President Looks for Broader Deal on Deficit Cuts

Source: NY Times

The president’s renewed efforts follow what knowledgeable officials said was an overture from Mr. Boehner, who met secretly with Mr. Obama last weekend, to consider as much as $1 trillion in unspecified new revenues as part of an overhaul of tax laws in exchange for an agreement that made substantial spending cuts, including in such social programs as Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security — programs that had been off the table.

The intensifying negotiations between the president and the speaker have Congressional Democrats growing anxious, worried they will be asked to accept a deal that is too heavily tilted toward Republican efforts and produces too little new revenue relative to the magnitude of the cuts.

“Depending on what they decide to recommend, they may not have Democrats,” Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, said in an interview. “I think it is a risky thing for the White House to basically take the bet that we can be presented with something at the last minute and we will go for it.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/07/us/politics/07fiscal.html?hp

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Not a lot of details on the cuts in this article, mostly a report of the negotiations dynamic.

that have been arguing that the cuts to Medicare and SS were only a WaPo rumor. The sellout is in motion.

comes the fun. Krugman says Obama will not be re-elected if he goes after entitlements. I know that to be a fact.

If Obama cuts in any real way Medicare or SSI, he will not be elected, will be seen as a traitor to workers and his party and will destroy the party. Advised I've been a Dem since birth, but he's making me ashamed of him and his total lack of a moral compass and total dishonesty.

you can't keep fucking with average people while protecting the useless elite. You have to be considerably stupid and detached.

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of the two.

He needs to put up or shut up on this issue here and now. If there are cuts that hurt the middle class or working class... he can kiss 2012 goodbye. We will not be robbed of our meager livelihoods!

"The left has nowhere else to go."

The president’s renewed efforts follow what knowledgeable officials said was an overture from Mr. Boehner, who met secretly with Mr. Obama last weekend, to consider as much as $1 trillion in unspecified new revenues as part of an overhaul of tax laws in exchange for an agreement that made substantial spending cuts, including in such social programs as Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security — programs that had been off the table.

So, Obama wants to begin dismantling Social Security even though it contributes nothing at all to the federal deficit.

Obummer.

Like Mr. Burns, just waiting for the right momment....or maybe not....

10 moves ahead when he expanded the war in Afghanistan. And 10 moves ahead when he cuts Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. I only wish I was smart enough to see his endgame.

...against Obama's 3D chess....and beating him. All they have to do is fire a couple of winks across Obama's bow, Obama 'takes them at their word' and folds.

And I am serious, I will not vote in 2012. I get that the only way he can get the GOP to the table is to infringe on entitlements, that said he better close ALL the Tax loop holes and get the proposed tax plan similar to Senator Sanders, I mean it. Tax Billionaires at 50% and etc. 39% above $250,000.

If he is going to go big, he best do it on ALL of us. If he does not, then whats the fucking point? Whats the point in fighting for our Party, its pointless. We could save our money, our cell phone minutes, our time, our canvasses. Just let the GOP have everything they want, they get it anyhow.

There are lots of good Democrats, locally, statewide, and even some members of Congress who need our support.

Last November here in Wisconsin thousands of Democrats chose not to vote. As a result we lost Russ Feingold as one of our U.S. senators and gave us Walker and his minions who immediately set about to quickly remold the state into a their Republican image.

At least let your vote make a statement of some kind. Write in someone, if nothing else. And, elocs made a good point about Russ Feingold.

Masschusetts liberals stayed home for the special election to fill Kennedy's seat. EVERYone in Massachusetts knows that. Coakley conceded so early in the evening because she heard the turnout numbers from Boston, the most liberal part of the state. However, the spin is, of course, that Massachusetts is turning red. And spin like that makes Democrats go further right. IMO, that's all staying home accomplishes.

Peace.

Source: The Daily Caller

The Obama administration, in seeking $4 trillion in spending cuts in a debt limit deal, has put major changes to Social Security and Medicare on the table if Republicans agree to increased tax revenues.

The offer caters to both sides in the debt limit negotiations and according to the Washington Post, President Obama will urge congressional leaders on Thursday to seize the opportunity to act. The compromise, however, still puts both Republicans and Democrats in tough spots.

