One attendee of the Netroots Nation panel provocatively titled “Obama’s Social Security ‘Death Panel’” later told me he had gone into the panel dubious that there is any real threat to Social Security. “But I left mad,” he said, questioning how such an important part of America’s social fabric could be threatened. Yet as the panelists detailed, Social Security is most definitely under attack–and it’s an attack that could fundamentally alter how we understand the program.
Panelists agreed the most direct assaults on Social Security takes are likely to be defeated, as the privatization of the program was in 2005. But they pointed to a more nuanced threat. Robert Borosage of Campaign for America’s Future contrasted the “frightened, timid and cautious leadership” of today with the “confident society” that, following World War II, responded to a much larger deficit (as percentage of GDP) by embarking on a series of spending programs that reshaped the economy and built the middle class.
Today, Borosage said, there is an emerging elite consensus that is “focused on Social Security because it will show they’re ’serious,’ even though it will have no effect on the deficit.” They portray Social Security as being in crisis, then claim that proposed cuts are “saving” the program. Eric Kingson, co-director of Social Security Works, made it clear that Social Security is not in crisis.
Social Security should and can work for the next 75 years.
“But it’s up to all of us” to defend it. Crucially, defending Social Security
is not about dollars and cents and it’s not about balancing the books. It’s about how well the American people do—all of us.
The elite consensus will, unfortunately, drive too much of what happens on a policy level. But what about working people? As a panelist myself, I spoke about what Working America organizers hear in the field every night, on the doorsteps of thousands of working Americans. Working people are deeply worried that their Social Security benefits will be cut, but too much of what they hear is dominated by fear-mongering claims that Social Security is in crisis. If the progressive movement doesn’t reach out to working people with the message that Social Security is not in trouble, we allow its enemies to define the debate. And if the debate begins with the assumption that cuts are needed to “save” the program, we’re stuck fighting against backward movement. Instead, we need to be fighting our way forward by providing working people information that shifts the debate forward.
That fight “is going to be the battle of our lives,” according to the blogger Digby. She referred back to the successful fight against privatization in 2005 and highlighted the importance of repetition: For every time opponents of Social Security say it’s in crisis, its defenders have to say “no, it’s not.” Or “strengthen Social Security—don’t cut it.” (And make no mistake, raising the eligibility age is a cut.) As progressive bloggers and individuals and organizations, she emphasized, we have to use every tool at our disposal to amplify those simple messages.
The Netroots Nation panel I’m on — “Obama’s Social Security “Death Panel”: Engaging Activists to Defeat the Drive to Cut Critical Social Programs” – is starting soon.
If you’re at Netroots Nation, well, why don’t you come on by? If you’re not, here’s some of what you’d hear at the panel anyway.
Meanwhile, don’t forget to text “Activist Mitchell Hirsch” to 27336.
And if you’re at Netroots Nation, text “NN10” to 30644 to qualify for your free union beer tasting from 4:00 to 7:00 today or 3:00-6:00 tomorrow in the exhibit hall.
Asked about that Republican budget, the one that privatizes Social Security and Medicare, House Minority Leader John Boehner didn’t know quite what to say.
Since he was sort of all over the place, I think we better just translate. Shorter, more direct John Boehner: “I don’t disagree with anything in the budget, but I know it’s terrible politics, so this is me distancing myself from it.”
True, this plan was not officially THE single plan from his party. No, it was the plan of their top budget guy, and one said top budget guy says has a lot of support from his party’s leadership. But if Boehner’s response is any guide, don’t look for anyone else to release specific proposals anytime soon. Because specific proposals have a nasty way of being really unpopular when they’re issued by Republicans, what with all the cutting and privatizing of very popular programs.
All that, and a budget surplus at some point in the late 21st century.
We won the Social Security fight in 2005, the last time Republicans tried to privatize it. Since then, we’ve watched the stock market—the source they want people to rely entirely upon for their retirement—collapse. Imagine if Social Security had been privatized in 2005 and America’s retirement security had been shifted into the stock market by fall 2008. What would that have looked like?
Yet they’re back for another crack.
Medicare won’t just be privatized, either. It’ll be privatized with vouchers that grow more slowly than insurance costs. So that’s fantastic policy, too, and should be very popular among senior citizens and people who hope someday to become senior citizens.
This is nuts. It’s also what the Republican party wants, even when they try to pretend otherwise.
Last week, Nicholas Kristof found some more opposition to health care reform.
Critics storm that health care reform is “a cruel hoax and a delusion.” Ads in 100 newspapers thunder that reform would mean “the beginning of socialized medicine.”
