Don’t call me, I’ll call you:
Medicare and Medicaid savings should be part of future debt-reduction efforts, but not on the table in talks regarding the impending “fiscal cliff,” the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate said.
In the prepared remarks of Sen. Richard Durbin’s speech today to the liberal Center for American Progress, he writes that progressives cannot “pretend” the programs can “continue forever” without changes to ensure their solvency. But the majority whip from Illinois insists that any adjustments should come after the immediate budget is passed.
“Progressives should be willing to talk about ways to ensure the long-term viability of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid,” it reads. “But those conversations should not be part of a plan to avert the fiscal cliff.”
Yes. Exactly. Because if entitlements aren’t on the table now, Durbin will be happy to revisit them a later date. A much later date. At a muchly much-much more later date.
The fun part, to mix my children’s stories reference, will be watching the GOP try and kick that football just one more time.
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