"Cost-saving adjustments to Social Security and Medicare" on the table again?

[jsr]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/on-day-3-of-shutdown-focus-turns-to-debt-ceiling-deadline/2013/10/03/21f42abc-2c24-11e3-8ade-a1f23cda135e_story.html

GOP aides: Boehner tells colleagues he will avoid a default on federal debt
By Lori Montgomery and Ed O’Keefe, Updated: Thursday, October 3, 7:38 PM

Both sides agree that a potential deal could involve replacing deep budget cuts known as the sequester with cost-saving adjustments to Social Security and Medicare, such as using a less generous measure of inflation to calculate cost-of-living changes.

Both parties are willing to discuss an overhaul of the tax code, so long as the question of how to raise revenue is left open. Democrats say they would even consider changes to the health-care law, such as a repeal of the 2.3 percent tax on medical devices.

But Democrats — noting that they already have agreed to maintain the sequester cuts through mid-November — say they will not discuss a broader budget deal until Republicans agree to fund the government.

“We do need to sit down. I’m happy to talk to them,” said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-Wash.). “But the government has to open up first.”

[msongs]

1. SS cheats people enough already, no more cuts are needed nt

[avaistheone1]

8. SS needs to be expanded, not short-changed.

[L0oniX]

2. Putting any cuts to SS of any sort on the table is something no real Dem would ever do!

[newfie11]

12. And whoever vote for it looses my vote. Nt

[liberal_at_heart]

3. Patty Murray is one of my senators. I have voted for her in every election she has come for

re-election for since I moved to WA 13 yrs ago. If she votes to cut SS or Medicare I will not vote for her the next time she comes up for re-election. I'm also watching very closely to make sure the WA state legislature funds education the way our State Supreme Court has ordered them to do. I am an independent now and Patty Murray no longer automatically gets my vote.

[blkmusclmachine]

4. Drip drip drip

[duffyduff]

5. If any of this is true, we will know BOTH sides are in bed together

and this is nothing but kabuki theater to force "austerity" onto the American people to bail out the crooks who wrecked this economy.

I am not convinced AT ALL only the GOP is to blame for this mess.

At this point, I don't trust any of them as far as I can throw them.

[SammyWinstonJack]

11. We've been played? Shocking!

Mandated health insurance and cuts to SS and Medicare. Yay!

[SamKnause]

7. Cuts

Just say NO !!!!!

We need to increase, not decrease these important programs.

[chill_wind]

9. Here we go again.

And again.

[cui bono]

10. No deal!

Dems already compromised. The sequestration is still in the budget. The budget is lower than Ryan's budget ffs!

NO MORE COMPROMISE. PERIOD.

[sabrina 1]

13. Well, let's hope the Democrats refuse to touch SS the same way they are

now standing up for the ACA. They CAN do it. We have been told so often that they have to compromise, but now we KNOW they don't, just as we always said.

I am glad to see Dems discovering how you deal with bullies finally. No compromises on issues of importance to the American people. No 'bi-partisanship' on cuts to SS. No Chained CPI.

Hopefully we are seeing the beginning of the end of compromising from the Dem Party.

Because this may very well be what this was all about to begin with. To get the cuts to SS they have been demanding all along.

[bahrbearian]

14. Thats why Obama won't negotiate , its already been negotiated.