Of course, the Republicans will “grandfather” (heh) in the current retirees and those on the verge. It seems as if The Olds have been getting increasingly self-centered and selfish as of late, not to mention angry at Those Darned Kidz!! So raising the retirement age for everybody else won’t lose them the elderly vote.
It’s a win! And Joe Biden will be blamed for any full or partial default.
If you listen to my people, white working class, when having a beer or 2 you will learn they will repeat word for word what they heard on radio or Fox.
If you ask what proof you will learn they heard on the radio driving to work and on Fox TV and that is all
that is needed.
Let me see if I understand the Republican thinking. The Republican base is made up primarily of senior citizens and those closely approaching senior citizen status. They want to hold the credit worthiness of the United States hostage in exchange for cuts to social security and similar programs intended to help seniors. In what universe is that smart politics? Do they really expect their voters not to realize that Republican politicians are throwing the Republican base under the bus? Republican politicians have to be beholden to some pretty stupid oligarchs to let that happen.
Bush had to back down when he floated privatizing social security. The seniors didn’t believe him when he said he wasn’t going to touch their retirement. They also didn’t want their kids hurt.
Many of them still understand that you don’t say the quiet parts out loud. Doesn’t mean they won’t vote to cut the earned benefits once in power.
Why not? It worked so well for GWB after the 2004 election. Let’s do it House and Senate GOPs! We’ll wrap your shiite around your 2024 POTUS candidates’ necks too.
They’re never even going to get 218 votes to agree on what their Social Security and Medicare cuts should be, which means they won’t have any hostage for the debt ceiling vote. So all that remains is failing to raise the debt ceiling for its own sake.
“There’s a set of solutions there that we really need to take on if we’re going to get serious about making these programs sustainable and getting this debt bomb at a manageable level before it’s too late,” he said.
“Typically, I think there’s been a pretty broad bipartisan understanding that default’s not an option,” he added, playing down the potentially catastrophic implications of his party’s brinkmanship. “But at the same time I think there’s an understanding that this does create an opportunity especially if the pressure’s on one side to deliver that outcome.”
There’s so much to say about Thune’s comments here. For now, though, I’ll just observe that if the “pressure” he speaks of is to avoid default, it seems to me that GOPers are just as susceptible to it as the Dems are.
Speaking of which: I’m really curious to hear what McConnell’s thoughts are on this strategy.
Rather than playing defense on this Biden should come out today and announce his plans for EXPANDINBG Social Security and Medicare. How about adding a real dental benefit to Medicare? How about allowing those 55 and older to buy into Medicare? How about lowering the age for retirement back down to 65 for full retirement. I could go on and on. Why just stand there and say “we’re not gonna do that?” Also, get Bernie Sanders involved. he has some great ideas for eliminating the earnings cap. Fuck the GQP.
The debt ceiling is Moscow Mitch’s only red line that I know of. The oligarchs are not on board with cratering the economy for chuckles and grins.
If Republicans and Democrats are going to have a fight over Social Security, let’s have a fight. Show seniors whose side the parties really are.
Rick Scott wasn’t up for reelection, but his 11(?)-point plan for a GOP majority in the Senate talked about imposing sunset laws on entitlement programs. So, sort of implicitly, all Republicans did, even if McConnell said that and Scott’s proposed taxing of everyone would be dead in the water if the GOP gained a majority.
Some of them are, especially some of them who own congressmen.
How about we increase the threshold of Social Security’s upper limit to $350,000 instead of increasing the age limit to participate?
I agree. But Democrats should be the ones saying we want to add to what you already have and the GQP wants to take away from what you already have. Make the contrast as stark as it can be. Remind the voters which party created and gave them Social Security. This is NOT an opportunity the Democrats should let pass. You’d be surprised how many voters have no clue about the history of Social Security. This is also and educational moment.
A lot of those same kids are caretakers for their elderly parents too.
Reading the comments I think people are caught up in 2-dimensional thinking.
First, both the Rs and Ds have access to copious polling data and focus group info on the various scenarios. Rs are pushing their plan because it appeals to the donor class – who want to avoid paying the inevitable tax increases needed to cover SS and Medicare long term. Rs also know that their media echo chamber will effectively blame Ds for everything to satisfy the people they are screwing in the process. So they feel safe pushing this plan.
OTOH, Ds know that any change to SS and Medicare – even if scoped to impact only younger people – can be easily spun as an attack on their benefits. So they don’t feel the impetus to help the Rs out of their predicament of having to do the unpopular bidding of their big-money donors, especially if they need to take the economy hostage to do so. They know polling shows that Rs always get blamed for shutdowns and hostage-taking among independents and the majority of Americans who are not FOX NEWS only media consumers. Plus, it don’t play in the suburbs.
Ds have lots of plays here, particularly holding the Senate. They can pass what sounds and looks good to most people, and force the Rs in the House to take it or kill the economy and take the blame for it just to satisfy their donors. And Biden and Treasury can make some moves to extend the debt ceiling in time if not in value until it’s an election year again.
It’s like they’re playing “What Demographic Can We Piss Off Now?”
Almost as though they know they have tilted the election tables so much in their favor that they can get away with anything to keep the funding flowing.
Well be my guest. Use an unpopular method to achieve a horrifically unpopular policy. Yup! That’s the ticket.
This in your face crap has worked for these fools for a long time. The rubes get wet in the pants over it and the media portrays it as tough. However, if they cared to notice the majority of folks are sick of it. As in the majority you need to stay in power. So get 'er done GOP.
I don’t understand why they are touting this. Of course they want to do it - but what is the benefit of broadcasting it? For such manipulative, devious assholes, it seems monumentally stupid.
They’ve leaned to embrace diversity. This policy’s designed to piss off everybody.