Social Security Privatization Is Back

[Hannah Bell]

Social Security privatization is back. After being thoroughly defeated when President Bush proposed it, it is being revived by Republicans, who are said to be poised to take over at least one house of the Congress in November...

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/07/06/social-security-privatization-is-back/


Boehner: 'No Idea' If GOP Will Resurrect Social Security Privatization In 2010

When the Washington Post's Dan Balz asked Boehner (R-OH) if the failed 2005 Social Security privatization plan would resurface this year, the Republican leader twice answered, "I have no idea."

But what else would Republicans push if they took back the House? Here at TPM we've been searching for the answer on the Social Security question for months. The official Republican line is, well, a little fuzzy.

Party leaders hail Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) as an innovative thinker who is the future of the GOP. They even named Ryan to President Obama's fiscal commission aimed at fixing entitlement programs. But they won't quite embrace his budget blueprint, which dramatically cuts Medicare and Social Security before effectively privatizing the systems using vouchers and individual accounts. That's one reason Democrats have tried to use the Ryan budget as a wedge issue by threatening to force votes on the plan -- they want to get candidates to say where they stand on Ryan's ideas.

As for Boehner, he distanced himself from Ryan's blueprint at first this winter, even though he doesn't disagree with anything in it. Boehner told TPM in February: "Paul Ryan, who's the ranking member on our budget committee, has done an awful lot of work in putting together his road map ... But it's his. And I know the Democrats are trying to say that it's the Republican leadership. But they know that's not the case."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/boehner-no-idea-if-gop-will-resurrect-social-security-privatization-in-2010.php


Take a look at Social Security Works to learn more about the fight to keep Social Security for the American People, and subscribe to their mailing list to receive ongoing information as the fight unfolds — again.

http://socialsecurityworksforamerica.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=8b3c02245e99759ec559e1dee&id=43ab54f108

[Warpy]

1. The fascist right feels it all slipping away

and destroying social security was always the centerpiece for them. It's why Stupid was allowed to try to bankrupt the country giving tax cuts to billionaires while starting two unwinnable wars and it's the reason for the last gasp of the cat food commission right now.

If the media weren't complicit, we'd see them tossed out en masse this November. As it is, I'm terrified the word isn't getting out there past all the teabagger noise.

[madrchsod]

2. like the privation of schools and the busting of unions....

privation of social security and medicare has laid dormant. this time it`s the democrats who are watering the garden.

[blindpig]

3. Party doesn't seem to matter much...

when capitalists blow the dog whistle.

They need them another pot of gold to keep that growth thing going....for a while, until the next inevitable crash.

[Paper Roses]

4. The possibility of privatization distresses me so much.

Change Social Security, mess with Medicare. What next for Seniors?

For me this would be a death sentence. I know nothing about stocks and would be frightened to death of that approach. Seems to me all that would accomplish is bigger commissions for the Wall Street crooks.

I have no other income. I have no other insurance except Medicare. I am one of millions. Our bills do not go away, most of us struggle just to keep out heads above water.

End the GD wars, fix our economy, care for the citizens.

We should be doing all of that and yet we still spend most of our money overseas in some fruitless endeavor while the country goes to hell in a hand-basket.

OK, I'm old, been through a lot. Never in my life have I seen such a bunch of self-serving, do nothing politicians. I've had it with all of them.

We should not have to fight for and worry about our daily existence in this country. We are citizens, not sheep to be herded under some big cloud.

[raccoon]

5. You and me both, sister! The politicians don't give a rat's arse about us.

"I've had it with all of them."

[NorthCarolina]

6. The DLC Debt Commission will likely beat them to it. eom

[tjwash]

7. Blowing that SS-reform dog whistle again?

[Hannah Bell]

9. huh?

[riverdale]

8. breaking open our last piggy bank

The only surprise here is that this idea is coming from Republicans and not Obama.

[lib2DaBone]

10. Who started the lie that the Stock Market is a good place for SS?

The stock market has gone sideways for the last 20 years.

Wall street wants this money to finance their casino operations.

[eridani]

11. What to do about it

FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE CATFOOD COMMISSION!
Join the following organizations

Social Security Works
http://socialsecurity-works.org /

Social Security Matters
http://www.socialsecuritymatters.org/Home.html

National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
http://www.ncpssm.org /

Fight the "deficit hawks" noise machine with facts

The Century Foundation reports on Social Security
http://www.tcf.org/list.asp?type=TP&topic=2

Behind the Myths of Social Security
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1381

Center for Economic and Policy Research reports on Social Security
http://www.cepr.net /