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NY TIMES OUTLINES DEMOCRATS' AGENDA: CUT MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY
Shamus Cooke, Counterpunch - It's official: the Democrats are coming after Social Security and Medicare. All the backroom scheming and political conspiring is finally out in the open.
In an unusually long, 1,800 word editorial, entitled The Truth about the Deficit, published February 7, The New York Times -- cheerleader for neo-liberalism -- gives its solution to the country's debt problems. The main idea is summed up thus:
"To truly tame deficits will require serious health care reform [Obama's plan slashes Medicare], the sooner the better. Other aspects of the long-term fiscal problem - raising taxes and retooling [reducing] Social Security - must take place in earnest as the economy recovers."
Later the article is clearer: "And then there is Social Security. What is needed is a combination of benefit cuts and tax increases that preserve the program's essential nature." Of course those surviving on Social Security already live in poverty and cannot afford "benefit cuts." Also, to make a dent in the deficit, benefit cuts to social security will have to be quite substantial, to the point where the program's "essential nature" will be destroyed.
The New York Times acknowledges that such a course of action will be completely undemocratic and unpopular, but that politicians "must gather the political will to do what must be done…"
How can politicians destroy these cherished social programs in the face of such popular resistance? By trickery, of course. And this is exactly what Obama has proposed with his "bi-partisan deficit-reduction commission." This idea puts Democrats and Republicans together to create a plan to destroy social programs. This way both parties share the blame, so that no one is to blame. The New York Times reveals Obama's hidden motives:
"The deficit commission that Mr. Obama intends to establish could be helpful in breaking this logjam [resistance to cutting social security], by calling for necessary changes that politicians would be loath to broach without political cover."
Labor unions and community groups also understand Obama's treacherous motives. Dozens of them - including the AFL-CIO and Change to Win - signed a statement condemning the goals behind Obama's "deficit commission." . . .
In an unusually long, 1,800 word editorial, entitled The Truth about the Deficit, published February 7, The New York Times -- cheerleader for neo-liberalism -- gives its solution to the country's debt problems. The main idea is summed up thus:
"To truly tame deficits will require serious health care reform [Obama's plan slashes Medicare], the sooner the better. Other aspects of the long-term fiscal problem - raising taxes and retooling [reducing] Social Security - must take place in earnest as the economy recovers."
Later the article is clearer: "And then there is Social Security. What is needed is a combination of benefit cuts and tax increases that preserve the program's essential nature." Of course those surviving on Social Security already live in poverty and cannot afford "benefit cuts." Also, to make a dent in the deficit, benefit cuts to social security will have to be quite substantial, to the point where the program's "essential nature" will be destroyed.
The New York Times acknowledges that such a course of action will be completely undemocratic and unpopular, but that politicians "must gather the political will to do what must be done…"
How can politicians destroy these cherished social programs in the face of such popular resistance? By trickery, of course. And this is exactly what Obama has proposed with his "bi-partisan deficit-reduction commission." This idea puts Democrats and Republicans together to create a plan to destroy social programs. This way both parties share the blame, so that no one is to blame. The New York Times reveals Obama's hidden motives:
"The deficit commission that Mr. Obama intends to establish could be helpful in breaking this logjam [resistance to cutting social security], by calling for necessary changes that politicians would be loath to broach without political cover."
Labor unions and community groups also understand Obama's treacherous motives. Dozens of them - including the AFL-CIO and Change to Win - signed a statement condemning the goals behind Obama's "deficit commission." . . .
5 Comments:
It's like we're trying to leave a lesson for the future generations on what not to do.
Yeah, well the real truth is there are millions of veterans who ain't gonna let this shit go down.
Gee, big surprise. Go to opensecrets.org. They have a report on Obama's biggest donors. All the big Wall Street firms are there of course.
Obama was always Wall Street's man. This was obvious very early in the election when it was big bucks from Wall Street that made Obama the alternative to Hillary. Any notion that Obama is progressive comes from all of those Wall Street dollars being spent on an effective PR campaign.
So, of course, Wall Street's man in the White House is going to deliver on Wall Street's wish list. 1st on the agenda is putting all those SS trust fund dollars into Wall Street 'privatized' accounts. Then of course, proceeding with the 'structural adjusment' of America by eliminating programs like Medicare are high on the agenda.
Look back into the 2007 part of the campaign, and you'll find Obama urging the privatization of social security. This was always coming, and it was never a surprise.
This is what you get when you elect Democrats. Please Stop!
The veterans better watch out for the active duty boys who are poised to strike at a moments notice. The military would love to have an excuse for martial law.
Although I don't think there is ever going to be fighting in the streets here in the US. We regular people are not fighters, and all the vets I see are way too messed up in the head for it.
Hey, it makes good financial sense to privatize Social Security. That way, Wall Street will have fresh funds with which to create additional bubbles. Why on Earth should working people be allowed to keep their money when there are so many needy Wall Street bankers? it's part of the "No Banker Left Behind" program!
Now repeat after me - "Private is good, public is bad."
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