15 DEMOCRATIC SENATORS PLOTTING TO CUT SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE

[avaistheone1]

EXCLUSIVE: Conrad, demanding Social Security commission, meeting with Obama tonight
by: Chris Bowers

One of the stories we have been following on Open Left is a threat from roughly 15 Senate Democrats that I have termed a "national suicide pact." Here is the threat:

These 15 Democratic Senators will refuse to raise the debt ceiling, thereby causing the United States to default on its debt by mid or late December. Such a default will vastly increase the overall amount the federal government has to pay on its debt.
UNLESS


Speaker Nancy Pelosi turns over Congressional power on Social Security and Medicare to an unelected commission that will almost certainly propose significant cuts in Social Security and Medicare benefits. The recommendations of this commission will be sent back to Congress in the form of legislation that cannot be amended, which will be granted a vote, and which will pass with the support of 60% of both branches of Congress.
I have learned from a source that Kent Conrad is meeting with President Obama, tonight. While the details of the meeting are unknown, Conrad is the ringleader of this group of Senate Democrats, and so it is highly likely that the meeting concerns the proposed independent commission for Medicare and Social Security.

We will only know what happens in the meeting based on future actions from Congress and the White House. There are four basic options:


http://www.openleft.com/diary/16185/exclusive-kent-conrad-demanding-social-security-commission-meeting-with-obama-tonigts



Kent Conrad on the job again screwing things up again beyond belief for ordinary Americans.

How does a Senator from a state like North Dakota get so much power?

[polichick]

1. But it's great to borrow for fake wars! INSANITY! nt

[KakistocracyHater]

44. I would prefer if Obama puts into the war-spending extension the $

to cover the rising costs of Medicaid, Medicare, & Social Security, & stop this insanity. No limits on war spending-from the so-called pro-life party, but cut & kill spending on Americans' health.
..."Here are 11 of the 15 Bayh is claiming:

1. Evan Bayh, Indiana
2. Mark Begich, Alaska
3. Michael Bennet, Colorado
4. Kent Conrad, North Dakota (not named in the link, but one of the ringerleaders)
5. Diane Feinstein, California
6. Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota
7. Joe Lieberman, Connecticut
8. Claire McCaskill, Missouri
9. Bill Nelson, Florida
10. Mark Udall, Colorado
11. Mark Warner, Virginia"....

[asjr]

2. The nasty 15 should each be asked

Did you vote us into war?

[debbierlus]

3. Jesus christ. Kick and recommend.

Fuckers.

[Triana]

4. These are NOT "Democrats"

They are REPUBLICANS. I don't give a DAMN what letter is behind their name - their ACTIONS are those of REPUBLICANS - screw the elderly and poor and those who can afford it the LEAST.

Cutting the budget is easy:

MAKE ALL CHURCHES PAY TAXES
MAKE ALL CORPORATIONS PAY TAXES on ALL their profits - eliminate the corprat-friendly loopholes
CUT ALL SENATE AND CONGRESSIONAL SALARIES BY HALF
GET OUT OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN BY JULY OF NEXT YEAR
ENACT SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE

Done. Well, I wish it was done. As it, it won't be. Makes too much SENSE. Pfft.

[geckosfeet]

18. Add cut defense spending by 5% annually.

[glinda]

5. North Dakota has oil. N and S Dakota the two States is the best shape financially also.

My husband and I are sunk if they make those cuts. I am sick to my stomach.

[Bitwit1234]

12. THAT is the only reason he can get his ED thrill without the blue pill.

He thinks he is a big shot by telling people what to do. It is a shame that real Americans don't get elected to congress. And it is a shame that lobbyist are not outlawed and there are not term limits 4 years is enough for a person to be in office.

[glinda]

24. I agree with everything except the term limits. Sometimes a person needs to be

in office longer to get things done unfortunately but at the same time some need to be out. Takes a long time to learn how things work also.

[Garam_Masala]

36. Term limits will get rid of these blowhards

drunk with power.

[pinto]

6. Chris Bowers is piling speculation on top of speculation here.

"While the details of the meeting are unknown"

"We will only know what happens in the meeting based on future actions from Congress and the White House"

Sen. Conrad holds some really awful positions - that's clear - but Bowers jumps to a tenuous conclusion in saying this one meeting - between the President and the Chair of the Senate Finance Committee - will result in broad policy changes.

[ProSense]

10. Speculation is the basis of most these types of complaints

followed closely by rumors.





edited to clarify.

[Lasher]

14. I'm skeptical too but the WSJ also ran a story on this.

And Bowers is not alone in at least part of his speculation.

In addition, the administration is being pressed by Messrs. Conrad, Gregg and 12 other senators -- Democratic, Republican and independent -- who demand action on a federal debt commission before they will approve any increase in the national debt ceiling.

If the debt ceiling isn't raised above its current $12.1 trillion level, the government will exceed its borrowing limits and could be forced to default on its debt. Treasury officials say the limit could be reached by mid-December.

"There are rare moments in this institution when you can implement fundamental change," Sen. Evan Bayh (D., Ind.) said during a budget hearing this month. "This is one of them."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125911304434363357.html

There is one reason to establish an 'independent' commission like this: So that they will come up with a foregone reccommendation, but want it to seem as though it was their idea because it is considerably unpopular.

