The Democrats are coming after Social Security

It's official: the Democrats are coming after Social Security and Medicare. All the backroom scheming and political conspiring is finally out in the open. In an unusually long, 1,800 word editorial, entitled The Truth about the Deficit, published February 7, The New York Times -- cheerleader for neoliberalism -- gives its solution to the country's debt problems. The main idea is summed up thus: "To truly tame deficits will require serious health care reform [Obama's plan slashes Medicare], the sooner the better. Other aspects of the long-term fiscal problem–raising taxes and retooling [reducing] Social Security–must take place in earnest as the economy recovers." Later the article is clearer: "And then there is Social Security. What is needed is a combination of benefit cuts and tax increases that preserve the program's essential nature." Of course those surviving on Social Security already live in poverty and cannot afford "benefit cuts." Also, to make a dent in the deficit, benefit cuts to social security will have to be quite substantial, to the point where the program's "essential nature" will be destroyed. The New York Times acknowledges that such a course of action will be completely undemocratic and unpopular, but that politicians "must gather the political will to do what must be done…"