Jul 18, 2013

We're Movin' In!

     From Social Security Works:
Oh, the sweet irony.
Pete Peterson is the conservative billionaire who is a major financier in the effort to dismantle, cut and privatize Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Recently he and his foundation held a contest asking folks to submit videos on why it is important to “fix” the national debt of which, he and his foundation falsely claim, Social Security is a major contributor.
Sometimes the best-laid plans for a propaganda campaign can go awry. The winner of the $500 grand prize determined by popular vote on the website came from the completely opposite side of Peterson’s cut Social Security argument.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

"which, he and his foundation falsely claim, Social Security is a major contributor"

Not sure how you can say this is a false claim. Any expenditure the government contributes to debt. Specifically, if the expenditures for SSA and benefits were 0, the country would have less debt.

Anonymous said...

Pete Peterson is a right-wing billionaire who wants to gut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. OTOH he has no problems with the war machine, the NSA, the TSA, the DHS, etc., etc.

Anonymous said...

This video is awesome. Kimberly Bishop

Anonymous said...

Ridiculous arguments. But pretty funny. Love the multi-colored hat.

Anonymous said...

i think the argument that SS hasn't increased the debt is as follows:

The portion of FICA taxes collected since SS's inception going to pay SS benefits have outnumbered the expenditures for SS beneficiaries. Ergo, the SS system is not at fault.

This argument on its face seems rational. It's only when one resigns himself to the notion that any program's own excesses are subject to Congress' grubby hands and, as such, cannot actually be counted for or toward that program that SS begins to cost money.

Of course, based on current projections, SS will start dipping into the red with the large numbers of boomer recipients and relatively fewer workers paying FICA taxes. But as of now, I think it's correct to say the program is not contributing to the deficit.

Anonymous said...

love the video. Hilarious to see Pete Peterson's contest backfire.