How The Lesson To Never, Ever Compromise With Republicans Was Learned

With Chained CPI, Republicans nearly beat Obama on cutting Social Security benefits in 2011, but GOP arrogance and overreach eventually led Obama and all Democrats to disown the concept completely, and instead to advocate increasing benefits. A hard lesson, but a necessary one: never, ever compromise with Republicans:

At one point, the White House reportedly suggested putting chained CPI back on the table after Republicans had not presented a counteroffer on taxes with the budget deadline less than 36 hours away.

Then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was apparently so peeved at the idea that he threw a note with the proposal into a blazing fire in his office fireplace.

Reid ruled out reconsidering chained CPI because it seemed to him that Republicans weren’t serious about giving ground on the Bush tax cuts, according to Jim Manley, a longtime spokesman for Reid who by then had stopped working for the senator. And that was the last time Reid ever entertained the idea of messing with Social Security.

“Since then it’s been, ‘Hell no,’” Manley said.