Let's get real here.
Social Security contributes nothing to the deficit. It should not be offered on the table in exchange for paltry tax revenues that the GOP will eventually agree to when they ask for further cuts to Medicare. Social Security is solvent until 2033. The so-called "insolvency crisis" is more than twenty years away, and there is no need to "solve" this imaginary crisis right now.
Why do we need to solve this right now with a GOP-controlled House and a Senate that is hijacked by a bunch of GOP senators due to the abuse of the filibuster rule? Why cannot this Democratic President wait until, you know, Democrats actually have a chance of winning the House in 2014 and in 2016 for any changes to be made to Social Security and Medicare that will actually strengthen the longevity of these programs?
It would be far better for a Democratic President to wait for a Democratic majority if he is truly interested in progressive solutions such as raising the cap on the payroll tax that would help Social Security extend its solvency, or allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices.
Proposing cuts to Social Security and possibly giving into the GOP's further demands for greater entitlement cuts such as raising the eligibility age for Medicare right now will not help Democrats win seats in 2014. Nor will it get President Obama that Democratic majority to pass more of his agenda that he claims to support.
Digby, one of my favorite writers, points out that some in the Democratic Party are beginning to wake up to how damaging it is for a Democratic President to propose cuts to Social Security.
But now, it seems possible that more Democrats running for re-election in the 2014 midterms may find themselves running away from Obama. Especially with liberal activists making not-so-veiled threats of primary challenges to incumbents who link themselves to the chained CPI.
A primary challenger doesn't have to be an "ultra-lib" (whatever that is) to run against a Democrat who voted against Social Security. They could be a moderate or conservative, especially if there is a large elderly or veteran population. And it certainly doesn't have to be in a swing district where a Republican might win the General. In fact, this will most likely happen in liberal districts if a progressive Democrat is foolish enough to vote with the president instead of her constituents. That's where the activists have the most clout.
Of course, it won't be confined to liberal districts because Social Security and medicare are so popular that even someone who is running from the right can use it to beat up a Democrat. I could see it happening in any Democratic district in the country. And certainly any Republican challenger will have no compunction about doing it: their only growing demographic is the elderly.
It's a huge mistake to equate this with the Tea Party. Defending Social Security, veterans benefits and medicare is in the DNA of the Democratic Party and is as mainstream as it gets.
Also, a majority of Americans, both left, right, and those in the middle, oppose the cuts to Social Security and Medicare. It's not a left issue as those in the Village paint it to be, and nor is the opposition sorely the "ideological rage" of the left. It is a deeply held opposition because Social Security and Medicare both are popular, and they have worked exceedingly well for millions of Americans.
Join with us in the fight to push back against the Grand Bargain. Give a big #HellNo to the #NoGrandBargain on Twitter and tweet it to the White House at @whitehouse. Let them know what you think!
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DailyKos Blogathon -- Week of April 8th
(All times are Eastern, diaries published by the Pushing back at the Grand Bargain group)
Monday, April 8
10:00 a.m. Roger Fox
12:00 noon eXtina
2:00 p.m. Guest crosspost by Yves Smith
3:00 p.m. poopdogcomedy
4:00 p.m. Horace Boothroyd III
6:00 p.m. slinkerwink
8:00 p.m. joedemocrat
Tuesday, April 9
10:00 a.m. Guest crosspost by Bill Black
12:00 noon
2:00 p.m. joe shikspack
4:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m. TomP
Wednesday, April 10
10:00 a.m.
12:00 noon Words in Action
2:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 11
10:00 a.m.
12:00 noon
2:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m. angelajean
Friday April 12
10:00 a.m. Reserved
12:00 noon Reserved
2:00 p.m. Reserved
4:00 p.m. Reserved
6:00 p.m. Reserved
8:00 p.m. Reserved
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1. Call your senators and representatives and tell them "Hell No!" with a priority on contacting senators. U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. You can find email contact information here
2. Contact the White House and tell them "Hell No!". Switchboard: 202-456-1414. Email contact page is here.
3. Petitions. There are a number of petitions available. Choose from the following or preferably sign them all.
a. White House petition calling for no cuts to Social Security.
b. AFL-CIO petition calling for no cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and calling for more jobs, repealing the sequester and ending tax loopholes for the wealthiest individuals and corporations.
c. Sen. Harkin's petition telling Pres. Obama not to cut Social Security.
4. Social Media. Share this diary and promote this blogathon on Facebook and Google+ using the buttons at the top of the diary. Send this out on Twitter and add the hashtags #HellNo and #NoGrandBargain.
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