Some Difference! 3/17

Trey Smith

14 Medicare, Medicaid and social security are “entitlements” that need to be cut to relieve what they call “the deficit.” Republicans have been on record for this since forever, though they claim not to want to mess with the Medicare people already over 65 are getting. One of the first acts of the Obama presidency was to appoint a bipartisan panel stacked with “deficit hawks” like Republican Allan Simpson and Democrat Erskine Bowles to recommend raising retirement ages and cutting back Medicaid, Medicare and social security, and pass a law directing Congress to have an up or down no-amendments vote on its recommendations. Fortunately the “cat food commission”, as it was called, was deadlocked and offered none. But Obama and top Democrats, most recently House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi continue to express their readiness for some kind of “grand compromise” with Republicans on this issue.
~ from Closer Than You Think: Top 15 Things Romney and Obama Agree On by Bruce A. Dixon ~

For those of you inclined to vote for Barack Obama, let me ask you a question. If he is reelected, do you really think he will work to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid?

I can see that most of you are squirming in your seats. While you want to believe it, you really don't! Obama has given you no reason to believe it as he has said time and again that everything (except defense spending and corporate bailouts, of course) is on the table. As a lame duck President, he won't have to worry about making unpopular decisions and having it impact a reelection bid. He can say he's doing it for the "good of the nation" and to bridge the gap between political parties.

Regardless of what he says, the damage will already be done.

On the flip side, if Romney wins, he DOES have to worry about how his decisions will impact his reelection bid in 2016. In fact, I dare say his proposals in this area would be more tepid than a reelected Obama's. Romney would not want to run the risk of turning the electorate against him.