WaPo Fact Checker Analysis : Sanders vs. Biden on Social Security: A guide to the claims

[Celerity]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/08/sanders-versus-biden-social-security-guide-claims/

“Joe Biden claims in a new ad that he has always protected Social Security. That’s patently false. He can’t hide 40 years of working with Republicans to cut Social Security.”

— Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), in a Twitter thread, March 7, 2020

Now that the Democratic primary race has narrowed to Sanders and former vice president Joe Biden, Sanders has begun attacking Biden for supposedly wanting to cut Social Security. Biden cried foul in a new ad. In a Twitter thread, the Sanders campaign highlighted comments or votes by Biden dating back almost four decades.

Regular readers of The Fact Checker know we often warn about campaign attacks highlighting certain votes or comments that are so old they often lack context. Overall, Sanders offers a misleading portrayal. So here’s a guide to these statements.

“In 1983, Biden pushed to raise the Social Security retirement age.”

Sanders cites a newspaper clip from Jan. 11, 1983, that says, “Biden suggested a gradual increase in the retirement age would help improve the Social Security system.” This was not a controversial position at the time. Two months after these comments, large bipartisan majorities in both the House and Senate agreed to the Social Security amendments of 1983, which included raising the retirement age to 67 and increasing payroll taxes to improve the solvency of the program.

The broad outlines of the plan was recommended by the National Commission on Social Security Reform and is believed to have strengthened the long-term health of Social Security. Sanders, in 1999, praised the 1983 law an example of bipartisan cooperation. “We should remember that in 1982, Social Security was within a few months — a few months — of not being able to pay out all benefits owed to Americans,” Sanders said. “And then people came together and said of course we want to save Social Security. They worked together, and they did.”

snip

much much more at the main link above

[George II]

1. Great article! To think Sanders PRAISED the 1983 reforms. Where was he in 1983?

[Baitball Blogger]

2. What did the article say about the freeze?

[Celerity]

7. here

“In 1984, Joe Biden first pushed to freeze funding for Social Security — which would end up cutting Social Security benefits.”

In the mid-1980s, bipartisan alarm grew over soaring federal budget deficits under President Ronald Reagan. Biden, along with two Republican senators and another Democrat (Max Baucus of Montana), proposed a simple solution — a one-year freeze on all spending, including defense spending and social programs such as Social Security.

Biden pitched it as the “last best chance” to keep deficits from undermining the economic recovery and dropping the country into another recession. He also said it would avoid having to “make other significant changes in Medicare and significant changes in Social Security generally.” The plan was rejected 33 to 65, though more Democrats than Republicans voted for it.

Whatever one may make of the proposal, it was not aimed at Social Security specifically but was part of an effort to reduce the budget deficit. The Washington Post reported the “dramatic simplicity” of the plan was “its fatal flaw as conservatives rebelled at the deep cuts it would have made in Reagan’s military buildup, liberals balked at the constraints it would have put on major domestic benefit programs such as Social Security and many moderates shuddered at both results.”

“In 1995, I was on the House floor fighting the GOP’s efforts to cut Social Security. Five days later, Joe Biden gave a speech in the Senate bragging about his work with the GOP to try to freeze funding for Social Security.”

Fast forward 10 years to another budget fight. Republicans had taken control of the House and Senate and were pressing for passage of a balanced-budget amendment. Biden did make a floor speech on Jan. 31, 1995, which referenced his 1984 effort to freeze all spending.

“When I argued that we should freeze federal spending, I meant Social Security as well. I meant Medicare and Medicaid. I meant veterans benefits. I meant every single solitary thing in the government. And I not only tried it once, I tried it twice. I tried it a third time, and I tried it a fourth time.” Again, Sanders frames this as an effort only about Social Security, but it was much broader — aimed at every part of government, including defense.

[Baitball Blogger]

8. Here's the sticking point with the excuses provided.

It all plays into the Republican's hands. The Republicans get to spend all they want, giving tax cuts to the rich and lavish military expenditures; and then, when a Democrat takes over it's all talk about fiscal responsibility. It's a game. Centrist/moderate Democrats use language like they're being responsible by cutting back on Democratic programs that help their base in order to balance the budget. When all they're really doing is providing something that the Republicans wanted all along. They have no incentive to change.

When we put a Democratic administration back in office they could surprise us all by cutting back on Republican boondoggles, like military expenditures and demanding higher taxes for the rich. Now THAT is proper balance.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

9. Exactly. Cease playing the GOP game. Stop reaching across the aisle except to punch.

See the 2nd link in my 'sig', for example.

[Celerity]

10. I will be shocked if the war/security/surveillance state is cut at all. Even freezing it at current

levels will be met with howls or rage from multiple corners, cries of traitor, weakness, opening up 'Murica to attack, etc etc.

[left-of-center2012]

3. In my humble opinion ...

Sanders is going from 'bad' to 'worse'.

He's become more and more desperate.

Someone needs to tell Bernie it's over.

Turn out the lights.

[Julian English]

4. The key line

“Overall, Sanders offers a misleading portrayal.”

No surprise there.

[Gothmog]

5. sanders has called for cuts in social security also

This is not a good issue for sanders when sanders is guilty of the exact same conduct in the real world

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[comradebillyboy]

6. The Sanders campaign is in a complete melt down mode

lashing out irrationally. It's pathetic. If Bernie can't win he will try to make sure no Democrat wins. Just like he did before.