The “grand bargain” that Americans are seeking is a grand commitment to a good life for all Americans than can be defined in very specific terms for government performance.
Talking about “entitlement reform” is ludicrous without addressing fundamental issues and values about the American economy. The current economic model of mixed capitalism has reached an entropic dead end. Capitalists who are clinging to oil are holding America back from a clean pursuit of solar energy and other renewable sources that will ensure economic sustainability. Dripping in legacy wealth, the 1% are hoarding America’s future.
Trivial is that President Obama stands behind Social Security and Medicare as that is why he was elected. Turning away from the responsibility would be an impeachable offense against voters.
Surely adjusting the retirement age based on actuarial evidence is an acceptable consideration. Surely linking cost of living adjustments to the consumer price index is alright so long as the CPI calculations are not too far behind. You see the issue is to keep benefits in pace with the present living situation. Politicians should speak about specifics.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way are the operative words for all that apply.
“Obama stands firm on entitlement reform in talk with Senate Dems
By Alexander Bolton and Justin Sink - 03/13/13 05:00 AM ET
President Obama will meet with the House Republican conference on Wednesday for the first time since June 2011.
It will also be the first time he has visited his main antagonists on Capitol Hill on their own turf since 2009 — just a week after he took office and when they remained a House minority.
The meeting continues an outreach effort launched by Obama over the past few weeks that will see him meet with all four congressional caucuses on Capitol Hill.The effort is aimed at reaching a grand bargain deficit-reduction deal by the summer, though Obama is also expected to address his entire second-term agenda, including gun control, immigration reform and smaller-bore issues like raising the minimum wage and passing a new cybersecurity law.
The action started Tuesday in the Senate with Obama’s meeting with upper chamber Democrats.
Though they are his most powerful congressional allies, there is tension in that relationship too given fears of liberal Democrats that Obama will make too many concessions with House and Senate Republicans on entitlement cuts, all in the hope of reaching a deficit deal.Obama stood firm Tuesday when pressed to back away from benefit cuts during the meeting with the Senate Democratic Conference, according to lawmakers who attended.
Comments