Much has been made of Senator Harry Reid's comment that "Social Security is Off the Table." Indeed, if you listen to the video released by the DPPP you hear him make assurances that he will fight to prevent Republicans from privatizing or dismantling Social Security. No where does he state that ANY CHANGES OR CUTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY ARE OFF THE TABLE. And, considering the fact that Paul Ryan has never had a substantial number of Republicans, much less Democrats, backing his "A Roadmap for America's Future" bill, I consider this DPPP video to be yet another installment of Democratic Party "Kabuki theatre."
Liberals, progressives, moderates, conservatives--you'd better wake up!!! It is NOT just the Republican party that is determined to destroy social security as we know it. Indeed, I suspect that much of this inside-the-beltway activity is just a distraction designed to prevent any serious mobilization efforts on the part of Democratic Party and/or progressive activists. I don't believe that submitting petitions, making phone calls, and sending e-mails will be sufficient to stop the well organized and well financed drive underway to destroy this vital insurance program. Protecting Social Security AS IT EXISTS TODAY will probably not happen unless the masses can be mobilized to peacefully rally in Washington to demand it.
Please view the YouTube video of Senator Bernie Sanders' new Defending Social Security Caucus. (I'm sorry--I am unable to link to it at this time; however, it is easily Googled by it's title: Make Social Security Stronger.) This video shows Senator Sanders and several other Senators vowing to fight "the privatization and dismantling of Social Security." No where in this video do they state that cutting social security is "off the table." As a matter of fact, in the last minute of the video, Senator Sanders states: "Should we address this problem and make sure that it (social security) is there for our kids and our grandchildren, and that social security is strong for the next seventy-five years? Absolutely! Absolutely!"
My point is this: We have our work cut out for us!!! Please don't let the numerous intentionally misleading "headlines" give you a false sense of security that the Democratic Party leadership is committed to protecting or strengthening Social Security as it exists today. In the first place, words such as "protect, strengthen and reform" are simply code words for cutting benefits, and should be viewed as such. And increasingly, it appears that Democrats may simply be attempting to set up a "straw man" with this privatization argument. Could it be that they are hoping that "the American People" will be so relieved when they put a stop to the privatization of Social Security, that we will all gratefully accept the draconian cuts recommended in the Bowles Simpson Fiscal Commission Report? Think about it--