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The Spectacle Blog
Few — if any — Republican candidates have generated more excitement among conservatives this year than Marco Rubio. Yet the Miami Herald reports that Rubio has abandoned his prior support for giving younger workers the option of investing a portion of their payroll taxes in personal accounts.
According to Rubio’s campaign:
“He studied the issue at length and reached the conclusion that the numbers don’t make it a viable solution to preserve Social Security and that the focus should be on other areas involving younger workers who are decades away from retirement” said Rubio spokesman Alex Burgos. “This conclusion is based on Marco’s extensive study of the fiscal impact and his belief that Social Security must be preserved for future generations. When Marco evaluates policies, he studies important elements like the fiscal impact, whereas Charlie Crist looks at the poll numbers and takes positions based on the votes he’s trying to win on a given day.”
Florida has a large senior citizen vote, so it’s understandable politically why Rubio wouldn’t want to give his opponents anything to run on when it looks like he’s coasting to victory. But Rubio’s fear of talking about serious Social Security reform is indicative of a larger problem, which I alluded to in my post about the GOP’s “Pledge to America.”
If an election in which there is a groundswell of anger against government spending and debt isn’t a good time to take a stand on entitlements, when is a good time? Should Republicans make the massive gains this November that people are now predicting, they won’t try to do anything about entitlements, because then the argument will be that they need to take back the White House first, and can’t give Obama an opportunity to paint them as extremists in the run up to 2012. Should a Republican win the presidency in 2012 with large majorities in the House and Senate, then Republicans will be focused on maintaining power, as they were during the Bush years.
The point is, there will always be a political argument for not tackling entitlements. Yet if there is any hope of doing something to address them, more politicians are going to have to be comfortable taking serious stands on the issue, even at a political risk, even during election season. Rep. Paul Ryan won his Wisconsin district (which went for Obama) with 64 percent of the vote in 2008, despite unvieling a very detailed and comprehensive entitlement reform proposal. So it is possible to take a bold stand on entitlements and still thrive politically. But it’s discouraging when Rubio, who has been treated as a conservative rock star, cowers on the issue.
View all comments (21) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Philip Klein
http://spectator.org/blog/2010/09/28/rubio-abandons-support-for-soc
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Stan| 9.28.10 @ 12:05PM
Philip, he is running in Florida in a three-way race. Social Security is less unsound than Medicare anyway, why stir up the hornet's nest?
George S| 9.28.10 @ 12:09PM
I*ron*y [aye-rohn-ee] (n):
Florida senior citizens buying Tea Party bumper stickers and t-shirts with funds from social security.
Here's hoping that this election cycle breaks the New Deal and brings us back to sanity.
Ivan| 9.28.10 @ 12:51PM
Rubio: "He studied the issue at length and reached the conclusion that the numbers don't make it a viable solution to preserve Social Security and that the focus should be on other areas involving younger workers who are decades away from retirement"
Klein: "So it is possible to take a bold stand on entitlements and still thrive politically. But it's discouraging when Rubio, who has been treated as a conservative rock star, cowers on the issue."
This does not make sense at all to me. Rubio say that Social security cannot be preserved. Why is that "cowering" on the issue?
PattyMor| 9.28.10 @ 3:20PM
There is no way that most Reps. will take a stand on reforming Social Security before the election.
The Dems took alot of money out of Medicare Advantage, let them run on THEIR record and explain it to the senior citizens, especially in Florida. Why don't you advertise that Mr. Greyson, instead of your outrageous Taliban commerical?
D| 9.28.10 @ 5:19PM
I don't look at social security as an entitlement. My husband and I have put money in the system for 30 years. About 10 years ago, companies ended pension programs. We are 54, we have lost a fortune in 401k and lost money in our home, due to the incompetent, socialistic congress.
What are we going to do work until we are 70? If the republicans raise that age above 62, they won't get our votes.
Possum Dearie| 9.28.10 @ 8:18PM
This. There are always ways to limit government without forcing the elderly to eat out of dumpsters, if they fall on hard times with even the best plans. Republicans are running a bunch of kooks talking about ripping off the poor and the middle class. I applaud Rubio for standing up to the tea party and speaking honestly to FL voters.
D| 9.28.10 @ 5:22PM
They had better phase it out carefully.
The young people of this country are going to have a hard time ahead, but at least they have a few decades to prepare.
Quite frankly, those of us in our 50's have been blindsided by all of this.
We are going to get taken by all sides.
At least give us the $300,000 or so that we have put into SS back.
Eva| 10.6.10 @ 11:52PM
You are sooo right! I am 54 and I believe I am going to get screwed. I contributed so much into the system and now, at my age, they are going to raise the age? If that is the case, I want my contributions back!
Tim*| 9.28.10 @ 5:30PM
Social Security & Medicare are The Elephant In The Middle Of The Room .
Read : Young Guns: A New Generation of Conservative Leaders, by Republican Congressmen Paul Ryan, Eric Cantor, and Kevin McCarthy.
It discusses Paul Ryan's plan regarding privatizing Social Security and Medicare vouchers .
