Once again the foes of Social Security are making big noises about "entitlement reform" and the alleged dire consequences of failing to gut Social Security either through benefit cuts or privatization. The Petersen Institute is launching a major TV ad campaign about how horrid it will be if we don't emaciate Social Security (they call it reform, but it's the same idea). They and the Blue Dogs in Congress are calling a "Fiscal Responsibility Roundtable" that Obama has agreed to attend.
Fiscal Responsibility? Where were they during the Bush Administration? When did they oppose the wasteful Iraq War? When did they oppose the massive waste, abuse and fraud in the Pentagon? Apparently that spending was OK, but spending money on poor, old and sick people - that's irresponsible, dontcha know.
The last thing we need Mr. President is to cut benefits to those most vulnerable in this time of economic hardship, but that's just what these people want you to do. In fact, if you really wanted to stimulate the economy you should try increasing benefits. The retirement of the baby boom generation will cause Social Security to use some of its massive trust fund to pay benefits for a few years. The problem is that the government has already spent that money and they don't want to honor their fiduciary obligations to the American people by paying it back. Tough luck!
I'm quite sure that the extra millions that Social Security will need in about 30 years to pay full benefits could be saved from the Pentagon alone, but failing that, simply eliminating the salary cap and making every worker pay the same percentage of income would solve the problem and then some.
Every few years the same people (mostly the banking industry and Wall Street - the greedy bastards who got us into this economic meltdown in the first place) start whining about "entitlement reform". You need to wake up, Mr. President! This is a ruse and we need you to put these people in their place once and for all and tell them there will be no reduction in Social Security benefits on your watch.
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