Obama: If We Don’t Get a Deal, I Can’t Guarantee We’ll Be Sending Out Social Security Checks on August 3rd

By Doug Powers  •  July 12, 2011 03:18 PM

**Written by Doug Powers

He could have said something like “If a deal isn’t made there will of course be a problem paying for Social Security in the long term, but in the short term I have many options as far as shuffling dollars around to fund high priorities, so I can say with confidence that Americans who depend on Social Security will still get their checks for the foreseeable future while we sort this out.” But Obama didn’t say that.

From CBS News by way of Snapped Shot:

President Obama on Tuesday said he cannot guarantee that retirees will receive their Social Security checks August 3 if Democrats and Republicans in Washington do not reach an agreement on reducing the deficit in the coming weeks.

“I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven’t resolved this issue. Because there may simply not be the money in the coffers to do it,” Mr. Obama said in an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley, according to excerpts released by CBS News.

I haven’t seen the full interview, but I’m just guessing that Pelley aggressively followed up with, “Mmm hmm…”

Regardless of what happens with the debt ceiling deal, if Social Security checks don’t get sent out next month, it will be the decision of the Obama administration to not put Social Security toward the top of their list of priorities (I thought it was the GOP who wanted to starve seniors and push them off cliffs).

Hopefully Social Security recipients are familiar with chess, because they’re now officially pawns in the president’s debt ceiling game.

Update: Reader James sent in questions he’d have followed up with:

Are you saying that we must increase the debt limit each year so that we can pay SS and the other entitlement programs?

Aren’t you going through an exercise to prioritize funds in case the debt limit isn’t raised? Aren’t you doing this now and what is the progress?

If we have to increase the debt limit each year so as to pay for the entitlement programs, how are we ever going to get our financial ship in order?

*****

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe

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Comments


  1. #101
    On July 13th, 2011 at 12:40 am, Truesoldier said:

    I’m sorry to say that I have the same Senators that you do – plus Jay Inslee as my Rep!
    Ugh!

    And just think, now Inslee is running for Governor…..

    When I called Murray’s office today… He sounded very confused (I’m assuming this had never occurred to him) and thanked me for my call.

    Well what did you expect, Murray has to have people dummer than she is (remember she has ranked as the dubmbest member of the Senate) working for her.

  2. #102
    On July 13th, 2011 at 1:37 am, cabrerski said:

    Once upon a time, the nation used to rely upon the President of the United States to ease the fears of the citizenry. After natural disasters or other calamities, the President would speak to the people to reassure Americans of the strength this country and how we can use it to pull us out of the predicament. The right words and tone would calm us and enable us to band together and overcome the problems.

    This low-life little man now holding the position is as dispicable as any villian in the history of man. Watch how he cheapens our history, our country, our heritage and our sacrifices. He would rather cause a widespread panic if it suit his needs.

    Barack Hussen Obama – you are a cancer that has been unleashed upon our nation. A disease that will cause a great deal of pain and suffering. Hopefully the cure will not kill the patient. To those who support this fiend…are your short-sighted gains and goals worthy of destroying centuries of unprecedented glory? The country that nurtured you and demanded so little in return? Pray that we survive so you may look back and breathe a sigh of relief.

  3. #103
    On July 13th, 2011 at 2:07 am, Hiraghm said:

    On July 12th, 2011 at 10:54 pm, txvet2 said:

    Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

    That’s the part that makes me really nervous when some who claim to be on our side start talking splinter party. If the Dems somehow manage to hold on to the Presidency and regain control of the House because a bunch of witless malcontents take a walk like they did in 2006 and 2008, it’s more than likely that we’ll never get power back away from them without guns.

    And if we continue traveling down the socialist path because of a bunch of nitwit-go-along-to-get-along ball-less wonders, we’ll never get power back from them without guns… and maybe not even with them.

    There were those in the Continental Congress who argued appeasement and reconciliation with the crown. Fortunately, we didn’t listen to them. Why listen to the appeasers and reconcilers now?

  4. #104
    On July 13th, 2011 at 2:29 am, Mick Gold Coast Australia said:

    I’m loving this American sitcom, from 12,000 miles distant.

