If you write to whitehouse.gov about Social Security, they send you an issues link in return

[eridani]

I've copied the text verbatim. The most disturbing thing is that there is no mention pro or con about raising the FICA cap or the retirement age.

A couple of other disturbing things--

"he has called on Congress to work on a bipartisan basis to preserve Social Security as a reliable source of income for American seniors" = I intend to demand that Repukes use lube when fucking over retirees

"He believes that no current beneficiaries should see their basic benefits reduced and he will not accept an approach that slashes benefits for future generations." = I'm leaving people already over 65 alone, but I will compromise with the Repukes to fuck over those under 55 by settling on cuts that are midway between zero and Repuke "slashing"

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/seniors-and-social-sec...

Seniors & Social Security

"To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations. We must do it without putting at risk current retirees, the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities; without slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans’ guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market."

-President Barack Obama in the State of the Union Address, January 25, 2011

Progress

Many seniors are struggling in the face of the economic downturn, having seen their savings fall, and we acted quickly to help provide relief. The Recovery Act provided a one-time payment of $250 to retirees, other Social Security beneficiaries, disabled veterans, and SSI recipients. Fifty-six million retirees and other individuals received this one-time payment, totaling $14 billion. In light of continued economic hardship for too many seniors, the President has called for Congress to enact another $250 Economic Recovery Payment to our seniors this year, as well as to veterans and people with disabilities.

Guiding Principles
Protecting & Strengthening Social Security

President Obama believes that all seniors should be able to retire with dignity, not just a privileged few. And, he believes that all Americans deserve to know that, if they become disabled or if they lose the breadwinner in the family, Social Security will be there to protect them. Today, nearly 54 million Americans receive Social Security benefits, including 38 million retirees and their family members, 10 million Americans with disabilities and their dependents, and 6 million survivors of deceased workers.

For many of these Americans, Social Security is a key source of income. In fact, for more than half of Social Security recipients aged 65 or over, the program provides over 50 percent of their family income and, because of its lifetime income protection and survivors benefits, Social Security is particularly important for elderly women. . Moreover, the program is not just for seniors. Because of features like survivors benefits, Social Security is one of the largest antipoverty programs for children, and disability benefits also help younger workers and their families and are particularly important to minority communities.

The President is committed to protecting and strengthening Social Security—and securing the basic compact that hard work should be rewarded with dignity at retirement or in case of disability or early death. That’s why he has called on Congress to work on a bipartisan basis to preserve Social Security as a reliable source of income for American seniors and as a program that provides robust benefits to survivors and workers who develop disabilities. He believes that no current beneficiaries should see their basic benefits reduced and he will not accept an approach that slashes benefits for future generations. The President also stands firmly opposed to privatization and rejects the notion that the future of hard-working Americans should be left to the fluctuations of financial markets.

Strengthening Retirement

In addition to protecting and strengthening Social Security, President Obama will make it easier for Americans to save on their own for retirement and prepare for unforeseen expenses. Currently over 75 million working Americans—about half the workforce—lack access to retirement plans through their employers. The President’s budget lays the foundation for all Americans to participate in retirement accounts at work, proposing simple rules and automatic enrollment—that will automatically enroll workers in IRAs who, until now, haven’t had a workplace retirement plan, while allowing them to opt out if they wish.

This should dramatically increase savings participation rates. In 401(k) plans, automatic enrollment has tended to increase participation rates to more than nine out of ten eligible employees. In contrast, for workers who lack access to a retirement plan at their workplace, the current IRA participation rate tends to be less than one out of ten.

[upi402]

1. Eliminate the FICA cap, tax the rich, and re-instate rational trade laws

Trade laws made the US strong - everyone is pissed about what they're doing to us and to the US. Even the RW Kool Aid set.

[eridani]

2. I just wrote to whitehouse.gov again

I do this at least once a week.

[Tx4obama]

3. unrec'd because ....

The text ---> "He believes that no current beneficiaries should see their basic benefits reduced and he will not accept an approach that slashes benefits for future generations."