The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page predicts that the legislation will lead to “deteriorating service.” Business groups warn that Washington bureaucrats will invade “the privacy of the examination room,” that we are on the road to rationed care and that patients will lose the “freedom to choose their own doctor.”
Have you figured out the punchline yet?
Those quotes, familiar as they seem, were actually from the 1960s, when the reform being debated was Medicare.
Indeed, these same arguments we hear today against health reform were used even earlier, to attack President Franklin Roosevelt’s call for Social Security. It was denounced as a socialist program that would compete with private insurers and add to Americans’ tax burden so as to kill jobs.
So apparently, a strong public health insurance option would lead to gloom, doom, and the enduring popularity of Medicare and Social Security.
On my ninth day of canvassing in Dayton for Working America, I met a woman with an interesting and inspiring story. She was in her late fifties and raising her ten-year-old grandson, whose mother and father didn’t want anything to do with him. She didn’t want to see the boy sent to a foster home and so took custody of him. She explained that she had a medical problem consisting of a mass building up inside of her and didn’t know what exactly it was, except that it causes her a lot of pain. She also said that she had so many medical bills from her past problems that now she couldn’t possibly pay them with what she was receiving on social security. As such, she felt she couldn’t go to the doctor to find out what was wrong with her on her $450/month from social security. A few months ago, her social security had been raised to $520/month, but as a result her food stamp allowance had been reduced to $23/month. As she started crying, she told me that her rent was $325/month and that she could barely afford food and utilities.
She said between sobs that she couldn’t pay any dues but said she would make phone calls for Working America, put together fliers or even follow canvassers around with something cold to drink. I thanked her for her generosity and willingness to help despite her situation and she told me, “No, thank you for coming out each day trying to help better the lives of people like me.” I gave her a big hug and assured her that things will get better and she smiled.
As I left, I couldn’t help but think about what we do and the impact it has on peoples’ lives. And I know in my heart that coming to Working America was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. If we don’t stand up and fight for these people, no one will.
I spoke to a guy who worked for a local factory for 31 years and was forced into early retirement. Two months ago he went to the Social Security office twice to get his benefits started. He has to return two more times and each appointment requires a month and a half wait — so it will be at least five months before he sees any of his Social Security benefits. He has 13 and 15 year old daughters.
When he answered the door he seemed reluctant to speak to anyone, but his attitude changed when I told him who I was and what I was doing. “Oh, come on in!” he said, and told me his story. After listening to him I told him that retirement security is one of the very things we are fighting for, it was a great thing to see his face light up. He not only signed up, but thanked me for what we do.
I spoke with an older woman who answered the door. She sympathized with us, saying she did not have health care. She was hit by a car and spent four months in a coma suffering brain damage, yet she is quite functional. She takes a very strong medication that gives her the shakes and costs $220.00. She became teary-eyed, and so did I, as she stated she only makes $1,000.00 a month on social security, so her son helps her, and tells her she is his rock. She then told me everything will work out because she has faith. She is a truly memorable person.
Every time I go out canvassing I meet the very folks we are fighting for. Last night while we were in a low income neighborhood of Salem, Oregon. I knocked on one door of an apartment complex and a man came to the door. He was clearly very ill, trembling from the effects of Parkinson’s disease. When I told him we were fighting for health care for all Americans he invited me in.
After he signed up he told me that he has no health insurance and will have to wait two years to get Social Security for his disability.
This is unacceptable. All people need to have access to health care when they need it. It is wrong that our health care system forces the sick and disabled to wait years before they can get the care that they need. Two years is too long!
I am so glad that Working America exists because we get people involved directly in the fight for a system that works for us instead of against us.
Tonight, a member explained how she was one of the fortunate few for whom their health care plan came through. The member had a stroke at an early age which had left her unable to work. Her supplemental insurance provider was there to see that she was taken care of. Even her social security was expedited and she does not have to worry about providing a home for her children.
I spoke with an older woman who answered the door. She sympathized with us, saying she did not have health care. She was hit by a car and spent four months in a coma suffering brain damage, yet she is quite functional. She takes a very strong medication that gives her the shakes and costs $220.00. She became teary-eyed, and so did I, as she stated she only makes $1,000.00 a month on social security, so her son helps her, and tells her she is his rock. She then told me everything will work out because she has faith. She is a truly memorable person.
Tonight, a member explained how she was one of the fortunate few for whom their health care plan came through. The member had a stroke at an early age which had left her unable to work. Her supplemental insurance provider was there to see that she was taken care of. Even her social security was expedited and she does not have to worry about providing a home for her children.
