A couple months ago, I came to the conclusion that if I could ask Barack Obama one question, it would be regarding Social Security. Why, I would ask, would someone who claims to be the candidate of change and of the younger generation be against privatizing Social Security? What is it about the current system that he likes? Is it its lack of fairness? Is it the meager returns? Does he get off on the fact that the government can take away 6% of someone’s paycheck without them being able to do anything about it? Maybe he is looking forward to the rush he will get as president by keeping our country on the financial edge with huge unfunded federal mandates. Whatever his reason, he is wrong and it is an outrage
To help liberals understand the outrage, your views on Social Security and economics in general are as absurd to capitalists as the notion of a 6000 year old earth would be to Richard Dawkins. All the arguments in favor of a slow and measured privatization of Social Security have already been made - from the acknowledgment that Social Security is a pyramid scheme, to the knowledge that you would do better putting that money into a modest yielding savings account, added to the fact that I have never meant anyone under 30 who believes they will ever collect Social Security - the arguments are infallible and undeniable.
However, the worst aspect of this issue is the hypocrisy. The Democrats and their freedom-hating allies who oppose privatization are quick to use fearmongering to discourage people from supporting a new system. They use lines like, “what if the stock market crashes the day before you retire” and “how will the average person be able to figure it all out?” These same merchants of fear, however, universally invest in the stock market. It is a classic do as I say not as I do scenario.
This issue has come to the forefront of the debate in the last week or so with all the turmoil in the stock market. Obama, commenting on the current situation said, “If my opponent had his way, the millions of Floridians who rely on it would have had their Social Security tied up in the stock market this week ... millions would've watched as the market tumbled and their nest egg disappeared before their eyes.” His comments are a distortion of what privatization is really all about. People’s nest eggs should be fine if they are investing with any sort of caution. It doesn’t mean there aren’t ups and downs, but they should not have lost everything or anything close to that.
Article comments
1 - Dave Nalle
Very good. Probably one of the first three questions I'd ask him as well.
Dave
2 - Arch Conservative
I'd ask him why he's such an arrogant prick.
3 - David Black
I'd ask him why he'd ever respect the principles of a quasi-Marxist radical like Saul Alinsky?
4 - Joanne Huspek
I feel badly for you. I'm a baby boomer, and I see no hope of ever getting my Social Security benefits. I can only imagine what you're looking at.
5 - James Ellis
Only a 25 year old would equate an economic opinion with the scientifically proven facts of evolution or anything else that has passed peer group studies for over a hundred years. To then describe your opinion as "infallible" and "undeniable" is laughably callow. Also, this blog maintains that "personal attacks are not allowed". Am I to assume that referring to someone as a prick is not personal?
6 - Clavos
James,
The rule refers only to personal attacks on other commenters, not on public figures.
7 - James Ellis
That's too bad. What a sad comment about your site, that it publishes personal attacks on anyone at all. It falls to the man with no argument to attack his opponent.
8 - Media Tycoon
Did I personally attack someone?
As for comparing capitalism and evolution...
Capitalism is unquestionably better than any alternative. It creates the most wealth and the most freedom. Denying that is silly.
Regardless of that, what I referred to as being "infallible and undeniable" where the arguments against Social Security. Specifically that Social Security is a pyramid scheme, you will get higher returns in a private account, and that there is little public trust in the system among the younger generation.
If there is argument against what I wrote I want to hear it.
9 - Media Tycoon
Never mind, I see #2 used prick in reference to Obama. As for that being a sad comment on this site - have you ever been to The Huffington Post or Daily Kos...or any other internet site for that matter?
10 - James Ellis
If you have never read argument in opposition to your position on the privatization of Social Security, it is you who have under-used the internet,. Trust me there are many if you look.
11 - Media Tycoon
I mentioned many in what I wrote and I know of others, but every argument I know of is based off of a lie, fear, or the belief that freedom is dangerous. If you don't want to exchange ideas that is fine, but I don't know why you would be here.
12 - James Ellis
I might have done that had I not been informed by your use of such words as "undeniable" and "unquestionably" that you were not open to opposing views of this situation. You have already decided what the truth is. It doesn't invite exchange on an intellectual level likely to result in new understanding.
13 - Media Tycoon
I am open to hearing all the nonsense and fear anyone has to spread on this issue.
14 - James Ellis
I rest my case.
15 - Media Tycoon
HA. You convinced me.
16 - Louis Dous
I have been involuntarily contributing into SS for over 30 years. For quite a few years after exhaustive study of the tactics used to "sell" this program to ignorant Amercans, and then the tactic used to continue selling this fundimentally flawed system to ignorant Americans, I was very angry and would vigorously agrue with anyone who supported SS. However, over the past decade or so, the anger has been transformed into a curiousity about how and why otherwise semi-rational Americans would demand this system be guaranteed into perpituity.
I agree with Media Tycoon there is no question the current system is at best a very bad Return On Investment and at worst, a state sponsored ponzi scheme. I also used to believe it was fear alone that hypnotized generations of Americans into supporting and defending this system. Now a days, I lean more to the theory of laziness, bitterness, and selfishness. Most of my fellow Americans are too lazy to learn about this system that devours pretty close to 10% of your life. It is with bitterness that they view the idea of someone else doing better than they do, even if it does not affect them in any way. And they practice the height of selfishness (much like the dog in the manger parable) by denying everyone else the option or opportunity to put their own energies into something different (better).
It saddens me to see my generation, and previous great generations, manipulated into folks bitterly clinging to their meager SS checks and their religion of preserving only their beloved, outdated, entitlement program and denying future generations the idea of something better. I was lucky enough to grow up in a time when the previous generation wanted a better life for their children. I don't want to abolish SS for the vested and ignorant. I just want the option to eventually make it better for my children. Thanks for listening. LD
17 - bliffle
Just imagine, if we privatized SS then we could be thrilled by the same exciting turmoil as we've been seeing in the wall street market lately.
SS has had a surplus every year for the past 25 and now has an accumulated surplus of more than $2trillion. Better than most of the Ponzi schemes masquerading as investments on Wall Street, free from regulation and manipulated routinely by insiders for their private benefit.
How's your 401k doing lately? What would you do if the institutions holding your trust went bankrupt, paying off their execs with bonuses while stiffing their clients.
Nothing restricts ones freedom like being old and being broke from other peoples thievery.
18 - bliffle
Archie,
I suppose you're going to vote for that fucker McCain and that cunt Palin?
19 - Media Tycoon
You are missing the whole point. If you are too afraid and/or not smart enough to invest on your own, that is okay. You can let Big Brother (my paycheck) take care of you. However, those of us who are responsible and can read - let us take care of ourselves. All we are asking is for you to stop holding us back.
By the way, you seem like a really nice person. Can we be friends?