Talk of how much worse it would be without the deficit spending sounds hollow to most Americans, like it or not, especially with near 10% unemployment (much higher if you count the people who just gave up looking for a job). So the Dems have moved the Social Security talking point to the top of the list. They want to warn people that the Reps want to raise the retirement age to 70, and only give SS to people that really need it, which are very sensible adjustments to a policy that came to be in the mid 1930s. And its very close to what Democrat Steny Hoyer had to say:
This is what Boehner said after suggesting that the retirement age be lifted to 70:On the spending side, we could and should consider a higher retirement age, or one pegged to lifespan; more progressive Social Security and Medicare benefits
To me, this sounds like wealth re-distibution. Wealthy people pay in, but they get nothing back, according to Boehner. Why the Dems would have a problem with that.. oh, I know.. ELECTION TIME. Boehner just gave the Dems a big-ass meatball pitch. Raise the SS retirement age (which is what the Dems via Hoyer want) and they get their means-testing (which is what most all Dems want)! The Dems should seize on this and hold Boehner's feet (and by association, the Reps) to the fire. They could come out of this with a HUGE win. If they call Boehner on this and say sure, we agree, lets raise the retirement age to 70 and means-test it, the Reps are locked in. The Dems gave them everything they wanted, and if the Reps balk, they'll show themselves as the obstructionist minority they are. The Dems win etiher way.If you have substantial non-Social Security income while you're retired, why are we paying you at a time when we're broke? We just need to be honest with people.
However, the Dems being what they are, they will take this golden gift the Reps just handed to them and beat themselves in the head with it. Already Dems are decrying the means-testing. After they've wanted it for years...down the rabbit hole we go...
So, les recap... the Dems plan to use the Social Security talking point in their recess meetings with constituents, saying Reps are despicable meanies for suggesting the rich shouldn't get SS in times of fiscal crisis, even though they don't need SS benefits. How DARE the Reps take money away from rich people, the Dems will imply.
The Reps, on the other hand, are going to focus on the lack of jobs, the spill in the Gulf and massive deficit spending. Clearly the Reps have the talking point advantage, and clearly the Dems have passed on opportunities to hold Reps at their word, or use their behavior against them.
Some other things both Reps and Dems have working against them.
Reps:
Seen as an obstructionist party, even with policies they themselves wanted. However easy to befuddle the masses by claiming they want to participate, and then adding non-sensical solutions to the debate, forcing Dems to wall them off, but giving enough cover to say "Hey, we tried, the Dems are just pushing a single agenda without real bipartisan efforts"
Dems:
No real financial reform in the latest bill.. economists are panning it. Sure there are cherries in the fruitcake, but its still fruitcake, And mabe those arent cherries.
Stimulus spending is sputtering out, adding to the massive deficit, and yet we still have almost 8 million jobs lost, probably forever.
China holds too much of our debt.
HAMP and HARP dismal failures, foreclosures on the rise
Bankruptcies on the rise
Stimulus spending going to dead people and convicts and we can only caulk so many windows
The worst environmental disaster in US history continues
No real direction in stimulating alternative energy (this is the key to everything, if only Obama would realize it)
By US estimates, Iran now has enough nuclear material to produce 2 bombs
Over 340 bills sent by the Dem dominated House to the Dem dominates Senate... with no action on those bills
No budget brought up for vote... not even one brought to the floor for discussion (which is the primary purpose of Congress.. pursestring, budget and spending.. and a direct violation of the letter, and intent, of the law)
The Dems certianly have their work cut out for them, but they haven't made their work any easier. Sure, they can point to healthcare reform, which is just now starting to have some of its provisions implemented. Like participating in a high risk heallthcare pool. But the easy Rep rebuttal is: What good is heathcare reform if I don't have a job to pay for it?
