Social Security Works spoke to several conservatives at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this past Friday, who were none too pleased to hear Mitt Romney's plans to cut Social Security and Medicare.
Below is a video Social Security Works put together contrasting Romney's statements on Social Security and Medicare in his speech at CPAC with the reactions of some CPAC attendees.
It is no surprise that I spoke with many CPAC attendees, who either agreed with Romney, or had more extreme positions. But in addition to the people we included in the video, I spoke with several more conservative activists, who we did not have the space to feature, but also opposed the idea of cutting benefits.
A few things stood out to me in my conversations with CPAC attendees, whether they took issue with Romney's remarks or not:
There are faces behind the poll numbers. While I had seen the poll numbers showing widespread Republican opposition to Social Security cuts before CPAC -- the latest National Journal poll shows 77 percent of the country, presumably including many Republicans, opposed to cuts -- I had to see it to believe it.
A "grand bargain" for the elites only. All year long, proponents of a "balanced" deficit reduction package that includes Social Security cuts have sold it as a measure that will win the president political support from moderate Republican and independent voters. But my experience led me to believe that cutting Social Security seems to appeal more to elites and their donors in both parties, rather than rank-and-file voters.
Insurance not welfare. Even the CPAC attendees I spoke to who favored cutting Social Security and Medicare, agreed that Social Security was insurance, not welfare. For conservatives who malign "government" in the abstract, and consider busting welfare cheats a top national priority, this is the highest compliment. We make fun of Tea Party activists for sporting signs saying, "Get your government hands off my Social Security and Medicare." But conservatives' support for Social Security speaks more to the political intelligence with which these programs were created than it does to conservatives' selfishness or hypocrisy. Social Security's character as a self-funded earned benefit plan that is universal, not means-tested, has spared it the scorn that other means-tested government programs elicit. This is one reason we should be wary of proposals to means-test Social Security and Medicare.
Denial. Several interviewees simply refused to believe that Mitt Romney had proposed cutting Social Security or Medicare. Call it a case of political cognitive dissonance.
Myths and misinformation. Many conservatives I spoke to were beholden to the same myths about Social Security that have resonated with the broader American public. This is often what led them to reconcile their appreciation of the program with support for cuts.
Social Security is "broke." Many CPAC attendees endorsed benefit cuts reluctantly, but had exaggerated views of the program's funding gap, calling the program "broke" and "bankrupt."
Congress raided or spent the money in the trust fund. For many people, Social Security is a perfect program, but Congress spent its surplus on frivolous government expenditures.
President Obama turned Social Security into welfare. According to these people, Social Security was once a quintessentially American earned insurance program, but in recent years, Congress and President Obama have expanded into a wasteful welfare program.
In reality, Social Security is facing a modest funding gap, not "going bankrupt"; its $2.7 trillion surplus is invested in United States Treasury bonds that cannot be "spent" by Congress; and President Obama has done nothing to change Social Security.
As for Romney's proposals, Social Security Works has made a fact sheet chronicling his statements on Social Security prior to CPAC. (Spoiler alert: Romney has called Social Security a fraud in the past.)
What made Romney's CPAC speech unique was that Romney articulated specific policies he would pursue rather than discuss them vaguely as he has in the past. Let's focus on two key points:
Raise the Retirement Age
Romney said: "We will slowly and gradually raise the retirement age for Social Security."
This is bad policy because:
Raising the retirement age to 69 is a 13% benefit cut at whatever age you claim benefits. Even if you delay retirement to age 69 your benefit would be 13-16% less. (See chart here.)
Many older workers cannot find work or cannot work after age 67, let alone age 69. Raising the retirement age greatly disadvantages lower-wage and minority workers, who, on average, have seen little or no increase in life expectancy, suffer from work-limiting health problems, and work in physically demanding jobs.
Opposes Making the Rich Pay Their Fair Share
Romney said: "Tax hikes are off the table."
This is bad policy because:
The vast majority of Americans must make payroll tax contributions on all of their wages, millionaires and billionaires like Mitt Romney only do so on the first $110,100 of their earnings.