Democrats have vowed to protect Medicare and Social Security, while Republicans still argue that tax increases are not realistic legislative proposals. If leadership from both parties agree to the Obama’s compromise, the next move will be to sell the plan to their respective bases and to members of Congress.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-puts-medicare-social-security-cuts-table-031442907.html

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Go ahead- Give it all away.

Nothing like totally abandoning all principles to negotiate with yourself.


Why did we elect Mr. Obama, anyway?

n/t

Give me strength.

The GOP is pushing Obama to make these cuts. They want to be able to say that Obama made cuts to Medicare and Social Security. It's a political move and I hope Obama doesn't fall into their trap.

I've never seen progressive folks lobby for pharma and medical profiteers like they are seemingly doing now.

Talking about Social Security worries me. Pretending we don't need serious cost controls for Medicare is sticking our heads in the sand.

you're delusional.

We will not negotiate drug prices or rein in institutionalized medicare fraud. If we were going to allow re-importation of drugs, or negotiate for lower prices, it would have done in the health care reform bill. Ain't gonna happen. It ain't gonna happen when we can more easily cut human benefits rather than corporate benefits. I would be shocked to learn that our legislature and the President chose to do the right thing.

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to the situation. I don't think the true-believers will ever get it.

so I am still waiting for a real breaking news on this one. Obama will announce it himself, perhaps. I truly hope he won't do that.

Seems big O is one epic lame duck.

Obama's had a fetish for gutting Social Security from the start. He single-handedly appointed a "bipartisan" "deficit commission" designed to recommend deep cuts in Social Security".

http://www.handsoffss.org/what-is-the-deficit-commission-why-did-it-recommend-deep-cuts-in-social-security.html

And now we will have deep cuts in Social Security.

What a pig.

Look what he DID, for Chrissakes:

From THE LIST : http://obamaachievements.org/list:

"Established independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare" (Go, Alan Simpson!!)

"Preserved access to care for Medicare beneficiaries"

"Expanded eligibility for Medicaid"

SEE??? He's, already saved Medicare and Medicaid, so now he can cut them all he wants!! WE GOT OUR PONIES!!! Hooowwayyy for Obama!!!

So, I just say "LOL!"

It's that simple. And I suspect it is for a lot of people.

Obama is once again negotiating with himself and giving away everything that matters to his base.

In '08, I donated and worked in every way possible to get him into the White House. And it happened.

Now, the only thing that would get me to the polls to vote for him again would be the threat of a Michele Bachmann, or some other totally insane Republican getting into the Oval Office. I'd really have to hold my nose to vote for Obama again. But considering the alternative, I'd close my eyes, hold my breath, and try to endure the pain of voting for him this time around.

But there's no denying that this man has sold us out. And he's also sold his soul.

What more does he have to do to show how little spine he has!?!?!

Any doubters?

Now I know Obama is merely George W Bush with a more polished delivery of the destruction of democracy.

It would be nice if Obama would just switch parties, run on the Republican ticket so we could nominate a real progressive Democrat and take back our Democracy..Please don't give me this "a progressive could not win"...Obama is the best candidate the Republicans could ever hope for.

It seems we'll be voting for a full blown Republican or half a Republican in 2012. Discouraging. I swear we need to give future Democratic candidates lie detector tests.

Believe me, this a billion dollar ruse.

If it had been Grover Norquist or Paul Ryan, the words would have been the same.

Every fucking supply-side, trickle-down, Republican talking point, from "live within our means", to budget cuts, to "uncertainty".

And people wonder how a Michelle Bachmann or a Sarah Palin could actually win an election? Keep fucking the people who voted for you. They'll stay home next time.

Let him know to stop right now?

would make one iota of difference?

Anyway, it's already in the bag. Who our next president will be has already been determined. I don't know if it'll be Obama or one of the insane idiots on the other side. But through electoral fraud, media manipulation and anything else that's necessary, a cipher will be in the WH come '12. Just like the person there now is a cipher.

The next president will be whomever will best serve the MICC and Wall Street and who will continue to promote RESOURCE wars around the planet. Obama seems to be doing a fine job of that, so my money would be on him at this point. Those who support him can rest easy.

