Did Biden laud a Paul Ryan proposal to cut Social Security as Bernie Sanders' campaign said?

[Stonepounder]

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2020/jan/09/bernie-sanders/did-biden-laud-paul-ryan-proposal-cut-social-secur/

Did Biden laud a Paul Ryan proposal to cut Social Security as Bernie Sanders’ campaign said?

Sen. Bernie Sanders argues that former Vice President Joe Biden sided with a Republican effort to cut Social Security. "In 2018, Biden lauded Paul Ryan for proposing cuts to Social Security and Medicare," wrote the Sanders campaign in a Jan. 7 newsletter. The night before on CNN, Sanders had attacked Biden’s record on Social Security and Medicare. Ryan is a former Republican House speaker who proposed sweeping changes to Social Security that were never enacted.

We found that the Sanders campaign newsletter distorts what Biden said about Ryan’s plan.

<snip>

To understand Biden’s tone, you have to actually watch and listen to his words. The snippet of written text, which the Sanders’ campaign newsletter used, doesn’t relay Biden’s full point.

The Sanders campaign omits what Biden said next (our emphasis is in bold):

"Now, I don’t know a whole lot of people in the top one-tenth of 1 percent or the top 1 percent who are relying on Social Security when they retire. I don’t know a lot of them. Maybe you guys do. So we need a pro-growth, progressive tax code that treats workers as job creators, as well, not just investors; that gets rid of unprotective loopholes like stepped-up basis; and it raises enough revenue to make sure that the Social Security and Medicare can stay, it still needs adjustments, but can stay; and pay for the things we all acknowledge will grow the country."

We rate this statement False.

[crazytown]

1. Sanders should be called to account on the debate state.

Bern notice is a campaign document. He can't say he didn't know, or is not responsible for what is in it. Hillary did not call him out on the deliberate distortions, and malice of his surrogates in 2016. It is time somebody did.

[still_one]

4. Doubtful that will happen unless the debate moderators bring it up

[YOHABLO]

2. "it still needs adjustments'' is a troubling statement. Let your imagination run on that one.

The only ''adjustment'' is that people should be getting more on COLAs, and Medicare should be covering everything 95%. We can not allow Wall Street to get their greedy paws on the Social Security Trust fund.

[crazytown]

3. The meaning of "it still needs adjustments" was clear - a reference to the tax code

"it raises enough revenue to make sure that the Social Security and Medicare can stay, it still needs adjustments"

And I agree - the payroll tax threshold should be lifted, the ceiling for the for the wealthy abolished.

[YOHABLO]

5. Well actually is not clear, and is subject to interpretation.

[crazytown]

6. The quote in full

So we need a pro-growth, progressive tax code that treats workers as job creators, as well, not just investors; that gets rid of unprotective loopholes like stepped-up basis; and it raises enough revenue to make sure that the Social Security and Medicare can stay, it still needs adjustments, but can stay; and pay for the things we all acknowledge will grow the country."

Biden is quite clear. IT is the progressive tax code, and IT still needs adjustment.

[stopdiggin]

8. nope. pretty clear. and the people that are misconstruing

are doing so because they choose to misconstrue.
If a person is making a statement in which the emphasis is on saving and strengthening a program .. and then you attempt to spin that as advocating to destroy or dismantle ...

[YOHABLO]

9. Well then, that's your opinion isn't it.

[stopdiggin]

10. yes. actuarial math dictates that the program needs tweaks in order to be sound.

Anybody arguing against that simple fact .. is plainly misinformed, or being dishonest.
(Biden wins points by approaching the issue with straightforward honesty .. and I don't think the other side of this argument really has any honest footing. But .. it's primary season!)

[Hekate]

7. There is a tactic called "lying by omission," which is what Politifact has called out...

...the Sanders campaign for doing.

Probably comes from hiring the same people as last time, and that is a damn shame. One does have to ask: Why, if Bernie is a person of good will, would he let this go on in his name.

The Sanders campaign omits what Biden said next (our emphasis is in bold):

"Now, I don’t know a whole lot of people in the top one-tenth of 1 percent or the top 1 percent who are relying on Social Security when they retire. I don’t know a lot of them. Maybe you guys do. So we need a pro-growth, progressive tax code that treats workers as job creators, as well, not just investors; that gets rid of unprotective loopholes like stepped-up basis; and it raises enough revenue to make sure that the Social Security and Medicare can stay, it still needs adjustments, but can stay; and pay for the things we all acknowledge will grow the country."

[Eric J in MN]

11. Ryan Grim did a thread responding to that Fact Check

The Fact Checker thinks Biden was being sarcastic by whispering into the microphone.

But Ryan Grim says Biden does that when he’s saying allegedly forbidden truths.

Link to tweet

?s=21

[Cha]

13. Ryan Grimm the spinner.. I don't trust him..

no way no how.

Link to tweet

[msongs]

12. the real bernie is there for everyone to see nt