I believe this might be eleven of the twelve Senators involved:

Evan Bayh, Indiana
Mark Begich, Alaska
Michael Bennet, Colorado
Kent Conrad, North Dakota
Diane Feinstein, California
Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota
Joe Lieberman, Connecticut
Claire McCaskill, Missouri
Bill Nelson, Florida
Mark Udall, Colorado
Mark Warner, Virginia

[niyad]

41. geez, my two idiots are on that list. guess I will hit the phones in the am

[jgraz]

7. Remind me again: what, exactly, is wrong with a "purge"?

:shrug:

[704wipes]

40. oh, I am voting to purge Bayh in 2010

I will vote for the fucking republican; at least he has the guts to put an 'R' behind his name, and I won't have to have any expectations of him that he won't fuck me in the ass over like Bayh does.

[Cleita]

8. I'll bet those tea baggers, who seem to be on Social Security and Medicare,

will have something to say about this. Send this to Ed Schultz. Kent Conrad is a buddy of his. If anyone will get to the bottom of this, it's Ed Schultz. I can't entirely believe that those Democrats would shoot themselves in the foot this way.

[DrToast]

9. So what's the solution?

Medicare already pays out more than it takes in. Social Security will be there soon.

What are we supposed to do?

[ProSense]

11. There is none,

unless these Senators hear from their constituents. How many people complaining here have a Senator among these 15? People keep making idle threats about primary challenges. The last real primary threat was Lamont in CT. Sestak is trying in PA, but are Democrats there going to vote against Specter?

[DrToast]

20. No, what's the solution to medicare and solcial security?

See my previous post.

[flpoljunkie]

25. Social Security could be fixed by raising the ceiling, with donut hole. Medicare's the big problem.

Reid's increase in the Medicare tax on income above $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for joint filers to 1.95% is a start. Reid is elevating the Med Pac Commission to the Executive branch and giving it more power. Someone needs to step in. We get lots of treatment and drugs in this country but with not so great outcomes. It's too bad Reid did not put negotiating for drug prices in Medicare in his bill, so now 60 votes will be needed to get to a vote. This would save Medicare billions and billions of dollars, Billy Tauzin! PhRMA will pull out all the stops to see this does not happen, of course.

We know Congress does not like to make the tough decisions. Senator Conrad knows that, as well.

[Garam_Masala]

37. Medicare can be fixed! There is ONLY ONE solution to Medicare...

and that is Rationing. People have become addicted to excessive doctor
visits, lack of good healthy living styles, demanding the latest and
greatest (read most expensive) treatments & procedures.

Let's face it we are spending beyond our means on health care.
If it is not reformed, nation goes bankrupt in 15 years.

[704wipes]

42. stop the wars that don't catch bin laden

nt

[Name removed]

13. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sharp_stick]

15. Unsubstantiated Rumors

piled on top of wild speculation and passed off as "news", pretty standard fare for blogging unfortunately. Getting mighty sick of blogging, it's worse than 24 hour noise channels.

[Cha]

23. The OP doesn't care..it's his Bitch Du Jour.

[whistler162]

16. I also understand 30 Senators plan to fly to the moon in

a yellow submarine!

[Skink]

17. Obama's got to start Vetoing stuff.

[bvar22]

19. "Privatizing Social Security and Medicare" has long been...

...a goal of the DLC.


The DLC New Team
Republican Lite ONLY!
Progressives Need NOT Apply

(Screen Capped from the DLC Website)

"I am a New Democrat!"...Barack Obama
http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=254931&kaid=85&subid=900184


They are already laying the groundwork through "Entitlement Reform".
Your "Public Option" has already been "privatized",
and the new Health Care Reforms may be the Trojan Horse for dismantling Medicare.

I DON"T trust these people.

[Cha]

21. Speculative bullshit and red meat

to those who need a freakin' rage du jour.

Have at it.

[ClarkUSA]

22. You're posting a misleading OP headline by a blogger w/zero sourcing & too much time on his hands.

:shrug:

[snot]

26. K&R'd. They HAVE to be double-agents!

[vaberella]

27. How are posts like these allowed? Seriously.

This blogger doesn't even a secret source. He's just talking out of his ass. Probably to cause drama in the Democratic community.

[Better Believe It]

30. Almost every informed liberal person is aware of this plan. You need to follow the news.

[vaberella]

31. There is no source at all!! If it's speculation in the democratic party---it's just specs. n/t

[Better Believe It]

32. Here's another credible source. Will you also challenge the facts in this article?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x19938

Will you be challenging this?

http://budget.senate.gov/democratic/statements/2007/hrngstmt_bipartisanfiscaltaskforcehearingconradremarks103107.pdf

Why do you dispute the facts in every article you don't like while refusing to offer any critique of those articles?

Do you really expect everyone to take your word for it without presenting any arguments and facts to back up your wild claims?

[ClarkUSA]

33. Since when is proposing a committee equate at all to what the OP is saying?

Same bullshit, different day. :eyes:

[girl gone mad]

38. Don't like it?

Go start your own message board.

[stevedeshazer]

28. Your source is crap. Happy Thanksgiving. Now go away.

[AlinPA]

29. Speckulation and hyberbowl.

[Better Believe It]

35. Read what these Senators have said about their plan to cut social security and Medicare benefits.

Their plan is hardly a secret.

So why are you denying it?

Senators Kent Conrad and Judd Gregg propose a commission to cut Social Security/ Medicare benefits.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x19938

[madfloridian]

34. In 1997 the DLC flat out said to privatize education, Soc, Sec., and Medicare.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/4710

It angers me that so many are in denial.

[girl gone mad]

39. Is it denial or just deflection?

I have to wonder.

No one can say we weren't warned.

[democracy1st]

43. It's going to be interesting to see how the pres comes out on this!

[a kennedy]

45. Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota

http://klobuchar.senate.gov/seniors.cfm

[Sebastian Doyle]

46. FUCK the DLC

We will never move this country forward until that cancer is removed from the Democratic party. :grr: