Wehner Memo
Talking Points has posted the full text of the Wehner Memo. The memo outlines the whitehouse strategy for pushing social security reform. It's an interesting read.
I am impressed by how they frame their overall goal of an "ownership society": "an Ownership Society -- one in which more people will own their health care plans and have the confidence of owning a piece of their retirement." This is a powerful, positive message. Who wouldn't want to own their healthcare plan? But clearly what they have in mind is a "payer society." And there are a lot of people looking to make a buck off of us payers.
Liberal responses to this message need to counteract the "ownership" frame with an emphasis on the paying aspect.
posted by Ed Keer @ 1/07/2005
5 comments
5 Comments:
Thanks for posting that memo, it's really interesting. The idea that the Republicans are "creating the crisis" in Social Security is something I only started hearing from the left say a few days ago. Isn't it simple demographics that Social Security will be in crisis? Is the question over when this crisis (sooner or later) is going to occur?
, the NY Times columnist seems to be the lone voice of reason here. He's been fighting the notion of a crisis for a while. According to him,
"Here's the truth: by law, Social Security has a budget independent of the rest of the U.S. government. That budget is currently running a surplus, thanks to an increase in the payroll tax two decades ago. As a result, Social Security has a large and growing trust fund.
When benefit payments start to exceed payroll tax revenues, Social Security will be able to draw on that trust fund. And the trust fund will last for a long time: until 2042, says the Social Security Administration; until 2052, says the Congressional Budget Office; quite possibly forever, say many economists, who point out that these projections assume that the economy will grow much more slowly in the future than it has in the past."
, the NY Times columnist seems to be the lone voice of reason here. He's been fighting the notion of a crisis for a while. According to him,
"Here's the truth: by law, Social Security has a budget independent of the rest of the U.S. government. That budget is currently running a surplus, thanks to an increase in the payroll tax two decades ago. As a result, Social Security has a large and growing trust fund.
When benefit payments start to exceed payroll tax revenues, Social Security will be able to draw on that trust fund. And the trust fund will last for a long time: until 2042, says the Social Security Administration; until 2052, says the Congressional Budget Office; quite possibly forever, say many economists, who point out that these projections assume that the economy will grow much more slowly in the future than it has in the past."
Sorry, I can't get the hang of comments, and you can't edit them.
The first sentence should read: Paul Krugman, the NY Times columnist,... with appropriate links.
Like the "Opportunity Society." Have you considered running for head of the DNC yet?
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