That Jujitsu Move Doesn't Work

 

  I'm still trying to find a copy of the new House rule passed yesterday but if I have it straight they've set forth a rule that prohibits any transfer of money from the Social Security Retirement Trust Fund to the Disability Trust Fund unless the transfer is accompanied by cuts in benefits or increases in taxes so that the Retirement Trust Fund actually ends up with more money despite the transfer. This appears to leave two possible solutions for the looming shortfall in the Disability Trust Fund. First, Congress could pass and the President could sign a bill that would cut Social Security disability benefits by about 20% or Congress could pass and the President could sign a bill that would cut Social Security disability benefits by something less than 20% but which would cut Social Security retirement benefits or raise taxes significantly instead.

    My first thought on hearing of the House rule change was alarm. My second thought was that this changes nothing. This is just another in a long line of efforts by Republicans to find a jujitsu move which would cut Social Security but which would force Democrats to do the cutting. Republicans would then blame the Democrats for the cuts. Why is the risk that Social Security disability benefits will be cut dramatically a motivation for Congressional Democrats to vote for a bill that cuts Social Security benefits dramatically? It's a dramatic cut either way. You're just voting for the pain. For that matter, what's the motivation for Congressional Republicans to vote for a bill that would cut Social Security benefits dramatically? Forget trying to pass such a bill in the House of Representatives. Forget even trying to vote such a bill out of the House Ways and Means Committee. No such bill would even find a sponsor!

     In any case, House rules can be changed by the House at any time by a simple majority vote. Even within the terms of the rule, the House could pass a bill that would cut no benefits, raise no taxes and transfer no money between trust funds but which would prevent anyone from losing Social Security disability benefits. All they would have to do is to play around with benefit offsets for disability recipients who are dually eligible for Social Security retirement or survivor benefits or SSI.