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Subscribe to RSSThe AP: “President Barack Obama plans to make a public case this week for his strategy for dealing with the looming fiscal cliff, traveling to the Philadelphia suburbs Friday as he pressures Republicans to allow tax increases on the wealthy while extending tax cuts for families earning $250,000 or less. The White House said Tuesday that the president intends to hold a series of events to build support for his approach to avoid across-the-board tax increases and steep spending cuts in defense and domestic programs. Obama will meet with small business owners at the White House on Tuesday and with middle-class families on Wednesday.”
USA Today: “Obama hits 'fiscal cliff' campaign trail.” Today, he meets with small business owners at the White House; on Wednesday, he holds an event at the White House with “middle-class Americans” who could be affected by higher taxes and hosts another “meeting with business leaders” at the White House; on Friday, he stops at a toy manufacturer in Hatfield, PA.
“The president's top economic adviser on Monday said Obama still believes the expiring payroll tax cut should be a part of broader fiscal talks, suggesting that an issue that some believed was settled months ago could see new life,” National Journal reports.
Hands off my Medicare (and Medicaid and Social Security)… The New York Times: “President Obama’s re-election and Democratic gains in Congress were supposed to make it easier for the party to strike a deal with Republicans to resolve the year-end fiscal crisis by providing new leverage. But they could also make it harder as empowered Democrats, including some elected on liberal platforms, resist significant changes in entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare.”
“President Obama practices some hemispheric diplomacy Tuesday, meeting with the incoming president of Mexico and taking about a major U.S. domestic issue: Immigration,” USA Today writes. “President-elect Enrique Pena Nieto stops by the White House late this afternoon.”
“With congressional opposition softening, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice could find her name in contention as early as this week to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state,” AP writes. “It’s a step that may signal greater U.S. willingness to intervene in world crises during President Barack Obama’s second term. As Obama nears a decision on who should be the country’s next top diplomat, Rice has emerged as the clear front-runner on a short list of candidates.”
“Americans are giving the White House low marks for how it's handled the terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and the resignation of former CIA Director David Petraeus, according to a new national survey. But according to a CNN/ORC International poll released Tuesday, a majority of the public doesn't believe the Obama administration intentionally tried to mislead Americans on the September attack that left the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans dead. And the survey also indicates a plurality have a positive opinion of Petraeus and are divided on whether the former top U.S. should have resigned as CIA director after acknowledging an extra-marital affair.”
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If you can't fix medicare and Social Security without destroying it, keep your blinking hands off of it. These are programs for the people, not the large corporations and the very rich who are only for themselves and no one else. Bottom line here is these are great programs for our nations seniors and I for one am enjoying them and looking forward to my kids and grand kids using them as part of their retirement and that won't happen if left to a republican majority. They want to privatize and profit from my getting old. I say to hell with republicans. No one in their right mind votes to shoot themselves in the foot like a middle class republican.
Not only do they shoot themselves in the foot John, they reload for a second and third shoot. They don't know when to stop shooting. Every time Fox or Limbaugh yells fire they shoot themselves again.
social security - the third rail of politics...don't touch it.
.
FORWARD...
If you think SS and medicare will be a burden on the younger population, then consider the burden on them if there was no SS or medicare to help them deal with an aging population.
Forrest said,
"If you think SS and medicare will be a burden on the younger population, then consider the burden on them if there was no SS or medicare to help them deal with an aging population."
SS and medicare are not the only burdens that the younger population have to bare, just wait until Obamacare costs start to add up and then the 16+TRILLION dollar debt and the interest to service this debt and BOOM... you have bankruptcy plain and simple... then no one will have anything!!
No need to consider not having these monsters until their gone!!
It will be Katie bar the door because all h-ll will break loose and I feel sorry for the poor slobs who will be in power because they will get the blame for this administrations mismanagement!!!
"It will be Katie bar the door because all h-ll will break loose and I feel sorry for the poor slobs who will be in power because they will get the blame for this administrations mismanagement!!!"
