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Democrats Explode When GOP Tries to Blame Deficit on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security
When GOP Sen. Tom Coburn and Rep. Jeb Hensarling tried to blame the deficit on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid on ABC’s This Week, they were met with an immediate eruption of facts from Sen. Debbie Stabenow, and Rep. Raul Grijalva.
Transcript from ABC’s This Week:
HENSARLING: I give him an A for honesty, but an F for effort. You can’t get it done, George. You can’t take us off the road to bankruptcy unless you deal with the structural reforms to our entitlement spending, protecting current seniors, but helping ensure that my 10-year-old son and — my 10-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son that these programs are around for them.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But, Senator Coburn, what about the point that Senator Stabenow made before, in the — President Obama’s health care act, $716 billion in Medicare savings, which a lot of Republicans — not you — but a lot of Republicans in the last campaign, including Governor Romney and his presidential campaign, ran against.
COBURN: Well — well, George, first of all, the $700 billion in savings doesn’t save the government a penny, because what it does is it takes that $700 billion and it spends it on other people. So what — it’s really important that people look — the government’s twice the size it was 11 years ago. We’ve all — we’ve seen the president demand that we’re going to solve 7 percent of this problem, but he’s totally inflexible on the other 93 percent.
It doesn’t really matter what happens at the end of this year, because ultimately the numbers and the bondholders throughout the world will determine what we’ll spend and what we won’t. So we can play the political game that is being played out in Washington right now or we can actually be absolutely honest with the American people and say, Medicare is going bankrupt, Social Security bankrupt — disability would be bankrupt in two years, Social Security trust fund will be bankrupt in five years, Social Security total will be bankrupt in probably 16, 17 years. Those are worst-case scenarios by the trustees of both those organizations.
…
STABENOW: You know what, George? If I might just jump in, George, on that one, first of all, and say Social Security is not going bankrupt. We’re making reforms in Medicare. In fact, the costs for Medicare Advantage have gone down, the premiums, by 7 percent for seniors because what we’ve done.
But what’s going to happen at the end of the year if the House doesn’t act is middle-class families are going to see a tax cut — or a tax increase that’s going to be at least $2,200 per person. And I can tell you from one of my constituents who said that’s four months’ groceries for her family.
…
GRIJALVA: I think the leverage is there for the president, George. I really do. I’m happy the president and the Democrats are not negotiating with themselves this round. They’re actually negotiating with people that are in a position in the House to make the decisions.
And — and if the middle class is — if that’s the vote we take, that is a good vote, it is a step toward in a direction. But I think that one of the issues that’s being left alone in this whole discussion is the amnesia of how we got into this situation, who’s responsible for the situation. And to blame the three programs that we’re talking about — Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security — as the drivers of this deficit is a mistake.
The drivers happened long ago, two wars on a credit card, financial institutions that didn’t — that took — abused the American people, and now we’re being asked to go back to the same people that have endured this crisis and ask them to pay up again. No. No.
According to this graph from The New York Times, the Democrats are correct:
The deficit has been driven by two of the beloved Republican sacred cows, the Bush tax cuts, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Democrats and President Obama have been arguing for nearly two years that ending the Bush tax cuts and the wars will improve the nation’s fiscal health, and the majority of Americans seem to agree.
Social Security doesn’t add a single dime to the deficit. The Republican chatter about Social Security going bankrupt is designed to scare Americans into supporting privatization. Due to the aging of the Baby Boomers, Medicare will have be reformed. But reforming the program, is not the same thing as the privatization plan that Republicans are pushing.
Democrats have popular support on their side, the stronger message, and a united front. They aren’t going to negotiate with themselves this time. Democrats are coming strong at the Republican privatization schemes couched in the language of deficit reduction.
Democrats aren’t budging, and the biggest change of all is that they are refusing to treat conservative ideology as a legitimate policy option.
Trapped by their own failed ideology, all Republicans like Coburn and Hensarling can do is dig themselves a deeper hole with the American people.
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24 Responses to Democrats Explode When GOP Tries to Blame Deficit on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security
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CC Scarbrough
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 2:07 pm
My understanding of the Republican’s push for privatation is that their buddy or group of their buddies will provide less service and make a PROFIT! PROFIT under any circumstances is the mantra of the Republicans.
They don’t seem to realize that when they have extracted every bit of profit from this world they will have nothing. They won’t be able to use their wealth for food, clean air or water because those essentials to human life will be destroyed.
There seems to be a mindset that those commodities that are being exploited have nothing to do with them. It will catch up to them. I hope we as a people will get this scourge under control while there is still time.
