Obama Prepared to Sell Out Rank and File Democrats on Medicare

[Better Believe It]

And at his news conference today President Obama once again indicated his willingness to put cuts in Social Security and Medicare benefits on the table as part of a grand bi-partisan deficit compromise. BBI

Obama Prepared to Sell Out Rank and File Democrats on Medicare to Enhance Personal Brand
By: Jon Walker
June 28, 2011

Rank and file Democratic incumbents and candidates could conceivably ride the Medicare privatization issue to victory in 2012, just as they did in 2006 after George Bush attempted to privatize Social Security. As a result, Mitch McConnell has said that Medicare cuts must be a part of any “grand bargain” on the debt ceiling.

Unfortunately, many news outlets are now reporting that President Obama is actively trying to hand over this political edge to the GOP in order to get a debt ceiling deal. From Politico:

For their part, Obama and Reid appear prepared to reach much higher, putting substantial Medicare savings on the table if Republicans would accept added revenues. With the House GOP leadership in New York, all of Monday’s White House maneuvering was Senate-centric. But Obama’s hope is that Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), with whom he met privately last week, will be intrigued by a bolder package that might also help neutralize the Medicare issue now hurting the GOP among elderly voters.

Getting Republicans to sign onto a deal could enhance Obama’s personal brand. It would show him to be a serious “deficit hawk,” able to rise above partisan politics and cut a deal. But he would be helping himself at the expense of everyone else in the party. By giving the Republicans the political “out” they want on Medicare privatization, Obama could be dealing a devastating blow to everyone else in his own party who hoped to use the Ryan vote against their GOP opponents in 2012.

http://elections.firedoglake.com/2011/06/28/obama-prepared-to-sellout-rank-and-file-dems-on-medicare-to-enhance-personal-brand/



President Barack Obama talks with Chief of Staff Bill Daley below a portrait of Ronald Reagan in the Cross Hall of the White House, March 3, 2011.

[aquart]

1. Not like anyone would be shocked.

They took his measure the first day and he's been backing down ever since.

After all, HIS grandmother is already dead.

[damntexdem]

2. If he does, the Senate needs to refuse to go along.

And if the Senate also caves, the Dems are dead -- in part because I and many others will walk away. And the aged will walk away. The Party COULD be destroyed over this; just as the country could.

[kath]

14. If this happens, the Party DESERVES to be destroyed, because then it will be CRYSTAL clear that they

no longer give a flying fuck about anyone but the wealthy.

[Name removed]

Deleted message

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[PATRICK]

3. More than possible

but the conference made it seem to me more like discussions of cost cutting than benefit tinkering.

[OKNancy]

4. firedoglake quotes politico...

I'd go directly there if I wanted to read this crap.

[Stinky The Clown]

17. Can you refute the essentail facts?

Did he or did he not indicate a willingness to cut holes in the social safety net?

Not arguing the right of wrong of those cuts, just whether or not he has signaled his willingness to make them.

[JimGinPA]

18. There Are NO Facts In This OP - Strictly OpEd Conjecture

At least this poster was able to include a picture of what I suspect is it's favorite President.

[somone]

5. The Outcome is Preordained

http://www2.tbo.com/mgmedia/image/500/0/123758/aptopix-obama-boehner-golf-18902631jpg

[JoePhilly]

6. Obama Bad Obama Bad Obama Bad

Politico reports on non-events that did not happen ... and the screaming beings.

[Avalux]

7. "many news outlets are now reporting......"

Take it for what it's worth, not much.

[JoePhilly]

8. "some say" ....

[Ice Number Nine]

9. some say Obama is the Devil, himself

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ozymanithrax]

11. Actually, they are talking about the fight he picked with Republicans over taxes...

and saying that negotiations are dead.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1386507&mesg_id=1386507

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/obama-picks-fight-with-gop-over-tax-cuts-for-the-rich/2011/03/03/AGHTMsqH_blog.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/how-you-know-the-negotiations-have-truly-failed/2011/05/19/AG13r5qH_blog.html

If negotiations are dead, then everything above is a bit behind the times.

[fredamae]

12. Here is the link to his statements today.

http://www.c-span.org/Events/President-Obama-Holds-News-Conference/10737422565-1/

[ProSense]

15. Ah,

"And at his news conference today President Obama once again indicated his willingness to put cuts in Social Security and Medicare benefits on the table as part of a grand bi-partisan deficit compromise. BBI"

...the President did no such thing

Posting a false claim and a day old speculative article doesn't make the false claim fact.

It's creative, but it's bullshit.

[Chisox08]

16. That picture of Ronald Reagan needs to be taken out back and burned