The reality about the social security thing.

[DanTex]

It's not true that Biden has spent his whole career trying to cut social security, and also that one video going around is clearly taken out of context. On the other hand, Biden has many times said things that are supportive or open to cutting social security. Also, he was part of the Obama administration that included cuts to social security in its proposed budget. So it's not just nothing.

Side note: no politician says "cut social security", not even Republicans. Instead they talk about "adjustments", but these adjustments are things like reducing cost of living adjustments like Obama proposed, or raising the age, or whatever, which are in fact cuts because they result in people getting less social security.

So, yeah, Biden has been a bit soft on social security, and if he's president there's a chance he would propose cuts like Obama did, maybe as part of a "grand bargain." How big a chance? I don't think it's very big, after he saw the backlash Obama got. But it's definitely a bigger chance than with Bernie or Warren, with whom there's pretty much zero chance. Actually, I think Pete takes home "most likely to cut social security" among the leading contenders.

Final point. This isn't the end of the world, and it doesn't mean Biden is a right-wing sellout corporate tool or whatever. It just means he's more of a centrist than some other candidates, and centrists are more likely to be deficit hawks and are more likely to do things like look to make "grand bargains" and find common ground with Republicans.

[Gothmog]

1. sanders is on record calling for Social Security cuts

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[DanTex]

5. Sure, but let's be serious.

Who do you think would be more likely to propose cuts to social security as president? Clearly Biden. In fact, as part of the Obama administration, he has already proposed cuts to social security.

That Bernie story is a good "gotcha" soundbite (and I'm actually surprised he said that), but over the years Biden has been far more open to social security and medicare cuts than Sanders or Warren.

Biden actually is a centrist, so it's not like it would be out of character for him to accept social security cuts as part of a budget deal. Centrist can be good or bad, depends on who you ask. But being a centrist comes with centrist policies.

[Thekaspervote]

11. This is your opinion...and that's all it is, an opinion.

If Joe Biden said he isn’t into making cuts then this is the truth of it!! He doesn’t lie or make campaign promises he can’t keep

[Demsrule86]

14. That is not true...people talk shit...it is politics even Sander as we have seen...but look at the

votes. Biden has an 89% favorable rating on SS...this is the same as Ted Kennedy's. The only vote either of them took that could be considered a cut was to raise the age for SS in 85 after a crushing defeat for our side. So spare me the nonsense. Biden has not and will not cut social security in fact he has called for increasing it.

[DanTex]

17. He was on board with Obama's proposed social security cuts.

Yes, people talk shit. But Biden's comments about cutting social security over the years are totally in line with his centrism. And like I said, to the extent that he is running on Obama's legacy, that legacy includes proposing to cut social security.

[Demsrule86]

23. He was the VP of course he was, but if you think Obama was really going to do it...than you are

just plain wrong.

[Skittles]

18. I don't trust either one of them

again, I cannot believe who is left in this race and who is not

[Cha]

30. NO BIDEN WOULD NOT.. Thanks for NOTHING trying

to push that.

[Squinch]

2. I believe the REAL reality about the SS thing is that it's the product of Russian ratfuckers.

You're a moron if you fall for it, spread it or believe it.

[revmclaren]

6. ....

X1000

ONLY!!! 2020 and beyond.

[DanTex]

7. It wasn't Russians that proposed SS cuts in 2013, it was the Obama administration.

This is a real thing.

[Thekaspervote]

12. CPI is not making cuts!! Get real

[DanTex]

15. Of course it is. If it had passed, people would be getting smaller SS checks.

What else could possibly be the definition of a cut?

[Demsrule86]

16. Well, we were trying to get the GOP to the table and not to ruin the economy by refusing to increase

the debt ceiling shutting down the government and of course there was sequester...that is what happens when you don't back the president in the (10) midterms and we lose the house. That was Obama's deal and I don't think he ever intended to do it...it was floated to entice the GOP to the table.

