The Real Death Panel: Pulling the Plug on Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid

Las Vegas, NV:  Reporting From the Annual Convention of the Alliance for Retired Americans.

If you think the health care reform battle was/is bruising, stand by!  We have an even more vicious fight ahead of us--for the very heart and soul of America.  And in part, our bitter sweet health care win sets up the war zone for the coming battles over Medicare and Social  Security.

While no one but the president knows the complete details, in order preserve his presidency and to try to insure a second term, he gave the Republicans a committee to study entitlements as a way to reduce deficits in return for passage of a very watered-down health reform package.  Never mind that entitlements did not cause the deficit---two wars, tax cuts for the very wealthy and the recession did---the creation of the committee by the president, even after the Senate rejected the ill-advised notion, is the signal that we are in for a doozy of a political blood bath!  Never mind that a very simple and easily doable solution to the Social Security "issue" is to scrap the cap on contributions from people earning more than $106,800 per year.

By all indicators it will be more visceral, vocal and viciously fought than even the health care reform battle.

The fact that Alan (those greedy old geezers) Simpson and Jeb (Clown Alley Congressman) Hensarling are part of the committee is sobering enough, but it would do us well to pull back the curtain and peek at several of the darker personalities working to destroy Social Security and Medicare.

Billionaire (Investment Banking) and former Nixon Commerce Secretary, Peter Peterson has been using his considerable fortune to bank-roll the fight for almost a quarter of a century and now senses a return on his investments.  He will be buying millions upon millions of dollars worth of TV ads to prepare the battlefield.

Add to the mix, Former Clinton Chief of Staff, Erskine Bowles, who is quoted by Bloomberg News as saying that entitlement programs such as Social Security "will turn the nation into a second rate power if they are not reduced".  Speaking to a clutch of North Carolin bankers recently, Bowles said, "We're going to mess with Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security".

"Mess with"?

Remember the ugly canard about "Death Panels" during the health care battles?  Well, I would suggest to you that this committee is indeed just that, a death panel itching to pull the plug on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

So mount up, put out your cigarette, pull on your packs and sling your weapons.  We're moving to the front--and, the Alliance for Retired Americans will spearhead the fight!