    Your Boy King tried someting similar on last time and what did your Big Tough Republicans do? Sent one of their top blokes in – the one who makes a point of blubbering every time he gets to do something important – to bat all alone against His Mighty Intellect and get bowled middle stump. By the biggest sheila of a bowler I have ever seen.

    What’s Boner going to do this time that’s so different? Pluck up the courage to ask for His Eloquent Autograph before Your Prince cocks His head, juts His jaw and boots him out via the servants’ entrance?

  5. #105
    On July 13th, 2011 at 8:07 am, ITookTheRedPill said:

    Mr. (p)Resident,
    Speaking of Social Security,
    how about explaining your fraudulent Social Security number?!

  6. #106
    On July 13th, 2011 at 8:13 am, Roland said:

    Barack Hussen Obama – you are a cancer that has been unleashed upon our nation. A disease that will cause a great deal of pain and suffering.

    No, he’s a symptom of the disease, not the disease.

    The disease is in the voter who would give this man power.

  7. #107
    On July 13th, 2011 at 9:24 am, NJ-Aviator said:

    “I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven’t resolved this issue.” Mr. Obama said in an interview with CBS Evening News

    Go ahead punk.

    Make my day.

  8. #108
    On July 13th, 2011 at 9:34 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    On July 13th, 2011 at 8:13 am, Roland said:

    Barack Hussen Obama – you are a cancer that has been unleashed upon our nation. A disease that will cause a great deal of pain and suffering.

    No, he’s a symptom of the disease, not the disease.

    The disease is in the voter who would give this man power.

    And as pernicious as this cancer is the Republicans continually screw up and just beg the voters to turn away. Winnable is certainly a trait we need in candidates on every level–but if that winnable candidate has no core values what good is he?

    Yes indeed the schools, media and such preach a poisoned sermon but that is no reason for us to elect weaklings only able to give us Progressive Lite. With Barack Hussein-Blessings on His Name-O’Bambi still holding 40%+ of voter loyalty I do fear for this country. With several McCain clones in the running confidence is not assured.

    ===
    Let Your Sidearm Be Like American Express:
    Don’t Leave Home Without It.

  9. #109
    On July 13th, 2011 at 9:40 am, texhisp said:

    We need to get the conversation focused on the existence of revenue and how much there is. All the talk you hear is about how there isn’t any money. This is just not true.

    The federal revenue for 2009 was $2,105 Billion or $2.1 Trillion. For 2010, it was $2,162 Billion or $2.16 Trillion. One estimate for 2011 is $2,173 Billion or $2.17 Trillion.

    Everyone should be saying this is more than enough money. You people in DC are just doing a horrible job managing it. So let’s get real.

  10. #110
    On July 13th, 2011 at 9:59 am, John Deaux said:

    I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven’t resolved this issue.

    I triple dog dare you. The sight of veterans of WW2, Korea, Vietnam, etc. marching on Washington with pitchforks and torches would warm my heart.

  11. #111
    On July 13th, 2011 at 10:15 am, Roland said:

    With several McCain clones in the running confidence is not assured.

    The only one actually every bit as bad or worse than McCain is Huntsman. McCain was an awesomely awful pick.

    Anyway, the difficulties we have fielding a solidly conservative candidate to run against the Democrats come from the same progressive disease that gave us Obama.

  12. #112
    On July 13th, 2011 at 10:42 am, Truesoldier said:

    I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven’t resolved this issue.

    But look what Bernake is planning to do:

    Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress Wednesday that a new stimulus program is in the works that will entail additional asset purchases, the clearest indication yet that the central bank is contemplating another round of monetary easing.

  13. #113
    On July 13th, 2011 at 10:50 am, letget said:

    There is a poster on HA that said her grandmother is in the hospital with cancer. When she heard bho say that the SS checks might not be going out, she had a heart attack. This sick sob bho is beyond human to make the older people and vets wonder if they will get their checks so he can look good! Gads, dear Lord I detest this man.
    L

  14. #114
    On July 13th, 2011 at 11:02 am, happyscrapper said:

    On July 13th, 2011 at 10:50 am, letget said:

    What I can’t seem to get out of my mind is when he said, “There comes a time when, um, grandma, uh, maybe needs to just go home and take a pill.” I have a response to that one…YOU.FIRST!!