D| 9.28.10 @ 6:20PM
Tim
I am as conservative as it comes. I think it should be privatized. Think of how my money would have grown if it had been left alone for 30 years. Think of all of that $ being invested in American companies.
My own concern is that at 54 we are a lot more tired than we were at 24. 34. 44.
Where are the hundreds of thousands we were taxed for our old age security?
Most people i know over 60 have a full company pension plus SS.
Can't leave us holding the bag at this age.
Too late.
I've never asked for a cent from family or government.
I am sick of giving .
Eva| 10.6.10 @ 11:55PM
That is why we have to really bitch if they change the law. Rand Paul wants us (55 and below) to either have a cut in SS or have our eligibility age raised. I am so upset with these ideas. If the gov't can bail out banks, car companies-they can surely bail out Social Security!
C Bowen| 9.28.10 @ 6:21PM
Privatize SS? Make bank accounts filled with IOUs? This is a serious debate?
The conservative position should be some flavor of issuing bonds with a time table of maturity for every cent owed, and not a penny more, and end the program.
Pour D will have to work until she is 70--the horror.
D| 9.28.10 @ 7:03PM
How long have you worked? And how hard?
I can tell you are a youngster.
Well, youngsters, a lot of mommies and daddies aren't going to be able to take care of you , anymore, because the idealistic, silly, lazy hippies about 10 years older than me have squandered it.
Privatized means privatized. The greedy government can't TOUCH it.
It would be a forced investment, but it would at least belong to you.
I can imagine the 20-30 somethings returning home to suck off of people in 1 bedroom apartments and no food!
Bonds are worthless. They make no money, kiddo. Investing in American companies would make some money.
People who invested in the stock market 40-50 years ago are quite comfortable.
Money doesn't grow on tree.
Liberals will learn that lesson soon.
C Bowen| 9.28.10 @ 7:34PM
Umm- you are the "liberal" in this discussion defending socialism so you don't have to work.
The bonds would force the populace to consider inflation in light of the silly projects and wars they like to 'okay' so long as they don't have to pay for them.
Lest I be misunderstood, just let me opt out, just give us the option and you can keep what you stole. Don't you have children to take care of you D? How many vacations have you taken and what kind of car do you drive? Have cable?
Forced savings is a socialist idea. So wave your socialist freak flag and tell the truth: you don't want to work and want me to pay for it.
C Bowen| 9.28.10 @ 7:41PM
PS--I realize market concepts are difficult, but you would be able to sell your bonds to the highest bidders, giving you a pool of cash to purchase American stocks--even though you just told us you lost a bundle doing so.
I guess that was the hippie's fault too.
aware| 9.28.10 @ 7:06PM
Like ANYBODY is going to be able to stop the baked in implosion of the entire Welfare State. HA!
And, more importantly, WHY would you want to?
So the most blatant, organized, through, and successful theft, not only for the current but for generations to come, that was ever imposed could continue?
Only the printing presses at the Fed even gives the illusion that, with "reform", its all doable. We can't even afford the illusion much longer let alone the schemes of politicians. They pretend to "create" money and we pretend we can "afford" things we obviously can't.
Its the land of the Living Dead.
D| 9.28.10 @ 8:03PM
There is PLENTY to cut besides SS and defense. Talk about selfish.
Bowen- Keep what I STOLE?
I have been contributing taxes, work investments, SS , voluntarism, I've worked, owned a home, (many homes ) since I was 20.
I WANT MT SS.
By the way I drive a lexus and live in a beautiful home. (That of course I will sell when I retire, but I always expected that )
You are the socialist.
Get a job.
D| 9.28.10 @ 8:06PM
I am obviously in a different phase of life.
I am comfortable and able, but i resent this government taking from me for 30 years, only to give it to gov. retire plans and acorn.
I am a Capitalist.
D| 9.28.10 @ 8:26PM
Aware
Yeah, we've taken care of our parents and grandparents, even though many of them had full pesnions and got their SS.
We've worked and worked and worked and now your generation, raised by a bunch of hippies is going to tell us to work some more.
I'll go on welfare! Ha.
I want my SS.
Period.
It is mine and I would have made more if it hadn't been stolen from me.
You kids do what you want, if anything like the last two years policy continues, I'll quit working and you can spread the "wealth" on your own.
aware| 9.29.10 @ 6:04AM
D....thanks for a perfect illustration of why the implosion is unstoppable. "Its mine"(the "Me Generation" in all its glory)....no its theirs(the State) and they spent it before you even paid it. What about all the income taxes paid? You think you get some kind of return there too? What do you think the State does with "your" money, something responsible?Hahahaha!
"You kids"....I wish! Bet I've worked harder and longer than you, and not shuffling paper either. You better get this straight, there won't be any "money" for you, we are 14 trillion in the red, Mr Lexus. And adding everyday. Epic fail is on the way and nothing can stop it. When it comes try clicking your heels together 3 times and say "there's no place like home". That will be as effective as believing the promises of criminal politicians.
If I were you I would be selling that useless car and house and get some farm land in the country. Prepare for things you never thought you'd see. With effort, the land will at least feed you.
It is twilight for the Welfare State and a long, dark night will follow. If you're not preparing you are wasting precious time.