It's not a disgrace, it's a lifesaver

A message from James Roosevelt Jr., grandson of President Franklin Roosevelt who, 73 years ago today, established Social Security…

"It's hard to remember now, but before Social Security, nearly half of America's seniors lived in poverty. After a lifetime of playing by the rules and working hard, there was no guarantee of a secure retirement.

"My grandfather, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and a majority of Americans thought that was wrong.

"They believed that lifting our seniors out of poverty is a reflection of our nation's core values.

"That's why my grandfather signed the Social Security act seventy three years ago today. One of the great successes of the 20th Century, today Social Security lifts nearly 13 million seniors and 1.3 million children out of poverty.

"Back in 1935, a small minority did not share those values. They opposed the creation of Social Security because they believed that government should not have a role in ensuring a retirement with dignity or helping seniors stay out of poverty. They said, "You're on your own".

"John McCain agrees with that old way of thinking. Like President Bush, he wants to privatize our Social Security, turning it into a gamble with our futures, and making 8.6 million American seniors vulnerable to poverty. John McCain has even said Social Security is "a disgrace".

"I couldn't disagree more.

"Our Social Security isn't a disgrace; it's a compact, a trust between generations of Americans. It's a reflection of our values.

"On the 70th anniversary of Social Security, Americans stood together and said no to George Bush's attempt to privatize Social Security.

"On this anniversary, let's make sure John McCain hears the same message. Tell John McCain to keep his hands off of our Social Security."

As I said in this morning’s ‘Daily’, remember this now and in November; McCain thinks Social Security is a “disgrace.”

I was right, he IS senile

Before you flame me a new one, allow me to explain why I think he’s senile… I mean, how else could you explain Sen. McCain touching the third rail and letting his tongue slip again; “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.”

So in other words Mr. McCain, you’re saying that the way social security has worked since the 1930’s is a disgrace…

Shame on you. Social Security is arguably the most successful program ever delivered by the federal government and has run exactly the way it was designed and has done so for over fifty years.

But it’s a disgrace…

If McCain isn’t senile, then he needs to stop talking as it seems every time he opens his mouth these days he seems to be expressing either ignorance of something (economics or gas prices) or anger (towards a veteran who questioned his allegiance to veterans)

disdain (or an impatient combination, as when he got lippy with questioners who discovered he didn't know the price of gas).

And it should prove interesting to see how McCain's abhorrence of Social Security--and his plan to "fix" it (or eliminate it?)--plays with one of the few demographics he dominates: senior citizens, most of whose lives are undoubtedly eased by this absolutely disgraceful program.

Like McCain, “President” Bush wanted to “fix” social security, and by “fix” I mean “allow Wall Street to loot” way back after the 2004 election.

Come to think of it, his attempt of fixing social security was where his downfall started… his hubris was thrown into glaring relief by his statement that the '04 election proved he had a bunch of “political capital” and that he was going to spend it to advance his agenda with the first thing he tried to spend it on being Social Security.

Fail.

Epic fail.

Social Security isn’t a get something for free program… the retirees receiving the benefits now paid into the trust fund by working themselves… it’s not that hard of a concept to grasp.

Think more about what he said; essentially he said that the retirees of old were funded by the current set of retirees but now it's a disgrace that the current set is getting the benefit that they helped fund.

This isn't a fucking pyramid scheme Mr. McCain.

By his logic (a term I use loosely) the fact that the money HE pays for insurance is used to pay other people’s covered expenses is also a disgrace…

The money HE pays in taxes (assuming he and his wife do) which is then used to pay for infrastructure work in places that he will most likely never visit is a disgrace…

The fact that the money HE puts into a savings account is then used to give loans to other people is a disgrace…

Because in my mind, Social Security is similar to those three things.

The more often McCain opens his mouth, the better as it gives a chance for people to see what he is really all about… if I were at the DNC, I would be on the phone to every single AARP member I had in my rolodex and inform them of what he said while waiting for the chips to fall.