“Hillary Clinton Refuses to Rule Out Any and All Benefit Cuts to Social Security”

[FreakinDJ]

Last edited Fri Feb 5, 2016, 08:05 PM - Edit history (1)

“Hillary Clinton Refuses to Rule Out Any and All Benefit Cuts to Social Security”

PCCC: “It is an absolute must for a Democratic nominee who claims to be progressive to take Social Security cuts off the table.”


WASHINGTON - Today, after Sec. Hillary Clinton’s campaign made clear for the first time that she will not commit to never cut Social Security, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Social Security Works have launched an online ad buy in New Hampshire to increase pressure on Clinton to make that explicit promise before Tuesday’s primary.

Minutes ago, the Clinton campaign told the Huffington Post, “She has no plans to cut benefits.” The Huffington Post accurately reported, “Hillary Clinton refuses to rule out any and all benefit cuts to Social Security.”

The PCCC and Social Security Works in response announced an online ad buy statewide across New Hampshire today. The Facebook and Google ads will target likely Democratic voters, including Clinton’s supporters.

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2016/02/05/huff-post-hillary-clinton-refuses-rule-out-any-and-all-benefit-cuts-social

There is your "Progressive that likes to get things done" - things like CUTS to SOCIAL SECURITY

[dogman]

1. Her only saving grace is that the GOP wil do worse.

My fear is that PBO might work out a deal with Ryan before the election.

[jeff47]

4. No, they won't.

Any Republican who tries to cut Social Security will be blocked by Democrats. Only a Democrat can successfully cut Social Security. They would split the party, leading to inadequate efforts to stop the cuts.

Just like only a Democrat could realize the Republican dream of ending welfare.

[FreakinDJ]

9. Clinton hasn’t put forward a Social Security plan

Mrs. Clinton hasn’t put forward a Social Security plan, and in 2008, she opposed applying the payroll tax to higher levels of income, a popular idea with many Democrats. Under current law, only the first $118,500 of income is subject to the tax,a 6.2% levy paid by both employees and employers.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2016/01/26/hillary-clinton-eyes-changes-to-social-security-taxes/

[jeff47]

13. Not a complete plan, but she has proposed means-testing. Step 1 towards killing it.

Clinton has proposed a means-tested "bonus", where poor seniors would get more money.

Which lets people characterize Social Security as a welfare-like program for the poor. Which then makes it much, much easier to cut it to the point you can dismantle it.

There's a reason everyone under 45 believes Social Security will not exist when we turn 67.

[1monster]

31. Heck, I'm turning 60 and I'm afraid it's going to be gone or nearly

by the time I'm 66 1/2.

And the older I get, the more I"m aware that I'm going to need it sooner or later...

[SheilaT]

42. I am 67, and I want you to know that the lie about Social Security

going away has been around for at least 40 years. Back then, I recall too many of my age mates saying that it wouldn't be around for them. They were wrong then, and I want you and everyone else to hold to that idea.

If anyone tries to cut Social Security we need to have rioting in the streets.

[safeinOhio]

57. Without my SS and MC my

quality of life would suffer, a lot.

Of course we all know the investment bankers are drooling. I have put away a couple of pitch forks and you are welcome to one of them Sheila.

[SheilaT]

71. Absolutely. I am actually one for whom my SS

is about a third of my income, which is what it was intended to be, but for a great many reasons, it's the major or often the only source of income for a lot of people.

I'll let you know when I need a pitchfork.

[safeinOhio]

74. About half of mine. n/t

[Enthusiast]

101. I'm much worse off. Good thing I live in the wilds of Ohio where living is relatively cheap.

[Stonepounder]

151. Due to some bad timing (not my fault, it is just the way things worked out)

SS is 100% of my income. We are OK, we own our home. It is not posh, but it works for us and in KY as seniors we end up paying no property tax on it. I got laid off from the job I had held for 20 years when I was 60, luckily it was when unemployment lasted up to 99 weeks and the gov was paying a big chunk of my COBRA so we managed to hang on until I turned 62.

But I also know that there have been a couple of years lately with no COLA which is BS. Yes gas is down, but we don't drive all that much. Have you seen the price of hamburger lately? Or bread? Or dairy? Or the price staying the same on something, the packaging staying the same, but the net weight going down?

So you mess with MY Social Security and I'll be heading down the the hardware store for a new pitchfork!!

[Ferd Berfel]

147. W/O my SS and MC I will be living on the street

And so will millions of others. Apparently Hillary and her base don't give a rats ass.

HIllary's base is the 1%.

[emsimon33]

78. I agree. Pay back the $1.3 trillion borrowed to pay for the Iraq war and then end the cap

[lark]

134. I'm 63 and looking forward to retiring in 1-1/2 years.

You bet we'd be rioting in the street.