Does NOT equal --> I'm leaving people already over 65 alone, but I will compromise with the Repukes to fuck over those under 55 by settling on cuts that are midway between zero and Repuke "slashing"

[MannyGoldstein]

5. So why does Obama always differentiate between what

will be done to current and future beneficiaries? He always uses this specific wording.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[Tx4obama]

6. Well to me it is pretty simple. ...

Let's look at the sentence

"He believes that no current beneficiaries should see their basic benefits reduced .... "

This first part of the sentence is regarding the seniors that are currently receiving benefits - the Republican/Ryan plan/proposal doesn't affect them so Obama has addressed that part population separately in the sentence.

Next

" ... and he will not accept an approach that slashes benefits for future generations."

Now that second part of the sentence addresses 'his answer/thoughts' to any plan out there that the republicans have now or will have later that would affect benefits for future generations. Obama is saying that any approach/plan/proposal that is introduced to cut benefits for 'future generations' he wants no part of and 'will not accept it'.

So, it is logical that he would give a detailed statement regarding the issue and that he would separate the 'current' and the 'future' recipients. I do not believe that the sentence was composed to be tricky or to hide anything.

I do not understand why such a simple sentence is so hard for so many people to understand and to take at face value.

[Egnever]

7. Oh come on

I do not understand why such a simple sentence is so hard for so many people to understand and to take at face value.

These folks see bogymen in everything.

After so much time here you should expect it.

Not that I really disagree with you.

[eridani]

18. Back in 2008 I took his statement that he would not sign any health care reform bill

--which lacked a public option at face value. And where did that get me?

[eridani]

8. He said that he wouldn't SLASH benerfits, not that he wouldn't CUT them

That sentence was precisely intended to be tricky. In last week's speech, he said two other untrue and ominous things. One is that he lumped Social Security in with the rest of the budget, just as if it had something to do with the deficit.

Also, he said that "we" are living longer, which is just utter bullshit. AFFLUENT people are living longer after age 65; lower income people are not. There are barely perceptible gains for lower income men, and life expectancy for lower income women is actually DECLINING. So what's with this "we" horseshit? Does he have a mouse in his pocket? If you raise the retirement age to 69 or 70, and raise the age at first collection of benefits to 64, that goddam bloody well IS a cut in benefits, and a substantial one on a lifetime basis. Combined with Medicare privatization, it would be sentencing the bottom income half of our society to death at age 60.

[Tx4obama]

10. When composing sentences it is common to use two different words that mean the same thing....

it is what is called creative writing - it makes the sentence look and sound better instead of repeating the same word two or three times.

If someone takes a knife and attacks a person across their face then that person could be said to have been slashed with the knife or cut with the knife - there is NO difference between the two words.

Edited to add:

Main Entry: slash
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: cut

[eridani]

14. Obama promised that benefits would not be cut for current retirees

If he is in favor of raising the retirement age in the future, that is a CUT for future retirees. Stating that "we" are living longer is an indirect way of stating that cutting benefits for future retirees is a part of his policy.

[Tx4obama]

15. Please post a link with a quote of Obama saying he wants to raise retirement age n/t

[eridani]

17. Look at his speech of just last week, in which he said that "we"

--are living longer. That is an indirect promise to raise retirement age, even for the lower income people that are NOT living longer. If he were against it, why does his issues page not say that?

[Tx4obama]

19. That is not sufficient.

We ARE living longer. That is s fact.
I do not see where you posted a quote from Obama about raising the retirement age.


Here is an Obama quote:

Obama on Raising the Retirement Age or Cutting Social Security Benefits
Barack Obama says he is opposed to raising the retirement age or cutting Social Security benefits.

According to his campaign website, “Obama will protect Social Security benefits for current and future beneficiaries alike. And he does not believe it is necessary or fair to hardworking seniors to raise the retirement age.”

