The Democrats’ coming civil war
The biggest reform Republicans have vowed to push for in these upcoming standoffs is so-called “entitlement reform,” a.k.a. “deficit reduction,” a.k.a., cutting social insurance and benefits for those in need.
The problem for Democrats: No one in the party agrees on how to address the issue.
The White House has repeatedly expressed a willingness – even an interest – in reducing the deficit through cuts to these programs. In his recent negotiations with Republican House Speaker John Boehner, the President floated cutting benefits to Social Security through a new cost of living index called “chained CPI” that would essentially revise down the government’s estimates of how much seniors need to cover their expenses. The result, of course, would be reduced benefits. …
But coming on the heels of a campaign that explicitly litigated the twin issues of tax fairness and protecting benefits for those in need, Obama finds himself with a growing, emboldened liberal wing of his party. And it’s as dead set against balancing the deficit on the backs of the neediest Americans, as House conservatives are to raising taxes.
Blowback
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If a party has a civil war and the media doesn’t cover it, did it really happen?
Washington Nearsider on January 3, 2013 at 8:34 AM
Ding ding ding WN
The only civil war lsm wants to talk about is boehner v Cantor
cmsinaz on January 3, 2013 at 8:37 AM
How do you take an article seriously that has “Obama vs. the liberals” in the subtitle?
BKeyser on January 3, 2013 at 8:43 AM
Okay… started to read this crap sandwich just to see how ridiculous it would get and had to stop at this little gem:
“So-called ‘entitlement reform’”. Brilliant. This is the problem the country faces- reporters will literally lie to their readers by making the overt interest that entitlements don’t need to be reformed. What a disgusting, lying POS.
BKeyser on January 3, 2013 at 8:48 AM
This
CantCureStupid on January 3, 2013 at 8:51 AM
It still amazes me the depths of delusion that these liberal journalists operate under when it comes to their Messiah. That the Libs at Buzzfeed believe Obama gives a damn about reducing the deficit regardless of any lip service he may occasionally pay to it is truly astounding. These clowns still have no clue who this man is.
Kataklysmic on January 3, 2013 at 8:55 AM
There is a civil war on the progressive side coming. It may or may not be this year but when either the will of people or reality asserting itself forces our political class to deal with out of control spending there is going to be a mad scramble among Democrat client groups to keep their publicly provided booty. The Democrat coalition is held together partly because government and spending has expanded at a pace that has allowed Democrats to provide pay outs to all their client groups. Those days are coming to an end at both the state and federal level.
gwelf on January 3, 2013 at 9:03 AM
Just keep humming Blondie’s “Call Me”…..
Substituting with “Buy Me”
tomg51 on January 3, 2013 at 9:16 AM
We really need to quit calling some things entitlements.
You contribute to Social Security with a promise that you’ll get it at some future time..you are entitled to that return on it.
But an Obamaphone or food stamps or housing … that is charity, via a government that takes it from others at the “point of a gun” so to speak.
NB for Libbies: I know it isn’t an “Obamaphone” as the program started administrations earlier. But that’s the meme…deal with it.
ProfShadow on January 3, 2013 at 9:24 AM
The Prog “civil war” I would most like to see would be between the Green extremists and the Race Industry. They are both at total odds with each other. Sprinkle in a few Union Thugs and let the fun begin!
visions on January 3, 2013 at 9:26 AM
How are you fighting?
How are you organizing?
Or do you just accept slavery? Do you not mind the destruction of America? Why do you not fight? Are you unable? Are you not smart enough?
Fight. Get organized.
GardenGnome on January 3, 2013 at 9:27 AM
No you aren’t. They lied to you. Since the 60′s, we have known that the SCOTUS ruled you don’t have a claim to that money. It is just another revenue stream into the Federal Government.
Even though they send you a little paper every year saying what you will get at certain points in time, that is a perpetual lie. It isn’t a contract, it isn’t a promise. It is a law that could be changed at any time and you would have no recourse to get that money back.
cptacek on January 3, 2013 at 9:42 AM
No, you aren’t. You paid into nothing.
Social security is a tax. The law was written as such and was found by the courts to be such. You are entitled to no more return on social security taxes than you are on any other tax. Yes, the government is lying to you, but you should have known better. There is no trust fund, it doesn’t exist.
At this point, people asking for “returns” on their social security taxes are asking other peoples’ children to fund their retirements.
Doomberg on January 3, 2013 at 9:44 AM
The war has already started in the bankrupt blue municipalities around the country, and with the battle between Emanuel and the teacher’s union in Chicago (sure, Emanuel basically surrendered, but it was a preview of coming attractions).
But Mr. Nearsider is correct: it will not be televised. The Courtier Media won’t allow it to go on the radar.
And, yeah, it’s pretty hilarious that the Courtiers want to pretend that Mr. 5 Trillion Debt really wants to do something about spending. It’s bad enough they pretend he has any inkling there’s a problem.
DRPrice on January 3, 2013 at 10:22 AM
@gwelf Well said.
tommy71 on January 3, 2013 at 10:39 AM
Who would have guessed no one could find the “right way” for a Ponzi scheme to work itself out without screwing someone over?
ButterflyDragon on January 3, 2013 at 10:47 AM
Wow. BuzzFeed sure is objective and unbiased, aren’t they? /mega-sarc
KS Rex on January 3, 2013 at 11:04 AM