[roomtomove]

137. they have already cut it

by increasing the medicare deduction......they will continue to try to cut it without anyone noticing.......

[Peace Patriot]

158. Yup!

Thanks, roomtomove!

[asuhornets]

66. that's a lie and you know it..n/t

[TiberiusB]

138. No, no it's not.

“I want to enhance the benefits for the poorest recipients of Social Security,...particularly widowed and single women...I will focus on helping those people who need it the most”


"Enhance" means...something, and directing those "enhancements" only at a select group of the very poor requires means testing. That's not a lie, that's pretty much dead on.

[FreakinDJ]

141. Hilary supporters are not too fond of the Truth these days

[Enthusiast]

99. Means testing is the mechanism through which they plan to end Social Security.

You got it!

[RufusTFirefly]

17. ^^^ THIS! ^^^

Last edited Fri Feb 5, 2016, 07:51 PM - Edit history (1)

It's a brilliant corporate strategy. Elect Democrats who push a Republican agenda and you insulate them from criticism from their own party. Meanwhile, just for laughs, have the actual Republicans accuse the "Democrats" of not going far enough!!

In the end, Democrats will not only vote for stealth Republican policies; they'll ardently defend them against criticism by those who actually have the misfortune of remembering what the Democratic Party used to stand for.

[Hoppy]

53. Yeah, we had to cut it in order to save it BUT DON'T WORRY---

you can invest your money with Goldman's new F.I.P. (Fund for Impoverished People) and they will invest your last dime for you.

[ReallyIAmAnOptimist]

69. Brilliant synopsis of how we got...

NAFTA
Glass-Steagall repealed
ACA
TPP

[Enthusiast]

104. I don't know how much more love we can stand from our elected Democrats.

The TPP is the final nail. But don't you dare criticize President Obama!

[Jack Rabbit]

75. Who said it would insulate then from from criticism in there own party?

This Democrat will not be silent and will treat any Democrat who votes to cut SS as a Republican. And a Democratic President who signs SS cuts into law? I'll treat her as a Republican, too.

[RufusTFirefly]

83. Good for you. And so will I.

And we will both catch heat for being disloyal or, even more ludicrously, for being "haters" or stealth Republicans.

Mark my words.

It's happened before numerous times. And it will happen again.

[Jack Rabbit]

88. If I can survive being called a "racist" for opposing Obama's version of Bush's NSA spying

. . . then I can survive anything else the sophists in Camp Weathervane throw at me the came: just shrugging off the nonsense.

[bvar22]

156. I have been vaccinatd too, in 2008.

I'm immune to the lies, threats, and demands for signing any Loyalty Oath.
They try snark....but none of them are any good at it.
It just comes off as ignorant and mean.... I have been vaccinated for that too,
but I DO put on rubber gloves for some threads.

[Enthusiast]

106. Once law it's too late. We can scream until our face turns red but it will do no good.

[Jack Rabbit]

145. Oh, ye of little faith

The law is an ass. --Émile Zola
[center]

[/center]

[yourout]

54. And pass free trade agreements.

[yeoman6987]

62. The did in 1986.

[Enthusiast]

100. I agree that only a Democrat can successfully cut Social Security.

[pocoloco]

130. So frigging true!!

It really chaps my ass to get right wing shit straight from dems!!

[lark]

133. Yes, they very well would.

IF they had the presidency and both houses, there'd be no end to their hubris and they'd push this through under some sort of arcane rules so Dems couldn't filibuster. We could also count on them to put another Alita, Scalia, Thomas clone on the SCOTUS if Ginsburgs health were to fail and totally tilt the country all the way over to pure fascism. We could also count on workers comp, food stamps, Medicaid and Medicare taking huge hits as well and probably privatized and voucherized so they are totally ineffective and unhelpful. Of course, we could count on the economy falling off the earth for the middle class and the available jobs shrinking dramatically as purchasing power is so reduced for 95% of Americans. Dark days indeed!!

HRC has flaws, but at least she won't destroy us.

[mikehiggins]

149. HRC has flaws, but at least she won't destroy us.

None are so blind as they who WILL not see.

And the Jews couldn't believe civilized people like the Germans could ever do anything like what happened.

[lark]

159. Go ahead and don't vote if Bernie isn't the general candidate.

You obviously have no idea how bad it will be if the Repugs control everything. Like what happened in Flint, well think about it happening all over the US with no repercusions. Think about it happening to you or your family. You will have been part of destroying our country if you sit out the general because Bernie isn't the candidate. Hope you can live with that. I sure couldn't.

[totodeinhere]

152. Yup, it's the old "only Nixon could go to China" thing.

A Republican could never get away with it but someone like Hillary might. You are making a good observation.

