e***@OJA.bet
2009-01-19 18:55:01 UTC
Obama pledges to reshape Social Security and Medicare programs?
By Jerry Mazza
Online Journal Associate Editor
Jan 19, 2009, 00:26
Email the entire article -
http://onlinejournal.com:80/artman/publish/article_4254.shtml
This is a snippet:
Oh no, the president-elect is not even in the catbird seat yet, just
fraternizing with the Washington Post Editorial Board and theyre
writing Obama Pledges Entitlement Reform.
To quote: President-elect Barack Obama pledged yesterday to shape a
new Social Security and Medicare bargain with the American people,
saying that the nations long-term economic recovery cannot be
attained unless the government finally gets control over its most
costly entitlement programs.
With all due respect Mr. President-elect, thats baloney. Im holding
in my hand a Special Report: Social Security -- Its Future and
Yours from Barbara B. Kennelly, president and CEO of the National
Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. She has been a
historic defender of Social Security and Medicare for over 20 years --
first as a member of Congress and ranking member of the House Ways and
Means Subcommittee on Social Security, and then as counselor to the
commissioner of the Social Security Administration.
She, as I and many other seniors, challenges any proposed bargain
you make, Mr. Obama, until you have been cleansed of the general
misinformation about Social Security that exists these days -- the
false claims, predictions and outright misleading statements. So
please, Mr. Obama, hear us, because millions of seniors have Ms.
Kennellys document in their hands and have the facts not the spin.
First things first: Social Security is not going bankrupt
This is carryover (more like a hangover) from the Bush administration,
which would have bankrupted Social Security with its privatization
program, designed to create millions of Wall Street accounts for
seniors that would have lead them into the pit in which the Street and
its runners now sit. Also, using the danger of a Wall Street collapse
is also a scare tactic, plain and simple to take apart this
historically successful program.
FACT 1 . . . According to Social Securitys own actuaries, this
laudable national retirement plan is running a healthy $2 trillion
surplus -- a surplus projected to grow to almost $4.2 trillion by
2017. In how many areas of government today, Mr. Obama, can you find
healthy surpluses, and without taint of corruption.
FACT 2 . . . The current projects show Social Security able to pay
full benefits for another three decades and then some, at least if
another president doesnt plan as Bush did to loot the Social Security
Trust. Remember those useless pieces of paper in the Trust he spoke
of? They were United States Treasuries, and hardly useless.
FACT 3 . . . Past that, the actuaries project a modest gap between
taxes collected and benefits paid, but there are reasonable, solid,
and relatively modest adjustments that would help the viability of
Social Security to endure for many years to come.
Radical changes are not required to save Social Security
Fact 4 . . . The stage has also been set for a new round of sweeping
reform proposals based on the false claim that spending on all
entitlement programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and
Medicaid, is a grave challenge to Americas economic health.
Ironically, they are probably the best thing that ever happened to
Americas health. Its finances have been in other hands,
unfortunately. Whats more there are forces in Washington perpetuating
this myth that we must cut entitlement spending, but the simple truth
is this . . .
Fact 5 . . . Even before the Wall Street crisis crippled our economy,
as did the Iraq war, the Bush tax breaks for most of the rich and
superrich were a major reason behind increasing our national debt and
the resulting pressures to rein in spending. The progressive tax as
you may remember was traded in like an older, well-running car for the
gaudy money-guzzling regressive tax. And now as the economys engine
is frozen like its credit, many of the original legislators behind
those earlier political decisions point to Social Security and blame
it -- or Medicare. Absurd.
Fact 6 . . . Entitlement spending cuts are always the convenient
punching bags to strike at, laying the blame on them for thoughtlessly
acquired deficits. The so-called reforms, privatization et al, would
do nothing but destroy these sterling programs.
Fact 7 . . . In fact, one of the most outspoken and wealthiest
opponents of entitlement spending is one Peter G. Peterson, who
pledged $1 billion towards solving what he claims are Americas
most significant challenges. One of mine is to see him go away and
count his money on some planet in outer space. Petersons foundation
is a front organization to lobby for educating the public to accept
spending cuts that would cut apart future benefits for retirees. Not
the nicest of people.
