Clinton's Remarkable Non-Answer Regarding Social Security (Sep 24, 2015)

[portlander23]

Every other Democratic candidate wants to expand Social Security benefits and lift the cap. Mrs. Clinton says she's against privatization, but that's way below the progressive baseline set by her opponents. It seems she wants to play little more than defense against the most radical schemes to change the program.

Instead of offering a specific opinion, she's claiming to look to some "independent analysts", and while she claims Social Security should remain a universal program, she's ok if "people of means don't take it", which does sound like more of her means testing language.

She also claims to be looking at a "variety of approaches" and that she haven't settled on anything. Which is odd considering she had less vague (and less progressive) positions on this in 2008. This isn't exactly a new issue.


Related:

Hillary Clinton on Social Security Expansion: Words are Wind. A Cold Wind.

Sanders offers Social Security as latest example of ‘many, many differences’ with Clinton

Clinton did not categorically rule out Social Security benefit cuts or raising the retirement age

Say It Ain't So, Hillary Clinton - You're Open to the Idea of Raising the Retirement Age?

A Trojan Horse In Clinton’s Pledge To “Enhance” Social Security?

Why It's Misleading to Swear to Protect the Poor's Social-Security Benefits

[Fred Sanders]

1. Clinton not meeting the expectations of the far Left? Let the common Outrage(tm) commence!

She is meeting and exceeding the expectations within her own party, is what matters right now.

What do the polls say?

I see.....well, that explains a lot!

[portlander23]

2. Well, this is the political problem, if not the moral one

Sander's and O'Malley's positions are the mainstream, not the fringe. If we were complaining she doesn't want to extend the Post Office's role to include banking, you'd have a point.

Voters In Key States Really Don't Want Social Security Cut: Poll

How Elizabeth Warren Made Expanding Social Security Cool

Democrats Rethink Social Security Strategy

Unfortunately the last debate didn't do much to expose Mrs. Clinton's positions on this, but now that she's signaled flexibility on the retirement age, I'd hope that a moderator or at least her opponents will force her to clarify her position.

What is your position? Do you support raising the retirement age or means testing?

[whathehell]

3. "Far Left"?! Aw, geez, I know you live in the UK, and all, but you need to start brushing up..

Social Security is about 80 years old and is THE most successful, popular and MAINSTREAM

of Social Programs and routinely polls ACROSS party lines as such.

[Enthusiast]

11. +1! Preserving Social Security is hardly 'far left'.

[pangaia]

17. Far left? Who dat?

[blackspade]

18. What exactly do you mean by the far left?

What are the expectations that you are talking about?

[whathehell]

4. Oh yes, I noticed that..

She definitely hedged there. One must watch the weasel words too -- "Enhance" Social Security?..Uh huh...Next she'll be saying she's 'enhancing' it with cuts, oh, I mean "reforms" to keep it safe.

[Plucketeer]

5. Yeah

Every time I hear a Dem talk delicately about enhancing or "fixing" SS, I think of that hot mike moment weh Slick Willie was caught talking nicey-nice to Paul Ryan - saying:"We need to talk about Social Security." And I can guaran-damn-tee you they didn't go on to talk about how they could increase it! This even tho tiny tweaks would afford us to do so.

Today's "Dems" have been sipping the GOP Kool-ade too much.

[whathehell]

6. Absolutely...You know, I remember that incident -- Rachel caught it and showed it on her show

I think it was actually about Medicare, but the point -- and the possible treachery -- are the same.

By the way, I don't remember ANYONE else on cable news, even MSNBC, running that.

[Plucketeer]

7. You're correct about it being Medicare

I saw it on line somewhere, but it was likely just a clip OF her show. THAT little clip has stuck with me more than many other candid moments we've had a chance to witness. To be sure, politicians have to work together to get things done. But Bill Clinton? Years out of office? He can be globe-trotting or building homes for the disenfranchised here at home, but his time as a federal servant is past ........ That little vid clip sounded and smelled like an emissary for a presidential candidate.

[whathehell]

8. Yes, and I agree with you regarding Bill..

Whether he was doing it as an emissary for Hillary or just using his considerable influence and power
is to undermine a true democratic agenda, I don't know, but I really -- regretfully, sometimes -- just don't
trust them.

Added thought: Remember how Bill ended that little exchange with Ryan?...He said "Call me". Gee, I wondered

at the time, what do arch conservative Paul Ryan and Bill Clinton, the "Big Dog" of the Democratic party have to

talk about?

Whatever it was, the way he said it "Call me", sounded quite casual, like it wasn't the first time.

My thoughts: Um, for WHAT, Bill...Aren't you guys supposed to be in opposite camps?.. I mean it's not as if

Bill were still prez and they needed to 'confer' on some bi-partisan bill, or something.

No, It sounded suspiciously treacherous -- like they might be in cahoots.

Even Rachel alluded to that possibility.

[Plucketeer]

13. Thanks

It's heartening to know my suspicions aren't novel.

[jwirr]

10. I am actually afraid of him being back in the WH.

[Enthusiast]

12. Me too. Even as the 'first dude'.

[Plucketeer]

15. I'm NOT saying this to be funny

I fear more, Bill being back in the White House than I do Hillary. "Big Dog" my ass. Big BLUE Dog is a more accurate descriptor!

[jwirr]

9. The enhance is really a weasel word. Enhance meaning she

would help those poor women on SSA. I am one of them and there is already a way of helping us. It is called SSI (Social Security Supplemental Income). It is not a part of SSA and does not come out of the SSA fund. It is paid through the general fund by taxpayers. The problem is that SSI has not been increased since it was started thus there are poor women on SSA.

It bothers me that she talks about these things without even looking into them.

[DhhD]

14. They are a part of her just like the DLC meetings that she attended in the 1990s. Clinton

sat at the table with Europeans to work on Austerity, some of the New Democratic postulates that she, apparently finds troubling now, as viewers can hear and see, in the video speech above. Lessening Social Security in any form would be Austerity. Austerity is a Rightist position now having gone through the Bush World Wide Financial Recession. Coming soon are her policies and plans. She is trying to gauge how much Left she will have to go to get the nomination. In the Debate, Clinton said that she would deepen Obama's policies. I believe that she will deepen Obama's New Democratic policies, plans and appointments just as she said she would once she is in the White House.

[Plucketeer]

16. " She is trying to gauge how much Left she will have to go to get the nomination. "

Replace the word "go" with "speak".