In a CNBC interview yesterday, Obama puts entitlements back on the table (we've been here before) for "negotiations", but only after the Republicans pass a spending bill. This carrot and stick approach is a stab in the back to Americans:
PRESIDENT OBAMA: I'm prepared to negotiate on anything....
...So— whatever the leadership wants to talk about, we've got a budget and we think we've got some good answers...
...So— the message I have for the leaders is very simple. As soon as we get a clean— piece of legislation that reopens the government, and there is a majority for that right now in the House of Representatives—
HARWOOD: But no negotiation until after that?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Until we get that done, until we make sure that— Congress allows treasury to pay for things that Congress itself already authorized— we are not going to engage in a series of negotiations...
...HARWOOD: An aide to the speaker yesterday, when I asked him, "Where can this get resolved," ultimately said, "End budget negotiation may be involving replacement of sequester cuts with entitlement cuts." If you get to that discussion, is it conceivable, or are there any circumstances under which you could make a budget deal with Republicans that does not involve new taxes?
PRESIDENT OBAMA:... I think it is very important for us to continue to cut out programs that are unnecessary, not working— some of them need to be reformed. It is important for us to deal with our long-term entitlement spending....
...but what we're saying is, we'll put everything on hold, we can enter into robust negotiations around all these issues, Democrats won't get 100% of what they want, Republicans won't either. But that's the kind of democratic process the American people expect.
We need to make sure that the President understands that the American people want Social Security protected and strengthened, along with Medicare.
Go ahead though and read the interview. I haven't taken anything out of context. Read it from top to bottom. Clearly, Obama is saying that once the spending bill is passed, he is willing to "negotiate on anything", and indeed, enter into "robust negotiations". In response to Harwood's question on entitlements,
"An aide to the speaker yesterday, when I asked him, "Where can this get resolved," ultimately said, "End budget negotiation may be involving replacement of sequester cuts with entitlement cuts." If you get to that discussion, is it conceivable, or are there any circumstances under which you could make a budget deal with Republicans that does not involve new taxes?
Obama replied,
You know, I think it is possible for us to— make sure that we are not increasing the income tax rate, that is something that was debated during the campaign. That's now behind us. I think it is very important for us to continue to cut out programs that are unnecessary, not working— some of them need to be reformed. It is important for us to deal with our long-term entitlement spending.
You know, many here, including myself, feel that social security should be strengthened, not weakened. But yes, there are a few items on my list for reform: Slash the bloated, destructive Pentagon budget and stop waging numerous wars overseas; end the international war on drugs. It's failed and it's an expensive failure; take the money out of campaigns and finance them with public monies; eliminate the too big to fail financial institutions, and nationalize them if you have to; prosecute criminal CEOs that caused the financial meltdown; reinstate Glass Steagall; put fracking under the Clean Water Act regulations; ban tar sands development as too dangerous for the planet and future generations; massive investment in green jobs, namely solar to start (I'm sure folks have ideas here) to create jobs; we need a WPA style public works program to rebuild out crumbling infrastructure and create jobs.
Just to name a few...
I hope folks are alerted to these warning bells. Time to organize now not only to protect Social Security and Medicare, but to strengthen our social safety net, create jobs, and slash Pentagon spending.