AFL chief: Dems conceded too much

Democrats on the supercommittee already have conceded too much to Republicans, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said Friday.

“These ‘supercommittee’ Democrats have put all their concessions on the table up front in the vain hope that the Republicans might reciprocate,” Trumka said in a statement. “But it doesn’t work that way. In this political climate, concessions beget more concessions — not a workable compromise.”

Trumka and other liberals were angered by reports that the six Democrats on the panel offered a proposal that would reduce deficits by $3 trillion in part through cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits.

{mosads}The Democratic offer includes $1.3 trillion in tax hikes, and roughly $500 billion in cuts to entitlement programs.

Trumka said the nation’s largest labor federation will oppose any cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits.

“We call on politicians of both parties to stand firm and demand that Wall Street and the wealthy finally pay their fair share — given the extraordinary increases in corporate profits and income inequality in recent years. This is the moment we need to raise our voices to let Congress know that we will not stand for dismantling the safety net or letting Wall Street and the wealthiest Americans off the hook,” Trumka said.