Scrapping the cap so that all earnings are subject to the payroll tax would close Social Security's entire projected 75-year funding gap.
While President Obama has yet to draw any lines in the sand for bipartisan reform efforts, Romney has already precluded revenue increases from the discussion. Unless President Obama hardens his negotiating position, the price of keeping Social Security reform bipartisan could be very high.
Daniel Marans is a policy and legislative advocate. The views expressed in this post are his own.
Social Security Works spoke to several conservatives at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this past Friday, who were none too pleased to hear Mitt Romney's plans to cut Social Securi...
Social Security Works spoke to several conservatives at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this past Friday, who were none too pleased to hear Mitt Romney's plans to cut Social Securi...
This morning (Feb. 20, 2012), I just saw and heard Mark Halperin, on "Morning Joe" (MSNBC), admit why the media does not like Mitt Romney. The reason is the media does not like politicians who change their minds about issues, politicians who flip-flop. Of course, Mr. Obam, has never changed his mind about issues, has never flip-flopped.
AngelBarron2: This morning (Feb. 20, 2012), I just saw and heard
Romney changes his position on the major issues atleast every other day and it is getting very old. I will have to consider a different canidate I think. Romney is just not believable anymore. Sor ry.
Royce09: Romney changes his position on the major issues atleast every
According to this article Mitt Romney will not require the rich or well off to pay any further taxes although through the loop holes they pay less than most middle class citizens.He will cut Medicare and/or social security and try to raise the retirement age to 69 or more.Way to go Mitt. Looks as if maybe you meant it when you said you were not worried about the poor or the rich.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-marans/gop-social-security-medicare_b_1280257.html
jerry_graham: According to this article Mitt Romney will not require the
I am just sadden that these cpac goers believe all that cess pool of lies coming from FOX news and ilk who are mouthpieces for the 1% that want SS to be privatized. When you hear pundits talking about SS is broke, no money they speaking for the 1%.
There has been no major discussion on social safety net programs or tax reform. Sensible people will not politicize them two major issues. I am sure that's why Obama and Dems have not put them on the table in an election year.
Whoever is the prez in 2013, both safety net and tax reforms will be addressed, but not now. Those folks calling for reform now is playing one up man politics namely the GOP for they are the ones screaming about reform.
MThomasNC: I am just sadden that these cpac goers believe all
This old lady finds it horrifying how pathologically selfish the GOP have become...their actions show ALL of us that they don't CARE if elderly are pushed to poverty...the GOP was NOT this way 40 years ago. There were great GOP statesmen, but no more
madame48: This old lady finds it horrifying how pathologically selfish the
For a change Romney was speaking the truth when he said that he did not care about anyone other than the wealthy. He said that there was a safety net for the 99%, but true to GOP form he wants to destroy the safety net. The GOP wants to turn Social Security over to Wall Street and Medicare to HMOs. It is "big business" and greed as usual in the lala land of the GOP.
normaandgeorgia: For a change Romney was speaking the truth when he
What's even more insidious is that many people pay in to SS and Medicare all their working lives. Mitt on the other hand stop paying years ago because his money is made from capital gains. And yet at 65, he will get the max SS benefit and Medicare.
I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me, how we split Mitt up and not provide Medicare to the capital gains portion of him.
no_body: What's even more insidious is that many people pay in
What gets me is that ALL of the Republicans trying to get the nomination have come right out and told their audiences 'what' they are going to do to them if elected. And, the audiences are buying it? Have more gullible sheep ever been led to the slaughter?
BeckyJustice: What gets me is that ALL of the Republicans trying
There has been no major discussion on social safety net programs or tax reform. Sensible people will not politicize them two major issues. I am sure that's why Obama and Dems have not put them on the table in an election year.
Whoever is the prez in 2013, both safety net and tax reforms will be addressed, but not now. Those folks calling for reform now is playing one up man politics namely the GOP for they are the ones screaming about reform.
I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me, how we split Mitt up and not provide Medicare to the capital gains portion of him.