Page 17 - Means Testing News Today

Care and get all of the, you know, some of the waste out of the system. but, you know, we have to do other things, as well. hes proposed means testing, for example, as part of his proposal. but i think its unrealistic to say, lets not touch those things, because well give up a good issue. and we need that issue to win elections. i think at some point you have to stand up and say, lets take a look at the total picture what we need to do for the country moving forward and deal with them. >> i feel...

Assets, that is done all throughout europe, the idea that all these social programs that we both respect, they dont have means testing -- >> not respect, love, love. >> the idea they dont have means testing around the world is not accurate. they do. >> from a republican or conservative perspective is that for the president to say hes coming to the table with entitlement reform and its a middle class tax hike, what does that say about the presidents priorities? thats why conservatives are asking ...

Opportunism. hes already trying to chastise the president for the president making a concession to his party. at the end of the day, the people need to remember the purpose of social security. social security was put in place because our seniors and people with disabilities were doomed to a life of poverty without support in social safety net. now as we try to talk about things like chain cpi, we lose the absolute meaning of it. whats interesting here is that walden is probably talking more abou...

The system. but, you know, we have to do other things, as well. hes proposed means testing, for example, as part of his proposal. but i think its unrealistic to say, lets not touch those things, because well give up a good issue. and we need that issue to win elections. i think at some point you have to stand up and say, lets take a look at the total picture what we need to do for the country moving forward and deal with them. >> i feel like the argument, youre answering my question implicitly b...

About it, and i expect it to -- this is the least we must do to begin the solve the problems in social security. >> so john feehery, is this -- i mean, thats the rational approach. by the way, scarborough is rational there, too. it seems to me what your party is going to do here, i want michael to jump in here and challenge you. if all your party is going to do is like theyre in a cafeteria, say, i like this part of the presidents proposal getting tough on social security recipients and medicare...

He would need to see means testing in medicare, which means higher income folks pay more or get less, would need the retirement age to go up, see a chained cpi, cost of living increase and social security. the presidents budget has two of the three, in addition it replaces sequester, protects defense spending from the sequester. theres a lot for republicans to like. the degree of policy difference if you go back as we were saying six months ago, year ago, two years ago, the honest problem is tha...

Paid in, just having them get a little bit less if they are still working and have other assets, that is done all throughout europe, the idea that all these social programs that we both respect, they dont have means testing -- >> not respect, love, love. >> the idea they dont have means testing around the world is not accurate. they do. >> from a republican or conservative perspective is that for the president to say hes coming to the table with entitlement reform and its a middle class tax hike...

Anybody with any money. were not going to reform the tax system so its a fairer system. you guys are going to do that, reason you? thats what youre planning to do, isnt it? just what i just said? >> well, i think if you look at the budget, the ryan budget, it had fundamental entitlement reforms and i think it called for some tax reform and i think part of that entitlement reform includes means testing which means rich people couldnt get the benefits that they were used to getting. i think thats ...

Hes proposed means testing, for example, as part of his proposal. but i think its unrealistic to say, lets not touch those things, because well give up a good issue. and we need that issue to win elections. i think at some point you have to stand up and say, lets take a look at the total picture what we need to do for the country moving forward and deal with them. >> i feel like the argument, youre answering my question implicitly by wanting to argue this on policy rather than talking about its ...

Do we have an acronym? >> i dont have one quick for you. hes a good man, and im going to say this on this issue, hes right. but heres the thing, its very cynical, because the president put it in because republicans asked him to make it part of the deal, and then immediately attack him for it, but i do think if youre going to take a political calculation, you should believe that youre going to be able to sell what is fair, and this is where jonathan and i disagree. this is an unfair strategy. now...