Oh, and by the way, Democrats built that. Also,
Democrats built some other things similar to Social Security… like
Medicare and Obamacare.
Yes, Pelosi went there. That was the gist of Leader
Nancy Pelosi’s statement Thursday on the anniversary of Social Security,
a good reminder that Democrats have long advocated for programs for the
people. It was Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) who signed the beloved
Social Security program into law in 1935.
Leader Pelosi noted, “In the nearly eight decades
since its enactment, Social Security has stood as a cornerstone of
economic certainty for millions of America’s seniors and families.
Together with Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, Social
Security provides essential protection for the middle class. But there
continue to be Congressional repugicans who put forward dangerous
proposals to privatize or partially privatize Social Security, which
would rob seniors of the economic security they count on.
“When Democrats created Social Security, we pledged
to defend the right of our nation’s seniors to pursue a life of liberty
and happiness. Democrats have stood by the promise of Social Security
since its inception, and Democrats will continue to protect and
strengthen Social Security for the generations to come.”
On January 17, 1935, FDR explained the Social Security legislation
as something to help protect Americans from the hazards of life, “A
recommendation for legislation to help protect Americans from the
hazards of life.”
His words are especially poignant after the brutal
recession that started in 2007. The Democratic President closed by
saying, “We pay now for the dreadful consequence of economic insecurity –
and dearly. This plan presents a more equitable and infinitely less
expensive means of meeting these costs. We cannot afford to neglect the
plain duty before us.”
This is why Democratic Congressional Campaign
Committee Chairman Steve Israel pledged in a statement today, “House
Democrats will continue to stand fast against repugicans’ efforts to
undermine seniors’ vital lifeline and risk Americans’ retirement
security through privatization. Rather, we must work together to protect
and strengthen Social Security for both today’s seniors and for future
retirees.”
Fortune Magazine
was unimpressed with the repugican idea to “privatize” Social Security
(aka, destroy Social Security). In 2010, when this was yet another hot
campaign issue for the repugican cabal, they pointed out that the stock market has
had “two 50%-plus drops in just over a decade” and you’d think this
“would have shown conclusively the folly of retirees’ having to bet
their eating money on the market.”
Why is privatizing Social Security such a turkey? Because retirees shouldn’t have to depend on the market’s vagaries for survival money. More than half of married couples over 65 and 72% of singles get more than half their income from Social Security, according to the Social Security Administration. For 20% of 65-and-up couples and 41% of singles, Social Security is 90% or more of their income. That isn’t projected to change.
It’s obscene that more media do not call out the
ridiculous repugican idea of a Social Security that is not secure.
Tying “security” to the stock market, especially after the last decade
of two plunging markets under Bush, is an idea that should be laughed
at.
This is not “security”, thus it is not a viable
replacement or “reform” to Social Security. It is a different idea, and
should be proposed properly as such, but then the main goal of
destroying Social Security could not be achieved. Thus, the destroyers
of “security” must keep presenting their idea as a “reform” when it is
in fact a destruction.
Happy Anniversary, Social Security. May you be long funded and protected.
No comments:
Post a Comment