[yeoman6987]

61. She is clearly running a general election, BUT

She needs to get the nomination.

[emsimon33]

77. Not true! If a Republican tried this there would be blood in the streets.

That is why the powerful elite need puppet "Democrats" who are more than willing to do their bidding at the expense of the 99%.

[Enthusiast]

109. They have puppet Democrats in abundance already.

[lark]

136. Wrong!

Bush did try this, but it didn't fly because there were enough Dems to block it. Give the repugs a solid majority in both houses and it definitely will come true. You think they give a shit about what we think or the good of the people, hell no. IF they have these majorities, it's because voter suppression and voting machine hacking work and they won't give one damn about what we think because they've rigged the system.

[Wig Master]

89. Fancy Feast vs. Friskies

[roguevalley]

2. she's over if this is so. third rail in politics. what a cluster f this is.

[FreakinDJ]

6. She will allow Ryan to cut benifits

[liberal_at_heart]

23. That will certainly be the excuse. It's always the Republicans fault. The Democrats never take

any responsibility for caving to the cuts.

[cui bono]

72. Her supporters will be fine with it. They don't worry about policy, just idol worship.

Same thing happened when Obama put SS on table. His supporters denied it at first, then they excused it. Because Obama.

.

[Enthusiast]

112. PLUS ONE, a huge bunch!

[Enthusiast]

110. She can reliably sell means testing, "Hey, why should Donald Trump receive Social Security?"

People will eat it up and she knows it.

[HooptieWagon]

3. That'll hurt her with the 60+ vote.

She's already losing the under 45 vote. She's triangulating those triangles ever smaller, until only the 1%ers vote for her.

[liberal_at_heart]

18. Good point.

[Go Vols]

132. agree

[reformist2]

5. There she goes again.... CAN'T rule it out!

[tecelote]

7. What is a Hillary promise worth? Still...

“The American people stand united against cuts to Social Security benefits, all Americans. Ninety-four percent of Americans stand against benefit cuts. We need Hillary Clinton to promise to never cut Social Security benefits, no cuts, no buts, now or ever.”

Why would she capitulate? Very telling.

[hifiguy]

48. Bupkis. El zilcho.

If that much.

[olddots]

8. human greed and ignorance will kill this planet

people are living longer , computers are doing more jobs , food is getting scarce and the conservatives are radical end timers when the liberals care about conservation .

[Nanjeanne]

10. Obama was willing to do it for the "Grand Bargain" - so why would we expect different from HRC?

[FreakinDJ]

11. EXACTLY ...

[amborin]

12. her bankster sponsors are salivating! she will accomplish yet another Bush agenda

[kristopher]

41. She won't be bought! Goldman Sachs' CEO LLLoyd Blankfein does math

The extremely wealthy person says, "Social security wasn't devised to be a system that supported you for a 30 year retirement after a 25 year career. So there will be certain things, you know, the retirement age has to be changed...".

So, he believes a wage earner only works for 25 years before retiring at 65?

I guess that might often be true given the job market he has fostered.

And then, everyone apparently lives to be 95?

This moron EARNED his money?

He makes me think of the old time radio show featuring the character Lamont Cranston - AKA "The Shadow":
"What evil lurks in the heart of men? The Shadow knows.

So do we Mr Blankfein. So do we.

[hifiguy]

46. Pay heed to the puppetmaster's words.

[kristopher]

55. Well at least he demonstrated with geometric logic how it is unsustainable!

Ahh, but the strawberries that's... that's where I had them. They laughed at me and made jokes but I proved beyond the shadow of a doubt and with... geometric logic... that a duplicate key to the wardroom icebox DID exist, and I'd have produced that key if they hadn't of pulled the Caine out of action. I, I, I know now they were only trying to protect some fellow officers...

Humphrey Bogart as Captain Queeg in The Caine Mutiny

[Loudestlib]

58. The poor living too long is a porblem for the rich

[hifiguy]

63. And they aim to do something

about it.

[Enthusiast]

114. Lifespans are going down for several segments of society.

And working Americans with physical jobs (manufacturing) are not realizing an increase in lifespan.

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

161. I'm 60. I've worked for 52 years since I was 8. I'm retired and still working.

[CharlotteVale]

14. I will not vote for anyone who will cut SS. To quote Hill - never, ever!

[liberal_at_heart]

20. Neither will I.

[Thinkingabout]

15. Hillary has a position on Social Security, want to raise the FICA rate on the

More wealthy Americans. Here is her position on Social Security and Medicare.

https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/social-security-and-medicare/

[FreakinDJ]

16. Then why won't she pledge NOT to CUT Social Security

How disingenuous does she need to be before you'll except reality

[Thinkingabout]

19. Disingenuous, oh really. She did issue her stand on the issues, did you find anything

In the link which stated she was going to cut Social Security? Maybe we should look at who is disingenuous.

