guess i’m in the “other” category again – not even the polls represent me :(

fwiw, i want to see universal medicare eligibility and full social security retirement benefits begin at age 55.

i wonder what the poll numbers would be if the american people were informed that public deficit spending is required for the private sector to net save? (unless we run a current account surplus — not about to happen anytime soon).

Andrew Kohut of Pew was discussing this on tonight’s PBS NewsHour.
He also pointed out that there is a huge class divide on cutting SS and Medicare among Republicans.
Loyal Villager Judy Woodruff just nodded and moved on to the next topic.

Ed Shultz is making SS a big point on his show tonight and points out how unpopular all the SSMM cuts are unpopular, very much so.

He said if Obama caves on this he’s finished with him. DKos, never.

True but we have a 1.3 Tillion deficit this year last I looked. It will be hard to sell more without some great leadership which, sadly, we do not have. I can almost see the headlines now.

I don’t know how you could support a guy or a party that takes down the crown jewels of the democratic party of FDR. This is a multigenerational thing we’re talking about. I have hope Dkos will change his mind when the shit hits the fan. If not,o well.

Obama is out of touch on everything. It seems as if he is living in a different country from the one I see. Guess it must be that DC bubble – or is he just dumb as a stump?

“This is exactly the opposite of what the American people what.”

An axiomatic over simplification: From the dawn of the TV president in 1960 to the coup of 2000, public opinion was manufactured. Since 2000, it is irrelevant.

O isn’t out of touch. He *wants* to force austerity on the nation in order to redistribute wealth upward. Is there any doubt left?

Technically, a plurality of Republicans think it is more important to maintain current entitlement benefits than reduce the deficit, not a majority, but point taken.

Of course that what he’s doing, but to repeat my usual question, WHY? He’s set for life so why destroy out country.

I haven’t seen our Obama apologist around LATELY. Anybody know where oldgold stands on this?

WTF is up with wordpress? It’s getting to be a phone modem speed nightmare to post comments around here.

There are a few “regular” gadflies missing in action these days. Haven’t seen Ghostof911 either.

OTOH, we have the spammer selling handbags with no username at all, and the spam doesn’t get removed.

The situation of constantly f**king the middle class and cutting entitlements to seniors is not going to get better until people start hitting the streets in large numbers and putting some fear into the politicians. The protests have to be angry and there has to be some level of violence against government property.

Yes, sometimes violence is necessary to send a message.

Of course that what he’s doing, but to repeat my usual question, WHY? He’s set for life so why destroy our country?

Yeah, I think ghost gave up because we were riding him a bit over his opinion that HAARP was responsible for the earthquake in Japan.

It just ate my reply to you. Not sure what’s up, tech glitch probably.

Yeah, I’ve been having the same problem. Have to force quit my browser and reconnect to get comment posted.

How are you anyway? Settling into the job? How’s Neko coping?

no,he just does not give a crap

It seems that, though Obama has offered to cut Social Security and Medicare, a deal is still far away as reported by mainstream media.

I predicted last year that, after Obama and the Congress extended the Bush tax cuts which is worsening the deficit and debt situation while failing to achieve anything with respect to increasing economic growth and creating jobs, Obama and Congress would later pivot and use the debt and the deficit which they helped to exacerbate as an excuse to cut Social Security and Medicare.

Obama is stupid and corrupt. I would not be surprised if Obama now offered to privatize both programs.

What was the old saying? – “Don’t negotiate with terrorists” (unless of course the terrorists fund your campaign). In that case, the actions of many politicians in the Federal government is nothing less than TREASON!

It just ate my reply to you. Not sure what’s up, tech glitch probably.

Hmmm….

“A database connection error has occured. Please try again!”

No doubt here. I agree with you 100%. Obama knows who will be thanking him with millions of dollars in “speaking fees” (gratuities, really) when he leaves the White House in 2013.

@Margaret:
It just ate my reply to you. Not sure what’s up, tech glitch probably.

Hmmm….

“A database connection error has occured. Please try again!” Over and over.

I think I’ll give up and go to bed.

”…you can stand back and look at this planet and see that we have the money, the power, the medical understanding, the scientific know-how, the love and the community to produce a kind of human paradise.

But we are led by the least among us – the least intelligent, the least noble, the least visionary. We are led by the least among us and we do not fight back against the dehumanizing values that are handed down as control icons.”

~Terrence McKenna

Me, too. It gets tiring trying to deal with the mess.

Of course Obama knows that cutting Social Security + Medicare isn’t popular- that’s why he’s using this ginned up crisis to do it. Shock doctrine, don’t you know.

