Hank,

You do make an interesting, if unintended point: "Taking from the poor and middle class so that the rich can have it all;" now why is it we can't all get behind this platform policy?

Absolutely SS and Medicare are presently flawed and leading the nation to the precipice. But neither party is willing to do anything beyond ineffectual tweaking, because sufficiently addressing any of the serious national fatal flaws, like corporate personhood even, will get the powers that be unelected at the next election. Why? Because the beneficiaries of welfare, both social and corporate, won't accept the "pain" of redress. So onward we march toward the edge, pretending that BS like gay marriage, abortion rights, and extending the Bush tax cuts are the real national interest.

Sg