

95. He's gonna do it

The game is rigged.

You have them screaming about a funding problem wiht SS which isn't real and so what do they do?

Cut funding with a 2 percent FICA cut.

So NOW they can say there's a funding problem with a straight face. One way or the other they were getting SS. Even if they had to cheat.

[mistertrickster]

96. We have to nip President Cave-in's next cave in the bud. nt

[ISW]

97. Is Obama a wimp?

He doesn't seem to want to be a Democrat and stand up to the Republicans. Will he sacrifice Social Security too?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

98. At least SOMEBODY is unequivocally standing up for ordinary Americans

Hey Bernie, :yourock:

[elocs]

101. If Obama agrees to cutting SS he should remember 2 words loud and clear:

One Term!

[FlyByNight]

102. Thank you, Senator Sanders

The Bowles/Simpson "commission" was just that - BULLSHIT. Social Security has nothing to do with the debt or deficits.

Coupling of the two only exposes the hostility of the mandarins to the working and middle classes.

Keep making waves Sen. Sanders!

:thumbsup:

[cascadiance]

104. Obama should be told that messing with Social Security will mess with our nation's security!

The Greek street riots will come here soon if he continues down that path!

[FailureToCommunicate]

109. Raise the roof Senator Sanders!

[tooeyeten]

112. Tea party

Do they realize what cuts mean to them? Are they all billionaires?

[maritimer]

125. Bernie- fighting the Good Fight.

I just sent money for his campaign and I haven't been to Vermont in ages...who else is the champion of the working people and the poor? It's Bernie.

[mvd]

126. Bernie is a treasure

Good we still have some defenders of progressive values left.

[No Elephants]

140. Bernie is a liberal-to-radical Democratic Socialist.

Will Marshall, founder and head of the Progressive Policy Institute, is also a co-founder of the DLC and a signatory of the 2003 PNAC memo. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century

I doubt Bernie is in that center right group (progressives)--or wishes to be.


"The Democratic Leadership Council is a non-profit 501(c)(4) corporation<1> that, upon its formation, argued the United States Democratic Party should shift away from the leftward turn it took in the late 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The DLC hails President Bill Clinton as proof of the viability of third way politicians and as a DLC success story


The DLC's affiliated think tank is the Progressive Policy Institute. Democrats who adhere to the DLC's philosophy often call themselves New Democrats. Note that this term is also used by other groups, who have similar views on where the party should go in the future like NDN<2> and Third Way.<3>

<snip>

The DLC started as a group of forty-three elected officials and two staffers, Al From and Will Marshall, and shared their predecessor's goal of reclaiming the Democratic Party from the left's influence prevalent since the late 1960s. Their original focus was to secure the 1988 presidential nomination of a southern conservative Democrat such as Nunn or Robb. After the success of Jesse Jackson, a vocal critic of the DLC, in winning a number of southern states in 1988's "Super Tuesday" primary, the group began to shift its focus towards influencing public debate. In 1989, Marshall founded the Progressive Policy Institute, a think tank which has since turned out policy blueprints for the DLC. Its most extensive series of papers is the series of New Economy Policy.

<snip>

The DLC gave strong support for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Prior to the war, Will Marshall co-signed a letter to President Bush from the Project for the New American Century endorsing military action against Saddam Hussein. During the 2004 Primary campaign the DLC attacked Presidential candidate Howard Dean as an out-of-touch liberal because of Dean's anti-war stance. The DLC dismissed other critics of the Iraq invasion such as filmmaker Michael Moore as members of the "loony left".<12> Even as domestic support for the Iraq War plummeted in 2004 and 2005, Marshall called upon Democrats to balance their criticism of Bush's handling of the Iraq War with praise for the President's achievements and cautioned "Democrats need to be choosier about the political company they keep, distancing themselves from the pacifist and anti-American fringe."<13>



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Leadership_Council See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Marshall

[mvd]

141. I thought you'd know what I meant

I wasn't implying Bernie is similar to the DLC. Just the opposite.

[Downwinder]

133. If they cut SS it is time for me to SIE. n/t

[Skittles]

134. good luck with that

[FreeStateDemocrat]

142. Bernie is only doing BO a favor to let him know that de-funding SS will be a big mistake in 2012.

So BO better knock off the puke meme before his branded ass gets fried on the third rail. Here's a hint just leave Social Security the fuck alone. If it ain't broke don't try to fix it. He can take another look at defense or is BO too much of a corporate tool now take on the Military-Corporate-Media gang.