[FreakinDJ]

21. Then WHY doesn't she take the pledge

She can always LIE now and make excuses later

[Thinkingabout]

22. She has already given her word, why would your demand for a pledge

Be different? Do you think we could get Sanders to pledge not try for Medicare for all?

[FreakinDJ]

24. ....

[Thinkingabout]

25. Checked on your committee, doubt she is interested in making a pledge

To your committee.

[FreakinDJ]

28. Of course not - Its a PROGRESSIVE Committee

[Thinkingabout]

36. There you go.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

26. Her words aren't worth a hill of fertilizer.

[Bohunk68]

51. BINGO!!!!!!!

[hifiguy]

43. Her words aren't worth

the air they travel through.

[Thinkingabout]

45. I feel the same about others also.

[TiberiusB]

157. Ummm, what?

Wait, so demanding a pledge not to cut what is all too often the only program standing between many seniors and abject poverty is only reasonable if there is a call for a pledge not to try and provide universal health care (not insurance, health CARE) to all citizens no matter their age, race, income, etc.?

[Thinkingabout]

160. How about getting Bernie to pledge not to repeal ACA, not to even continue to say Medicare for all?

[TiberiusB]

165. Except Bernie isn't calling for a repeal of the ACA.

That would require the support of a Republican dominated Congress, and there is no way that's going to happen without passing Medicare for all at the same time. What are the odds of Congress stepping up and replacing the ACA with something even more robust that stops big pharma price gouging and nearly wipes out the health insurance industry?

Now consider the odds of Congress stepping up and agreeing to cut Social Security benefits, should Hillary go for her own Grand Bargain. We dodged a bullet when Obama put benefits on the chopping block, is that a risk we want to take again?

[Thinkingabout]

166. He wants Medicare for All, why do we need two health care systems?

[TiberiusB]

167. We already currently have four health care systems, at least

Last edited Sun Feb 7, 2016, 03:17 AM - Edit history (1)

Medicare, the ACA, Medicaid, S/CHIP, the VA health care system, etc., along with private and group insurance.

Medicare for All would ultimately move all that under one umbrella. It's likely that would happen in stages, perhaps with the age for Medicare enrollment dropping to 55 as a start. I'm sure a lot of actuarial analysis would need to be done to determine how best to move everyone to the new system.

Perhaps the best start is to leave the ACA in place for now and target those systems already heavily run by the government and absorb them into Medicare (Medicaid, the VA, S/CHIP). It could easily be argued that the ACA's biggest genuine accomplishment was the expansion of Medicaid, but it is just as clear that it wasn't enough to overcome entrenched Republican resistance at the state level in many instances. As a federally run program, Medicare would be able to overcome that obstacle.

Ultimately, it is likely virtually nothing will change for the foreseeable future with the GOP in control of Congress. Fighting for Medicare for All can help push the discussion to the left in the hope that when the unforeseeable future arrives, the U.S. might join the rest of the civilized world in putting care ahead of profit.

[rhett o rick]

94. The thing is if you ask her to commit to not cutting SS, she stutters and stammers. She says things

like she will reform or improve or study. Bullcrap. She will turn SS over to Goldman-Sachs in a second.

[rhett o rick]

93. That's the biggest bunch of rhetoric yet. "Security for future generations by asking the wealthiest

to contribute more. " What is she going to do, ask them via a nice note? That's like asking Wall Street to cut it out or asking the states to reduce college tuition. It's rhetoric. Let's get something substantial, like raising the cap.

[Eric J in MN]

29. During all 5 debates, I was hoping for a Chained CPI question. Never was one. NT

NT

[Oilwellian]

73. I was thinking the same thing, earlier today

and voila! Here's our answer.

We knew where Bernie stood. he wants to increase SS benefits.

[onecaliberal]

86. The corporate media knows not to ask such a question.

[Enthusiast]

115. They are protecting her.

[onecaliberal]

128. No question.

[Don Draper]

30. Yeah, Hillary Clinton is such a real progressive

Let me guess, she'll use the ol'e "I'm a realist" excuse. Sorry, but i'm not buying it. Social security cuts would be completely out of the question with president sanders.

[zentrum]

32. Wow.

So in Hillary-land, "progressive" means "regressive".

[PatrynXX]

33. cutting social security is theft

so lets hope she was misquoted. thats our money. we pay into it it's basically a savings account. your can borrow from Social Security but you can't cut it. You have to pay it back if you borrow .

[Enthusiast]

116. Huge +1!

[Indepatriot]

34. PRAGMATISM IN ACTION!

[Vinca]

35. The sorry part about this is that SS could be expanded rather than reduced if the cap was raised.

[NorthCarolina]

60. It will be

Bernie's got this.

