We make the monster, and then have to kill it.

Whether it's the federal budget or the post office, the same thing is true. So much debt is created that when it becomes overwhelming then cuts have to be made. The answer by the Republicans always seems to be cut taxes for the rich which doesn't work and only creates more debt because of the cuts in revenue. It's a vicious cycle that has to stop.

And our State Government is not any better. For the last 30+ years the economics for the middle class have been a total roller coaster of disbelief. There is just no substantive response from Washington. This country needs jobs. Not money to the wealthy for the supposed creation of jobs (which they create in other countries) but backing for people to start / create their own futures.

The wealthy have embraced globalism, they sold it to the American people and now its biting us all in the butt. Washington doesn't care, State governments don't care and Local economies are just too strapped to help with anything.

This is worth the tax breaks and cuts for the wealthy? Bullshit. Anybody with a brain KNOWs this is nothing but a bad K car. In fact, it is the K car.

Junk.

Obama's fake "Populism" notwithstanding.

debt, and then they would demand that we cut the things that government does for the 99%, in order to further enrich the 1%.

Planned austerity....

something has to be done. I have been a democrat all my life, as they stood for the common good of the people, not the 1% and a constant "me, me me" attitude.

I called a democrat friend (after my post, fuming), and she gave me all kinds of hell, indicating Obama was doing this as a strategy point against the republicans. Boehner refused to accept the recent proposals, so I guess she was right to some extent. My biggest concern here was the fact that Obama has put on this dog and pony show for years now, and has ALWAYS stood behind the unfortunate in this country. The fact that he even put Medicare and SS on the table scares the hell out of me, especially since he ran on the fact that he would never do that. He went against his word, and that tells me he's no different than anyone else in Washington. When I get to the retirement age, which is soon, I fully plan on collecting social security and taking advantage of Medicare. Has anyone looked into what it costs for private insurance for someone over 55? Nobody can afford this. Does anyone know how Obamacare will help us all? Hell no. What is the bottom line for everyone? Costs? Benefits? We have not been told a thing. I was counting on Obama to protect these valuable programs for us. And now they're on the table. WTF!!!

Ever since Bush destroyed our economy, it has been extremely difficulty finding work. I am an independent contractor, and I am no longer part of the unemployment numbers. I pay taxes quarterly, to the tune of 46%. Last year was tough, only working 4 months in the year. The economy is still in the tank. We need jobs, not cuts to entitlements.

You just said what we been saying here. Me and the wife just don`t understand why Pres. Obama did this.

Last edited Mon Apr 8, 2013, 08:36 AM - Edit history (1)

I still don't believe the strategy theory, as I indicated earlier.

His response yesterday:
In his address, Obama said he would achieve deficit reduction by making "tough reforms" to Medicare and enacting "common-sense tax reform that includes closing wasteful tax loopholes for the wealthy and well-connected." Obama made no mention of the effect his budget would have on Social Security and other social safety net programs. That idea drew a hostile reaction from some of his most ardent political backers.

Tax reform for the wealthy? Yes, it needs to be done. We are losing hundreds of millions of dollars in loopholes. But why Medicare? As I indicated earlier, how can anyone afford private health insurance when you get over 55? Now he wants to cut benefits to America's healthcare safety net? What about Medicaid? So he didn't mention SS. That doesn't mean it's not true. If you have no comment, you have no comment. And where does Obamacare fit in all this?

It sure looks like he's back peddling to appease the GOP. And they're so stupid, they still won't accept anything he proposes. I say wait until 2014, get control of the House, etc, and vote in the laws he originally said he was going to propose. The recent approach has disappointed 64 democratic million voters. As a result, it will be a miracle if anyone shows up to vote in 2014, letting the GOP win again.

God help us all if that happens.

...then it's a piss-poor one.

If Boehner et al accept the proposal (unlikely of course), then the SS cuts land squarely on Obama's and the Democrats' plates.

If Boehner et al reject the proposal (likely), then they get to don the mantle of protecting Social Security.

Tell me how we or Obama win with this so-called strategy?

Term limits are the only thing that could possibly change things
That will never happen unless there is a grassroots movement to
primary all of our candidates. Career politicians do not have our
best interests at heart regardless which party they're from. This
goes for all of them with a few exceptions and we all know who they are.

The Bernie Sanders are far and few between but we have every right
to expect representatives like Bernie and nothing less.

I'm a Liberal. It's difficult calling myself a Democrat these days
I'm so disgusted with the right voting against they're best interests
like sheep, not sure I can say I'm any better at this time.

...since the $$$ still run the show, and the lobbyists can work for as many years as they want to. The only thing term limits will do is ensure that the politicians have less knowledge about how things work than the private sector lobbyists do.

We need to restrict the amount and sources of money for campaigns, and close the revolving door. Until we do both thing we are well and truly f***ed.

Yeah, its only one vote, but, I've had it. No one in past history has made me more excited to vote like Obama has. He energized his party like no one has ever done before. And now he's playing with Social Security and Medicare (against his own words) like its a game. As a result, he's throwing all of us under the bus, playing his little game of politics. What a bitter disappointment he has been recently. Unless Bernie Sanders, or Alan Grayson run for president, I refuse to vote from here on out.

...he is proposing exactly what he wants. There are many ways to determine this, the best IMO is the fact that he himself appointed Simpson and Bowles as the heads of the Cat Food, er, Deficit Commission, and he subsequently embraced their proposals including cuts to Social Security, AND he continued to support their commission's conclusions even though the commission itself never formally signed off on them.

He is proposing what he wants to have happen. There is no caving involved. He SAYS it's not his ideal budget, but how the hell would we know? He's never actually proposed his ideal budget, or so he says.

I don't believe him. I believe he has drunk the KoolAid and is hell bent on slicing off another few ounces of flesh from the old and the poor, in order to give the 1% another layer of fat.

And yes, I voted for him, and given the alternatives in both elections I'd do so again. But I sure as hell don't have to like it and I sure as hell won't shut up about it, no matter how much the idolators would like me and every other Democrat to do so.

I don't believe he's caving in either. That still does not change the fact that he has reversed course, and has now pissed off a lot of people. 2 million signatures and counting. He has lied to his base and all that supported him. Will this see fruition? Probably not. But the fact he as these two items on the table is pretty scary. If we could just attack the loopholes for big businesses, that could make a HUGE difference. Imagine you owning a huge corporation, paying your employees slightly above minimum wage, keep hours under 35 per week to avoid paying health insurance, make billions, and pay nothing in taxes. Great deal, right? Something has to be done here.

I also agree that given the two candidates, we did select the right one. I can't imagine where we'd be in Rmoney was in there. OMG