John Boehner's Republican House Seeks to Kill Social Security

John Boehner's House Republican Caucus told the disabled to go to hell with their House rule that dooms the Social Security Disability funding to run out. They banned a process called re-allocation, which has been done 11 times previously, including in 1994, which allows them to move funds between the general Social Security account and the disability fund. Congressman Tom Reed of New York says it's to prevent a "bailout of a failing program." I guess that's news to all of America, since the disability insurance program is not failing. His argument that the program is failing is insane. When the fund was last re-allocated in 1994, it was designed to last until 2016. That happens to be the budget that will be worked on next.

This wild-eyed, extremist plan isn't to make Social Security work better. It's so that Reed and the rest of Boehner's House can kill Social Security. Their plan is a horrible idea. Senator Sherrod Brown explains:

“Today, House Republicans are trying to change rules that have been in place for decades as a way to attack social insurance,” Brown said. “Rather than solve the short-term problems facing the Social Security Disability program as we have in the past, Republicans want to set the stage to cut benefits for seniors and disabled Americans.”

Reallocation is a simple procedure used by Congress to rebalance how Social Security payroll tax revenues are apportioned between the two trust funds - the equivalent of transferring money from a checking to a savings account.  Reallocation is commonsense, bipartisan policy that has been utilized by both parties 11 times since 1957– most recently in 1994. At that time, it was projected that reallocation would keep the trust fund solvent until 2016.

“Reallocation has never been controversial, but detractors working to privatize Social Security will do anything to manufacture a crisis out of a routine administrative function,” Brown continued. “Reallocation is a routine housekeeping matter that has been used 11 times, including four times under Ronald Reagan. Modest reallocation of payroll taxes would ensure solvency of both trust funds until 2033. But if House Republicans block reallocation, insurance for disabled Americans, veterans, and children could face severe cuts once the trust fund is exhausted in 2016.”

It's not about good-government though. It's not going to stop here either. This is about making sure the government doesn't work, and doesn't help anyone. The GOP House, lead by John Boehner, wants to kill Social Security. They are going to try and manufacture a crisis to get the President to come along with their stupid privatization plans. It's something Democrats have to fight to the death.