[AlbertCat]

80. And who do you think is most likely to...

..... put back the money the Repugs stole from SS to give to the Pentagon?

Would Hillary even try or is that too far out of reach too?... like Medicare for all.

[NorthCarolina]

85. The money is still there. It's in bonds, BUT

they are the same type of bonds as issued to Foreign countries and are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. There was a push in Congress to label the bonds held by the Social Security Trust Fund as "different' from the same type of bonds issued to other countries so that technically they could then devalue those without risking Foreign entities becoming spooked and demanding immediate payment for all bonds held. That legislation failed, but under a Hillary administration the issue would likely rise again to much more favor.

As of right now, those bonds are safe.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

37. She'll brag about the tax cuts she got in return.

[Broward]

38. Bernie wants to expand SS benefits and Hillary won't promise not to cut it.

He should call her out on this at every turn. I think all progressives should rule out voting for this conservative.

[onecaliberal]

39. Lift the fucking cap and the problem is solved, but there again is a clear demonstration

that she is NOT on our side. She doesn't care that old folks can't buy their meds and eat because they have to choose one or the other. She seriously makes me want to vomit.

[emsimon33]

81. She is obviously not on our side. She is in the pockets of the 1%

[Enthusiast]

118. She is 1%.

[hifiguy]

40. May her seeming political death wish

be swiftly granted. Jebus Haploid Christ in combat boots.

[Enthusiast]

119. +1 an entire shit load.

[Warren DeMontague]

44. Ooh! Ooh! I got this one: "Berniebros! Misogyny! Entitled Millennials, Everyone gets a trophy!"

I AM GOING TO YELL IN ALL CAPS NOW BECAUSE IF HILLARY WUZ A MAN NO WAY WOULD ANYONE MAKE HER SAY SHE WASNT GONNA CUT SOCIAL SECURITEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE



derp

[downeastdaniel]

47. If I needed the 101st reason not to vote for Hillary, this is it...unless Bernie doesn't make

It...I'll hold my honker and cast a tear splashed vote for her...but The Bern ain't fizzling, no he's burning hot!

[yourout]

49. She may have just sealed her fate.

That statement by itself eliminates any right she might have had to be called "Progressive" or "Liberal"

There are certain absolutes in my eyes if you want to be considered "Progressive" and SS support is one of them.

[sulphurdunn]

50. It doesn't matter what Clinton says or does not say

to get elected. If you want to know what she will do if elected ask Peter Peterson and Lloyd Blankfein. They represent the billionaires who butter her bread and have since she was a tool of Sam Walton.

[Enthusiast]

121. You win the internet today.

[in_cog_ni_to]

52. TOAST!

She cannot win if she won't promise to expand SS and save SS!

She's Progressive? She's a Progressive? Really?

She just lost. This will now be included in Bernie's stump speeches!


PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE

[w0nderer]

56. wait what?

cut Social security (and probably other security nets) AND progressive

in the words of sesame street, one of these do not fit!

[Uncle Joe]

59. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, FreakinDJ.

[wolfie001]

64. I can't imagine ANY Walmart Board Member giving a whit about Social Security!!!

Go Bernie!!!

[ReallyIAmAnOptimist]

65. Why pressure HRC to make a promise she won't keep?

Forget-about-it!

Vote for Senator Sanders, he's the only viable candidate anyway.

[INdemo]

67. She is the Best Corporatist Candidate the Koch Bros could ever hope for.

So don't be surprised if we find the Koch Bros have divvied up a few million for her.

[Hiraeth]

68. This pisses me off like no other. The living end.

[AzDar]

70. A 1%'er who doesn't want to raise the minimum wage to $15 and won't pledge to not cut SS...

Which Party does she belong to, again??

[notadmblnd]

76. Well she wants to follow in Obamas footsteps and he cut it three times.

This year being one of the years he has cut it.

[emsimon33]

82. Good point. She seems determined to continue all the bad things Obama has done & none of the good

[emsimon33]

79. And Hillary supports wonder why so many of us may just stay home next November!

[emsimon33]

84. No wonder she has lost 30 points to Bernie in the newest poll.

[pa28]

87. She needs to rule out an increase in retirement age and chained CPI in clear language.

Those are both cuts.

[AOR]

90. Saw your two posts on this...

if her statements are true to the word...the Sanders campaign needs to continuously hammer her on this in every location and every debate going forward. Social Security is inviolate. These neoliberal snakes are playing with fire and have been for some time.

