Social Security on the Chopping Block?

This morning I heard on NPR that President Obama is willing to put Social Security and Medicare on the block in budget/debt ceiling negotiations with Republicans. Of course he is. President Obama always gives away his bargaining chips before he gets any balancing concessions from the opposition.

Last January, in the wake of the Obama/McConnell tax bill, I expressed concern the bill's 2% cut in Social Security taxes (that ripped an estimated $120 billion from government revenues) would weaken the program's financial position and increase its vulnerability to those who would first weaken and ultimately abolish it.

According to NPR, additional Social Security tax reductions will be considered for economic stimulus. Let me get this straight - the Democrats are willing to further weaken Social Security in the name of stimulus at a time when any lowering of taxes is a bad, bad idea?

For months we have witnessed the disembowelment of progressive programs and the de-funding of  regulatory agencies that were created to keep us safe and protect our environment.

The "small" people (that's you and me if you have any doubt) are being sacrificed on the altar of debt reduction while the wealthy grow richer, corporations hoard reserves of trillions of dollars and jobs continue to fly off-shore.

"Great job, Brownie."