Word is beginning to filter out that since there has been no increase in the cost of living that there will be no cost of living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security benefits this year. The Associated Press quotes Andrew Biggs, former Deputy Commissioner at Social Security who is now in residence at a right wing think tank, as saying that "If you're the ruling party, this is not the sort of thing you want to have happening two weeks before an election."
Andrew Biggs' lifelong mission has been to either eliminate Social Security, or failing that, privatize it (hoping that the latter course will eventually lead to the program's elimination). For him to criticize Dems for the lack of a COLA, particularly when he knows full well that the COLA is automatically tied to the CPI, shows that he is simply without shame.
ReplyDeleteA#1--Hear, hear. Was ein schnorrer er ist. NOrtiz
ReplyDeleteHe absolutely did not criticize dems--that is an edited version of his response(big shock, dems editing opponents statements) He specifically said--It's not the congressional Democrats' fault, but that's the way politics works". So get it straight next time. See why there's a Tea Party?
ReplyDeleteAnon #1 again: I saw the full quote. I'm aware he qualified it. Since we all know that this is irrelevant to anything taking place in Congress, what's the point of saying it? It reminds me of the Fox News programs that spend 30 minutes highlighting birthers claims that the President was not born in the US, all the while distancing themselves from the claims of the birthers.
ReplyDeleteAnd I hope nobody is going to be foolish enough to jsutify this by claiming the Democrats are indirectly at fault for the lack of COLA because of the economy. Whatever problems there are with the economy, nobody in their right mind should be complaining about the absence of inflation.
"A lot of people will feel hostile about it."
ReplyDeleteHopefully, enough to bury the Dems in Congress.