  15. #115
    On July 13th, 2011 at 11:46 am, Roland said:

    What I can’t seem to get out of my mind is when he said, “There comes a time when, um, grandma, uh, maybe needs to just go home and take a pill.” I have a response to that one…YOU.FIRST!!

    The sad thing is that there is sometimes truth in what he said, and so many people who see that truth give him a pass on it, at most saying it was perhaps somewhat ‘insensitive.’

    It is sad because they are giving him a pass on something for which they should be condemning him. He does not belong to the “it is clearly hopeless and stretching out her suffering with extraordinary measures is wasteful and pointless” camp. He belongs to the “we cannot afford as a society to be spending our (society’s) money on unproductive mouths” camp.

    All great evils have risen and thrived on ignorant and foolish rationalizations by people who would become its victims.

  16. #116
    On July 13th, 2011 at 12:30 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    “I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven’t resolved this issue.” Mr. Obama said in an interview with CBS Evening News

    Hey, Odumbo. How about you start with something like…
    all employees of the Depts of Education and Energy get a week’s furlough.
    Cancel all grants to the National Endowment for the Arts.
    Reduce Moochelle’s staff down to single digits.
    Stop foreign aid to any country not actively contributing to the war on terror.
    Why is your first instinct to cut off checks to the elderly?

  17. #117
    On July 13th, 2011 at 12:57 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On July 13th, 2011 at 12:30 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    We have Obama’s number. He doesn’t want to cut back on anything that he personally likes. So he won’t. Instead, he uses fear-mongering and class warfare to push his radical agenda. We all know that now. At least, those of us who can actually SEE.TRUTH. I believe there are blinders on so many people, that Obama can continue to get away with his lies. This is Biblical. They are blind, and the truth is not in them. This is what we are fighting. EVIL. There is no doubt in my mind what is going on here.

  18. #118
    On July 13th, 2011 at 12:57 pm, paperino said:

    Can anyone tell how much could be saved if ALL federal employees were to take ONE furlough day every month? The days could be staggered… last names beginning with A to G first week, F to M, second week and so on. Do you believe this would seriously disrupt our government operations?

  19. #119
    On July 13th, 2011 at 1:09 pm, paperino said:

    Correction… A to F and G to M…alphabetically challenged..

  20. #120
    On July 13th, 2011 at 1:45 pm, locomotivebreath1901 said:

    Alternative headline: Why does Obama hate Old People and the Disabled?

    But only if he was a Republican.

  21. #121
    On July 13th, 2011 at 3:22 pm, spaceycakes said:

    NJ-Aviator said:

    great minds & all that, NJ (see my #23)
    !

  22. #122
    On July 13th, 2011 at 4:20 pm, countrybumpkin said:

    We had a picture of a Paul Ryan look alike pushing Grandma over the cliff. How about one of Obama snatching the can of dog food out of Grandma’s hand.

  23. #123
    On July 13th, 2011 at 4:47 pm, TrueLiberal said:

    BHO: Say, Grandma, that’s a nice Social Security check you have there, isn’t it?

    Grandma: Yes.

    BHO: It’d be a real shame, now, if something were to happen to it.

    Grandma: What are you implying?

    BHO: Oh, nothing, nothing! It’s just that, well, you know, accidents happen. Checks get lost.

    Grandma: Are you threatening me?

    BHO: No, No! But my buddy, Tim Geithner, he gets mad sometimes.

    BHO: And when he gets mad, you know, sometimes he forgets to mail checks.

    BHO: I mean, if he thought certain congressmen weren’t doing right by him, he might get mad.

    BHO: I can’t always control him, you know…

    Welcome to America’s first gangsta administration

  24. #124
    On July 13th, 2011 at 7:30 pm, amyshulk said:

    Hmmm, wasn’t it the Military that was threatened last go-round? Pres. “I Won” must really be desperate!!!

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