Yeah right Maxx because everything was in such good order before Obama was elected. Maxx if wages rose as much as health care costs in the last 25 years I would be making 211.72 an hour right now. Health-care promotes good health, good health is vastly cheaper than bad health. A fortune in my earning power has gone to health-care premiums over the years I am tired of paying for people who work cheap with no benefits and then use the emergency room as a clinic leaving those with insurance and the government to pick up the tab. You are gonna pay one way or the other, might as well distribute those costs more fairly and give those in need better access sooner. BTW we did not have such huge debt until we stopped collecting taxes at sensible rates.
SS and Medicare are not a burden. When has taking care of Americans ever been a burden?
It's our Patriotic duty to take care of one another.
Christ teaches us to take care of the poor.
Thank you Forrest. I get so sick and tired of people and the burden on their Children. I have two questions: Do our Children want Clean Air, Water, Education, Health Care for them and their future families? Do they want some kind of retirement guarantee when they get old, if the Stock Markets falls, Health Care, or will they be depending SOLELY ON THEIR CHILDREN to do this?
To Forrest
I should have said "all" the other administrations mismanagement's... it's not "fair" to dump this on Obama's door because things were not "great" when Obama took over but are they better now?? 6 Trillion more in debt and not really anything to show for it!!
Obamacareis a disaster and will bankrupt this country and you heard it from Maxx first... just remember that when the whole thing implodes because of the bureaucracy and costs then the "fairness" angle ain't going to cut it!! When the poorest of the poor can't see the doctor because the doctor pushes them down the list to take care of cash paying patients. What will the poor do then... go to the emergency room just like now, so you have not done one thing except take away a little bit of freedom from Americans who now have to pay for insurance because of the mandate!! Just wait until all the young people figure out they have to start paying for insurance they don't need because they are healthy but still have to have it because of the mandate... BOOM... They won't be able to buy a house or raise a family because they won't be able to save any money for the down-payment. Between health insurance premiums/fines and paying back the student loans they will never get ahead. Then there is the crushing debt (16+ Trillion) and federal/state/local taxes will have to go up in order to service and pay the debt and all the "goodies" out there. So where is the "fairness" then... I'll tell ya ... right on the backs of the middle class!! The middle class will be paying for Obamacare in the final analysis until it implodes and bankrupts the country!! Where is the fairness then?? Nobody will have anything... so where's the "fairness" then?? I'm not even to go into the impact of Obamacare on seniors because that's another disaster...
So you can look through those rose colored glasses about obamacare and the disaster it will become but it will not change the fact it will bankrupt this country!!
Where can I get some of those glasses??
On second thought, I'll just some that you can't see through because this is going to be a disaster!!
No Maxx it will not bankrupt the country, the middle class always carries the burden for the nations bills, they always have. The astronomical profits of the oil industry are only rivaled by the health-care and heath-care insurance industry, it will not bankrupt them or the country. Calm down Maxx I assure you it will not be as bad as you think it will be, and it is the right thing to do.
Only one in five companies offer working people a traditional retirement plan. Future retirees will be relying on 401Ks, IRAs, social security and medicare to live after retirement. The average savings for retirement is quite low ($75,000 or so) and housing equity, which many have been counting on as part of their retirement savings, has been significantly reduced for many families.
What will ordinary people do without social security? The rich will always be OK but most Americans need social security to be able to have a home and eat. Medicare is necessary for health care.
The need for social security is even greater when we consider that most people don't work for one company long enough anymore to become vested in a traditional retirement plan.
You are in fact educated! I have just over a million in my retirement account only because I have worked for about 30 years under union contracts with a defined contribution retirement benefit, and while that sounds like a lot of money the financial gurus tell me it is just about enough for me and the wife when I retire. Most companies do not wish to contribute anything these days, at best they will match your contribution to a 401K, that is mighty brave of them when in places like Texas the median income is $11.20 an hour, they know that there will be little or nothing that these people can save, so there will be nothing for them to match. The same people getting screwed like to complain about unions but I will tell you my union dues are the best investment I have ever made, bar none.
I want to know what the hell the fetish is with "traveling". All he has to do is call a news conference to present his case. Why go to "certain cities" to plead his case? Why not just park his a$$ in the WH where it belongs and stay in Washington?
