Raising the Bar

[TW for ableism, sexism, homophobia, Christian supremacy, classism.]

Via Juanita Jean's blog, I found the website of Dr. Stuart Spitzer, a Republican running for Texas State Representative.

Just for kicks and giggles, I read through the page, and the penultimate paragraph is one of the most... um, telling I've yet read about the wrongheadedness of Republican politics [emphasis mine]:

"I believe there are two competing ideologies in play. One would debate the role of family, the rights of the unborn, the merits of gambling, and even whether absolute truth exists. This worldview says that if we can’t all get over the bar, we need to lower the bar. I think we need to raise the bar. ... we should not lower the bar just to get everyone over it. I would rather try my whole life for a bar set too high and fail, than walk over a low bar into a pool with the sediment of all, but the virtue of none."

Republicans: "If you're too poor, too disabled, too low-class, too minority, then reaching the bar is not for you." And lets not forget the depiction of these people as virtueless dirt. That is not raising the bar, unless you happen to be standing on your head, then 'raising' to the rest of the world looks a whole lot like 'lowering'.

How about we try raising the bar of human compassion, hm?

Disposable

So, President Obama has decided that Medicare and Social Security need to be cut in hopes of gaining Republican support for raising the debt ceiling. In essence, he is willing to gut the nation's most vulnerable citizens in exchange for being able to spend more money on (presumably) military and defense.

Let me put this in on-the-ground terms. I work as an assistant manager at an affordable apartment complex for seniors. A large number of these people live only on Social Security, typically a measly $900 before Medicare is taken out. The SS COLA has been at 0% for the last two years - the first flatline since COLA was instituted in 1975. My county has consistently raised the maximum rent limits for affordable housing, meaning that if our private owners chose to, they could charge up to $863/mo rent on a 2-bedroom, 50% AMI (meaning the income limit is 50% of the median income for the county) unit. Our cheapest unit is $537/mo.

Compare that Social Security number with the rent numbers. Personally, I would love to see President Obama, or anyone who advocates cuts in SS funding, survive on $300/mo after paying rent - nevermind paying for the additional health care that comes with aging.

At this rate, we're looking at another 0% - or possibly negative% - COLA, coupled with increasing inflation, increasing rent, (presumably) increasing Medicare fees, increasing gas prices.

Yes, SS needs to be overhauled.

No, SS doesn't need to be cut.

Whatever is done with SS, it needs to be done with the welfare of the people who depend on it to survive as first priority. The financial lifeblood of millions of Americans is not a bargaining chip.