While he has been stymied by the intransigence and obstructionism of the Republican Party on the jobs front, his new budget moving in the direction of asking the 99% of Americans who did not benefit from the thirty plus years of supply side economics, to suffer even more financial pain is immoral. It is the tacit acceptance of the legal codified theft effected on Americans by a tax code that is an attack on all working people. After all the income of the wealthy generally come in the form of capital gains and through financial instruments that are taxed at a much lower rate than the working person’s income. It is high time that the social security caps be removed. It is a regressive tax on middle class working Americans.
Why is it that the poor and middle class always bear the brunt of cuts? They fight the wars. They build our infrastructure. They teach our kids. They heal all. Yet it those that have one thing to offer, capital, are always bailed out or allowed to pilfer unabatedly.
Well the civil war that many Democrats have been watching with delight in the Republican Party is now beginning in the Democratic Party and justifiably so. The Huffington Post reports what will just be the tip of the iceberg in excerpts from the letter from Damon Silvers, the AFL-CIO’s policy director
[Source]
The email (below) came with the subject heading, "Obama’s really bad idea."
"From all reports I’ve seen, President Obama is going to propose a budget plan next week that is unprecedented for a Democratic president," said the email from Damon Silvers, the AFL-CIO’s policy director. "It will propose a cut to Social Security benefits for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities."
"It is unconscionable to ask seniors, people with disabilities and veterans who are barely making it to be squeezed even tighter at a time when corporations and the wealthiest 2% are not paying their fair share of taxes, despite soaring profits."
That the AFL-CIO would oppose such a budget comes as no big surprise — the federation has been saying as much since the day after Obama’s election victory over Mitt Romney. But the fact that one of the president’s strongest allies is preemptively calling his proposal "unconscionable" hints at some of the withering criticism Obama can expect to come from his left flank.
The president will propose his budget on Wednesday. As HuffPost has reported, it is likely to include a proposal to readjust the way the cost of living is calculated for Social Security beneficiaries. Known as "chained CPI," the switch will effectively reduce payments over time. The budget is also expected to include additional means testing for Medicare.
While Republicans are having their own civil war on immigration, marriage equality, and other issues, they have proven that while they are anathema to governing they are very effective in keeping power, if not elected, in the outcome of the narrative they choose. Their civil war may continue in the hype of the media looking for a story. Make no mistake however, the mere fact that while having a civil war, they are still driving the narrative of austerity that the president is seemingly partially embracing with his yet to be released budget, they continue to force their immoral governing economic ideology because of the timidity of Democrats.
Grassroots organizations are starting to mobilize. This weekend Coffee Party USA had their board meeting in Washington DC where commitments were made to empower Americans to confront politicians on their loyalty to the moneyed interest as opposed to the average American citizen. They have begun the process to mobilize in every congressional district, all 335.
The President better take heed. He need not provide any more compromises to the Republicans. The people have been with his policies for a long time. He will never get the support of Republicans for anything, alienating those that re-elected him, is a guarantee for an ineffective and unpleasant second term.
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