At least when it all goes to shit in 2012 and forward, I'll be able to say I didn't march in lockstep no matter how egregious Obama's actions, like the Repugs did with GW. And we ridiculed them for that, don't forget. Conscience and principle counts for something.

http://www.usnews.com/news/obama/articles/2009/01/08/bush-and-ex-presidents-counsel-president-elect-obama?s_cid=related-links:TOP

All bunched together, except Carter standing as far away from the rest as civility would allow. Do you think he was trying to tell us something?

that worked well.

This president has been a huge disappointment. I hold out very little hope that in 10 years or so, we will even recognize this country anymore. We will have more in common with Mexico than we do with any other country. A class of super rich and a class of working poor/destitute citizens.
I guess we should start teaching our children how to wash windshields and sell gum on the streets.

he has also lost my vote.

come 2012, I will leave the choice for president blank.

Obama once said, "I'd rather be a good one term president than a mediocre 2 term president"

With him putting SS and Medicare on the chopping block, he now is a less than mediocre one termer.

And by the way, have you ever met a good one term president?

It's pretty clear now that Obama is a Republican. I'm not voting for him next time. I can't believe I'm even saying this but I'm up for a primary challenger.

Or maybe someone you admire. Maybe your dog, but please do vote.

however, if he touches SS and medicare. I will not be voting for president. I will leave it blank.

I know a lot of people put him down, but I admire him.

A sincerely and deeply religious man who kept church and state further apart than they've been in a while. A man who got the hostages back without going to war. A man who told us being independent of foreign oil was necessary and startd the DOE, corrupted by his successors. A man who never judged anyone for their family values, but quietly lived his own. A man who brokered the only lasting Middle East peace. Sure, it costs us money every year, but just think how much more wars cost.

he was much better in his post-presidential years.

Call your congressmen and the white house and complain. This must be stopped. This is so wrong. Tell them no votes if it gets touched in any way.

Founded by Tucker Carlson, a 20-year veteran of print and broadcast media, and Neil Patel, former chief policy adviser to Vice President Cheney.

So, I don't know about you, but I'm not going to accept this as the gospel truth.

I wouldn't give Tucker Carlson the time of day myself, but this time there's a lot of corroborating evidence.

I'm going to wait and see what comes out of the negotiations before I vow to cut Obama loose forever.

Cheers to you for thinking freely.

why oh why wont you see what is happening? your hero is a right winger!

LOL!

:shrug:

No cuts are needed to these programs.

If nothing is changed. That is a fact. Medicare will go bankrupt without any major changes.

That was the argument about Social Security in the 1980s----so Social Security taxes were raised. And what is the result 30 years later? Those extra Social Security funds meant to keep it solvent were spent on unfunded wars, giveaways to corporations and particularly pharmaceutical and oil companies, and tax cuts to the wealthy.

If you are in your 20s you have not experienced the fact that Republicans and their corporate handlers are after the money of everyone at any cost. So whatever means to "help" Medicare today will only be met with more challenges in the future that will rob Medicare of the ability to exist. Republicans and the wealthy who do not rely on Social Security and Medicare are spending their money to kill those programs, not help them exist.

And Medicare is only 45 years old. Nice exagerration, though.

...that Medicare, which is NOT a benefit payment, but is a payment for medical services, can save not one penny from fraud reduction, lower negotiated costs by providers or administrative efficiencies?

Who knew?

That they can say it with a straight face anymore is amazing.

You don't need legislation to cut waste and fraud. They're supposed to be doing that every day. Ditto administrative efficiencies.

And, by the way, getting serious about cutting waste and fraud takes money initially, not cuts.

As for cutting payments to providers, fat chance. If anyone wanted to do that, it would have been in the health care reform bill.

Before jumping to conclusions....

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Registered Democrat who was the loudest Obama supporter in the caucus room (had to persuade those diehard Kucinich supporters somehow). So ashamed now, so very ashamed....

And if you think that lots of people won't DIE if this goes through, you're on another planet.

Please, enlighten me.

That the people who depend on Medicare are given MUCH WORSE care than they had, that the system becomes strained while medical costs continue to SKYROCKET, that this has a direct effect on the health of the most vulnerable members of our population...

Then I have nothing else to say to you, because you have a big problem with the truth.

Again, enlighten me.

When Obama puts anything "on the table" it's a freebie for the Republicans. Always has been Obama's way, and always will be Obama's way.

