The Republicans would like to erode and ultimately privatize Social Security and Medicare. Not so secretly many Democrats are of the same disposition but know that they may depend for political survival on the votes of poor and middle income citizens who see them as the defenders of social programs. Hence the complex rituals, the dancing at the edge of the cliff. Can Obama coax Cantor or Ryan into even more ferocious demands for cuts in social programs, before calling the Republicans? hand?
In this latest ritual enactment the Republicans are faring badly, losing in the opinion polls because many of them are insane and increasingly perceived as such by the American electorate, magnificently tolerant in such matters. There?s nothing like hearing that you might not get your Social Security check next Wednesday to concentrate the mind.
Each dramatic tango along the lip of the volcano deflects from the longer term erosion and sinkage conducted under the guise of responsible bipartisanship.
Here?s comes Pete Peterson with yet another bipartisan report calling for the evisceration of entitlement programs. Here are the Gangs of Five, Six, Seven marshalling bipartisan support for evisceration of social programs, balanced by tax fakery. At the end of the day there are real, dead bodies - decent programs tossed to the wolves, food and energy costs taken out of measurements of inflation. The ship settles a bit lower in the water and on we go.
Source: http://www.vanityfair.com/online/wolcott/2011/07/apocalypse-nay.html
Nelson Mandela Paul Martin John McCain Evo Morales William Mountbatten-Windsor
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