While Americans claim to, in the abstract, care about the deficit, they overwhelmingly don’t want entitlement programs cut to reduce the deficit, according to the new Pew Research poll. The public overwhelmingly regards Social Security as a program that has been good for the country, with 87% holding that view. More than three-quarters (77%) also [...]

It was clear from the inception of the deficit reduction Super Committee that it was designed for the purpose of cutting entitlements, especially Social Security benefits. The Super Committee proposal was given the same protection from a filibuster as debate on a reconciliation bill, but the Super Committee proposal is not subject to the same [...]

It is theoretically possible that Obama will only call for applying the payroll tax to incomes above $107,000–that being the only “fix” to Social Security supported by the American people and would give the program near infinite solvency–but I highly doubt it. Most likely, our deficit-hawk-in-chief is going to call for some form of cuts to Social Security benefits.

I previously wrote how from a policy perspective I think it would be idiotic for progressives to even allow the idea of changing Social Security to be entertained right now, but it is equally important that elected Democrats realize that from a purely political perspective, refusing to make any changes to Social Security is an [...]