Editorials & Other Articles
In reply to the discussion: Obama Called Their Bluff: Republicans Admit They Are Too Scared to Cut Social Security [View all]Summer Hathaway
(2,770 posts)Yes, of course, the GOP will campaign on:
"We demanded chained CPI. Then Obama offered it attached to increases in taxes, and we said NO! That's because we really didn't want chained CPI in the first place, even though we've said we do for decades."
Seriously?
The Dems have a very long history of championing SS. The Republicans have an equally long history of trying to gut it, privatize it, and ultimately destroy it. And you honestly believe that this incident is going to wipe out all of that previous history, and the GOP will suddenly be seen as the saviors of the very program they have denounced for decades?
Yeah, right. That's gonna happen.
I realize the average Republican politician is dumber than a bag of hammers, but even they are aware (somewhat vaguely aware, for most of them) that we live in an age of instant access to video clips, transcripts, recorded interviews, etc. Should any GOPer attempt to declare him or her self as a 'savior of SS', his/her Dem opponent will clobber them with THEIR OWN WORDS demonstrating just the opposite in print/televised ads.
In addition to the obvious, you might want to consider that most voters are not following this budget proposal story at all - no less to the nit-picking extent that DUers are following it. This issue is not even on most people's radar NOW - so it won't even be a vague memory by the time the mid-term campaigning is in full swing.
Anyone who would believe that the GOP have suddenly become the champions of the SS program is a dumbass - and, as we know, dumbasses will vote (R) no matter what.