Kucinich: 'Cliff' Deal Will Cause 'Cat Food Christmas' For Seniors

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) on Thursday: “Will seniors be pushed off the fiscal cliff? Social Security did not cause the deficit, but the White House’s plan to lower Social Security cost-of-living benefits could eventually reduce Seniors’ annual benefits by hundreds of dollars. The gimmick is called the ‘Chained Consumer Price Index.The Chained CPI works this way: As the cost-of-living goes up, seniors inevitably turn to cheaper alternatives,” the Ohio Democrat explained. “For example, if seniors usually eat steak but then can’t afford its higher price, they can switch to something cheaper, like cat food — and the cost-of-living calculation would be ‘chained’ to the cheaper item — cat food. The ‘Chained CPI’ benefit cut will chain aging seniors to a poverty of choices, a lower standard of living, with cheaper products. There is no justification to cut Social Security benefits, No to throwing seniors off the fiscal cliff. No to a Cat Food Christmas.”