Fact 8 . . . With a title from Star Wars, a group of so-called
deficit warriors on Capitol Hill is pushing a scheme to enforce
30-year spending limits on Social Security and Medicare. The
warriors call it the necessary first step to protecting the
economy. Instead, how about a financial market thats thoroughly
regulated and transparent? But then how could this be? The members of
this cabal range from former Congressional Budget Office directors and
White House budget officials from the Clinton administration to
conservative think tank economists and budget experts. Well, they must
need the work. But they might pick less productive programs to tear
apart. How about working on the national debt or the subprime mortgage
scandal and sending at least one bureaucrat or debt salesmen to jail
for the devastating corruption that so far has gone totally
unpunished?
Fact 9 . . . Even before, you, Mr. Obama, were elected, the Washington
Post touted the plan as an intriguing mechanism for forcing lawmakers
-- and the next president -- to focus on the problem of runaway
deficits. How about deconstructing the derivatives market instead,
which runs relatively unobserved, and with little accounting for its
profits and awful debts? What about an investigation of Wall Street
money laundering, estimated by experts at two or three trillion every
year? These are the things that are bankrupting us, not innocent
seniors and their modest pension money and benefits. If you want to
cut, Mr. Obama, get to the heart of the economy cancer, Wall Street,
dark hole in space that it is.
Fact 10 . . . While Congress may hold the strings of power on Social
Security, its the seniors they will listen to most when they raise
their voices; people who gave the best years of their lives helping to
pay for this Social Security system, many of whose critics have
personally tried to deconstruct it for their own profit.
Fact 11 . . . The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and
Medicare was launched in 1982 by James Roosevelt, the eldest son of
Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. The committee is 100 percent
independent.
Fact 12 . . . They dont sell insurance, accept donations from
investment firms or drug companies. They dont accept money from the
federal government. The committee is solely supported by members,
people like you, who are stepping forward to support the cause. You
and all those like you are the source of the committees strength in
Washington, the committee that has been a leader in just about every
major debate that could impact seniors benefits.
Fact 13 . . . They have taken on the recurring challenges, like
protecting COLAs (Cost-of-Living Adjustments) and fighting unfair
budget cuts -- and the major, history-making battles against
restructuring Americas socials insurance programs.
Fact 14 . . . The national committee is now in its 18th consecutive
year of staving off attempts to privatize Social Security through
well-timed, well-organized media campaigns, testimony on Capitol Hill,
and the grassroots support of millions of members and supporters. And
lastly, remember this.
By Jerry Mazza
Online Journal Associate Editor
Jan 19, 2009, 00:26
Email the entire article -
http://onlinejournal.com:80/artman/publish/article_4254.shtml
This is a snippet:
Oh no, the president-elect is not even in the catbird seat yet, just
fraternizing with the Washington Post Editorial Board and theyre
writing Obama Pledges Entitlement Reform.
To quote: President-elect Barack Obama pledged yesterday to shape a
new Social Security and Medicare bargain with the American people,
saying that the nations long-term economic recovery cannot be
attained unless the government finally gets control over its most
costly entitlement programs.
With all due respect Mr. President-elect, thats baloney. Im holding
in my hand a Special Report: Social Security -- Its Future and
Yours from Barbara B. Kennelly, president and CEO of the National
Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. She has been a
historic defender of Social Security and Medicare for over 20 years --
first as a member of Congress and ranking member of the House Ways and
Means Subcommittee on Social Security, and then as counselor to the
commissioner of the Social Security Administration.
She, as I and many other seniors, challenges any proposed bargain
you make, Mr. Obama, until you have been cleansed of the general
misinformation about Social Security that exists these days -- the
false claims, predictions and outright misleading statements. So
please, Mr. Obama, hear us, because millions of seniors have Ms.
Kennellys document in their hands and have the facts not the spin.
First things first: Social Security is not going bankrupt
This is carryover (more like a hangover) from the Bush administration,
which would have bankrupted Social Security with its privatization
program, designed to create millions of Wall Street accounts for
seniors that would have lead them into the pit in which the Street and
its runners now sit. Also, using the danger of a Wall Street collapse
is also a scare tactic, plain and simple to take apart this
historically successful program.
FACT 1 . . . According to Social Securitys own actuaries, this
laudable national retirement plan is running a healthy $2 trillion
surplus -- a surplus projected to grow to almost $4.2 trillion by
2017. In how many areas of government today, Mr. Obama, can you find
healthy surpluses, and without taint of corruption.
FACT 2 . . . The current projects show Social Security able to pay
full benefits for another three decades and then some, at least if
another president doesnt plan as Bush did to loot the Social Security
Trust. Remember those useless pieces of paper in the Trust he spoke
of? They were United States Treasuries, and hardly useless.
