Snowe: No Medicare of Social Security Cuts in Debt Deal

[UrbScotty]

From ThinkProgress

Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe (ME) said she will not support any debt deal that includes cuts to the two social safety net programs, citing “strong bipartisan support.” “There are solvency problems with both programs. They have to be addressed but not as part of the debt reduction talks,” Snowe told the Bangor Daily News. It’s unclear how she would square that position with her support for a balanced budget amendment. But Snowe added, “There are a lot of tax credits that are not needed and should be repealed” — a position with which Maine’s other Republican senator, Susan Collins, agreed. “We spend billions of dollars a year in subsidies that go to some very wealthy corporate farmers,” Collins said.

See? It's not going to happen. Even a couple Republicans oppose cuts to Social Security and Medicare - and our President also supports these programs, as mzmolly has pointed out.

There simply will not be any major cuts to Medicare and Social Security anytime soon.

[blueclown]

1. Olympia Snowe is more progressive than Obama?

Is this what the world is coming to?

Our president puts Medicare and Social Security on the table, but Olympia Snowe won't?

[UrbScotty]

2. When did he do that? Do you have any sources? (nt)

[blueclown]

3. Check the Huffington Post.

[UrbScotty]

4. Link? (nt)

[blueclown]

5. Next time, you may want to make some effort.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/11/obama-medicare-eligibility-age_n_894833.html

[UrbScotty]

9. I did make the effort. And he STILL didn't put it on the table.

So some sources say he did offer to raise the Medicare age - which would be unfortunate, but how is that the same as 'putting it on the table?'

[blueclown]

14. Raising the Medicare retirement age is a Medicare cut!

So what are we arguing about here? You say he did offer to raise the Medicare age, and then you ask when did he put this on the table. You answered your own question.

[robinlynne]

8. It's pretty much everywhere.

[DontTreadOnMe]

6. It's a game of chicken, make the other side go out and state in public

Obama is "offering" some "cuts"... but the Repugs have to "give in" on increasing taxes somewhere.

All Obama is trying to do is to get them to say, IN PUBLIC BEFORE THE REAL DEAL IS CLOSED, that they will accept a "tax increase", and then the Repubs lose.

IF the Repugs say they will accept a TAX INCREASE of ANY SORT, then they have folded, and then the debate comes down to where the tax increases will be, and Obama doesn't have to give ANY CUT to SS or MEDICARE.

But the Repugs are not falling for Obama trap, and are holding steady... no tax increases at all is their position. Someone will blink first, and I think it will be the Repugs -- they actually have more to lose.
Wall Street and the rich will turn on the Tea Party is we default, they KNOW we can not raise the debt ceiling.. so it will GO TO THE LAST HOUR.

The Dems actually can sit back and watch the Repugs squirm on this. Everyone KNOWS there will be a deal... it is all posturing.

[roguevalley]

13. ctually, she and collins always say that and then vote to fuck the country

[RC]

7. The solvency problem with programs because of the loss of too many Living Wage Jobs.

Get our Living Wage Jobs back into this country and the problem is solved.


"Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe (ME) said she will not support any debt deal that includes cuts to the two social safety net programs, citing “strong bipartisan support.” “There are solvency problems with both programs. They have to be addressed but not as part of the debt reduction talks,” Snowe told the Bangor Daily News."

[geek tragedy]

10. Facing a Tea Party primary challenge, she's still better

than Peasident Obama.

[mzmolly]

11. It is my hunch, that Obama chose entitlement programs that have a large Republican voting

block in order to put Republicans on their own fence. "We need cuts? Fine, let's start with your voting block."

Of course, I don't like any discussion about "cutting" SS and/or Medicare, even if it's meant to expose hypocrisy.

K and R. :hi:

[marlakay]

12. Interesting did you all see pic of her and Obama

lately having a private chat in the Oval office??? Maybe he offered her something to help him??