Coburn Pulls The Plug On Grandma's Social Security

[babylonsister]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/coburn-pulls-the-plug-on-grandmas-checks.php?ref=fpb

Coburn Pulls The Plug On Grandma's Social Security
Evan McMorris-Santoro | October 8, 2009, 2:09PM


Someone forgot to remind Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) that it's the Democrats' job to make Granny's life tougher. On the Senate floor yesterday, Coburn blocked a vote that would have prevented a reduction in Social Security payments next year.

Coburn stood in the way of unanimous consent to a House bill setting 2010 Medicare premiums at 2009 levels. As the National Journal reports (sub. req.), Coburn's move means "seniors are facing uncertainty over Medicare costs next year" and that "would see a net reduction in their Social Security benefits."

The back story:

The House bill, which passed 406-18 on Sept. 24, is needed to freeze monthly Part B insurance premiums, which pay for seniors' physician visits, at $96.40 next year. Those premiums are usually deducted from Social Security checks.

But because of deflation, there is no Social Security cost-of-living adjustment planned for 2010 -- yet Medicare premiums are set to rise anyway to keep pace with the program's overall costs. Thus, seniors would see a net reduction in their Social Security benefits without the fix.

[aquart]

1. WHAT deflation?

[gratuitous]

2. Well, here's something real, instead of an imaginary death panel

Will any of the popular media pick up on it? Sen. Coburn's block, if it stands, will undeniably filch money out of Social Security checks come January. We had to endure countless breathless reports about "death panels" a couple of months ago, despite the fact that they existed only in the overheated imaginations of cynical right wing assholes. Well, here's some real, live cuts in benefits due solely to one man and one man only: Tom Coburn. Will our intrepid bulldogs of the Fourth Estate be on this with equal vigor? Or is it time to go snoozing again for the poor, pooped pups?

[RKP5637]

3. These people like Coburn will go to any length to hurt people! No sense of humanity!

Yet I wonder how many seniors vote them in falling for their pitch. Vote for button engaged, brain disengaged. No reflection on seniors, many vote that way or are on the greedy take.

[malaise]

4. He should be pulling the plug on

Ensign.

[Nikki Stone1]

5. REPUBLICANS KILL YOUR GRANDMOTHER!

Coburn is Hitler!!111!!!

We're screwn!!!11

[GreenTea]

6. Corporate republican Coburn, is truly a liar, a selfish greedy creature a sick hateful elitist.

But the he's a republican and my description of Sen. Coburn becomes redundant...He's truly an ugly hateful racist man who believes in corporate & rich elitism for men, white men and women better know their place he gets away with his shit just like all these senator from small populace states including Dems like Max Baucus, Kent Conrad, Ben Nelson etc...

[madrchsod]

7. there really is`t a decent bone in their bodies...

in the grand scheme of things,the grand old party has become irrelevant