Mar 27, 2009

Astrue On Obama's Body Language And Social Security Solvency

I missed this piece from March 9 in the St. Louis Beacon (emphasis added):
Are you concerned that Social Security will go broke before you reach retirement age?

Michael Astrue, the commissioner of the Social Security Administration, certainly isn't.

Not only that, but Astrue (right) -- who was appointed to the post by President George W. Bush -- believes the issue of insolvency will be addressed before the end of President Barack Obama's first term in office. ...

Astrue said the Obama administration has shown strong interest in tackling the issue of solvency, but he doesn't expect movement until the current debate over health care reform is resolved. ...

In one of his more unusual observations, Astrue said that he sees evidence of Obama's commitment in his body language.

"He has a hand gesture that he makes when he talks about Social Security being a solvable issue," Astrue said. ...

"It is an extraordinary time. ... There are huge amounts of money going out with very little consideration and thought for oversight, and things are being cobbled together after the fact. But, generally, there is an attitude of trying to get some things done in a new and different way."

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

"He has a hand gesture that he makes when he talks about Social Security being a solvable issue," Astrue said. ..."

I wonder if it involves his middle finger? LOL

John Herling said...

Astrue is a brown-noser intent on keeping his job.

Nancy Ortiz said...

As to the color of Astrue's nose, I cannot comment. However, his remark was dismissive and hardly comlementary. Then, of course, is the premise of his remark--that Social Security is a problem that needs solving. Well, once a Bush appointee, always a Bush appointee. Speaking of solvency, there are several excellent posts on the Angry Bear blog. Great stuff. Recommend it, the contributors actually understand that there IS.NO.SOLVENCY.PROBLEM. PERIOD. Except in the minds of the Heritage and Cato types.

Anonymous said...

Looking over the long history of Astrue's political contributions, it seems there's never been a Democrat he liked...until this one.

Curious, isn't it?