Post by Weatherman on Apr 11, 2013 13:10:38 GMT -5
As much as I like Obama, there's nothing I can say to defend him.
Last edited Thu Apr 11, 2013, 01:10 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)
As far-out nutty & obstructive as the Republicans are for Obama to deal with, I want to believe that Obama is having to use a poker-face strategy in using Social Security cuts as a bargaining chip to put public pressure on the Republicans to leave SS alone & agree to do the right thing in raising taxes for the rich & eliminating corporate loopholes. I can't forget his "not on my watch" campaign promise.
But having a feeling of trust doesn't amount to anything if there's nothing concrete to support it. Obama hasn't shown that he's been swayed by Robert Reich's petition that was signed by more than 2.3 million people & delivered to the White House yesterday. Neither has Obama addressed the country in explaining in detail what "chained CPI" would mean to us & why he is reneging on his "not on my watch" campaign promise.
In fact, after listening to David Axelrod on Rachel's show tonight, I'm now worried. So is my husband. According to Axelrod, "something has to be done about SS". From everything Axelrod said, it looks like Obama is serious about this offer.
My husband asked 'what the hell is chained CPI'? I remembered a DUer's simplified way of putting it: As the cost of living continues to rise, those on a fixed income would naturally be forced to cut their expenses, many buying much less & eating beans just to survive from one paycheck to the next. How much we spend for the year would be used by SSA to determine how much (or how little) our cost of living increase would be for the next year. I mentioned how well Robert Reich's video tutorial explained it & he was very much interested in seeing it.
Even if this chained CPI doesn't become the new policy, the way this has unfolded was a big misstep for Obama. After campaigning on the promise that he would not touch SS, I'm taken aback that Obama would come up with this offer & at how easy it seemed to be for him to reveal it to the public, as though going back on a promise to the little people is no big deal.
As good a speaker as Obama is, his not communicating with the people is another misstep. Leaving us in the dark as we become more & more anxious (& angrier) isn't respectful to us.
A cruel irony is that Obama is having a steak dinner this evening with a select group of Republican leaders who have shown nothing but contempt for him. I don't respect that. No Democrats were invited & chained CPI will no doubt be discussed. Many people will be eating meager meals if the SS cuts become law & that decision is in the hands of those enjoying those pricey steaks tonight. That feels like a slap to our faces.
Knowing that already-meager fixed incomes are being used as a carrot stick when SS has nothing to do with the budget is beyond my comprehension & it angers me that we have no say about it.
Last edited Thu Apr 11, 2013, 01:10 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)
As far-out nutty & obstructive as the Republicans are for Obama to deal with, I want to believe that Obama is having to use a poker-face strategy in using Social Security cuts as a bargaining chip to put public pressure on the Republicans to leave SS alone & agree to do the right thing in raising taxes for the rich & eliminating corporate loopholes. I can't forget his "not on my watch" campaign promise.
But having a feeling of trust doesn't amount to anything if there's nothing concrete to support it. Obama hasn't shown that he's been swayed by Robert Reich's petition that was signed by more than 2.3 million people & delivered to the White House yesterday. Neither has Obama addressed the country in explaining in detail what "chained CPI" would mean to us & why he is reneging on his "not on my watch" campaign promise.
In fact, after listening to David Axelrod on Rachel's show tonight, I'm now worried. So is my husband. According to Axelrod, "something has to be done about SS". From everything Axelrod said, it looks like Obama is serious about this offer.
My husband asked 'what the hell is chained CPI'? I remembered a DUer's simplified way of putting it: As the cost of living continues to rise, those on a fixed income would naturally be forced to cut their expenses, many buying much less & eating beans just to survive from one paycheck to the next. How much we spend for the year would be used by SSA to determine how much (or how little) our cost of living increase would be for the next year. I mentioned how well Robert Reich's video tutorial explained it & he was very much interested in seeing it.
Even if this chained CPI doesn't become the new policy, the way this has unfolded was a big misstep for Obama. After campaigning on the promise that he would not touch SS, I'm taken aback that Obama would come up with this offer & at how easy it seemed to be for him to reveal it to the public, as though going back on a promise to the little people is no big deal.
As good a speaker as Obama is, his not communicating with the people is another misstep. Leaving us in the dark as we become more & more anxious (& angrier) isn't respectful to us.
A cruel irony is that Obama is having a steak dinner this evening with a select group of Republican leaders who have shown nothing but contempt for him. I don't respect that. No Democrats were invited & chained CPI will no doubt be discussed. Many people will be eating meager meals if the SS cuts become law & that decision is in the hands of those enjoying those pricey steaks tonight. That feels like a slap to our faces.
Knowing that already-meager fixed incomes are being used as a carrot stick when SS has nothing to do with the budget is beyond my comprehension & it angers me that we have no say about it.