Anne
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 2:22 pm
The GOP’s insistence on doubling down on failed policies that have led to their presidential defeat this year shows no signs of changing. In spite of reliable data from economists and others showing that Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid have nothing to do with the deficit, they continue to try dismantling these programs that they’ve opposed since their inception. Their loyalty is to their uber wealthy benefactors, and everyday Americans are a distant second, if that. They are famous for seeking short-term gain at the expense of the benefits that come from long-term planning in favor of all Americans, and nothing seems to penetrate the bubble they choose to continue residing in.
Victoria Lamb, MSHA
Dec. 10th, 2012 at 8:28 am
Social Security does not contribute to the deficit, but Medicare and Medicaid do.
RMuse
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 2:37 pm
Good on Dems! GOP knows SS does not affect the budget or deficit, and yet they’re still fighting the New Deal. President Obama needs to do a major address to the nation and clear that up once and for all the morons who fall for the fear mongering and outright lies.
roooth
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
Um, am I the only one who has noticed that apparently the old white guys in the GOP have no more of an understanding of the deficit than they do ladyparts?
These are some frighteningly incompetent mofos.
Sharon Potts
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
Yes, Roooth, you are the only one.
djchefron
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
The problem as I see it is the host of these gabfest sit there and let the rethugs lie with no push back.But after the lies Romney told with not even a wait it minute its par for the course.
RonK
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
Republicans love to lie.. As a point of fact, when the GOP says they are allocating too much money in the budget for Social Security, that is a lie..
What they are doing, is paying off the country’s debt… Whether the debt is held by China, Germany or Social Security is irrelevant. The cash that was supposed to be in the SS trust fund has been spent by administrations past and present.. what is in the trust fund are government bonds, the same bonds issued to foreign countries holding our debt, so when the government buys back those bonds, they are repaying debt, period.!
lm945
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 4:15 pm
“The deficit has been driven by two of the beloved Republican sacred cows, the Bush tax cuts, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Tell us something most people don’t know. That the Bush tax cuts were deliberately designed to send the U.S. heavily into debt.
Republicans have always hated FDR and the New Deal. They hate civil rights, they hate Medicare and Medicaid.
They’re deliberately bankrupting our economy for the sole purpose of destroying the very programs the majority of Americans depend on. That their chosen means of destruction benefits the wealthy and the Military Industrial Complex is just gravy.
A Walkaway
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Another protected sacred cow… the military.
Ernie
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 9:30 pm
What Coburn was saying is that the moment that SS stops being in surplus and the U.S. government has to start paying back some of those many billions that the U.S. borrowed to fund other programs–then, in his view, Social Security will be bankrupt.
The Republicans don’t believe that the U.S. should pay it’s debts to it’s citizens. Don’t you remember the House member that suggested we should default on our debt to SS, but continue to pay China?
They are philosophically against any government social program. Period. End of sentence. Until the people can reclaim its government we will continue to hear this message. It won’t always be from Republicans but also from Democrats.
The Beltways boys and girls, who are paid by the corporations/lobbyists that are so busy buying our government, will have the same people on and we’ll hear the same message.
Until we change the people in Congress and the Senate and the Beltway boys and girls realize that this schtick just won’t sell–the message will stay the same.
Only we can change things. Don’t watch. Ignore these fools. Soon Stephanopolous and others will be out of a job. Really. Do you know anyone that is watching these shows? I don’t.
Catherine L Simmons
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 9:42 pm
Republicans will never accept any responsibility for our current problem. The best thing we can do is insure that fewer of them return to the Hill after the 2014 elections.
Tourville
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 10:06 pm
What Clinton did to the Nations Trade & Labor Laws to OFF SHORE our Mfg base thus consigning USA to ever growing Poverty?
Shiva (Moderator)
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 10:12 pm
I think you are talking about Reagan who gave tax breaks and incentives to move work overseas
Sandra
Dec. 10th, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Reagan is also responsible for NAFTA, he signed the deal with then Canadian PM, Brian Mulroney. I notice some Americans tend to blame Clinton for NAFTA, yes he implemented it but the deal was already signed and he expanded it to include Mexico. The Dems need to confront Republicans on their lies about SS and other paid benefits that Americans paid into and are entiled to.
Susan Christ
Dec. 9th, 2012 at 10:13 pm
As a taxpayer, voter, educatory (ret.), I am convinced that the GOP has little or no regard for the very people of this country that pay their wages.
