Bernie Sanders Gets Sarcastic, Rips Gang Of Six Plan

Do Democrats Think Changing The COLA a Benefit Cut?:

Yesterday HouseMinor­ityWhip StenyHoyer seems to have came out strongly against any debt ceiling plan that cuts SocialSecu­rity or Medicare benefits. From TheHill:

“We've made it very clear that we have no intention of supporting [a bill] that cuts beneficiar­ies’ benefits,” Hoyer told reporters Tuesday. The comments represent a subtle but significan­t change in Hoyer’s approach to the negotiatin­g table. As recently as last week, the Democratic­Whip was being careful not to rule out any policy options during the contentiou­s debt talks — a position shared by PresidentO­bama.

The new-found opposition to benefit cuts from Hoyer would be a welcome developmen­t — if it's actually a true opposition to all cuts. The problem is that HouseDemoc­rats have been flirting with cutting SocialSecu­rity by changing the CostOfLivi­ngAdjustme­nt (COLA), while at the same time pretending this plan to give people on SocialSecu­rity smaller and smaller checks every year doesn’t count as a “cut.” As NancyPelos­i said recently (via CBS News):

When asked if changing the SocialSecu­rity formula for cost of living adjustment­s was a de facto benefit cut, Pelosi did not directly answer. “No. Cutting benefits is exactly that. Cutting benefits,” Pelosi said. “There’s concern in my caucus about what would happen with the CPI (ConsumerP­riceIndex)­. Some think it is a benefit cut, others do not.“

Similarly, the GangOfSix is already trying to say that changing the COLA is not a benefit cut, by claiming a shift to the Chained-CP­I would just be adopting a “more accurate measure of inflation.” The real danger facing Social Security is not that Congress will approve something they openly acknowledg­e is a cut to benefits. The real threat right now is that they will approve a big stealth cut by changing the COLA and simply lie by saying that isn’t really a cut.

If Hoyer will publicly admit that changing the COLA is an obvious cut in benefits then his new stance is positive news. Without that statement about COLA, however, all Hoyer’s statement is a cynical empty gesture to score political points, which in the end could make this COLA cut to SocialSecu­rity all the more likely.

Call Hoyer’s office and ask if he considers cutting the COLA a benefit cut.  HeII, call them all.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost