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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Democrats trying to Scare Seniors in Social Security Debate?

It’s time we put this big talking point to rest.

When Republicans tell Americans that social security is bankrupt (which it isn’t), a Ponzi scheme, and won’t be there for Gen Xers, that’s a scare tactic.

When Democrats tell Americans Social Security is sound, not part of the countries deficit, will still pay out 78 percent without any changes till 2041, needs slight tweaking and is keeping seniors out of poverty, that’s NOT A SCARE TACTIC!!!

Two Wisconsin State Journal articles continue to perpetuate the Republican "both sides" misdirection play:

James Roosevelt, Jr., said the television commercial being aired by Wisconsin's Republican Senate candidate Ron Johnson is off base in comparing a system many seniors rely on to an investment fraud such as the one perpetrated by Bernie Madoff. "People like Ron Johnson should stop scaring senior citizens," Roosevelt said from Boston in a phone call to news reporters.

Roosevelt also accused Johnson and two other Republicans, Wisconsin House Candidate Sean Duffy and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, of using the election to eliminate Social Security, privatize it and cut benefits.

Was that really a scare tactic fabricated by Roosevelt? No. But “can’t we all get along” experts continue to blame “both sides.” For example:

But Charles Franklin, UW-Madison political science professor, said both Republicans and Democrats are using the issue to scare older voters. "Calm, rational debate has not been the hallmark of our politics on this issue," he said. "Older people vote, and this is a big deal for them."
Democrats aren’t trying to scare anyone. If breaking the New Deal up into little pieces isn’t really what’s being proposed by conservative politicians, then will someone please tell me what they are trying to do?

The bottom line question is and will always be: If the government saves money by reducing its role in Social Security and Medicare, two programs that continue to see cost increases, who picks up the balance? Seniors.
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