I am fed up and discusted to have people on MY payroll that DO NOT PERFORM THEIRE JOBS!! Because they are crying, grudge-holding, whiney babies. The all needs to be put on a 90-day Performanced Review and told, “If you don’t do your job, with the Nation’s People’s Best In Mind, they you will be docked pay accordingly. Should it occur againk, your will be asked for your resignation or will be terminated from your position.
There are plenty of good people out here who would do a much better job of helping our country and it’s people move on and get this nation rolling again.
Enough of the cry-baby stalling and balling.
Get a Grip, GOP!!!
gsb
Dec. 13th, 2012 at 10:41 am
Susan: I read a page some where with the suggestion, that the House and Senete members be paid for the days they work. Now that sounds about right? After all, the working man only gets paid for the days they work,don’t they?
These parts of our Gov. would suddenly lose a very large number of it’s membership, or would be filled with a number of men and women who only wish to work for the good of our country. Not to get rich,famous,or for ego.
Googlybear
Dec. 10th, 2012 at 1:23 am
there is a baby-boomer glut on social security finances for now. there will be less old people for the next few generations, thus will create a cushion for a couple generations. the GOP are simply trying to get their hands in that cookie jar ASAP.
Kitalaq
Dec. 10th, 2012 at 2:27 am
Republicans that are chanting the same old rhetoric are the same people that were bought by the ultra rich to reiterate the Tea Party policies that got them in their positions in the first place just to do that. Blame all that is good for all Americans for the chaos that they had created with their failed policies to Democrats (We The People)by propagandas in attempt to mislead protential voters contrary to well established facts for the sole purpose of enriching the wealth of the very rich that placed them in the first place or else. They will be ousted by their own members.
Democracy is getting into the “stage” in this era of high tech cyber age of getting very well informed and majority of Very Literate People are starting to stand up with stronger backbone..”Enough Is Enough, TIME TO STAND UP FOR AMERICA… and let us oust out the GOP/TP that are in Congress that are the sole representatives of the very rich and replace them for the Real We The People Representatives!!!”
Burz
Dec. 10th, 2012 at 4:35 am
The fact that democrats are now brave enough to verbally challenge the GOP is suggestive of a much larger trend; that the general public is becoming more and more aware of the GOP’s bullshit, and will actually support the democrats when they call them out on their blatant lying and hypocrisy.
It gives me hope that we’re on the verge of a modern day renaissance.
Ben
Dec. 10th, 2012 at 8:55 am
I must be stupid, because I look at that graph and see the deficit shrinking from ’04 through the end of Bush’s time in office and exploding in Obama’s. Sure, Obama had the recession to deal with, and I understand that, but it sure doesn’t look like the wars caused the massive deficits we have now, much larger than when Bush was in office.
Michael
Dec. 10th, 2012 at 10:19 am
Ben, you need to realize that the Bush wars were not added until President Obama added them to the budget, and thus the deficit.
Inez
Dec. 10th, 2012 at 11:04 pm
When will the GOPers(Get Our Profits) stop all the subsidies for companies who outsource jobs, for companies like GE who haven’t paid taxes for several years. for the off shore(no tax) accounts all of which are !!!!! How about entitlements(?)the bail out money for the banks coughed up by the taxpayersWhere those bucks returned to us? How about the salaries and benefits doled out to those in DC who work less than a teacher.? Why are they not contributing to their medical care, which is in perpetuity?Talk about entitlements!
Eddie Powell
Dec. 11th, 2012 at 2:34 am
Like a broken record… Republicans are liars.. The world know that they lie. So with that fact in hand what do we? They are not going to change their stripes unless forced. Unfortunately our main street media feeds off their lies… They glaze over it like a glazed doughnut. The answer to this question of what to do is not so simple. We can vote them out of office. Not so easy since they have gerrymandered their districts they run in that is is almost impossible to remove them. Run good candidates against them. Too expensive and their is no real guarantees of return on investments.. We can insist on the news media to call them out… As long as there is a Fox News they will have an outlet to run to spew their lies. One thing that works every time is to make their public and after work life an open book to the public. Some would say that this would be a violation of their privacy… No… When they run for public office there is nothing in that word “public” that speaks of privacy when it comes to the health and welfare of our nation. Those back door meetings. Those lobbyist luncheons and so on will expose those liars for what they really are .. “Selfish money hungry lying idiots”… The old saying of ” you are the company you keep”. If their associates with the money they bring are exposed then “we the people” would understand why they lie when the truth is right before their eyes. Once that is known then we the people will learn how to deal with them accordingly.. Expose their associates and the money they represent and watch the lying and lairs disappear.