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An interesting report from Ryan Grim:
Nancy Pelosi will be prepared to beat back a run on Social Security or Medicare if the deficit commission recommends cuts to the popular entitlement program following the November election. The House Speaker deliberately avoided appointing House chairmen with jurisdiction over Social Security and Medicare to President Obama’s commission, House staffers involved with the commission tell HuffPost, so that she could retain the option to sidetrack the panel’s recommendations.
Pelosi appointed Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt (D-S.C.), Rep. Jan Schakowski (D-Ill.) and Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.). Becerra is a member of Pelosi’s leadership and a close ally. Schakowsky is also a progressive ally of Pelosi’s.
If the commission recommends cuts to Social Security or Medicare, the Speaker would have the option of referring the recommendations to the Ways and Means Committee. None of the chairs of the committees or subcommittees with jurisdiction over Social Security or Medicare are on the deficit panel.
Oh? While this is true, it’s mainly an artifact of the fact that the Ways and Means Committee chairmanship was up in the air, with Charlie Rangel at the helm, at the time that Pelosi made her selections. Sander Levin is the chairman now. Pelosi picked the budget committee chair, Spratt, which was in line with the selection of Kent Conrad by the Senate. But I’d gather the only reason the Ways and Means chair wasn’t represented is that nobody knew who it would be at the time.
In addition, how does this jibe with the non-binding resolution that the recommendations of the cat food commission get a vote on the House floor if they pass the Senate? Is Pelosi, or rather her aides, suggesting that she would deny that vote and just refer the recommendations to committee, allowing them to die quietly?
That’s unclear. But certainly this statement from Pelosi has value:
Pelosi said that there was no chance that Social Security would be cut during the lame-duck session. “No. Here’s the thing. It’s really important to make this distinction,” she said. “There are two things happening here: We have a big deficit, so people say, ‘Well, we’re going to change Social Security to help the deficit.’ They have nothing to do with each other directly.” [...]
“How can you say to seniors, ‘You’re going to have to work longer.’ Now, mind you, it’s okay for me to work to 70–no heavy lifting, no outdoor work. But it’s not okay for laborers to work to 70. It’s all relative. But you’re going to [be forced to] work to 70, no matter what, so we can give a tax cut to the richest people in America? Something is missing in this picture, and if they tried to do that I think it would get a very negative response,” she said.
“Let’s hope they’re thinking in a more fair way about how to go forward. I have no idea,” said Pelosi. “I do know I have confidence in the people I named to the commission.”
While I don’t totally buy the “stacked the deck” premise, I do think it’s valuable that Pelosi wouldn’t give a vote of confidence to anyone on the commission but who she appointed, and that she savaged the idea of raising the retirement age or cutting benefits. In the end, that could play a role when the vote-counting begins.
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More kabuki. Pelosi wants to remain speaker. That means the Dems have to retain their majority. Thus Pelosi wants to try to pull enough Dems through November. After that she will fold and fuck us all royally. It’s what Dems do.
I don’t think she’s going to do that… Pelosi is far too old school about the New Deal and the social contract. It’s in her dna.
I agree. She’s telegraphing that she’s going to refer the Catfood recs to committee where they will presumably die.
the story i keep hearing in the media is that the ‘cut SS’ position, is the real true grown-up position. we gotta do this thing in the name of fiscal sanity and the long term good of future generations and stuff. all the commentary i have heard has assumed a fact not in evidence, namely, that the SS trust fund is in trouble and that the only responsible policy is to cut benefits. (But politicians won’t do that cuz they are scared.)
nobody mentions the present soundness of the trust fund or the option of raising the cap or any other approach whatsoever. The alternatives are stark. It’s either cat food or you are a dirty fucking hippy. And that is all she wrote.
With the GOP, the blue dogs, and the President all on board for making cuts, everything else is just choreography. It’s strange how many people assume there is some kind of spontaneity to congressional voting. The outcome of the votes are, for the most part, known long before any legislator actually casts a vote. The only drama is finding out which legislator plays good cop and who gets to play bad cop.
You’re delusional. Keep sippin’ that Kool-Aid.
More kabuki.
Follow what they DO, not what they SAY.
She can, if she desires, not bring up for a vote the catfood commission’s recomendation. If she CHOOSES to do so, then you’ll see throuhg her acts how she really feels.
I predicted back when they had that non-binding resolution that Pelosi would use it as an excuse, and I’m still betting on that. But she could easily prove me wrong by blocking any votes on the catfood commission recommendations. Sure hope she proves me wrong.
“Pelosi said that there was no chance that Social Security would be cut during the lame-duck session.”
