Here's a refreshing antidote to another day of austerity/deficit/Super Congress wanking; Bernie Sanders, via digby.
BLITZER: But as you know, the compromise in the works has always been there would be some tax increases, which is what you want, but at the same time there would be cuts in what's called entitlement spending, including Social Security and Medicare.
SANDERS: Well, I think that position is way out of line with what the American people want. I just saw a poll today. Seventy percent of Republicans, of Republicans say do not cut Social Security. Numbers are higher for Democrats and independents. In this economic moment when so many people are hurting, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are enormously important. They are life and death issues.
BLITZER: Are you open to reforms in Social Security, for example, raising the retirement age?
SANDERS: No. I'm open to reforms by lifting the cap taxable income so that millionaires contribute more into Social Security so that it will be solvent for 75 years. Let's be clear. Social security has not contributed to one nickel to the deficit. Compare every benefit for the next 25 years has a --
BLITZER: Are you open to means testing for Social Security recipients, in other words, if you're a millionaire, do you still need to get a $2,000 a month check?
SANDERS: Yes, you do. No, you know why—no, the millionaire should be asked to contribute more into it. Once you start with millionaire, trust me, next year it'll be those making $100,000, and in 10 years it will be those making $50,000 --
BLITZER: So you don't want to touch entitlement spending at all?
SANDERS: I want to make sure that in the midst of recession, when tens of millions of people are desperately hanging on, that you don't cut those people at the knees so that they become even more desperate. The issue now, Wolf, let's be clear, the richest people in this country are doing phenomenally well, large corporation, record- breaking profits. You do not balance the budget in a civilized democratic society on the backs of the most vulnerable. You ask those people who are doing well whose effective tax rates are lower than in that case to start paying their fair share of taxes.
As digby says, it's really hard for Blitzer to grasp the idea that, since Social Security really doesn't have anything to do with the deficit, there's no reason to slash it in deficit reduction. Then there's his utter incredulity over Sanders' intractability on Social Security.
BLITZER: But based on if everyone took—the Democrats took your position, there would be no compromise with the Republicans because they are adamant they don't want tax increases.
And the worst thing in the world is that there would be no capitulation by Democrats to Republicans' refusal to do what the entire fucking country wants them to do, which is raise the taxes on the rich and protect Social Security and Medicare.
But, hey, at least he had Sanders on to inject the tiny bit of sanity into this whole debacle.