Food for thought

~ susie


Matt Yglesias says if there are going to be cuts to Social Security, they should happen right away to everyone, including current recipients. And I have to admit, he has a point.

Because the “of course we’ll exempt everyone 55 and older” from getting their promised benefits is just how the politicians on both sides of the aisle are covering their asses as they toil away for the banker class, and maybe it’s time those shiny pink butts should be exposed to the light.

Not to mention, this is classic “divide and conquer” strategy. We should stick together. We should present a united front. You want to cut Social Security? Then you need to face the universal wrath of the voters in the next election, instead of putting some of us in a protected class. (Of course, it’s a rather desirable side effect that if we do present a united front, the chances of actual Social Security cuts drop precipitously.)

This could be our Egypt moment. Just as Christians surrounded the Muslims at prayer, we should surround the younger generation with our promise that if they try to take their future Social Security, they’ll have to go through us.

You cut one, you cut us all. How about it?

Published by susie

8 thoughts on “Food for thought”

  1. Ever notice that when “shared sacrifice” is called for how seldom those being sacrificed have a voice in who and what gets sacrificed?

    Everything may be on the table, as Obama likes to say, but not everyone is at the table.

    Nor their representatives.

    Remember when “everything was on the table” concering Obama’s health insurance profit protection plan?

    Except that from the gitgo Obama took Medicare for All Improved (single payer) OFF the table. And then he would say Medicare for All could not be discussed because…it was “off the table”!!

  2. Also, since the Tip O’Neill/Ronald Reagan SocSec funding agreement in the early 1980’s, everyone paying into SocSec has paid extra, paid forward to build the trust fund up high enough to cover the Baby Boom Bulge. And the full SocSec retirement age has been moved up, now at 66*.

    Anyone who was downsized or laid off close to retirement age and has been unable to find a job is almost forced to early SocSec, which results in life long lower monthly payments.

    Then, of course, Republicans said cutting taxes for the wealthy was they way to unending economic growth (NOT, of course), and now they’re stamping their feet and demanding that those whose wealth was redistributed upwards to the Uberwealthy have to pay for that redistribution by having their SocSec cut!

    WOW! And the Big O? He’ll give the Repubs what they’re so eager to achieve. Just heard on WNYC that Obama and Boehner have agreed to release their entitlement plans on the same day, so no one will have to go first and be attacked by the other side. (Geez, Obama, no matter what you do, they will attack you. Until they destroy the Democratic base and thus the Democratic Party.) It will be Bush Tax Cuts Redux.

    Again, with shared sacrifice, very few of this being sacrificed have any voice in what happens to them.

    *Back in the 80’s, it never occurred to me I wouldn’t be working until I was 66. But I was downsized, in a large group which was predominantly near or over 50. Gee, wonder why that was…. Anyway, I also never dreamed I would get cancer. But, stuff happens. More and more people won’t be able to get what is called full SocSec as they won’t be able to be employed until that age.

    For those who say everyone’s living longer: Not true. Well, it’s true for those with higher earnings. Actual life expectancy has been falling for those in the lower earning ranges.

  4. Also, cutting current recipients, along with other cuts, should put us into a second dip of the current recession for some/depression for others.

    Thus, it might lead to even fiercer anger among the electorate. Perhaps even change. Or at least the Powers That Be might be forced to cull the herd with real bullets, not just letting some freeze to death.

  5. Good idea about the Social Security. Those two full time jobs I was planning to cut loose three years from now when the SS kicks in – jobs a twenty-something could do – guess I’ll be hanging onto them until the twenty-somethings who could have had them are forty-somethings. Way to go. You showed me. I feel much more committed now to fighting for your Social Security.

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