I suppose that would depend on what “cut” means. Upping the retirement age is just that, and no ‘cut’ here. So, upping the retirement age, does not equal a cut in SS.
c’mon dday – this sounds like a diary from the daze of the public option b.s. – this whisper, that nod, some wink, a burp & a fart & a
complete sell out to the scum.
to hell with pelosi – this crap is just meant to help persuade some borderline professional lefties to get on the happy happy wagon.
rmm.
Kabuki, but with the intent of trying to keep the lid on SS cuts prior to the midterms.
We should all be writing our Senators/Congresspeople up for election and getting firm commitments to support PRIOR to our voting, otherwise no vote.
I don’t trust a single thing this woman says. She is totally complicit in letting war criminals escape justice and she’s snuggled up nice and comfortable with the forces in this administration that want to destroy our retirement. What does she care? She’s covered by congressional retirement plans and her family’s health care is provided for.
The income of many seniors has been sharply eroded by the low interst rate being paid on savings. If you retired reasonably assuming a return of 4, 5 or 6 percent on your savings, you are could be hurting.
The other aspect of this is that many seniors are eschewing retirement as a result of their passive income shrinking.
In this enviroment Social Security cuts are going to be a damn tough sale.
Uh-huh. I’d love to believe this, but I still remember “subpoena power.”
Actually, raising the retirement age would be a cut in Social Security. Consider that you currently plan to receive Social Security at 65 with full benefits. If the age is raised to 70, and you elect to receive benefits at 65 your benefit would be cut from what it would have been before the retirement age was raised.
Pelosi is the scum of the earth right next to Newt… Drain the swamp first Nancy and that may include yourself. You are a disgrace except to your special interests and the employees on your vineyards.
“Actually, raising the retirement age would be a cut in Social Security. Consider that you currently plan to receive Social Security at 65 with full benefits. If the age is raised to 70, and you elect to receive benefits at 65 your benefit would be cut from what it would have been before the retirement age was raised.”
Now you are just splitting hairs! What are you a Republican? Have you not received the Democratic Playbook for the November Election? “%uckin’ Amateurs”
Currently ND Congressman Earl Pomeroy chairs the subcommittee on Social Security. He’s taken strong stands in support of Social Security. As a North Dakota voter I can tell you that the Republicans are spending lavishly to attempt to install Berg instead.
Given the conversation about foreign contributions to the U.S. Chamber, one wonders how many of those dollars are making their way down to the ND Chamber and the ND Republican campaign committee.
Dick, and that name fits him oh-so-well, Armey would love nothing better than to drive a Democrat out of office in his home state. Yes, he is the prime example of the riff-raff going south to Texas ’cause they couldn’t cut it up here.
I see the trolls are dancin’ here tonight.
If Pelosi manages to prevent those things, I will apologize for all the times I called her a bush-capitulator. I’ve actually been more impressed with her in the short time since Obama took office than I was the entire time prior to that.
I personally believe time will prove her to have been one of the most effective Speakers of all times. I do trust her commitment to liberal and progressive values.
Though I was disappointed of course with the health care debacle Pelosi had little choice with a new president and all the Blue Dogs but she did end up saving Obama’s ass in getting the votes. And Obama knows it. If the Dems keep the House Pelosi will have a lot of power to hold Obama’s feet to the fire. That’s why I think Obama could probably be happier with a Republican House.
For the record, regardless of how much we may disagree with our fellow commenters, it is unacceptable to engage in namecalling or personal attacks. Such comments will be removed from the thread.
It’s really hard to believe her. I want to, I really do. I think she’s a better leader than Reid or Obama on any day. But I am not sure I believe this assertion of hers with her record.
IMO: If about a month ago Pelosi and a majority of incumbent representatives signed a statement stating that they would oppose any increase in the retirement age or reduction in benefits then there would have been a significantly greater turnout of low or middle income voters than I expect now. At least of those significantly below retirement age.
If the Democrats have something similar to the old 100 Hour plan I am unaware of it. It is cheap to distribute such a document with the internet and cell phones. You do not need to rely on the mainstream media. However it is a little late to start now.
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Modern U.S. attempts at realistic political party platforms.
One elected politician can not pass a law. One elected politician can not even get a bill out of committee! The voters tend to be much more interested in political platforms. Perhaps we should remind our favorite candidates of our lack of enthusiasm for any candidates that can not find a single other candidate that agrees with them – on even a single (specific) issue!
Yea, she was for the PO also, remember? She’s full of it.
I agree she is marginally better than Obama & Reid but,but I just don’t believe anything she says.
And Barack Obama was WAY FOR the public option. Yeah Nancy, sell me some more snake oil.