Don't tell me to stop playing "cute little games". You are the one who is playing cute little games.

To support a Republican who has a "D" next to his name, come hell or high water. Stick to it, there's obviously no way of talking sense to you anyway.

The math on this is REAL simple. If you stripped every dollar from insurance companies and jacked up tax increases, you still could not cover the projected long term costs of medicare. Lets look at this objectively: 40 years ago, someone in their 60's got sick and died. Today, someone in their 60's get sick and medicine is able to keep them alive for 20-30 years (many with shitty quality of life). This increased technology comes at a huge financial cost.

Now, I am not discussing opinions on this. Rather, I am simply stating facts and my hatred with the inability to have an honest discussion about it. Whenever someone wants to discuss this elephant in the room, you have chicken little people looking to capitalize politically on it. First it was Palin and now it is our own party. Regardless of what the final outcome would be, it would be nice if we could have an intelligent conversation about it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/23/us/23health.html

While lifespan of affluent Americans has risen and continues to rise, lifespan of poorer Americans has BARELY increased over what it was 20 years ago. Infant mortality continues to climb. In a nutshell, the rich live longer, but for the poor it's the same as it ever was.

And that's WITH Medicare funded the way it is now. If it's gutted, you can expect a nosedive on life expectancy for poor Americans AND an even further increase of infant mortality.

And, you are not going back as far as I am (40+ years). The simple fact is that medical advances comes at a huge cost and it is being used in MUCH greater frequency. Stripping all insurance company profits/advertising expenditures and reducing Doctor's salaries won't even come close to addressing what is needed for solvency. However, whenever mere discussion of the costs is brought up, the other side attacks you for "hating some subsegment of the population" for political gain. In short, it is a third rail of politics where we will kick the can down the road until we are forced to discuss it as a nation.

And, along these lines, Congress has kicked this can down the road with stealth taxes by "saving the country money through reductions in reimbursement rates." All this has done is forced everyone to pay more for medical services to compensate the losses incurred on medicare patients (up to 15% of every dollar). This method is reaching the end of it life and we are starting down the path of being required to address the situation.

Some of these STUPID, WASTEFUL WARS and also TAXING THE FUCKING RICH LIKE THEY SHOULD BE TAXED??? And by that I mean a gigantic tax increase that would negate Obama's extension of the Bush tax cuts.

Sadly, when you look at the math, there is still more that needs to be done.

And we won't get the details until the ink is dried on the deal - the political hacks should sign it in blood - by keeping the US's wars of empire going, there will be plenty of blood available - you can have Army blood,or Navy blood, or National Guard blood, or Air Force Blood - I think there's still some Coasties driving trucks, so you can even have Coast Guard blood.
Not to mention blood from the people whose Medicare/Medicaid services are cut back or eliminated, or the people who work themselves to death waiting to collect Social Security.

will be permanent. Tax increases will be repealed next time the Republicans control both houses of Congress.

Republicans will have a heyday. For that matter, so will Democrats.

I pay a third of my income in federal taxes and have some rabid teabag congress clown and a pair of blue dog senators who are supposed to represent me. They don't. I still pay. I want more of my taxes spent on my neighbors (that includes the range of those who live in quarter million dollar homes to the ones living in trailers) and none of it given to the people who live down the road in the gated community with a private golf course and lower end homes starting at a million dollars. I want it spent on our local public school, not on the private schools to which they send their children. I'm fed up with subsidizing the very wealthy. It's not personal. I just can't afford it.

Corporations good. Peoople bad.

:eyes:

You have expressed my opinion exceptionally well.

Thank You!

(It's o.k. if Obama does it.)

Maybe his luck wil hold.

:eyes: SSDD from this Administration.

instead they ignore it and it eats our lunch.

the GOP's whole bargaining power depends on team limbaugh enforcing their lock step march off a cliff. unfortunately we all go over if dems don't compromise. and the only reason 1000 coordinated pro corporate radio stations have that power is the left ignores them.

there is NO organized response to the right's most important weapon. the left complains about dem spines and balls while they stick their iPods in their ears and let the giant soapboxes attack their reps and ideals all day long.

