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President Obama gave a very interesting and energetic jobs speech Thursday night to Congress and the nation asking that Congress pass the American Jobs Act to address the jobs crisis and put people back to work unfortunately he decided to put Social Security cuts on the table. The Rebuild The American Dream Movement which responded to the speech is committed to protecting the American Dream for the now shrinking middle class and implement policies to expand and strengthen the middle class. Compromise is not a dirty word despite Tea Party Republicans thinking it is. It is essential especially in times when there is divided government to prevent gridlock and dysfunction. Nevertheless, sometimes its necessary to draw a line in the sand. Unfortunately, that’s something this President seems unwilling to ever do. At least former Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan stood for something. What does President Obama stand for? I wish I knew. I would really like to support President Obama’s 2012 re-election but disappointed with his politics. What happened to the transformational and strong candidate we elected President in 2008? He promised to bring hope and change to the nation. He’s certainly brought change much of it positive but where’s the hope? Compromising away the American Dream for workers, seniors, the disabled, and our nation’s students is unacceptable.
So why is President Obama advocating cuts to Social Security in the jobs speech he delivered to Congress? I really wish I knew. In a HuffingtonPost.com article writer Dean Baker the Co-Director of the Center for Economic & Policy Research rightly asks the same question. Social Security is a popular Democratic achievement, a program to provide seniors in old age retirement security. It is a promise that should be kept. Republicans have always wanted to privatize or cut benefits in the program. Democrats should not go along with these Republican demands but protect and strengthen Social Security. Reform the Trust Fund so Social Security can last longer than 2037 by raising tax revenues mainly on the super rich. Not all rich individuals are greedy. Warren Buffet wants Congress to raise his taxes. We need to have shared sacrifices toward deficit and debt reduction and have a future of shared economic prosperity.
President Obama’s proposed Social Security cuts may seem small but as Dean Baker writes in his article “Why Is President Obama So Anxious To Cut Social Security” these cuts will add up over time. He should instead be defending Social Security from Republicans like Mitt Romney spreading misinformation or lies about Social Security suggesting that Americans want benefit cuts versus tax increases (mostly on the rich) to make Social Security last longer than 2037 and Tea Party Republicans like Rick Perry calling it a ponzi scheme that either want to privatize or completely abolish the successful retirement security program. Let’s send the Obama White House and Obama re-election campaign messages opposing Social Security cuts asking that the President campaign in defense of Social Security and propose reforms to strengthen not weaken the program.
maneeshpangasa 