President Obama on Tuesday said he cannot guarantee that retirees will receive their Social Security checks August 3 if Democrats and Republicans in Washington do not reach an agreement on reducing the deficit in the coming weeks.
"I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven't resolved this issue. Because there may simply not be the money in the coffers to do it," Mr. Obama said in an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley, according to excerpts released by CBS News.
Read the rest here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20078789-503544.html?tag=pop;stories
Lets go to the video;
Folks, I apologise for the quality of the video, I spent an hour trying to embed the CBS Video, but it wouldn't go... this was the only one of the segment I could find on utube
Does the President have the power to actually do that?
In a word, Yes..
In the event of default the President Obama and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner will decide what bills get paid.. The President will try to make it the fault of others, he always does but in the end it's his call who gets paid, and who doesn't. Normally bond holders are the last in line to get paid. In spite of the 2 1/2 Trillion Dollar Surplus the American people have paid into the fund, there is no cash in the fund.. The Government has taken it all and replaced it with Junk US Treasury Bonds..
Just like China, Japan and the American People that hold US Government Bonds, Social Security will be standing in line waiting to see if the Administration deems them one of the bond holders to get paid. To make matters worse, as the President said, it will be the recipients of all the Government Trust Fund Retirement Programs in jeopardy.
Combined the Trust Funds represent roughly a third of the national debt and include people who receive payments from the Rail Road Retirement Trust Fund and the Federal Retirememt Trust Fund.. I am not certain if it will affect Military Retirement Checks or not.
Will he actually do do it?
Personally I doubt it, I think he's posturing and blowing smoke out of his ass. I don't think it's any more than a scare tactic.
My reasoning is fairly simple, if he does it, plain and simple; people, a lot of people are going to die. There's a huge number of Americans who are flat broke by the time they get their checks every month, the pantry is very bare, some will starve within a week or so.. Other's won't be able to get their medications. If it goes on for any length of time, many seniors will have their electricty turned off, late August heat without power will be be fatal to some
If he thinks seniors don't like him now, they'll loath him if he does this..
On the other hand, it's possible the narsistic son of a bitch sees this as a way to reduce the surplus population as well as reduce Social Security and Medicare Spending..
Either way the democrats might want to consider ditching the bastard..
Even so I believe the republicans should call his bluff. The democratic party leadership is well aware of what will happen in the 2012 elections if he tries actually doing this. Before they see that, they will happily throw him to the mobs that will be gathered around the White House.
And yes, I would be one of the seniors seriouly affected by a stunt like this.
Let the Republicans call his bluff! And if he does do it, I can hear his "Resignation" speech now ... "My fellow Americans, due to other commitments, I will not run for a second term...." - end of story.
ReplyDeleteThose commitments won't be in this country....
ReplyDeleteBee, he is way to f'ing arrogant to resign. In a word ASSHOLE.
ReplyDeleteCarter is jumping up and down because he is no longer the dumbest ass in the line up.
i can see the check made out to china investors, the rich folks he is bitching about... instead of the citizens that are truly entitled to the money... he won't pay the others first... he would have no chance (not that he does now) of being re-elected.
ReplyDelete-Lefty
The President is calling the republican's bluff. Problem is that he is doing it way too late. He should have been doing this at the beginning of the negotiation and then compromise. The problem is that the republican's are only interested in bringing down the administration and don't mind if they bring the country down in the process an the President is too easily letting them do it.
ReplyDeleteThe race to the bottom continues.
AG... the fact that Obama is even considering sentencing thousands if not millions of American to possible death or homelessness tells us the kind of man he is.
ReplyDeleteThese are people who have paid their fair share their entire lives, they aren't taking Government Money, they're taking back money they were forced to entrust the government to save for them.. The Trust fund dollars came directly out of their pockets to begin with..
I talked to an 85 year old geezer the other day who said:
ReplyDeleteThe People have no money. Do you know why they have no money?
Because
The Government took all their money.
The Government spent all their money.
He had an honest look and an astonishing smile on his face that I could only describe as someone who finally found out the true meaning of his life and the predicament that he and we are all in.
I made some inane comment about "Big Government".
He smiled and said with honesty: "We've got a Mafia Government!".
Right on, old man!
SOL
I first read this post last night around 8 PM, and I was trying to put together something intelligent to say about it, but all that came to my mind was a string of profanities. I'm still pissed. Obama is absolutely reprehensible to even suggest doing this. I thought of my in-laws (God rest their souls) and how they struggled to pay for meds, utilities, and food. Obama and the liberal media are going to spin this as the Republican party's fault. They need to call his bluff. If he makes good on his threat, then I hope and pray that the senior citizens remember WHO decided to put them out on the street and starve them to death.
ReplyDeleteI blame both sides. AG is right it's all about 2012 and not what is good for the people. I say throw every damn one of them out and start from scratch.
ReplyDeleteTorimom, if he makes good on it he needs to be impeached for rhe attempted murder of an unknown number of American... removed from office then tried criminally on the same charges..
ReplyDeleteFishyFishy, I've always been a big fan of "Throw the Bums Out". The get to comfortable, to quick.. They all need to be replaced regularly and often.
I'm with you fishy
ReplyDeleteGrumpy, the Ryan plan is just as bad as Obammy's
Torimom, that was my reaction too, I am SO sick of this fool. I told s friend (formerly Oded!) that I think Barry and Politics affected my health! Thank God I have my own insurance and planned for later. I see less support for him from the left, they are just in attack mode these days - like him.
ReplyDeleteWho Won - Kathy