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Those that have to come on and start giving excuses and making up reasons to say why this is a good thing will be busy all day long if you keep printing news about the president caving.

and into the nite

My retired parents are hard-core conservatives. They constantly bash Obama and talk about how they lluuuuuuuv republicans.

Well, now they are getting just what the Republicans asked for. I hope they like it.

Bush's 4th term?

further exposing them to their own constituents as not caring about anything but the tax breaks for the wealthy? gawd i hope so....ugh!

I am beginning to believe that there is not much difference between the Republicans and Democrats neither of them represent the common folk American Middle Class anymore. The Preamble to U.S. Constitution

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”


Should be changed to read:

Fuck you I’ve got mine so stand back while I rob you blind!

head it?

I'm pretty sure he could get that nomination.

Poll after poll shows that a large majority want SS and Medicare left alone. Even among my my mom's senior R friends, there is an major outcry. This leads me to two scenerios:

The positive side of me wonders if O is playing political chicken with the Goops.

The negative side of me says that the plutocrats have finally taken full control, and the moat and drawbridge instalations will begin shortly.

I do notice that there are some guys with some heavy duty ditch digging equipment and what appears to be a bridge that they are getting ready to put into place. Not a good sign.

IOW, we've seen this movie before. Or one very much like it.

Months ago, Obama released his proposed budget, with cuts to fuel subsides for the poor, even though home heating fuel had increaseed substantially.

He also appointed the Cat Food Commission and appointed Republican Simpson to head it. He also appointed a Republican Duas his Secretary of Treasury and Summers as his financial advisor, steering well clear of people like Krugman. (And reappointed Bernanke.)

Do you see this as anything other than a progression of what he's been doing all along?

I guess they don't realize they have someone FAR to the right of those three sitting in the Oval Office right now.

Now it's 4? I wonder how much more he will give up in the next 2 weeks.

There would be torches and pitch forks in the streets...
But with Obama... barely even a whimper...
Boy, oh, boy, those corporate elites sure do know how to work the system...
And screw us all right into the ground.
What will it take, my friends?
What will it take for us to realize we are in a war...
with the fascists running America today.

It had to be a highly polished, perfectly credentialed *Democrat* to do away with what remains of democracy in the United States.

Remember when we were all in a dither about the early reports out of the Catfood Commission? If so, you probably remember that we mouth-foaming, alarmist Chicken Little-types were solidly assured by all the Usual Suspects here on DU that there is nothing to this. Obama has no such intentions.

But where are those people on this thread? Why aren't they here continuing to reassure us?

And BTW, anybody got links to those old threads?

If he cuts Social Security then he is no longer qualified to be a nominee on any Democratic ticket.

White House spokesman Jay Carney commented on the reports concerning Social Security cuts Thursday morning.

"There is no news here," Carney said. "The President has always said that while social security is not a major driver of the deficit, we do need to strengthen the program and the President said in the State of the Union Address that he wanted to work with both parties to do so in a balanced way that preserves the promise of the program and doesn't slash benefits."

Folks, the Republican run mass media is trying to play "divide and conquer" with the our side. They're trying to get Dems to turn on the President when he's not caving. It's a ploy! It's bullshit! And based on the posts here, it's working!!!!

So who you gonna believe? Rupert Murdoch? Fox News?

Since the Whitehouse is now pushing back on this story, how about we stop and ask where it came from? Who broke it?

There is a thread on that story. I recommend you read it.

Otherwise, he's only getting the repuke view when he negotiates and will only move right.

If this is true, then Obama will have lost my vote.

- Signed by a guy who lives in Ohio.

where similar language was used by the WH. But other sources say they are still far apart.

Give the pukes an ultimatum. They want to keep taxes low on the people who need the money the least? Fine, legalize pot and free all those imprisoned for non-violent possession and clear their records so they can try to get a decent job. Increased revenue without touching the rich. Freer people = happier more productive people.

Gary Johnson, a GOP Presidential Candidate came out for legalization. I think this may be their attempt to sway some pissed off liberals.

Ok, obviously legalizing pot won't solve our debt problem but we should get something that we want right?

Or, and the least likely of any compromise. The rich keep their tax cuts and we end the wars and leave completely by August 2012.

We keep caving and they keep winning. It never fucking ends.

what a screwed up country :puke: