In a remarkable turn of events over the proposed deficit plans to allow for a raising of the debt ceiling, Democratic Representative John Conyers spoke out and blasted President Obama as the primary individual who put forth cuts in Social Security as a compromise in getting a deficit deal accepted. In a speech given by the 'Out of Poverty' caucus on August 1st, Representative Conyers called for a march on the White House in protest, and said that neither John Boehner, nor the House Republicans, are at fault in this proposal, and that cuts to Social Security came directly from President Obama.
(See video of speech to the left of this article)
In the speech, Conyers said, "We’ve got to educate the American people at the same time we educate the President of the United States. The Republicans, Speaker Boehner or Majority Leader Cantor did not call for Social Security cuts in the budget deal. The President of the United States called for that. My response to him is to mass thousands of people in front of the White House to protest this."
The fact that the President is choosing cuts in Social Security over his healthcare plan, pork projects, wasteful government agencies such as the EPA, Department of Education, and the Department of Energy, shows that the White House is preferring to use this hot button expenditure for political motivation, which will undoubtedly inflame many Americans who rely upon these monthly checks. Social Security payments are in fact, not the problem, as a report by the Treasury Department in June showed the government took in more than $50 Billion in SSI revenues, and only needs to pay out less than half that in August benefits.
The more Americans look at what is being considered by the Congress and the President on deficit spending cuts, the more they realize that neither side desires much change to the status quo. Republicans are fighting to keep defense cuts out of any plan, and Democrats are pushing for more tax increases versus actual spending cuts in current programs.
By the President being called out by one of his own party Congressman, and blasted in public for offering to cut Social Security entitlements, places Obama in a difficult situation. Social Security is an issue that both the public and members of his own party do not want touched, and in the end may it lead some Democrats in Congress to move over to the side of the Republicans if a deficit bill is eventually passed.
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