There appears to be growing bipartisan support for cuts to Medicaid and Social Security, although it's a political hot potato and President Barack Obama has remained silent on the issue. The Wall Street Journal reported on March 10 that Sens. Mark Warner (D., Va.) and Saxby Chambliss (R., Ga) have formed an alliance with four other Senators dubbed the "Gang of Six" who have tentative backing of 31 senators, 16 Republicans and 15 Democrats, to slash $4 trillion from the Federal Government's projected budget deficit over the next 10 years, including cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

This comes despite the fact that cutting Social Security and Medicare benefits doesn't have popular support, according to a recent public opinion poll. Due to this, the group plans to begin a public education process during a week long Congressional recess which begins on March 19. Democrat Erskine Bowles and Republican Alan Simpson, who co-chaired the White House's deficit-reduction commission last year, are part of the new effort and they have launched a new non-profit organization to raise public awareness about the debt and possible solutions.

According to the WSJ article, Democrats have already agreed to "trim" Medicare benefits while Republicans have agreed to consider raising new revenue via the tax code. Both of these are major reversals by each party and are viewed as olive branches to try to come up with a bipartisan solution to our growing debt. Current projections show that in 10 years the interest on the national debt will be $928 billion/year, 17% more than the government would pay to provide health care to the elderly through Medicare that year, and 82% more than the cost of all non-security discretionary spending programs.

Although clearly the deficit is a big problem for our country, cutting health benefits for cash-strapped seniors is unlikely to gain broad public support, and could bring out more senior voters in next year's Presidential elections if this issue gains traction. Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey services seniors on a day-to-day basis and many are just struggling to get by after two years without an increase in their Social Security payments. If the government cuts medical benefits, I fear some will just stay home rather than going to the Doctor, something which will cost society more money in the long-run as preventative care goes out the window and more seniors end up in the emergency room or worse, in expensive extended visits to the hospital.

In other budget news, the Senate on March 9 rejected both the Republican and Democratic versions of budget cutting proposals. The government is currently funded under legislation that expires on March 18. If no budget solution is found, there will likely be another extension to delay a complete government shut down which will occur without it.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703453804576191010111787594.html

http://www.familyinhomecaregiving.com/blog/index.html?entry=poll-shows-overwhelming-support-for