07.09.08
McCain Bluders Disgracefully On Social Security
And the traditional media lets it slide, Senator McCain Calls Social Security a “Disgrace:” Media Don’t Notice.
At a forum on Monday, after wrongly claiming that Social Security won’t be there when young workers retire, McCain went on to say:
“Americans have got to understand that we are paying present-day retirees with the taxes paid by young workers in America today. And that’s a disgrace. It’s an absolute disgrace, and it’s got to be fixed.” [Transcript available from Congressional Quarterly]
Of course present-day retirees have always been paid their benefits from the taxes paid by current workers. That has been true from Social Security’s inception.
Some folks might have thought Senator McCain’s description of Social Security as a “disgrace” was worth a mention somewhere in the media, but the NYT, Washington Post, WSJ, and USA Today don’t seem to have noticed. It’s not like he said “bitter.”
Paul Krugman has more, A disgrace, all right.
I’d guess that there are three things going on here.
First, McCain has no idea how Social Security works. That may sound hard to believe, but not to anyone who has spent any time in or around the federal government. Politicians, by and large, get where they are mainly by looking and sounding good; this may or may not go along with any actual understanding of governing.
Second, McCain lives in the Washington bubble; and as I wrote a while back,
Inside the Beltway, doomsaying about Social Security — declaring that the program as we know it can’t survive the onslaught of retiring baby boomers — is regarded as a sort of badge of seriousness, a way of showing how statesmanlike and tough-minded you are.
Finally, McCain has surrounded himself with people who hate Social Security. They probably tell him that it’s a doomed Ponzi scheme, and he believes them.I’d guess that there are three things going on here.
First, McCain has no idea how Social Security works. That may sound hard to believe, but not to anyone who has spent any time in or around the federal government. Politicians, by and large, get where they are mainly by looking and sounding good; this may or may not go along with any actual understanding of governing.
Second, McCain lives in the Washington bubble; and as I wrote a while back,
Inside the Beltway, doomsaying about Social Security — declaring that the program as we know it can’t survive the onslaught of retiring baby boomers — is regarded as a sort of badge of seriousness, a way of showing how statesmanlike and tough-minded you are.
Finally, McCain has surrounded himself with people who hate Social Security. They probably tell him that it’s a doomed Ponzi scheme, and he believes them.
More on who he’s surrounded himself with here and here. McCain is a gaffe-a-minute, but the media won’t report it.
remerson said,
July 11, 2008 at 2:20 am
The last time the media went soft on a Presidential candidate who they found charming-or, maybe just one of their own—this country ended up with Texas’ biggest village idiot in office.
They need to be called on this lack of professionalism until it sinks in that they play an important role in the democracy! It’s not just another night out with the guys!
BTW: the LA Times reporter who ever-so-sweetly pinned him down on his Rowe v. Wade stance (7/10/08) was Maeve Reston, formerly of the AAS! She’s a sweet looking little baracuda!
wcnews said,
July 11, 2008 at 10:16 am
Y, hopefully Phil “Nation of Whiners” Gramm, will help shine a light on what 4 more years of Bush/McSame would do to this nation.
Where anyone who thinks that $4/gallon gas is much, much too expensive is a whiner. Gramm lived his whole life until he left the Senate on the Govt. payroll. I hope McSame keeps him on because he’s the gift that keeps on giving.
I also remember what Molly Ivins said of Gramm, “He’s got a face for radio and a voice for print”.