a question for the Tea Party: when?

I realize that you are in the midst of a political jujitsu match with the President over budget cuts for the current fiscal year via the Continuing Resolution, and his threat to veto it, shut down government, and make you take the blame. However, it seems that even you are afraid to tackle the on-coming freight train: Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security (MMSS).

My question: when are you going to cut these very expensive, very popular programs? Items such as discretionary spending and welfare are simple line items in the federal budget that you can change. MMSS, however, happen automatically, and cutting them requires that you entirely redesign the programs themselves, along with a gaggle of new legislation.

Right now, you are only dealing with the discretionary items. Surely you understand that MMSS are a bigger fiscal threat than the rest of the budget put together? Do your words of Constitution and limited government mean anything? If so, do not these principles also apply to MMSS just as well as to PBS, Amtrak, and earmarks? Yes, I know: your popularity ratings will get clobbered if you try. Do you believe in your principles deeply enough to take the risk?

This is Obama’s budget (in trillions)

MMSS = $1.7
Defense + veteran benefits = $0.9
Welfare = $0.6
discretionary = $0.5
Interest = $0.2

OK, the shortfall is $1.6 trillion. Even if you totally eliminate all welfare and discretionary spending, you will still be $0.5 trillion short of a balanced budget. So, guess where the rest has to come from?