On Meet the Press in 2007, Obama said as president he would convene a meeting where all available options could be discussed, but “I believe that cutting benefits is not the right answer; and that raising the retirement age is not the best option.”

http://seniorliving.about.com/od/socialsecurity101/a/obama_ss_benefi.htm


Show me a quote like that where it shows that his position has changed. A quote with actual words spoken or written 'by' Obama.

[eridani]

20. Here is the DU speech transcript, in which he makes NO commitment about retirement age

If he believes today what he said in 2007 and 2008, why are those things not on the White House seniors issues page?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=433&topic_id=652624

So here’s the truth. Around two-thirds of our budget is spent on Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and national security.

:mad: :puke: :argh: Buuuullllllllssshhhiiiiiiiiittttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Social Security is not NOT NOT part of the general budget! THIS IS A GODDAM FUCKING LIE!!! If it is, could you kindly explain why that and Medicare withholding are listed separately on my W-2? Anyone?

But we must do it without putting at risk current retirees, the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities; without slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans’ guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market.

Starting to get scary. No "cuts" for current retirees, and no "slashing" for future beneficiaries. Meaning that you will seek the middle ground between Repuke "slashing" and the ZERO cuts that all people deserve to get because they've been paying in all their lives? To a fucking SPARATE FUND? Why not even a single reference to raising the FICA cap, which would totally eliminate the need for any "cuts" at all, not to mention "slashings"? And no, since not even Bush with both houses of Congress was able to get privatization, you don't get any points for opposing it. You certainly didn't shy away from details in other parts of your speech.

In the last few months, both parties have come together to pass historic tax relief and spending cuts.

Oh for fuck's sake! Could you PLEASE STOP demonizing paying for public goods? If tax cuts are so fucking helpful, why have they resulted in a massive deline in the standard of living over the last decade? What political benefit are you anticipating here? That non-rich teabagging birther whackjobs are even going to notice that they got tax cuts? That public employees will come to appreciate your denigration of their work as something that everyone else needs to be "relieved" from?

[Tx4obama]

22. There is NOTHING in the transcript about raising or changing the retirement age.

But there is this tidbit in there:

... "That includes, by the way, our commitment to Social Security. While Social Security is not the cause of our deficit, it faces real long-term challenges in a country that is growing older. As I said in the State of the Union, both parties should work together now to strengthen Social Security for future generations. But we must do it without putting at risk current retirees, the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities; without slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans’ guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market."

SOUNDS PRETTY DAMN GOOD TO ME :)

We have a wonderful president that does care about America and Americans.

Don't worry, be happy :)

[eridani]

27. "Faces long-term challenges" is a flat out lie

Raise the FICA cap, and there are no long-term challenges. Why should current and future retirees be put into different categories as all? That can only mean that he plans to compromise with Repukes on fucking over people under 55.

[eridani]

21. "We" fucking well are NOT living longer--just affluent people

For lower income women, longevity has actually decreased. Needless to say, low income women are by far more likely to have Social Security provide most of their income in old age.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13746-no-southern-comfort-as-life-expectancy-falls.html

[Tx4obama]

23. Here is a chart compare the decades

Life Expectancy by Age, 1850–2004
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0005140.html

It is a fact that life expectancy has increased dramatically over the decades.

Edited to add:

And here's one that's a bit newer: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0005148.html


Edited again to add:

When Social Security was initially signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 as part of his New Deal life expectancy was a hell of a lot lower then than it is now.
And it was even a hell of a lot lower in the 50s and 60s than it is now!

[eridani]

25. So, where is the income breakdown?

Nice for you to just blow off lower income women as disposable human garbage because affluent women are living longer. The really big changes in life expectancy are due to reduced infant mortality, and that is totally irrelevant to Social Security.

[Tx4obama]

28. Thank you for the PERSONAL ATTACK.

First of all I am a woman.
Secondly, I am a lower income woman.

I did not 'blow off' anyone.

President Obama did not break down Americans into groups when he stated "We live longer..."

The fact remains 'Americans' live longer now than they did in prior decades.

