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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=2><A
href="http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/04/08/who-will-save-social-security-and-medicare/">http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/04/08/who-will-save-social-security-and-medicare/</A><BR> <BR><STRONG>Hint:
Not the Democrats </STRONG><BR></FONT>
<H1>Who Will Save Social Security and Medicare?</H1><FONT size=2>by SHAMUS COOKE
<BR>Before Social Security and Medicare existed, the elderly were either
completely dependent on their children or were left to beg in the streets. These
programs thus remain sacred to the vast majority of Americans. They allow the
elderly dignity and independence instead of poverty and insecurity.<BR>Attacking
these programs has always been political suicide for the assailant; not even the
smoothest talking politician would squirm into an aggressive stance.<BR>But now
the gloves are off. Obama and the Democrats are aligning with Republicans to
strike the first major blows against Social Security and Medicare. This long
hidden agenda is finally in full view of the public. The decades-long political
agreement to save these programs is dead, and the foundation of American
politics is shifting beneath everyone’s feet.<BR>The New York Times
</FONT><U><FONT color=#0000ff size=2><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2>reports</U></FONT></FONT><FONT size=2>:<BR></FONT>
<BLOCKQUOTE>"President Obama next week will take the political risk of
formally proposing cuts to Social Security and Medicare in his annual
budget…"</BLOCKQUOTE><FONT size=2>Many liberals are scratching their heads in
astonishment, asking "How could this happen?"<BR>The truth is that every liberal
and labor leader knew this was in the works for years; they just kept their
mouths shut in the hope that Obama could successfully push the blame entirely on
the Republicans.<BR>Throughout the summer of 2011 Obama worked with Republicans
in the first attempt at a ‘Grand Bargain’ that included cuts to Social Security
and Medicare. The Washington Post published an article entitled "</FONT><U><FONT
color=#0000ff size=2><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2>Obama’sEvolution</U></FONT></FONT><FONT size=2>" about that
summer:<BR></FONT>
<BLOCKQUOTE>"…the major elements of a [Grand] bargain seemed to be falling
into place: $1.2 trillion in [national programs] agency cuts, <U><FONT
color=#0000ff>smaller cost-of-living increases</U></FONT> [cuts] for Social
Security recipients [cuts by dollar inflation], nearly $250 billion in
Medicare savings [cuts] achieved in part by raising the eligibility age [of
Medicare]. And $800 billion in new taxes."</BLOCKQUOTE><FONT size=2>Labor and
liberal leaders kept quiet about this so they could push their members to vote
for Obama in 2012. They also kept quite in the fall of 2011 when </FONT><U><FONT
color=#0000ff size=2><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>Obama released his budget
proposal</U></FONT></FONT><FONT size=2> that included hundreds of billions of
dollars worth of cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.<BR>But hiding the most recent
betrayal was next to impossible, and every liberal group is now suddenly
"shocked" to see Obama officially and publicly on record to pursue the
cuts.<BR>The most craven of the liberal groups will continue to spew rotten
rhetoric that only blames Republicans for the cuts while making excuses for
Obama’s behavior, claiming that he merely buckled under intense Republican
pressure and felt the need to "compromise."<BR>But it’s all nonsense. No working
person who votes Republican wants to cut Medicare and Social Security. Obama
could have shattered the Republican Party at its kneecaps by broadly exposing
their plans to cut Social Security and Medicare. Instead he insisted on
co-leading the attack.<BR>These cuts have nothing to do with Obama’s courage or
backbone. It’s a matter of political and economic ideology, and the policy that
flows from it.<BR>To reverse this policy one cannot make excuses for the
president or ignore his "treacherous" behavior. A criminal offensive requires a
powerful counterattack. And although labor and liberal groups are reluctant to
attack "their" president, the members of these groups share a different
perspective.<BR>In an attempt to connect with the rank and file, the president
of the AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka, </FONT><U><FONT color=#0000ff size=2><FONT
color=#0000ff size=2>said of Obama’s Social Security cuts</U></FONT></FONT><FONT
size=2>:<BR></FONT>
<BLOCKQUOTE>"These cuts are bad policy. And the only way we’re going to stop
them is if President Obama and all members of Congress hear that we’re not
going to tolerate them. Sign our petition to the president
NOW."</BLOCKQUOTE><FONT size=2>The trouble is that petitions are not capable of
stopping the years-in-the-making bi-partisan attack. Trumka knows this. He is
thus faking opposition to a policy that he’s partially responsible for, since
his miseducating of the AFL-CIO membership led to an ignorance that Obama
exploited — union members couldn’t mobilize against something they didn’t know
was happening.<BR>But now the secret is exposed, and working people will expect
the leaders of their organizations to wage a serious fight against these
policies.<BR>Those in the labor movement interested in organizing against this
anti-worker offensive should consider actively building the coming August 24
demonstration called by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and
The King Center for Washington, D.C. where they are planning to place the demand
for jobs to end poverty squarely on the Obama government. Once working people
are mobilized to fight independently for their own interests, it will be far
easier to add demands around Social Security and Medicare to the list, since
working people overwhelmingly support these programs.<BR>The AFL-CIO has
endorsed this demonstration. Now they will have to seriously mobilize for
it.<BR>If we don’t fight back now, then when?<BR><B><I>Shamus Cooke</B> is a
social service worker, trade unionist, and writer for Workers Action
(</FONT><U><FONT color=#0000ff size=2><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2>www.workerscompass.org</U></FONT></FONT><FONT size=2>) He can be reached
at </FONT><U><FONT color=#0000ff size=2><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2>shamuscooke@gmail.com<BR></I></U></FONT></FONT><FONT
size=2></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>