General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: "I live on $710.00 a month, what exactly am I supposed to cut?" [View all]BlueCaliDem
(15,438 posts)An assured demise?? Lowered benefits for the needy? Hyperbole.
The Chained CPI, as you should know by now, would create a minimum baseline for Social Security benefits so that no one who works their whole life has to live in poverty in their retirement. Now pay attention here: the minimum benefit would be above the poverty line, for the first time fulfilling the promise of Social Security to end elderly poverty and actually boosting benefits for the lowest wage workers, which the protectors of the Entitlement Status Quo {like you} are effectively against.
I stand by what I've posted in mine as I'm sure you'll stand by your opposition to this president in your post, however inaccurate it is. And to deny that there aren't FireDogBaggers, Anarchists, and Teabaggers disguised as Democrats on this site is just whistling-past-the-graveyard wishful thinking.
And maybe, just maybe, you should take your own advice and have a long and thoughtful look at what your take is on chained CPI that, lo and behold, has gotten the blessing from those "rightie think tanks". No. Not the Heritage Foundation or CATO Institute, but The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, one of most well-respected liberal think tanks on policy analysis, that has endorsed the change, and the Center for American Progress, Washingtons most powerful liberal think tank, which recommended the chained CPI in its comprehensive Social Security reform plan.
Together with the chained CPI, President Obama's proposal will include savings {propagated as "cuts" by corporate media to frighten the masses} to Medicare (he's already expanded Medicaid through the Left and Rightwing fringes most hated ObamaCare}, and the package will do the following:
1: Add life to the Social Security and Medicare trust funds.
2: Wipe out poverty forever for the poorest when they retire after a lifetime of backbreaking, minimum wage work.
3: Force pharmaceutical companies to stop raiding our treasury for seniors' medications.
4: Ask the wealthiest seniors {you know? Like McCain} to pay a higher Medicare premium.
5: Close tax loopholes for the rich.
6: Institute universal preschool.
Or . . . would you rather "defend" Social Security to protect the privileged of the wealthy and of the drug companies than accept modest adjustments in the calculation of how much benefits increase by? Would you rather steal from every disadvantaged child in America the opportunity to get an early start for a stronger and better future? Would you rather tell the lowest paid workers to go to hell when it's their time to retire, all just to "defend" the status quo that's headed for bigger cuts in the not-so-distant future?
In a perfect world, we'd be able to get Congress to lift the cap on Medicare payments, close those tax loopholes for private jets and yachts, and stop funneling billions to oil conglomerates in order to bring down the nation's debt, but unless you know we have the majority votes in Congress to get this through, this is the next best thing AND President Obama will get those expensive loopholes the wealthy enjoy, to close, pulling in more revenue.