Well, at least these assholes are happy:
Senate Republicans voiced optimism at news of the inclusion of “chained CPI” in President Barack Obama’s budget plan, which will be unveiled Wednesday.
Obama is expected to offer the tweak to Social Security benefits as an olive branch to Republicans in an effort to jump-start talks over a large-scale deficit deal.
Because if
Ted fucking Cruz is encouraged, we're doin' it right:
“I’m encouraged by any steps that President Obama is taking to save and preserve Social Security and Medicare,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a conservative firebrand who has carved out a niche as one of the president’s most vocal opponents.
“I think it should be a bipartisan priority to strengthen Social Security and Medicare to preserve the benefits for existing seniors and to enact fundamental reform to ensure that those programs remain strong and vital for generations to come.”
It won't be so bipartisan once Republicans point out, just before the mid-terms, how Democrats were the ones to "go there" with Social Security, and how Republicans just accepted the deal because they wanted to "get past the partisan gridlock." Or some other crap that conveniently ignores the fact that Republicans have tried from
Day One to dismantle the social safety net. And they'll spin it into
them being the "defenders of Social Security," to boot.
“It’s good that [the] president is starting to throw things on the table,” [Sen. John] Boozman said of chained CPI. “I know he got some pushback from his troops. And so, at some point, we’re going to just need to sit down and figure out how to not cut Medicare, Social Security, those programs, but make sure they’re viable for young people in the future.”
Pushback from his troops? Nobody, I repeat,
NOBODY other than DC bubble-world inhabitants likes this shit. But it's gonna be framed like it was those "hard left" radicals that were "whining" about this.
It's fucking BULLSHIT.
Since when did being a Democrat require we have to cede the foundation of the party to Republicans in the name of compromise? Aren't we supposed to be united AGAINST Republicans?
When Ted Cruz is "encouraged," that ain't a win. Sorry.
#NoChainedCPI
#NoGrandBargain
#HellNo
and a resounding
#FuckThatShit
........