Amy Goodman
@DemocracyNow·3.2M subscribers·19.4K videos
Rep. Raul Grijalva on National Debt Debate and Proposed Cuts to Social Security and Medicare
Posted
July 12, 2011
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14:48Now PlayingDemocracyNow.org - As President Obama tries to broker a compromise budget deal that would allow Congress to raise the national debt ceiling before an August 2 deadline, he may appease Republicans by cutting funding for Medicare and Social Security. Congressional Democrats say they have ruled out any gutting of Social Security, but there are concerns the cuts could still be achieved through a back-handed approach. Retiree benefits are set by the Consumer Price Index, which is used to calculate cost-of-living benefits. Obama and top Democrats have left open the possibility of readjusting the CPI, which could effectively amount to a cut for Social Security recipients. For more on this debate, we speak with Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which has sent President Obama a letter calling for the protection of Social Security and Medicare under any deficit deal. "It has nothing to do with the fiscal policy," Grijalva says. "It has to do with ideological positions on social programs and domestic programs and how you dismantle and get rid of them. I think the American people see the smoke and mirrors.
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