Its a Death Trap, It's a Suicide Rap*

Ah, yes, the "centrists" in the Senate. They are what Obi Wan Kenobi was speaking of when he said, "Never will you find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."^‡

Their latest "gift" to the rest of us? They are proposing a commission in order to create a back door way to defund Social Security and Medicare.

In this case, it's Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, (DINO-ND) along with Senatior Judd Gregg (R-NH):

The commission's main goal would be to figure out what the country needs to do to get its budget back on a more balanced track.

Specifically, the commission would suggest ways to curb spending growth -- especially in Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security -- and to boost tax revenue.

There is a simple solution: You just raise the maximum income taken for social security, and let it cover everything that is remuneration, and it's solvent forever.

In fact, it's solvent enough that it can fix the medicare funding issue too.

Of note is how this committee is structured, with 18 members, 8 of each party appointed by Congress, and 2 appointed by the White House, and that it would require that at least 14 of the 18 members approve any report, which would be submitted to Congress for an up or down vote.

So, for any tax increase, you would need at least ½ of the Republicans to approve, and you won't get one.

It's a Trojan horse, and should be left outside the gates.

It fills the gap, and then some, while

^*Apologies to the Boss. It's a line from Born to Run^†
†That's Bruce Springsteen to those of you who are musically illiterate.
^‡Star Wars, you remember that? It was a minor film released in 1977 by the director of THX-1138.