Rather than dancing with those that "brung" him, Obama eyes making a deal with the Devil

If one wants to go with the theory President Obama's budget containing the Chained CPI to Social Security is a bluff, that type of bluff is a fatally flawed maneuver. A Democratic President who even gives the appearance of being willing to implement the equivalent of a Social Security cut permanently scars the Democratic party's image and reputation to protect the planks of the New Deal.

If one wants to go with the theory President Obama used as bait a cut in Social Security to lure Republicans in exchange to agree to revenue increases, that is a catastrophic maneuver. Social Security in an integral part of the Democratic party's platform, and to use bits and pieces of it as chips with which to bargain for other lesser important things is both stupid and callous.

Either way, genuine offer or not so genuine offer, it hands the Republicans a tool with which to batter Democrats in the 2014 and 2016 elections.

Many Americans are aware that the deficit has already started to drop from 10% of GDP in 2008, down to 7%, and we have heard economists say before this debate started it was on the way to 5% if everything continued on schedule the way it had been going. Nevertheless, Social Security cuts should not be used to reduce the deficit because a huge portion of that deficit, at least 10.5 Trillion Dollars plus interest, was accrued by George W. Bush* in fighting two wars and implementing Medicare Part D (read gift to the pharmaceutical companies). He kept that amount off the general ledger so the public would not know the degree to which it was accruing. Think Enron-type accounting.

When President Obama came into office, he announced about 3 months later he was moving that amount onto the general ledger so everyone would know immediately where things stood. With that statement, this Country moved out of an era in which we heard Dick Cheney say "Deficits don't matter" into an era where President Obama was chronically bashed for (a) not working hard enough to reduce the deficit; and (b) spending too much money. It was all Obama's fault.

The end result of all that is that essentially we are being asked to compromise a part of our future Social Security COLA increases in order to effectively pay for the Bush wars and Medicare Part D. How outrageous is that? The truth of the matter is that is makes me LIVID to think anyone would try some economic hocus-pocus to divert a portion of Social Security benefits to pay for Bush's war of choice.

But putting all of the above aside, it is a betrayal to President Obama's base either way. His reputation with those that truly put him in the Oval Office is forever damaged. That is the consequence of rather than dancing with those that "brung" him preferring instead to deal with the Devil.

Regardless of how this budget battle ends, President Obama will never regain tomorrow that which he had from us yesterday. And that is tragic for all of us.

Just my opinion.

Sam