[Progressive dog]

91. Actually that is not true,

In a questionnaire on labor issues from April that has not been made public, Clinton said she would defend Social Security from Republican attacks and "enhance it to meet new realities."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hillary-clinton-social-security_us_55d1d44de4b07addcb43546e

[FreakinDJ]

92. She Flip Flops on the issue - and she won't commit to Not Cutting Benefits

[Bernblu]

95. I have to conclude she will cut SS

if she won't take the pledge. It used to be if you couldn't make the pledge you couldn't run as Democrat. Perhaps, she could quit the Democratic primary and run as a Republican.

[Squinch]

120. You might want to read the article. She explicitly states she will not cut SS benefits.

You guys have really gone over the edge.

[BainsBane]

96. 153 recs for a demonstrably false claim

For many months she has had her policy posted on her website. https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/social-security-and-medicare/

Once again I find myself asking if Clinton is really so terrible, why is it necessary to repeatedly misrepresented her policy positions? Apparently her actual policies aren't awful enough to suit the narrative.

And of course it is again evidence that this intense opposition has absolutely nothing to do with policy. If it did, people would discuss her actual policy, when they seem to make a point of refusing to familiarize themselves with it.

[FreakinDJ]

97. Devil is in the Details

She will have concede to cuts in order to get her means-tested "bonus", where poor seniors would get more money.

[uponit7771]

103. link and quote her saying that.... not just some made up crap or conjecture but her own words

[FreakinDJ]

108. Do your own homework

Just like Hillary you make demands of us 99% minions

No thanks

[eridani]

98. Expanding Social Security "for those who need it" is means testing, period

This is the Pete Peterson line from the 2010 Catfood Commission, and it means cut Social Security and put back some or all of the cuts for those in the lowest quintile.

[uponit7771]

102. yeap...bold faced lies at this point... thats all they got

[Squinch]

117. The intellectual level of "the new DU" is revealed.

[saltpoint]

105. If that is her position, it might be a good

idea for her staff to sit her down, speak with her about historic Democratic platform issues correspondent with specific constituency support, and prevail upon her to change her mind.

If she's truly a progressive it's high time she began to speak as one.

Many whose bank accounts are not nearly as fat as Hillary Clinton's depend on Social Security.

[merrily]

107. The wife of the man who bragged about having ended "welfare as we know it" won't pledge not to end

Social Security, which soaks up money that contractors the Pentagon and the NSA want?

Please, please let Sanders point this out during a debate.

[FreakinDJ]

111. She's got her $Millions so she is not worried about retirement

but sadly - if she wants to tamper with Social Security Benefits - Retirement is exactly what she is going to get

[saltpoint]

113. She was heavily favored but is now in

a much tighter race, a far more contested race, a race where very specific issues are exposed and vivid.

Why is there no one on Hillary Clinton's campaign advisor roster to tell her that a very significant percentage of Democratic primary voters object to her positions?

Or is she so obstinate that reconsideration is not discussable? If so, I wouldn't think that's a particularly effective m.o. for a national campaign and it kind of sucks outright for a would-be presidential administration.

Someone in the Clinton campaign might want to have a little chat with the candidate about her references to Henry Kissinger.

[FreakinDJ]

123. Her position on Social Security heavily favored women voters

but at the same time exposed Benefits to cuts

Washington pundits predicted the only way she could get it passed Ryan would expose it to cuts

[saltpoint]

124. Yes, and don't get me started on Paul Ryan.

I am ok with Ryan maybe taking a job as a dish washer -- apparently the only thing he does well -- in a hyper-rural area in say, western North Dakota. He can start Monday.

Bottom line, we don't need Paul Ryan in the Congress. Unfortunately his district is pretty safely red.

The dispute about Hillary's position on Social Security could have been anticipated -- easily -- by her campaign staff. Why have they not driven home the need for Democratic candidates to underscore traditional constituencies' concerns? Why is that so hard for her to grasp?

Yet she seems not to have grasped it. Or, worse, she doesn't wish to.

Either way, I think she's losing ground to Sanders because she doesn't get this key strategy or worse, gets it and chooses not to do it.

[FreakinDJ]

125. Calculated Risk I suppose

I am assuming her campaign is seeking to ensure Women voters would heavily turn out in her favor

Again I am assuming this is the Huge Shock and dismay in her campaign looking at the polling numbers for Women voters 29 yrs of age and under. They are overwhelmingly for Sanders. She doesn't fair much better with women 30 - 44 yrs old either.

[saltpoint]

126. I'm wondering if she might want to

consider rehauling her entire campaign staff.

I realize a candidate is ultimately responsible for her or his staff hires, but she appears to have no instinct for getting an effective staff. Or she has made it clear that her own instincts are sacrosanct and members of her inner circle are not to question her.

Two polls released late this past week show her losing ground nationally to Bernie. If this trend continues after New Hampshire, which it may since Bernie's the likely winner there, Hillary may need to bring in some more vigorous blood and brains. Who actually represent Democratic principles, I mean.

