Fear not what you can do for your government. Fear what the government can do to you.
The administration is trying to scare the public about Social Security, and we'll all end up scarred if they accomplish what they set out to do. This is a speech Sen. Barbara Boxer gave a few weeks ago. Be forewarned, it's a long one.
Peace of Mind vs. a Gamble: The Social Security Debate
A speech given by Senator Barbara Boxer on February 11, 2005
The White House has embarked on a mission to convince the people of our country that Social Security is in dire need of drastic change in order to save it for all workers.
In order to convince the American people of the urgency to privatize Social Security, the president has used words such as "crisis," "bankruptcy," and "collapse."
Let's look at the definition of these three words, according to the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary.
crisis: "a situation that has reached a critical phase."
bankruptcy: "utter failure or impoverishment."
collapse: "to break down completely."
Is it true that Social Security is in crisis? Is bankrupt? Is collapsing?
The answer is a resounding NO. According to the most conservative estimates, Social Security will be able to pay full benefits for 38 years. In other words, a 37-year-old worker today will get full benefits until he or she is 75 years old if we do nothing to make adjustments to the Trust Fund. A 47-year old worker today will get full benefits until he or she is 85 years old if nothing is done.
So clearly, Social Security is not in crisis, is not bankrupt, and is not collapsing.
Yes, there is a challenge we should address.
Have we ever faced a similar Social Security challenge before? Yes. During the Reagan presidency in 1983. Working together, Democrats and Republicans, we resolved the challenge then just as we can do now. So why would an otherwise optimistic George Bush turn into a prophet of pessimism on Social Security?
Because, his initiative is not about meeting the challenges of Social Security to keep it sound; it is not about bringing together Democrats and Republicans as Ronald Reagan did to ensure that full benefits will be there for all Americans. It is about one thing and one thing only: destroying Social Security.
How do I know that? Am I being partisan? Am I being unfair by stating in a very clear way that I believe the true goal here is to destroy Social Security? Not at all. I am simply telling the truth as told by this very White House.
On January 6, 2005, the White House wrote a Social Security memo. Although marked "not for attribution," fortunately, we have it.
The most telling sentence in the entire memo is this: "For the first time in six decades the Social Security battle is one we can win – and in doing so, we can help transform the political and philosophical landscape of the country."
Imagine: for six decades – that's 60 years – the right wing has been after Social Security.
The memo also lays out the first priority for the White House and that is to "establish an important premise; the current system is heading for an iceberg" – thus explaining the use of the words "crisis," "bankruptcy," and "collapse." By the way, he has also used the phrase "train wreck."
So let's talk about these scare tactics for a moment – the "iceberg" strategy. If someone told you that your family would be in solid shape for the next 38 years, you would probably breathe a sigh of relief because that would mean you had done everything necessary to prepare for the next 38 years to pay for your rent or mortgage, feed your kids, take care of your health care, and send your kids to college.
During those 38 years, keeping your eye on the future, you would have to try to earn more, save more, and prepare for that 38th year. You wouldn't have to throw up your hands and sell your house. And you certainly wouldn't call your situation a crisis. Frankly, we all face the fact that expenses go up over the years and our families need to prepare for those challenges.
When it comes to Social Security, President Bush not only wants to sell the house, but the car, the antique grandfather clock, and the wedding band. In essence, he is walking away from the foundation of America's most successful insurance program using scare tactics.
Of course we should be used to this by now from this administration. They are the ones who told us that tax cuts to the wealthiest among us would bring unparalleled economic growth – which hasn't happened.
They are the ones who told us that $50 to $100 billion of oil in Iraq would pay for all the reconstruction of that country – which hasn't happened.
They are the ones who told us "Mission Accomplished," when tragically it wasn’t.
They are the ones who told us that a booming economy would lower our deficits – and they are now the highest in history.
They are the ones who told us that the Medicare prescription drug bill would cost $400 billion over 10 years – when, in fact, it is now reported to cost $1.2 trillion.
So a message I have for the American people is this: beware of scare tactics and false information.
This isn't the first time that this president has predicted the end of Social Security. In 1978, as a candidate for Congress, he predicted the end of Social Security by the end of 1988. He was wrong then, and he is wrong now.
But what is worse now, is the use of the full power of the presidency to do the following: scare the American people and hold out privatization as the savior of Social Security.
And if he succeeds, this is what will happen: he will turn Social Security from a guaranteed benefit into a guaranteed gamble.
Benefits will be cut an average of 45 percent. Millions will be thrown into poverty. Survivors, including children, who count on Social Security to protect them after the death of the primary earner will be left high and dry. Disabled workers who are protected by Social Security will be left to fend for themselves. Our budget will have deficits as far as the eye can see due to the interest costs on the trillions and trillions of borrowing that will be needed to make private accounts possible.
