Because Punishing the Unemployed Is Not Enough

Keep in mind that this egregious cruelty is being proposed by President Obama's former budget director.

Anybody still have doubts about what Obama has in mind for Social Security?

From Digby, staying on top of the plutocrats:

Peter Orszag really has it in for the social security program. We already know that he's selling the ridiculous idea that if the Democrats agree to cut social security they will be rewarded for doing it. Now he's introducing the new image of the "disability queen" to weaken the program even more.

Evidently, there are a lot of people who qualify for SSI but have, until now, avoided applying for the problem because they were able to find some work. A lot of them have lost their jobs in this recession and are now applying. And Orszag is worried that this is bad for their character. You see, once in they lose all desire to work and will just hang around in the wheel chairs enjoying their leisure time instead of being the productive citizens they should be.

SNIP

Why Orsazg thinks it's necessary to bring disability insurance reform into this argument at the moment is anybody's guess. Right now, it's hard enough for able bodied people to get work. And while I can see how concerned he is that the work ethics of the disabled will erode over time if they are given this easy ride, it's hard for me to see why it should be of immediate concern considering that there are no fucking jobs. Are these people supposed to sell pencils on the street corner?

I haven't even heard Republicans make this argument for cutting social security but you can be sure that you'll be hearing more of it. The idea that the unemployed (who are already seen as hardly better than "illegal aliens" in the minds of a good number of Americans) are gaming the Social Security system will give impetus for more cuts and making it harder for legitimate claimants. But it will be a nice new market for the poor insurance companies won't it? This new mandatory "private disability insurance" will be quite the bonanza, I'm sure.

Orszag has taken that job at Citibank. At this point it's probably wise to assume he's just doing what they're paying him to do --- taking advantage of his knowledge of the political thinking of the White House and the economic crisis to destroy the social safety net. But damn, putting the screws to the disabled who clearly qualify for SSI but would work if there were any jobs by making it harder for them to get SSI is just plain cruel.

Read the whole thing.

The Social Security fight is gearing up, and it's aiming to drag in every last shred of the social safety net so the powerful can wrap up all the non-plutocrats and trash them in one neat dunk.

Yes, they are out to get us, and we have to save ourselves.

Have you talked to your Democratic neighbors today?