Here’s how Democrats can leverage abortion and Social Security in 2022
Data for Progress has new polling showing that Social Security is very popular, and that Social Security messaging helps Democrats in a generic ballot poll.
The DFP polling comes on the heels of recent comments from Republican politicians about cutting, sunsetting, or privatizing Social Security.
So in theory Social Security looks like a good issue for Democrats, and they may bring a messaging bill up for a vote this fall.
The problem is that Republicans have been making statements like this quietly for years, without paying a noticeable political price. In fact, David Weakliem recently looked at historical polling on which party is most trusted to handle Social Security, and the Democrats have been ahead for almost 40 years – but only by 8 points or so.
So here is a suggestion: in addition to a messaging bill, Democrats should link Social Security to abortion, more or less like this:
“For years Republicans told us that they opposed abortion, and many people, frankly, did not believe them. But then the Supreme Court overturned Roe, and now Republicans are outlawing abortion even when a woman’s life is at risk, or when a child has been raped. They are prosecuting women and doctors.
For years senior Republicans have been telling us they want to cut, privatize, or eliminate Social Security. We should believe them. This is not a joke.”
maybe we can tell them we can keep social security forever just by raising the payroll tax a dollar per week in any year there is a projection of “short term financial inadequacy. there is no need to raise taxes on the rich and turn it into welfare which Roosevelt warned us against.”
or do i repeat myself?
social security should be taken out of the hands of the government: something like a Fed for poor people or people who are almost certain to become poor without it.
I received my first social security payment today making my father a liar. In 1968 I received my first real paycheck along with an explanation of the state and federal taxes withheld and FICA withholding. I did not understand the FICA and asked my very Republican father— I am sure he voted for Joe McCarthy, Nixon and Goldwater—what that was about. He said it was for social security and I would never see a dime from it but it helped grandma out. He also said he would never see any either although he ended up getting a monthly payment for 25 years until he died in 2018. I have had exactly the same thought on the messaging except I would phrase it that women never thought they would lose control over their bodies and I might throw in that most Americans never thought they would lose the right to vote for their leaders, but the GOP is all in on taking that away too.
Are you buying?
I will if it is the weekend— my discipline is not to drink except on Friday, Saturday and Sunday😊
Terry:
Did you retire at 66 or did you wait to collect SS?
Terry
yes indeed. R’s have been working that “you’ll never see a dime..” thing since 1935.
But that doesn’t mean they won’t make it true next year. especially since they seem to have convinced Carter, Clinton, Obama. and Biden…who have been somewhat constrained about agreeing with R proposals because they know it would cost them the next election. That won’t always be true either now that the “progressives” have joined the enemy by calling for turning SS into welfare.