[jeffkrol]

In a previous post I asked whether President Obama was a Coward, fool or traitor to America. We now have our answer.

This article by Lori Montgomery, ran in the 7/7/2011 Washington Post: Obama offers Social Security cuts. A few quotes:

President Obama is pressing congressional leaders to consider a far-reaching debt-reduction plan that would force Democrats to accept major changes to Social Security and Medicare in exchange for Republican support for fresh tax revenue.

Not only does he wish to raise taxes, an anti-stimulus move, but he is ready to cut Social Security benefits — anti-stimulus and anti-working class.

At a meeting with top House and Senate leaders set for Thursday morning, Obama plans to argue that a rare consensus has emerged about the size and scope of the nation’s budget problems and that policymakers should seize the moment to take dramatic action.

It the same rare consensus that said the world is flat, the earth is the center of the universe and the gods live on Mount Olympus — in short, a consensus of fools.

As part of his pitch, Obama is proposing significant reductions in Medicare spending and for the first time is offering to tackle the rising cost of Social Security, according to people in both parties with knowledge of the proposal.

In joining the Tea Party, Obama shows himself to be all three: Coward, fool and traitor to America. The battle is over, folks. Take down your flag and go home. Your leader has surrendered to buy some votes, and America will pay the price.

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

How to cure recessions, inflations, stagflations and depressions while cutting taxes. The solutions for the federal debt, federal deficit, Medicare reform and solutions, Social Security reform and solutions, education, the infrastructure, balanced bu

–Obama joins the Tea Party Monetary Sovereignty – Mitchell

[thazooo]

After passage of the Healthcare Reform Act, I questioned if I voted for the Wrong Guy. I supported and still do, Medicare for All. After this bit in the news today, won't get my vote.

Hillary 2012 ?

[Parallax]

In Obama's defense; he is not a traitor to America. You have to have been an ally or champion of something before you can become a traitor to it. He is acting like a politician. That is, he is doing what he feels will give himself the best chance of being re-elected. This shouldn't come as a shock to anyone any more than when any other president, or senator, or representative, has done it.
You can't disparage a politician for being self-serving any more than you can a skunk for smelling bad.

[larryinlc]

Imagine if a newly hired employee spent every day trying to get promoted instead of doing the job he or she was hired to do. How long would they last? Government has become so dysfunctional and has lost completely the intent for which they were elected.

Larry

[GeneV]

Imagine if a newly hired employee spent every day trying to get promoted instead of doing the job he or she was hired to do. How long would they last? Government has become so dysfunctional and has lost completely the intent for which they were elected.

Larry

Hmmm. That really sounds like the same dysfunction I see in big companies.

[jeffkrol]

Hmmm. That really sounds like the same dysfunction I see in big companies.

Agreed.. US Gov. is EXACTLY like big business.. just please the shareholders/board NOT the customers...........just con them enough to keep the cash flowing.....

[Nesster]

On the one hand I feel disappointment with Obama for not using the bully pulpit better... On the other hand, I consider the seeming 'fact' that Social Security and Medicare/aid were going to require reform in any case.

So while Democrat party stalwarts are complaining that their 2012 single issue campaigns are now screwed ("Republicans want to abolish Social Security!") I think Obama's calculations go deeper.

1) he has political cover provided by the more extreme Republican ideas
2) he has leverage to mold the reforms to more middle of the road terms - i.e. no privatization, no vouchers etc.
3) he truly believes that reform is necessary and inevitable
4) he can at the same time force some new revenue - perhaps enact tax simplification over the howls of Republicans who once insisted on it

In other words, though progressives don't like it, Obama may be doing the Right Thing here, given the political situation.

For the election, who knows? While this may de-fang the Dems' single issue campaign, it also may de-fang some of the Reps' single issue stuff. In retrospect, Obama and Boehner have a chance at making the kind of deal done by Bush Sr and Congress back then, the deal that got Bush Sr un-elected...

[Chwisch87]

That fact is that both sides are living in a fantasy land. A retirement age of 65 is simply just not practical anyone. That said, the GOP and their no new taxes crap is even more crazy.

[SteveM]

Thank god I live in a country that uses taxes for those that pay them....instead of defaulting government power to private interests like bailing out US banks that are owned by foreigners. Has anyone researched why there was a depopulation of England/Scotland/Ireland to North America from 1760 to 1900? I suggest you investigate free markets and land ownership from the 1700's to the early 1900's. There needs to be middle ground and right now the US does not have that.