Wait, I answered my own question. I forgot what a narcissist this guy is and I am sure with the election and campaigning almost a month behind us, he has to go get his "live audience love" fix to refill his ego. Can't do that on TV.
Reagan knew you had to take it to the people.
That's why Reagan proudly raised the capital gains tax rate on wealthy Americans from 15% to 28%.
Reagan learned that it was fair for Romney to be paying a 28% tax rate because Reagan left Washington and talked with middle class Americans.
I'll wait to see the news broadcast on that one. The film will be telling who is at his post campaign campaign speech and whether they are middle class or not.
to raise the age on medicare would be a disaster. to lower it and we wouldnt need ins pools.
the avg ss receipient rec ss for 16.7 years.
let the tax cuts end. let the new congress be sworn in. let new cuts for middle class be voted on by new congress.
Reagan raised the tax rate on capital gains for the top 2% to 28%.
It's time today's Republicans agree with President Obama and President Reagan. Raise the capital gains tax rate for people like Romney back to Reagan's 28% tax rate.
This Argument about Social Security is A PROPAGANDA LIE BY REPUBLICANS. There are ways to make Social Security Solvent and get the Waste out of Medicare. Right Now Democrats are not getting that message out over the Republican Propaganda Machine.
1. What if the Government raised the current salary requirements OVER $110,000 for Social Security Tax and Medicare. That would go a long ways to help. I would say people in that range of Salary are getting away when people in a lower salary don't get a break on any of their Salary in the form of Taxes.
2. Since when did those of us who have children that are now adults and those childen have suddenly become even better than the parents that have worked hard to raise and educate them, who are still paying taxes and we just made it possible for our children to be in a better position then we were at the same age. Why should I care about their Taxes when they reach my age and retirement and a I am still paying taxes. Are my children too good to pay for the Government that I have paid into for them?
Our Children's job is to make Government get the Waste Out and managed more responsibly.
3. If people saw what the Government really does and understood they would shut down the Republicans. Do these young people really want to Take care of their Elderly parents, when these same parents paid into a system and want benefits from that system in their older years.
Republicans are DOING A HEAD FAKE ON THE YOUNG PEOPLE about Social Security. If the Government will Stop Borrowing from it and get rid of the Waste and Mismangement it will be there for the Younger Generation. Republicans want you to pay it into the Stock Market - Well we know how that turns out.
You have CEO's out there who are BILLIONAIRES SAYING THAT PEOPLE ARE gaming the System after 25 years of Working. Ask the Construction Worker what his body is like after 40 years on the job, or the Waitress, Nurses, Policemen and Fire. Just to name a few of the Backbreaking jobs people have who ask for the money they put into a system while working, as these CEO's and Exceuctives get compensation into the MILLIONS and sit in a nice Clean Environment of Country Clubs, Golf, and Window view of the City for Offices that are bigger than Apartments some people have to live in with a family.
I get so sick and tired of the REPUBLICAN PROPAGANDA ON THIS ISSUE. I have two questions: Do our Children want Clean Air, Water, Education, Health Care for them and their future families? Who will fight the Wars on their behalf and how will it be paid for? Do they want some kind of retirement guarantee when they get old, if the Stock Markets falls,(Which it Will, because you have too much Republican Opposition to it being Cleaned up and making it Fair and Equitable for Everyone) Health Care, or will they be depending SOLELY ON THEIR CHILDREN to do this for them with Predatory Insurance Companies?
Here's a thought. Leave the Bush Tax Cuts in place for everyone. Then apply the SS and Medicare taxes on ALL FORMS OF INCOME and raise their respective income tax limits - now set at $108,000 I believe - to $250,000. Again, on all forms of income.
Additionally, retirees with income up to $108,000 would pay no tax whatsoever on any retirement income included in that amount. Incomes over $108,000 up to $250,000 would only see their retirement income included in that amount taxed at just 10%. For those with incomes over $250,000, all retirement income included in that amount would only be taxed at a 15% rate.
All incomes over $500,000 would also be subject to an alternative minimum tax rate of 15%. Again, on all sources of income.
Retirement income would be defined to include any and all sources - i.e. SS, IRAs, and pensions. Retirement age stays at 65 to receive SS benefits.