Social Security
The Perils of Privatization
The Conservative Plan for Social Security Is “An Absolute Disgrace”
Sen. John McCain's comment last week that it's an "absolute disgrace" that current workers pay for the Social Security benefits of current retirees was bad enough, but the conservative policy alternative, and the fear-mongering that comes with it, is even worse. Here's how to attack it.
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Why Social Security?
A conservative assault on Social Security was turned back during President Bush’s second term. But we have a long way to go before all Americans can count on dignified rest after years of hard work.... more »
The Case
Retirement with Dignity
We need to make it possible for all Americans to retire with dignity at the end of a lifetime of work. more »
The Privatization Threat Is Back
Prominent Republicans have come out publicly in past weeks stating that, given the chance in 2007, they will push Social Security privatization again. This includes...
Facts & Resources
Less than half of workers participate in a retirement plan
Only a fraction of workers who participate in a retirement plan have access to a traditional kind of pension that guarantees income in retirement
The Social Security "crisis" is a right-wing myth
Social security assets assets, held in the form of U.S. Treasury securities, will last another 38 years
The News
U.S. Spat with Venezuela Grows
September 13th, 2008
Treasury Rekindles Social Security Debate
December 21st, 2007
The Voices
The Right Message on Social Security
The truth, as honest financial analysts have always argued, is that Social Security is secure — and will be for decades if Congress agrees to minor reforms, such as requiring wealthy Americans to pay their fair share. more »
The Housing Crash and the End of Granny Bashing
This collapse was entirely predictably, and those who were concerned about the country's long-term financial situation should have been out in the forefront warning of the dangers posed by an $8 trillion housing bubble. Unfortunately, these folks were too busy trying to cut benefits for the elderly to pay attention to such trivial developments.more »
Latest from our Bloggers
sep
26
2008
11:11 am
11:11 am
Before she became the first female Labor secretary in 1933, Frances Perkins had seen firsthand the tragedy of Manhattan’s 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist fire. Locked in by their employer, 146 mostly young girls died when they couldn’t escape the burning building where they toiled in sweatshop labor. Later, as the New York industrial commissioner, Perkins held employers accountable for workplace safety and health, expanding factory investigations and championing other pro-worker laws, like unemployment insurance.
Now, imagine if Elaine Chao had been there instead. more »
jul
10
2008
10:29 am
10:29 am
Sen. John McCain, I'm one of your friends, right? The kind of friend who can handle some of your special brand of Straight Talk™.
So why won't you just tell me you hate Social Security? more »
mar
4
2008
11:46 am
11:46 am
Like an “American Idol” reject, John McCain keeps warbling George W. Bush’s greatest flops.
The latest is Social Security privatization, a proposal so roundly rejected by the American people when Bush tried to foist it on the nation in 2005 that even a solidly Republican and sycophant Congress couldn’t swallow it. more »
nov
12
2007
9:18 am
9:18 am
Another 0-for-3 day for the Watchdog. more »
nov
11
2007
1:57 am
1:57 am
Apologies for a belated Weekend Watchdog post, as I'm back from a vacation and long flight delay. But as usual, on Sunday at 4 PM ET, tune in to Air America Radio's "Seder on Sundays" program, where I'll offer the Weekend Watchdog Wrap-Up.
For Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (ABC's This Week) and Sen. John McCain, R-AZ (Fox News Sunday): Time Magazine reported this week from Pakistan:
...as [Musharraf's] regime cracked down on lawyers, journalists and human-rights activists, it agreed to a cease-fire with a powerful militant leader who had taken 213 soldiers hostage in the lawless northwestern region. The irony was not lost on Asma Jahangir, Pakistan's best-known human-rights activist, who wrote in an e-mail from house arrest, "Those [Musharraf] has arrested are progressive, secular-minded people, while the terrorists are offered negotiations and cease-fires."
Yet, Condi Rice and President Bush have continued to describe Musharraf with kind words and have refused to take any substantive action in response to his dictatorial crackdown. And McCain has not criticized the White House for continuing to provide aid to Musharraf.
You claim your foreign policy is to defeat terrorism by promoting democracy. Isn't this further evidence that your actual foreign policy does neither? more »
apr
30
2007
10:04 am
10:04 am
We were hoping to hear some tough questions asked of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain on the Sunday talk shows. more »
apr
30
2007
8:30 am
8:30 am
Did the Sunday talk show hosts pose our Weekend Watchdog questions? more »
apr
28
2007
1:17 am
1:17 am
Every Friday in our Weekend Watchdog feature, we post suggested questions for scheduled Sunday guests. You can add your own questions in the comment thread. We'll also include contact information for the shows, so we can let them know what their viewers want asked.
Then on Monday, we'll circle back and see if our questions were asked and answered. Let's take back our media!
For Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (CBS' Face The Nation): You did not claim executive privilege when you were asked to testify under oath to the 9/11 Commission.
Isn't it inconsistent to claim executive privilege now, when you've been subpoenaed to testify about the White House charge that Saddam Hussein sought uranium from Niger? more »