This is her last shot at the top job. And the truth is, she's running a lackluster show.

[Ferd Berfel]

122. SHe wants to save Social Security by destroying it

Can Medicare be far behind?

And somehow THIS takes an Orwellian twist to become 'progressive"?

At some point (when she's loosing even worse) she will triangulate and "evolve" again and tell you how important she thinks SS and MC are and how much she really wants to improve them...... by reducing benefits by doing what the republicans do and raise the retirement age or Chain CPI or something else that will fuck it up.

I really can't stomach this crap. I do not trust her. And your fear-mongering won't get me to support her either.

[Divernan]

127. Hill'$ Wall Street/banker BFFs jone$ing to privatize social security

This will be Job One for a Hillary Clinton administration. The penultimate quid for those millions in pro quos they have paid to her as a candidate, paid her as a not-yet declared private citizen for her speeches, and paid the Clinton Family Foundation. Have no doubt in your minds - the necessary legislation has already been drafted and co-sponsors lined up by banking/Wall Street lobbyists, awaiting the possibility of a Clinton administration, i.e., a president who will not veto it.

It's the most lucrative remaining venue for transferring wealth upward. Wall Street goes orgasmic at the prospect of privatizing tens of millions of individual social security accounts!

As one banker explained it to me, every time an adjustment/change would be made to the formula of how funds are invested - say increasing the percentage invested in one kind of bond versus another, a fee would be charged to every single social security recipient. Plus monthly administrative fees.

With over 50 million collecting SS and SSI, not to mention the tens of millions of accounts of those actively contributing to SS, at a dollar each (for the sake of argument) per investment tweak, times several tweaks/adjustments/changes per month? My god how the money rolls upward! It will be the last great tsunami of wealth transfer to the One Percent. And it will profit them as long as social security exists. We've already achieved permanent war status; social security privatization means permanent rip-off of workers status.

Because what do we average folks have? Like so very many, I lost nearly all of my retirement savings in the 2008 debacle. We were left with our mortgages on our homes and our social security accounts.
Along came CDOs and the mortgage bubble, and having been bailed out once, Wall Street is now pushing "bespoke tranch opportunities." (See the film, The Big Short) Now the only low-hanging fruits left are our social security savings.

Social Security updates its statistics every month in the Monthly Statistical Snapshot, although the updated figures are not as precise as the numbers published in the Annual Statistical Supplement. As of December 2012, according to the Snapshot, the retirement rolls had reached approximately 39,613,000, with an average benefit of $1,193.94. Disability beneficiaries had reached approximately 10,889,000, with an average benefit of $1,130.34.

[marble falls]

129. I live on less than 20k a year between SS and what I earn dyeing fabric...

I'm old, fighting cancer and voting for Bernie Sanders. My only saving grace is I have a dependable vehicle, a home, VA medical benefits and and no debt.

I honestly feel like Hillary has a lot more dedication to her "electability" than she does about me or anyone else. I 'know' Bernie wants the job to make improvement to the American experience.

Hillary want to be the first woman President. Bernie wants to lead.

[lark]

131. I've said it over and over, HRC = Obama.

People that excused every repug lite move made by Obama should love HRC. Obama tried to cut SS as part of a deal with Repugs, we are just lucky that they won't take yes for an answer or chained CPI would already be in effect.

I strongly disagreed with the president on that offer and would strongly disagree with HRC if she did the same.

[SoapBox]

135. Trust.

And I do trust her...to do the WRONG things.

No More Clintons.

[FreakinDJ]

139. ABCs

Anyone But Clinton

[99Forever]

140. Hillary Clinton is to progressive philosophy...

... as Bristol Palin is to chastity.




Feel the Bern

[mrmpa]

142. My 85 year old mother & my deceased father had their social security cut.........

under Reagan. My mom worked for the Post Office and my father worked for ConRail and served 15 years in the Marine Corps. They had their social security cut by 2/3 rds.

Reagan considered it "double dipping" if a federal employee received a federal pension & had social security earnings (God forbid you worked in the private sector before attaining a federal job).

We figured that my parents between them lost about $16,000 a year due to this "off-set". When my dad died mom applied for his benefits, under ordinary circumstances she would have received $600 survivor benefits a month. She gets nothing. After her medicare is paid she receives from SS $230 a month.

She is angry & so am I about this off set. Her pension is an okay amount, but if she received her full SS benefits, she would be a bit better off and not so worried about costs of food, medicine, etc.

In a comparison, my aunt, my mom's sister received both her pension from MA Bell and her full social security earnings. My parents were punished for being federal employees.

[jalan48]

143. Hillary is becoming more awful every day.

This is the best the establishment Democrat's have to offer?

