Udall, Bennet and Friends prep for Medicare, Social Security cuts

by: Zappatero

Thu Oct 27, 2011 at 06:33:00 AM MST

According to exclusive reporting from Reuters the Democrats on the Super Committee are offering to cut Medicare and Medicaid benefits as part of a roughly $3 trillion grand bargain, which would well exceed the $1.2 trillion minimum goal the committee is tasked with meeting. From Reuters:

It calls for between $200 billion and $300 billion in new economic stimulus spending that would be paid for with lower interest payments from reducing deficits.

It also seeks around $400 billion in Medicare savings, with half coming in benefit cuts and the other half in cuts to healthcare providers. Details of that proposal were scant but tackling the popular Medicare program is always politically risky for politicians.

It is unlikely this specific deal being offered by the Democrats on the committee will be accepted by Republicans, because it calls for tax increases and more stimulus, but it still puts our social safety net in danger. It is another instance of the Democratic party steadily moving towards the official position of saying Medicare benefits can and should be cut.

Michael Bennet has complained about the way DC does business, yet supports these very efforts by the Cowardly Committee.

Both our senators are still afraid to do that's truly needed to fulfill their oaths and fix our budget mess. They are in mortal electoral fear of Grover Norquist's idiotic pledge and its adherents and the constant rhetorical war Republicans wage on common sense. And they do almost nothing to fight either.

Unfortunately, I believe they will both cheer this commission on and gladly vote for benefit cuts to the least in our society.

They've shown disdain for doing their jobs as senators and have abdicated their responsibility to Colorado's citizens. They will have to answer for their dereliction of duty someday, but by then it may be too late to repair the damage they will have done to the middle class and to hard-working citizens everywhere.

Colorado's two Democratic Senators are barely worth the description attached to their names.