The public is ready for entitlement reform
A poll commissioned by Third Way, a moderate Democratic group, found that the coalition that elected Obama overwhelmingly backs a compromise that would include entitlement reform, a third rail that Democrats have long avoided touching.
The numbers reflect a new awareness even among liberals that the programs they feel are essential must be part of any grand compromise reached by Obama and the Republicans. Eighty-three percent of Obama voters say that reducing the deficit must be an important priority, and 79 percent say it would be better for Congress to address Social Security and Medicare than to do nothing.
Only 39 percent of Obama voters are concerned that the president will compromise too much with Republicans, which gives the president more flexibility from the voters than he is getting from the interest groups that represent them in Washington. The voters got the message that compromise is essential, but in Washington, the election results are being read by many Democrats as evidence that Obama should hold firm and resist any meaningful changes to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid…
“I could be hallucinating,” Kessler concedes, but he finds the Democratic caucus moving toward acceptance of changes in the programs they hold dear, bolstered by an increase in moderate New Democrats. They went from 42 before the election to over 50, making them a quarter of the caucus and a potentially decisive voting bloc.
Blowback
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Reforms from this group will consist of more spending and higher taxes.
Slainte on November 24, 2012 at 4:24 PM
The stupid is strong with this one.
davidk on November 24, 2012 at 4:25 PM
If they aren’t now, they will be by this time next year. And those still not ready for it then will be when they get their tax forms due April 15, 2014.
crosspatch on November 24, 2012 at 4:25 PM
What garbage. Even the Republicans are running away from entitlement reform and the Democrats are for spending even more.
What a deluded woman.
sharrukin on November 24, 2012 at 4:26 PM
They won the election by scaring Granny. Now that they’re back in office, they can toss Granny under the bus.
Wethal on November 24, 2012 at 4:29 PM
If the public was ready for entitlement reform, they wouldn’t have voted for 0bama.
Rebar on November 24, 2012 at 4:40 PM
First … “liberals” aren’t liberal.
Second … they’re only aware of what the left wants them to be aware of.
Third … they have no idea what the deficit is, or how much we actually spend or borrow.
Fourth … they’ll go along with anything the left tells them to.
darwin on November 24, 2012 at 4:45 PM
The only entitlement reform will be changing it from the rich pay more, the poor get all the benefits.
astonerii on November 24, 2012 at 4:46 PM
Clear the runway. The pigs are lining up for take off.
BullShooterAsInElk on November 24, 2012 at 4:52 PM
Hahahahahahaha…
Yeah. that’s why they voted for Obama, because his platform was based on entitlement reform and cutting spending.
LMAO
Everyone thinks government needs to be trimmed down. But nobody thinks their pet program should be cut.
ButterflyDragon on November 24, 2012 at 4:54 PM
What happened to the Lefties? Weren’t they capable of understanding Ryan’s ideas?
onlineanalyst on November 24, 2012 at 4:55 PM
Quick, somebody tell the Obamaphone woman that she is behind the curve.
onlineanalyst on November 24, 2012 at 4:57 PM
They are? Then why did a majority of them vote for the man with no plan who ran against reforming entitlements? C’mon.
rcpjr on November 24, 2012 at 5:06 PM
Um, no the public overwhelmy voted for free stuff, and more free stuff and even got extra money in their monthly EBT cards this month. I call B.S.
Key West Reader on November 24, 2012 at 5:06 PM
This is the beginning of the setup for the midterm elections. The Dems want entitlement reform but the mean Republicans want to take away too much so we just can’t reach an agreement and everything stays the same.
Aplombed on November 24, 2012 at 5:20 PM
Since 100% of Obama voters are morons capable of little beyond an infantile evasion of reality — and since telling the truth would require the ability to both know the truth and possess some inkling of shame — I’m surprised that those numbers are as low as they are … I’d have guessed 100% and 100%, respectively.
ShainS on November 24, 2012 at 5:24 PM
Is Third Way another name for the Coffee Party?
onlineanalyst on November 24, 2012 at 5:29 PM
Social Security has to be only for the elderly.
The OTHER “Social Security programs” that drain away the funds have to be sent to the states/locality, where states can choose to set things up or NOT. A lot of them seem a lot like welfare.
The SSI Disability program has got to stop. It is taking money meant to support our elderly relatives and giving it to others who are not elderly. Those people will get Social Security when they are elderly and NOT before. And in the BLUE states, SSI is exploited by social workers, lawyers, advocates, who think that if you have a mental illness or a child has ADHD, they should get extra money for medical needs. ?
No child should get an SSI check. No child should get a Social Security check because a parent is disabled. Social Security is for elderly people who are retired.
Social Securty should make clear what EVERY person gets back, if they get something back if they die before they collect anything. Is it a TAX or is it a personal savings program? G.W.Bush thought you should have a personal savings, democrats disagreed, and yet they want to give something back as if it was a personal savings.
It is not a life insurance program to support children. A death benefit should be a private option you pay into or not. Once they take all of these disparate things out of the program they can see if there is enough to make Social Security sustainable. They can point these other things in the direction of the states or private companies.
They are all outside the idea of a pension for the elderly.
Fleuries on November 24, 2012 at 5:59 PM
Third Way is the remnants of the Clinton/centrist wing of the Demoturd Party. They have about as much influence as Barack Obama does in Tehran.
Marxism is for dummies on November 24, 2012 at 6:00 PM
Because a good chunk chunk of that majority is people that don’t know anything about politics other than that they are supposed to get on the bus to the polling place and vote for the Democrat ticket. Obama lost the contest of ideas, it’s just that that wasn’t what determined the election.
Count to 10 on November 24, 2012 at 6:06 PM
And by “entitlement reform”, we mean you pay more in taxes and get less in benefits. We’re so progressive and good and awesome.
sDs61678 on November 24, 2012 at 6:07 PM
Yeah, they’re ready to eliminate all requirements to get entitlements. Free stuff for everyone!! Keep Obama in prezadint, you know? He gave us a phone!
The Rogue Tomato on November 24, 2012 at 6:29 PM
Medicare is a promise, and we will honor it. A Romney-Ryan administration will protect and strengthen Medicare, for my Mom’s generation, for my generation, and for my kids and yours. – Paul Ryan
And my campaign has made it very clear: the President’s cuts of $716 billion to Medicare, those cuts are going to be restored if I become President and Paul Ryan becomes Vice President. – Mitt Romney
“I will reverse President Obama’s massive defense cuts,” – Mitt Romney
“The president’s idea for Medicare was to cut it by $700 billion,” Romney said. “That’s not the right answer. We need to make sure we can preserve and protect Medicare.” – Mitt Romney
If you are against the runaway welfare state what do these guys have to offer?
If you believe that the spending has to stop then Obama made more sense if you believe these guys.
They presented themselves as the champions of the welfare state but if that is a priority for a voter then why not vote for Obama?
Their message was garbled, unbelievable and nonsensical. Their argument boiled down to presenting themselves as better managers of the pork barrel.
sharrukin on November 24, 2012 at 6:40 PM