[DanTex]

19. Sure, it was partly political.

And it didn't go anywhere. But still, he put social security cuts out there, and was criticized heavily, and correctly IMO, for doing that. Who knows what would have happened if the GOP decided to play along?

And the thing is, I imagine Biden sees this the same way you do, that offering social security cuts as part of a "grand bargain" is something to be considered. He definitely has seen it that way in the past. The candidates further left, Bernie and Warren, don't.

[Squinch]

21. Da, droog! And it warms Vlad's heart to see Democrats ripping at each other over it.

We have one job. Only one.

[guillaumeb]

3. Recommended.

An excellent explanation.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. The reality about the social security thing is he'll do what the party wants.

/thread

[MarcA]

8. Democrats should Not be part of another Grand Bargain. n/t

[at140]

9. Social Security is already being cut!

Recipients received 1.6% raise for year 2020. Who in their sane minds thinks the necessities for seniors have inflated only 1.6% in 2019? Note that seniors spend mostly for necessities such as:

groceries
rent
property tax
doctor's bills
hospital bills
medicines
health insurance
electricity
heating & a/c

I shop for groceries, and those have inflated way more than 1.6%
Ditto with hospital bills, doctor's bills, prescription drugs.

I understand CPI includes many other items, but seniors do not have much money left to spend on
discretionary items.

[David__77]

10. I think what you say is true.

I do sort of appreciate the assertions against cutting or freezing Social Security. I’m hopeful that “grand bargain” and austerity generally become considered to be “third rails.”

[Demsrule86]

13. Sanders is on record as saying exactly the same thing Biden did.

[DanTex]

20. That's totally false. He's on the record that one time talking about "adjustments",

which, yeah, is usually code for "cuts", although in Bernie's case I actually think he meant adjusting the tax base. But in any case, Biden has talked specifically, and on multiple occasions, about changing cost of living and/or about raising the age. When Obama proposed cutting social security, Bernie protested, while Biden was on board.

[Demsrule86]

22. It is exactly the same thing he accuses Biden of...exactly.

[DanTex]

25. It's really not. Obviously. This is silly.

[gulliver]

24. Smaller chance Biden will "sell out" Social Security than that Sanders or Warren will lose.

Winning the election predominates any discussion. With Sanders or Warren as our nominee, the risk is that any marginal advantage they have in a given liberal issue category is wiped out by their much greater likelihood of losing to Trump.

[blm]

26. Wrong. Any of our top candidates CAN and WILL defeat Trump.

Trump has already lost 2-5% of his 2016 voters in swing states.

[DanTex]

27. Yes, winning the election is the most important thing by far.

I'm not sure if you're right that Biden has the best chance to win, but you are definitely right that winning the election predominates everything else. The reason I'm undecided is because I don't have any confident opinion on who is most likely to beat Trump.

I still think it's kind of silly to dispute things that are obvious, though. Obviously, Biden is more likely to propose social security cuts, like Obama did. It also goes the other way sometimes, like obviously Bernie is more likely to fold on gun control. Also, obviously, most of what Bernie and Warren are proposing has no chance of getting through congress. And so on.

But the clearest thing is that any of them is a thousand times better than Trump.

[Cha]

31. NO BIDEN IS NOT.. Stop PUSHING THAT

BULL.

"It's like me going back and pointing out how Bernie voted against the Brady Bill five times while I was trying to get it passed when he was in the House, or how he voted to protect gun manufacturers," he continued. "He's made up for that, he's indicated that was [the] past."

When asked whether he would cut Social Security benefits as president, Biden responded, "No, no, no, no."

"My support for Social Security has been solid my entire career," Biden said. "I did join with a lot of other Democrats to make sure we fix Social Security."

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287440450

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

FALSE!

Link to tweet

[Farmer-Rick]

28. Well done, balanced and informative

Good post

[I_UndergroundPanther]

29. There is no common ground

With traitors añd sociopaths.