I can predict these outcomes because of studies that have been done on various privatization plans.
I was a stock broker once. I think there is an absolute place for market investments. But they should never be the basis of one's retirement. They should be an additional piece on top of a basic, secure, guaranteed retirement benefit.
And, don't ever delude yourself into thinking that this private account will make you rich. According to a recent study, a typical American who contributes to a private account for 40 years will get about $300 per month during retirement.
It is true that you can gain with a private account. But, you can also lose – and lose big. And when you have to pay the bills – including such urgent needs as food, shelter, and medicine – you can't count on the stock market.
You can count on Social Security, and with every fiber of my being, I will make sure it is there not only for my generation, but for my children's generation and for my grandchild's generation.
Before Social Security, well over half of our elderly lived in poverty. Now, because of the guaranteed benefit – which averages just over $1000 a month for a man, and just under $800 per month for a woman – 10 percent of our seniors live in poverty. This is too high, but this dramatic reduction represents a monumental achievement, which is now in jeopardy.
Twenty-two years ago, a right-wing think tank created a blue print for the demise of Social Security. That blue print says to get banks and insurance companies who will reap the benefits of private accounts behind the effort.
And President Bush and his allies are doing just that. They are getting the financial interests to pour money into a multi-million dollar media campaign to promote privatization and scare the American people.
Here’s what the blue print said: "Not only does business have a great deal to gain from a reform effort designed to stimulate private savings, but it also has the power to be politically influential and to be instrumental in mounting a public education campaign."
What exactly does privatization of Social Security mean for Wall Street moguls? According to a study by the University of Chicago, Social Security privatization will put $940 billion into Wall Street’s pockets. And this will come out of the pockets of hard working Americans. The same study said that administrative fees for Wall Street firms will cut the value of your private account by 20 percent.
Let's compare that to Social Security. Social Security does not have administrative costs of 20 percent. It doesn't have administrative costs of 10 percent. It doesn’t have administrative costs of 5 percent. It doesn't have administrative costs of 1 percent. Social Security’s administrative costs are one-half of one percent.
So follow the money. It leads straight to strong special interests. And, it was mapped out over 20 years ago.
What else is in that blue print?
The blue print also says it is necessary to buy off the elderly by telling them their benefits won’t be touched.
And that instruction is being followed. In his State of the Union speech, President Bush said that for those 55 and older, "the Social Security system will not change in any way."
Another message I have today is to people 55 and older: don’t believe a word the President says about your benefits being safe.
It simply isn't true. It can’t be. And here’s why: in order to privatize Social Security and continue to pay your current benefits, the federal government will have to go into debt up to $2 trillion in just the next ten years – that’s up to $380,000 of debt every minute for the next 10 years.
When the choice is between the 20 percent of the American people who are retired or nearing retirement and the 80 percent of the people who will shoulder the burden of the extraordinary debt through higher taxes and higher interest rates, will the politicians respond to 80 percent of the people or 20 percent of the people? Even if they want to side with 20 percent of the population against the 80 percent, they simply will not be able to do that and remain in office.
Remember, when this borrowing begins – and if we lose this fight, it will be very soon – you will be getting the gold standard Social Security benefit and the rest of the country – nearly 80 percent – will be facing a benefit that is 45 percent less than yours. And for that hit, they also have to carry the burden of paying for your benefit through massive borrowing.
You don’t have to have a degree in Political Science to sense the outcome. If you’re 55 and older, you can’t count on a thing.
And, how cynical is it, that this White House believes that people over 55 only care about themselves. There are a lot of 75-year old seniors who care very much about what happens to their 45-year old sons and daughters. They care about their kids' retirement. But, it’s a lot more than that – because Social Security is a lot more than that.
We should not forget that Social Security is not just a retirement policy. It is an life insurance policy. It is a disability insurance policy.
So in summary, I am making seven points here today.
1. There is no crisis in Social Security. Scare tactics are being used to frighten the American people in an attempt to end Social Security.
2. Privatization is being pushed as a solution, when in fact, private accounts push Social Security over the edge.
3. The White House is following an ideological blue print that has been around for decades as the right-wing has been planning to end Social Security, in their own words, for six decades.
4. If privatization succeeds, the average retirement benefit would be cut by 45 percent.
5. There is a very wealthy coalition working now to end Social Security – because they would make tremendous financial gains with private accounts.
6. The people over 55 should not be lulled into believing that they are safe from this ax, which is being wielded against Social Security.
7. Because Social Security is much more than a retirement plan, widows and orphans and disabled workers will be in an economic free fall.
I am asking every Californian to go to sign my Social Security Petition and stand with me in fighting to protect, preserve, and defend Social Security for all Americans.