If you are going to debate something then please try to stick to the FACTS.

[eridani]

29. The fact remains that lower income women do NOT live longer

And lower income men live 0.9 of a year longer. The data indicating gains of 3-7 years apply mostly to the upper income bracket.

Why don't you state one way or another whether you favor raising retirement age or not?

[Tx4obama]

30. I believe your comments are becoming quite bizarre

What does my opinion of favoring or not favoring an increase in retirement age have to do with anything?

You are the one that said that OBAMA wants to raise the retirement age, when he has NOT said that.

I agree with Obama that the retirement age should not be raised.

Btw, I do not see anywhere on this thread where you have said you are against sentencing folks that run red lights to life in prison or allowing children aged 13 to marry or fining any person $100 when caught reading a book in a public park - so (using the screwy thinking that you used in coming to conclusions when condemning Obama) you must be FOR all of those things!

[eridani]

32. He refuses to come out against it, and talks about (higher income) people

--living longer. If he is against raising retirement age, then why isn't it on his current seniors issues page?

[Tx4obama]

31. It depends on what the comparision is

When talking about life expectancy in overall terms you have to analyze it in terms of the total population over a large time period such as decades - this is something that you are refusing to do.

You are zeroing in on one group of individuals comparing them by gender and income and using a rather small period of time - that is NOT what President Obama was referring to in his speech and I believe you do know that!

Now, this thread has become a bore, there is no reason for me to waste my time debating about 'what was not said by President Obama' - it is much more productive to look at what he HAS said and go from there.

Ciao!

[Tx4obama]

11. Why are you projecting what the republicans have said onto Obama?

Obama has NEVER said that he would consider raising retirement age. The Republicans did!
Obamas has NEVER said anything about privatizing Medicare. The Republicans did!

[eridani]

16. If Obama is against raising Medicare eligibility to 67, why didn't he say so?

If he favors raisning the FICA cap, why doesn't his issues page on Social Security say that?

When Obama starts going on about how "we" are living longer, that is pretty close to a promis to raise the retirement age.

[AlabamaLibrul]

12. Actions speak louder than words nt

[Egnever]

4. You expected something other than a form letter response from whitehouse.gov?

Seriously?

[eridani]

9. No, but I expected the reference link to contain serious policy initiatives

Like raising the FICA cap and taking a stand against raising retirement age.

[burrowowl]

13. $01 K are a joke as compared to pension plans

"In addition to protecting and strengthening Social Security, President Obama will make it easier for Americans to save on their own for retirement and prepare for unforeseen expenses. Currently over 75 million working Americans—about half the workforce—lack access to retirement plans through their employers. The President’s budget lays the foundation for all Americans to participate in retirement accounts at work, proposing simple rules and automatic enrollment—that will automatically enroll workers in IRAs who, until now, haven’t had a workplace retirement plan, while allowing them to opt out if they wish. "

The Depression Era Laws should be reinstated as well as Wall Street staying out of the Futures Market.
Obama and the People WAKE THE FUCK UP!

[intaglio]

24. Unrec

because you are verging on conspiracy theory with the false equivalence in your first two quotes.

If you can project your particular fears into those quotes why can others not say "bipartisan"= "I'll beat the republican holdouts over the head until they accept what I want for Social Security?"

My own conspiracy theory? I'm starting to think people like you are trying to frighten people away from voting in the next Presidential Election so you can have a Republican in office as a target for your brickbats.

[eridani]

26. Obama and the Dems could have a totally overwhelmning victory if--

--they would only stand up and say loud and clear, and as often as possible.

1. There will be NO changes in SocSec retirement age or any raising of Medicare eligibility age
2. Social Security has nothing whatsoever to do with the deficit
3. We are firmly committed to raising the FICA cap as the only allowable adjustment to Social Security
4. Medicare will under no circumstances be privatized, now or for future beneficiaries. (OK, Obama actually did say that--but it will count only if he doesn't bargain it away with the 2012 budget.)