Blue Ribbon Commission for Social Security/Medicare?
EmailABC’s Z. Byron Wolf reports: The Social Security and Medicare Trustees report, which is to be released today, is expected to have bad news about the long-term solvency of those programs and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill are taking the opportunity to criticize the Democrats for not getting the budget under control.
What’s the answer? Depoliticize the issue – some lawmakers in both parties support a Blue Ribbon Commission to figure out how to fix entitlement spending.
In a pre-emptive speech on the Senate floor, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell again called for a bipartisan study group to be appointed by Congress and the President to suggest a course for getting entitlement spending under control.
"Soon enough, Social Security, Medicare, and other entitlements will consume about twice the percentage of the Federal budget they did four decades ago. If we don’t get control over this spending soon, we’ll only have a fraction left for vital priorities such as defense, health care, transportation, and other job creators," said McConnell. “We must address the issue of entitlement spending now — before it’s too late. "
Republicans have turned up the volume on their concern about the long-term budget shortfalls of government since losing control of Congress in 2006 and the Presidency last year.
Democrats, meanwhile, now in charge, have been talking more about the short-term needs of the economy than long-term entitlement reform. But there are exceptions. The House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer, is said to be working behind the scenes with Republicans on his own proposal for a bipartisan solution to entitlement spending.
The proposal for an entitlements commission like the one McConnell endorses is itself bipartisan – the Chairman and ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee suggested the idea earlier this year.
Given the tough political choices that would have to be made in curbing either social security or Medicare to get the budget under control, the idea is that proposals from the entitlements commission would include language to insure they were fast-tracked in Congress.
But first it needs support from Democratic leaders and the White House. –Z. Byron Wolf
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I Dont understand Why now the Republicans are Concerned about spending when they and Bush spent Like druken sailors for 6 Years They were in Power WHY DID THEY NOT CONTROL SPENDING!
Posted by: Angie in Pa | May 12, 2009, 11:48 am 11:48 am
The party of voodoo economics(trickle down theory) and unjustified wars are at it again..any thing president Obama do would be criticized by the no good Republicans. The Republicans are losers!
Posted by: Stanley | May 12, 2009, 11:55 am 11:55 am
Obama is like manny paquiao and the Republicans are like Ricky Hatton..you know how that went!
Posted by: Stanley | May 12, 2009, 11:57 am 11:57 am
I Dont understand Why now the Republicans are Concerned about spending when they and Bush spent Like druken sailors for 6 Years They were in Power WHY DID THEY NOT CONTROL SPENDING!
Uh, hello Angie in Pa….
Both parties are at fault… did you not read the article… the Dem’s have controlled congress since 2006, so why have they not controlled the spending ?
You are so quick to blast just one party, when both parties are at fault…
Posted by: not buying the bull | May 12, 2009, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
Not buying the Bull
Republicans spent for 6 Years
Democrats for 3 Years
And when Democrats took over In 2006 They hardly had Power Republicans Filabustered and Bush vetoed!
6 Years of Spending is way more then 3!
Posted by: Angie in Pa | May 12, 2009, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm
not buying the bull,
While you have a point that both parties are at fault..the fact is the Republican party are the worse of the two evils and most Americans have realised that..It took Americans a little while to realise that the Republican party do not care too much about domestic policy and development of country..they are into protecting the rich and fighting unjustified wars..ruling the world. They fooled Americans for a few decades about being the party of values..give me a break! What values? The democrats are much better for domestic issues and the bottom line is..that is what matters..bread and butter issues.
Posted by: Stanley | May 12, 2009, 12:48 pm 12:48 pm
Not buying the bull,
I hope you are not buying the bull the Republican party is selling..because that bull is sterile. The Republican party is not good for America. When a party would make fun of community organizers during their so called convention..you know they are no good for America…When a Republican convention is 95% white and little or no represention of the other ethnic groups..you know they are no good for America. The democratic convention reflected America..whites, blacks, asians, hispanics etc. The Republican party is almost like comic relief now. The Republican party…not good for America!
Posted by: Stanley | May 12, 2009, 12:53 pm 12:53 pm
“Republicans have turned up the volume on their concern about the long-term budget shortfalls of government since losing control of Congress in 2006 and the Presidency last year.”
________________
The Republican party continues to become more marginalized – and representative of the minority southern white conservativism. No Republican voice heard against budget spending during the 8 years prior to Jan. 20, 2009.
Sad attempt at political posturing.
Posted by: gus amaral | May 12, 2009, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
The conservatives did care when Bush was spending away.
Let me point out a couple things to help you out. Bush’s low approval ratings. You didn’t think that this country magically had 78% democrats and only 23% republicans did you.
Secondly, the election in ’06. Do you even realize how many conservatives voted for the conservative democrat as to send the message to the republicans?
Posted by: Kate | May 12, 2009, 2:21 pm 2:21 pm
No matter who did what with which and to whom, the fact remains that social security is an entitlement that has been paid for by its recipients and the government should/must accept the responsibility of funding the program now and in the future. Having paid into social security for 40+ years I have an earned and vested entitlement to take money out of this “trust” fund. Medicare is a similar deal but could conceivably be obsoleted by provisions of a new healthcare plan. These two problem children, social security and medicare, should be funded before any new entitlements such as universal healthcare, a handout of taxpayer money with nothing having been paid in by its recipients, are even mentioned. Go ahead and call me mean spirited. It’s my money I gave the government to hold for me!
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | May 12, 2009, 2:55 pm 2:55 pm