The Do-Nothing Congress is currently in the process of creating a phony budget crisis and calling it a "fiscal cliff" to drive up fear among you and me. On this particular issue both sides do "do it": Republicans because they hate Barack Obama and are willing to tank the economy for political gain, and Democrats - mostly in the Senate - because they are too cowardly to be proactive on taxes and because they value bipartisanship over principle at almost every turn.
Unfortunately, the exact opposite is true with Republicans.
When reached then, the "fiscal cliff" that everyone wants you to be so afraid of, will have to be addressed ZOMG Immediately!, and the bad news for us guys is that the only solution extant is the Bowles-Simpson/Cat Food Commission budget recommendations:
After two years and two failed attempts to gin up public support for their horrific austerity agenda known as the Simpson-Bowles plan (aka the Catfood Commission plan here and elsewhere), the deficit scolds are coming out of the woodwork to form an astroturf supergroup called Fix the Debt.
The Social Security proposal from the co-chairs of President Obama's fiscal commission is not a suitable starting point, let alone a reasonable outcome, for Social Security reform because it relies far too much on deep benefit cuts to restore solvency to the program and makes a number of harmful changes.
He's up first, and here are the lies that come from the mouth of our distinguished senator after he declares "I would want to put Bowles-Simpson in place immediately":
"I was a businessman in my former life. I know you've got to have a balance sheet to which you add net worth every year. USA Inc. is no different."
Here the senator adopts Republican rhetoric that says the national budget of one of the most productive countries on earth should be run like that of a sandwich shop or your own household: a way it's never been run to this day. LIE.
"Let's get Bowles-Simpson done. We're gonna cut spending; we're gonna fix Medicare and Social Security..."
Just one more, only a minute into the thing and I can't stand listening to his glib lies.
"It's the template we've got to put in place."
Translation: "See now, here's what I say, there is no Progressive Caucus Budget option thanks to those like Jared Polis. We can't raise taxes on the rich, that would be mean (and would hurt me and my family). I'm willing to make the tough decision to cut your benefits and raise your taxes. And that's just the way it's gonna be."
With the help of Tea Party Texans in the Senate, like Ted Cruz who won yesterday, Mark Udall will be able to help us avoid that phony fiscal cliff and will be able to "fix" a perfectly tweakable Social Security program that has helped millions over the years.
He'll do it against all the founding principles of the country, his party, and the bills that were passed during our last Great Depression.
