The “So-Called ‘Austin Mayor’” pointed me to Josh Marshall’s suggestion that “[i]n the coming Social Security debate, Democrats should dust-off Clinton’s ‘mend it, don’t end it’ rhetoric” (read Clinton’s ‘The Job of Ending Discrimination in This Country Is Not Over’ speech here). I admire Marshall, but here I do not agree. Marshall is applying the wrong Clinton lesson.
While Clinton won political points and praise for his affirmative action speech, I’m not sure his ambiguity has served America, or Democrats, well. This points to the limits of Clinton’s legacy. Certainly a class-based instead of race-based affirmative action, which is what affirmative action really should have addressed for quite a while now, is not on the agenda, even if alluded to in Clinton’s speech. That would have been progress. Instead Clinton’s rhetoric, and the “policies” that stemmed from it have not improved the prospects of those that really need help in the job market. Affirmative action today is adrift, buffeted at times by the winds of court rulings, but adrift. Clinton won points, but America and the Democrats suffered. Social Security should not share the same fate. Democratic Social Security rhetoric should not split the difference in policy with the GOP, as was done in affirmative action. We should stand strong and fight because we are in the right - or at least Democrats should be. We could use a lesson in tenacity from George W. Bush. Social Security should be secure: secure from the markets, secure from the government (remember the “lockbox”) and secure for the people. And Democrats should hammer anyone that threatens the program mercilessly - starting with George W. Bush, who pilfered the lockbox. Bill Frist is our poster child (kudos to Todd Webster). New Jersey Senator (and soon to be governor) Jon Corzine might make a good point man - as former co-chairman and co-CEO of Goldman Sachs he speaks with great credibility about privatization.
Democrats need to talk about Social Security with conviction. They need to explain what life was like without it. They need to say while we love our parents dearly - and would do anything for them - we are the party that thinks that it’s a good idea for our elderly parents to be able to live independently with dignity whenever possible, instead of being forced through economic circumstances to live with their children and depend financially on their children - or become homeless and impoverished if they do not have children or family to take care of them. Democrats need to say that before Social Security the elderly in this country were mired in the worst poverty of any age group - and many lived in misery. They need to say Social Security was a promise of security to all, old and young, rich and poor, women and men, a promise that we could do better - and that America would do better. It’s not about “mending” vs. “ending” - it’s about “security” vs. “insecurity.” Democrats should say a decent society secures and protects the funds necessary for its older members to live in dignity - and we ought to end the regressive taxation of social security on wages, taxing all wages alike.
Democrats should form an honest, winning message about Social Security by saying that “security” - security when we grow old, in our time of need - is what we are owed for our contribution to our society. It’s about securing the promise of America for all of its citizens - which doesn’t end when you’re old - securing life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To secure these rights, our government was formed.
If we are to borrow and adapt from Clinton I have a suggestion. After the 2002 elections Clinton said “When people are insecure, they’d rather have someone strong and wrong, rather than weak and right.” My adaptation is this: it’s time to be strong and right. The elderly feel insecure about Social Security. Democrats are the party of Social Security - we brought it to the country. Now Democrats need to dedicate themselves to fight tooth and nail to secure Social Security. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it is a winner - Social Security (along with healthcare) is the security issue for the elderly - and they vote.
[Side Note: With defined benefit pensions under massive assault by many large businesses (via bankruptcy), and many people’s 401K’s looking more like $401, it may be time to make Democrats the party of a secure retirement. The Bush Administration is doing everything in its power to herald the age of ‘the end of retirement’ for (what’s left of) the American middle class. Another example of where Democrats can be strong and right.]
Post a Comment