FACT 3 . . . Past that, the actuaries project a modest gap between
taxes collected and benefits paid, but there are reasonable, solid,
and relatively modest adjustments that would help the viability of
Social Security to endure for many years to come.
Radical changes are not required to save Social Security
Fact 4 . . . The stage has also been set for a new round of sweeping
reform proposals based on the false claim that spending on all
entitlement programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and
Medicaid, is a grave challenge to Americas economic health.
Ironically, they are probably the best thing that ever happened to
Americas health. Its finances have been in other hands,
unfortunately. Whats more there are forces in Washington perpetuating
this myth that we must cut entitlement spending, but the simple truth
is this . . .
Fact 5 . . . Even before the Wall Street crisis crippled our economy,
as did the Iraq war, the Bush tax breaks for most of the rich and
superrich were a major reason behind increasing our national debt and
the resulting pressures to rein in spending. The progressive tax as
you may remember was traded in like an older, well-running car for the
gaudy money-guzzling regressive tax. And now as the economys engine
is frozen like its credit, many of the original legislators behind
those earlier political decisions point to Social Security and blame
it -- or Medicare. Absurd.
Fact 6 . . . Entitlement spending cuts are always the convenient
punching bags to strike at, laying the blame on them for thoughtlessly
acquired deficits. The so-called reforms, privatization et al, would
do nothing but destroy these sterling programs.
Fact 7 . . . In fact, one of the most outspoken and wealthiest
opponents of entitlement spending is one Peter G. Peterson, who
pledged $1 billion towards solving what he claims are Americas
most significant challenges. One of mine is to see him go away and
count his money on some planet in outer space. Petersons foundation
is a front organization to lobby for educating the public to accept
spending cuts that would cut apart future benefits for retirees. Not
the nicest of people.
Fact 8 . . . With a title from Star Wars, a group of so-called
deficit warriors on Capitol Hill is pushing a scheme to enforce
30-year spending limits on Social Security and Medicare. The
warriors call it the necessary first step to protecting the
economy. Instead, how about a financial market thats thoroughly
regulated and transparent? But then how could this be? The members of
this cabal range from former Congressional Budget Office directors and
White House budget officials from the Clinton administration to
conservative think tank economists and budget experts. Well, they must
need the work. But they might pick less productive programs to tear
apart. How about working on the national debt or the subprime mortgage
scandal and sending at least one bureaucrat or debt salesmen to jail
for the devastating corruption that so far has gone totally
unpunished?
Fact 9 . . . Even before, you, Mr. Obama, were elected, the Washington
Post touted the plan as an intriguing mechanism for forcing lawmakers
-- and the next president -- to focus on the problem of runaway
deficits. How about deconstructing the derivatives market instead,
which runs relatively unobserved, and with little accounting for its
profits and awful debts? What about an investigation of Wall Street
money laundering, estimated by experts at two or three trillion every
year? These are the things that are bankrupting us, not innocent
seniors and their modest pension money and benefits. If you want to
cut, Mr. Obama, get to the heart of the economy cancer, Wall Street,
dark hole in space that it is.
Fact 10 . . . While Congress may hold the strings of power on Social
Security, its the seniors they will listen to most when they raise
their voices; people who gave the best years of their lives helping to
pay for this Social Security system, many of whose critics have
personally tried to deconstruct it for their own profit.
Fact 11 . . . The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and
Medicare was launched in 1982 by James Roosevelt, the eldest son of
Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. The committee is 100 percent
independent.
Fact 12 . . . They dont sell insurance, accept donations from
investment firms or drug companies. They dont accept money from the
federal government. The committee is solely supported by members,
people like you, who are stepping forward to support the cause. You
and all those like you are the source of the committees strength in
Washington, the committee that has been a leader in just about every
major debate that could impact seniors benefits.
Fact 13 . . . They have taken on the recurring challenges, like
protecting COLAs (Cost-of-Living Adjustments) and fighting unfair
budget cuts -- and the major, history-making battles against
restructuring Americas socials insurance programs.
Fact 14 . . . The national committee is now in its 18th consecutive
year of staving off attempts to privatize Social Security through
well-timed, well-organized media campaigns, testimony on Capitol Hill,
and the grassroots support of millions of members and supporters. And
lastly, remember this.