It’s a simple game congressional Dems: Tit, for Tat. I titted, time for the tat.
And it is what she does especially well. I dont believe one thing she says bcz in the end she is going to fold and play ball with her corporate masters. I wldnt mind seeing her lose her speaker role.
Nancy “impeachment is off the table” Pelosi?
puh-leeeze, she’ll fold with the slightest amount of pressure.
Of course its a cut. Especially if you payed in for 35 or 40 years on the understanding you could collect it at 65.
yeah, the fact that some were wiped out and many other market retirement plans were halved, dosent seem to mean anything to these moral gimps.It seems politically suicidal and the only reason I can think of for them daring it is that they are following a script.
I’d believe she was against cuts if she hadn’t agreed to a resolution to vote on the recommendation.
Totally agree. I like how it’s intimated we’ve only had a Democratic Congress since ’08 when it was ’06 and a clear mandate to check Bush. Still waiting for them to check Bush III.
You guys are insufferable. FDR himself could be saying Social Security wouldn’t be cut during the lame-duck session, and this thread would be filled with things like, “Yeah, that’s what he says now, but he’ll cave once he’s reelected.”
The DNC has arrived.
You need to understand that people on this board sufferred a lot with bait and switches a lot for last 2 years in the administration which is supposed to bat honestly for them. At FDL we have looked at every angle from now on till Christmas holidays when usually the big gift is handed out by congress going by the trend. Now they are following the action on the ground instead of speech and are a bit cynical.
One thing is clear though. If Speaker Pelosi does as she says she is going to do, she will be earning goodwill from a lot of people she might never meet or see or contribute to DNC, she will keep our economy safe from wall street induced depression cycles for asset accquistion and most importantly keep the democratic spirit in the Democratic party and in a position to bring them back to power always even without raising a single dime when the other side does too many mistakes.
I don’t believe a word of it. Nancy Pelosi said similar things about the FISA Amendments Act, but when Obama pushed her, she pushed it through the house in less than 24 hours.
She has promised the president an up-or-down vote on the Catfood Commission’s recommendations during the lame-duck session of the House. DO NOT BELIEVE HER!!!
The US health bubble is at 2.8 Trillion a year, thats about 3X total US yearly mortgage payments. The public option and/or single payer would have gone part way to fixing that.
Instead of bucking up and fixing what is 10 times more broken, Obama has stacked the cat food commission to screw up Social Security.
Obama has thrown the Democratic party under the bus. After the Republicans win in November then they will have the tar-baby and Obama will be waltzing into a second term in 2012.
FDR didn’t have a Catfood Commission
It was a “sense of the House” statement.
Corporations want Social Security cut because they contribute a share of it.
Come back in December after obama’s commission cuts Social Security. In fact, I’ll save your post for you.
Pelosi also promised an investigation into the foreclosure looting, BEFORE this came out today on HuffPO:
Little-Noticed Bill Could Make It Harder To Challenge Foreclosures
So, yesterday, I thought maybe I could finally get some sleep, but today……….
they sure can pass stuff when it screws US, can’t they? Duplicitous bastards, every one of ‘em
Pullosi’s Punch virtually assures elevated retirement age and benefit depression!
Pelosi SAYS she’s against Social Security cuts and a retirement age increase. What she IS says a lot more. What she IS is a member of Congress. Therefore, she’ll not stand in the way of social security cuts and a retirement age increase. It makes no difference who is in power, they all have the same goal. I didn’t accept this ugly fact until Obama became president and the non-stop shocks upon shocks began. I’ll never run and kick that football again. There is nothing left for us TO do, except punish incumbents. There is no “lesser evil” to show up and vote for.
Obama and the Dems are like a giant bucket of extra-greasy fried chicken with two dozen buttered biscuits, a tub of mashed potatoes and a tub of gravy, and a small diet Coke. How is that a lesser evil than the same “meal” with a large, regular Coke? Why should we accept those as our only choices? That just makes us enablers. We should punish incumbents no matter who they are, and throw our energies into helping/promoting challengers. I think we will. Just don’t want to see a backslide happen. You give Pelosi’s “word’ an ounce of credence, next thing you know you’re running and kicking at the football. AGAIN.
Thanks for that link! More deliberately inflicted horror in place of Hope.
Notice the commenter who stands right up and declares, “I doubt Obama will sign this.”
No, that’s not what we would be saying. FDR got up in his 1936 nomination acceptance speech and said he “welcomed the hatred” of the banksters. He backed that up with tough, transformational legislation in his previous four years and in the next four as well.
We don’t believe Obama, Pelosi, or Reid for the simple fact that they’ve lied to us time and time again.