Politically, I bet Obama is just gunning for the idiot swing vote in a few key swing states (Florida, Ohio), thinking that the rest of us have no where else to go and won’t ever vote for the crazy tea-bagger Republican candidate, whoever that is. And the billion dollars he is going to raise from the vested interests is going to buy a hell of a lot of negative adds to help those idiot voters make their decision. Plus, the corporate media will be gushing with praise for how reasonable and responsibly centrist the guy is for gutting entitlements. As an added bonus, he knows that whatever progressives are left in the Democratic party can be bought off for a few trinkets or will never speak out against him for fear of losing the African American vote. They guy has a big head, but he isn’t stupid. He probably believes that Money = win and so he will do what the guys with the big bucks want done…

Because he’s a true believer neo-con, that’s why.

NewsHour Video and transcript here.

Kohut pointed out several times that Obama and the Republicans are proposing things almost completely opposite what the public wants to have done. The public by two to one favors tax increases, some cuts, but not messing with the social safety nets (SS, Medicare and Medicaid). Affluent Republicans don’t mind if SS and Medicare are screwed with, but middle, lower, and poor Republicans do not want these TOUCHED.

ANDREW KOHUT: Well, surprisingly, when you ask about what is more important, preserving benefits for Social Security and Medicare, by 2-1 — or reducing deficit or the debt — 2-1, people say, preserve — preserve our benefits.

There is very little give there. Now, Republicans are of the view — more of the view that reducing the — reducing the deficit should be given high priority. But even among Republicans, it’s really interesting. There is a big income divide. Affluent Republicans say it is more important to reduce the deficit, but poorer Republicans, middle-class and lower-middle-class Republicans say, no, no, protect our benefits.

JUDY WOODRUFF: And have — are these attitudes, Andy, that have changed over time, with all the attention that’s now being given to the size of the debt and the urgency of the problem?

ANDREW KOHUT: Well, a lot — people are willing to do a lot of things to reduce this deficit. Concern is at an all-time high.

But when it comes to entitlements, there’s no movement. It really is rock-solid when we see 2-1 margins.

JUDY WOODRUFF: And, again, entitlements meaning Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare.

ANDREW KOHUT: And even Medicaid. Having states raise the — make it more — reduce eligibility for Medicaid, not 2-1, but a solid majority say, no, let’s not do that.
SNIP
ANDREW KOHUT: And that is completely opposite to public opinion.

When we say, if push comes to shove, if you have to do something, what would you rather see with respect to these entitlements, revenues increased, or taxes increased, or benefits cut? People say, raise taxes, raise costs, but don’t cut those benefits.

JUDY WOODRUFF: And you see that across the board?

ANDREW KOHUT: See that across the board.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Republican — what about Republican vs. Democrat?

ANDREW KOHUT: Well, there is a gap on this, but when you get such large 2-1 margins and you have this class division within the Republican Party, that is potentially big stuff come election time. There will be a huge cry and howl if benefits are seen to have been — to have been cut here.

JUDY WOODRUFF: And so I hear you saying some of the public reaction is going to depend on how this is packaged, how it is described to the American people, whatever — if they come up with an agreement.

ANDREW KOHUT: Right.

I mean, there is support for raising the contribution cap, of doing some things like that. But the notion that the retirement ages will be delayed or in some way people are going to have to pay a larger share of their Medicare costs out of their pocket, all of those things are very, very unpopular.

My emphasis, and do note how Woodruff reacts to Kohut saying people want one thing, Obama and R’s are doing the opposite, so the takeaway is — that it needs to be SPUN, “packaged.” Oh, she is a true Versailles courtier.)

Obama does not work for us. Repubs do not work for us. ConservaDems do not work for us. Who does?

We do not have the wealth of the Top One Percenters, so we are useless — except for getting fooled to give them our votes.

Big 0′s aides say he’s trying to “strengthen” Social Security and Medicaid, programs that would be better left untouched rather than tinkered with to Wall Street’s liking. To me, strengthening would be boosting benefits, not cutting them. It reminds me of Gannett saying that cutting 700 jobs last quarter companywide is “strengthening” the organization with improved journalism. After a while, being talked to like a f*ing retard gets old.

I was wrong. I criticized my home state of Texas for continuously voting republican. I guess they knew obama for the lyin’ POS he is.

Strengthening will now morph into privatizing. You can count on Obama doing whatever his party ( the GOP) wants.

the people must lead. :)

Obama has gone golfing more that 200 times since having been elected. That and family vacations are where his focus is. Out-of-touch? Ya think?

We have a winner!