[Old Codger]

144. Regardless

Of anything she may or may not say I would never believe her, she will say or do anything she deems necessary to win at any cost...

[PATRICK]

146. The risky solution

to the problem of campaigning against Sanders and rousing the base like the GOP does is to take this middle road. Instead of stealing the progressive thunder there seems more concern to mute it, which is generally disatrous. Granted, the GOP field does not suffer as much in the media(especially after the nomination) for the horrible things they feel they must say to keep their beast base roaring. That still does not help the grim aspect of this HRC campaign refusing to whip up some progressivism. The problem is the Dem leadership is as hamstrung by its corporate pledges as the GOP is by its hating populists, leaving out one in the equation one primary camapign plus one presidential campaign equals the WH. Irony, bewilderment further exemplified by the lack of choices in the democratic Party and the clown bus in the proto fascist GOP.

Last time contrasts were slimmer and not as stark on progressive hopes/corporate expectations. More decent candidates in the field would have helped Hillary- or would they? The question is an unsettling doubt about actual campaign talent much less on other perceived negativities. And the centrist establishment has no where to turn. Like the kingmakers of the GOP they are presently out of the loop with the real electorate.

[Populist_Prole]

154. It's curious and puzzling, yet telling

"... Instead of stealing the progressive thunder there seems more concern to mute it"

In their desire to differentiate themselves from Sanders, they've set themselves out on a path that will lead them into a corner. In this corner they hope to consolidate all their "resources" and use it for one titanic push in hopes of victory. It's a high risk strategy because it's either win barely, or lose hugely. It could be that the advisors are saying "Look, nobody in the populist/progressive wing is going to believe you anyway if you tell them what they want to hear...so the hell with them". I wonder if this could be why they're tacking so much toward the right.

[avaistheone1]

148. F*** Hillary!

If Hillary doesn't get we should be expanding Social Security, not cutting it - than F*** Hillary!!

[Logical]

150. Kick nt

[DonCoquixote]

153. oh but but but

anyoen who thinks this must be sechsss---ist (sarcasm)

not like there are any policies that people would not like.

[davidthegnome]

155. Hmm.

You know, this is one of those things that millionaires and billionaires just don't understand. Say you work for 40 years, full time - then finally retire. From the google monster:

"In June 2011, the average Social Security benefit was $1,180.80 per month. The maximum possible benefit for a worker retiring at age 66 in 2011 is $2,366. But to get this amount, the worker would need to earn the maximum taxable amount, currently $106,800, each year after age 21."

Further reading indicates that the average monthly benefit for a retired worker is approximately 1,341. I suspect that there's a good number of people that get far less than that.

https://faq.ssa.gov/link/portal/34011/34019/Article/3736/What-is-the-average-monthly-benefit-for-a-retired-worker

What can you do with that amount? Once you figure rent/mortgage, possibly a car payment, some living expenses like food, water, heat, etc.... without a second income from a partner, or some other form of assistance, that's a damned hard amount to live on. Plenty of working Americans and retired Americans are forced to get by on less... to cut that amount, to even endanger it, should be unthinkable to everyone, regardless of party.

Some people are fortunate enough to have decent retirement plans, or to have been able to put away money for retirement. A large number though, haven't got squat for retirement and will be forced to rely on social security completely - in some states they may qualify for government assistance, in some states they almost definitely will not.

Yet we've got some people at the top, telling us that this is too much, that we need to reduce such benefits because, well, taxes. Also, plenty of conservatives who want to privatize it or do away with it completely. It is imperative... it is absolutely necessary, that we do everything we can to protect social security.

I'd be interested in knowing what considerations go into determining whether or not there should be cuts - particularly for someone like Clinton.

I'm tired of rich people and "financial experts" telling us that Americans (particularly working/middle class, or poor Americans) have too much, that we need to further reduce our standard of living because some assholes don't want to pay taxes for it. We take out their garbage, mow their lawns, shovel their roofs, plow their driveways, serve them at restaurants and bag their groceries at the store... the list goes on.

What will they do when we start freezing to death, or starving, or resorting to crime because their policies and methods have made it impossible for us to continue living with any hope of a reasonable level of comfort?

I can tell you one thing for sure - they could not get by without us. Their wealth grants them power primarily because there are poor folks like us to work for them. Push us too far and.... well, things could get pretty ugly.

Call it (or me) what you will, but I believe it's time to openly discuss the redistribution of wealth. A new, new deal. Something that gives Americans a better chance of not just survival, but of having lives that aren't miserable.

[Romulox]

162. THIS is what Goldman Sachs pays her for. nt

[silvershadow]

163. F'n scary proposition to me. I have confidence in Bernie's plan. nt

[SoLeftIAmRight]

164. Calling all Hillary supporters ...

???