Posted on 11/22/2012 10:00:35 AM PST by blam
If The Right Gets Its Way, The 'Fiscal Cliff' Will Kill Social Security And Medicare
Linda McKissack Beale
A Taxing Matter
Nov. 22, 2012, 9:52 AM
In several posts recently I have discussed the harmful demands the right is engaging in related to the so-called "fiscal cliff" created by the original Bush tax cuts (set to sunset en masse), the artificial debt ceiling (used by the GOP to exact promises of spending cuts during a recession along with extension of unneeded tax cuts for the rich), and the ill-conceived notion that the U.S. military should continue to be funded at dangerously high levels that (i) ensure that the military-industrial complex will find a war or quasi-war in which to engage their newest toys while (ii) sucking resources from public infrastructure projects and education that are vitally needed to sustain our economy.
See, e.g., The GOP's extortion demands: cut Social Security or we'll shoot; If the Dems got backbone; Is it a fiscal cliff or merely a bump in the road; We face an 'austerity crisis' not a 'fiscal cliff.
A. The Explanation.
At least the national media and a slew of bloggers are beginning to provide some background information to ordinary Americans on just what is driving the national discussion of "fiscal cliffs" and "austerity" demands.
See, e.g., Richard Rubin & Heidi Przybyla, Tax Pledges Confound Math as Obama Seeks Deal with Republicans, Bloomberg.com (Nov. 16, 2012) (noting that "The $607 billion fiscal cliff is the combination of tax increases and spending cuts that will take effect in January if Congress doesn’t act" and characterizing the positions of the parties as follows: "Republicans want to extend expiring tax cuts for all income levels
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
What right?,,, Theres a right?.... Where?....
If one looks at the SS act of 1935 and who was covered at that time, you realize it was intended to be a benefit for the poor, the disabled, for widows and orphens. It gradually morphed into a retirement plan for the middle class.
They need to look back over the last four years to see what drove us over the cliff.
It astounds me how the left successfully blames the right for every disaster time after time. They had the whole works four years ago yet, instead of even acknowledging our budget problems they went on the largest spending spree in history.
How can we get the word out to the old people sitting at their tvs with no other input.
.... LOL .... this is such a great example of how the left is so successful in getting their point of view out to the public. They get way way .... waaaaaay out in front of an issue and begin sowing and planting their talking points all throughout their adoring media. Then at the same time the leftwardly prone politicians do the same. Suddenly when the event actually happens all they need to do is go on a "See I told you so" tour solidifying the belief in the mind of the public psyche. Thus far they have had a successful 12 years of demonizing Bush for all of his policies ... The constant repetition of a statement aka talking point when repeated often enough is the best way to drill a hole into the mind and make the thought permanent.
Strangely enough .... the left uses this technique 99% of the time in a very predictable way. So much so that we can actually predict their statements! And for some reason .... even though the right is quite aware of their techniques .... they are almost always caught by surprise with next to no response on hand to counteract the brain washing technique of the left. And even then ... the only responses will come from the conservative talking heads and talk show hosts .... without hardly a peep coming out of the mouths of our illustrious elected leaders.
Perhaps in the future there may actually come a time when the right can co-ordinate their responses in a tactical way using both the communication machinery, which mostly preaches to the choir while at the same time having the elected officials verbalizing the ideas on the house and senate floors which will then be relayed to the ears of the public.
“It’s going to happen no matter what. Blaming the “right” is stupid. The “right” has absolutly NO POWER whatsoever.”
No, actually, politically, it’s brilliantly diabolical.
If something is inevitable and unpopular, blame your opponent early and often. With a complicit media, the message will get through.
This strategy will give them the excuse to do just about anything to conservatives, including rounding the up and shooting them for “killing grandma”
Obama owns the fiscal cliff. We need to tell every lefty Obama owns it and don’t forget it.
They voted for this disaster.
This is where your plan fails. Elected officials often verbalize the ideas on the House and Senate floors, but the MSM *will not* relay those speeches to the public.
This was first driven home to me after the 1994 elections. The MSM was blaming the government shutdown on the Republicans, when it was clear that it was President Clinton that was making that decision. I saw Newt Gingrich make a brilliant speech on C-Span that, if seen by the public, would have swayed a great number to our side. It was never seen anywhere but C-Span, the networks simply refused to show it.
The MSM must die so that the Republic may live. The question is, will it die fast enough to save the Republic?
One possible solution is starting a review process for young adults. Those who were classified as learning disabled as minors generated SSI for parents - and often automatically get disability as young adults. But the first diagnosis was for schools that wanted extra money for special education, parents who wanted SSI and easier academics for their kids.
So why did you post this @@!#$!#$@#$??? I stopped reading after she blamed the GOP/right for the whole mess.
Technically, the “right” does control the House. Unfortunately, that control is led by John Boehner, the Great, Spineless Weeper.
We are so divided now I looked at the authors name and said Oh woman - socialist. I get it.
You make some good points. We’re on So-So Security and Medicare, too; but still able to do a bit of work along with it to make it not so nippity-tuck. I agree.
All of it is already spent, and the national debt is 16 trillion dollars. You’ll get back pennies on the dollar at most. Just be grateful if they drop FICA along with SS.
You sound like my Dad. He’s drawing SS, but he’s willing to give it up.
You mean the government politicians lied to me?????
But they are promising the same thing with Obamacare. Gee, should I trust them?
/sarc
If there ever was any money squirreled away in the alleged trust fund, it’s all spent now. Money for current retirees is paid with taxes from future retirees. It’s basically a Ponzi Scheme in which almost all Americans are forced to participate.
If Social Security collapses, simply insist that the government eliminate FICA, because that’s as far as we’re gonna get, if we’re lucky.
Professor Linda M. Beale received a B.S. degree in chemistry magna cum laude from Duke University, an M.A .and Ph.D. in linguistics from Cornell, where she was a Herbert Lehman Fellow, a J.D. summa cum laude from Cornell Law School, and an LL.M. in taxation from New York University. Prior to her entry in law teaching, Professor Beale clerked with Judge Dorothy Nelson on the Ninth Circuit and worked at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen and Hamilton in New York (with one year in Washington, D.C.) as a tax associate. Her work with Cleary’s many financial institution and multinational corporate clients included a wide range of tax issues such as securitizations, partnerships, and cross-border corporate mergers and acquisitions. She has also served as a congressional staffer, a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia, and a university administrator at Binghamton University. And is married to Rachel Maddow no doubt.
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