Harry Reid: 'We Are Not Going To Mess With Social Security'

[kpete]

Source: Huffington Post

Top Democrats in the U.S. Senate are saying this week that they won't push changes to Social Security as part of a deal to reduce the federal budget deficit.

"We are not going to mess with Social Security," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters as he left a news conference Wednesday, according to Reuters.

During the conference, Reid invited Republicans to "dance" rather than fight over the so-called "fiscal cliff" -- the nickname given a looming expiration of tax cuts and spending cuts that will take effect at the end of the year.

"Everything doesn't have to be a fight -- that's the way it's been the last couple of years," Reid said. "So everyone should comprehend, especially my Senate friends, that legislation is the art of compromise and consensus building."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/08/social-security-harry-reid_n_2093482.html

[valerief]

1. Thank you, Harry. nt

[still_one]

2. What they should do is take the issue to the people what the repukes want to do

[msongs]

3. dems ought to wait til new congress is sworn in...forget the lame duck BS nt

[MiniMe]

17. I think the "fiscal cliff" is the end of the year

A new congress won't be sworn in until too late to wait

[avaistheone1]

4. Thank you Senator Reid.

Many of us are deeply concerned about this issue.

[jtuck004]

5. Care to add Medicare to that? n/t

[Cosmocat]

6. BOTH SS and Medicare should be taken off the table

in these discussions.

They need to be addressed, but they are simply to different issues.

[TBF]

16. Exactly, and I would think we could address them by adjusting

withholding if necessary. If we need more $$ for the baby boomers, those of us who are younger high earners could pay a little more. If we all pitch in it shouldn't be so bad.

[Liberalynn]

20. +1

[Enrique]

7. Bush thought he had a mandate after the 2004 election

as I remember it, it was Reid more than anyone else that prevented Bush from privatizing Social Security. If anyone tries messing with it, Reid has credibility with me to protect it.

[tokenlib]

8. I hope the President signed off on that statement...otherwise..

..we'd better continue to get mobilized with the unions and other progressive groups preparing to defend Social Security, and Medicare. And I think messing with medicaid would mess with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act--after all the work they already did.

Hell, let's go off the cliff--and fight over what tax cuts to restore afterward....

[sabrina 1]

13. I think it is the mobilization of all those organizations to defend SS, Medicare and Medicaid

that has finally made them aware of how disastrous it will be if they in any way include SS in any discussions of the Deficit which it had nothing to do with. They have been made aware that we the people cannot be fooled anymore by the deceptive tactics of tying SS to the Deficit because we did not remain silent about it, even during the Election.

The huge coalition of organizations should continue to mobilize and remain a force for the protection of these programs, which are life saving for millions of Americans as we know that the attacks on SS will never stop and we know now that we cannot always depend on our elected officials to protect them.

We the people have to step up, as people are finally now doing, and not simply trust any politician to protect SS from those who have been trying to destroy from the very beginning.

I love that these groups, unions et al have now finally realized that this is necessary. No one missed the implications of SS being 'put on the table' except those who prefer to remain willfully blind.

[kath]

9. Be sure to tell that to the Prez, Harry. And say it like you mean it! And BTW, does that mean

that you will NOT raise the retirement age and will NOT institute that bullshit chained CPI?

[tokenlib]

12. That would be messing with Social Security wouldn't it......

..all that tinkering. Hope Harry is right!

[kath]

14. Yeppers, sure would be. But you know how politicians have a way of weaseling around with the details

I hope that Harry means (and he can convince the Prez & other Dems) that NOTHING will be done that will cause any decrease in benefits.

Crossing fingers...

[Selatius]

10. GOOD! Now we have somebody powerful state in UNEQUIVOCAL terms that it won't be fooled with! nt

[sabrina 1]

11. Good, I'm glad he is making that clear. Because if they did, it would be a disaster for

everyone, not least for the Dem Party always seen as the protectors of these programs which belong to the people.

[julian09]

15. It would have been easier, if we had gotten rid of TP Republicans for a lot of problems coming up.

[Liberalynn]

18. Thank you Harry

I hope this promise is kept!

[fascisthunter]

19. time for the Public Option

[forestpath]

22. +1

[forestpath]

21. Messing with SS hurts vulnerable people. Higher taxes on the wealthy hurts nobody. WHY

are these two things considered remotely comparable by so many politicians?

Harry, please don't give an inch!