Comments on: DEAN: I MISSPOKE

By: Kevin Drum

Kevin Drum — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Ah, the demographic time bomb....

If we gradually raise the cap on SS taxes from the current $80K to about $300K over the next 30 years, SS would be fully funded.

If we gradually raise the Medicare tax from the current 1.45% to about 5%, it's fully funded too.

This is no fun, of course, but those two measures would hardly bankrupt the country and would raise taxes on the working class by only a few percentage points. The oft heard time bomb is more like a wet firecracker.

(Now Europe and Japan, on the other hand, have real problems. Europe really is facing a time bomb, and Japan, as near as I can tell, is facing a nuclear meltdown.)

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Kevin,

I don't necessarily have any problem with either of those measures, especially raising the cap. The main advantage we have on Europe and Japan here is immigration, which helps make up for having fewer children.

But 65/7 is awfully young to retire these days.

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Hey--

What happened to all the Dems from last week saying lying was so important???

Where are they today?

Things that make you say "hhhhhhypocrisy."

By: John Cole

John Cole — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

He didn't just 'change his mind.' He changed his mind, then lied in front of the AFL-CIO while in full pander mode, hoping he would get away with it. Why do I say he lied, rather than simply mis-speaking? Because 6 weeks ago, on June 22nd, he tried to lie about it on Meet The Press and got caught:

Russert: ...calling for that, and this is what Howard Dean said. âThe way to balance the budget, [Gov. Howard] Dean said, is for Congress to cut Social Security, move the retirement age to 70, cut defense, Medicare and veterans pensions, while the states cut almost everything else. âIt would be tough but we could do it,â he said.â

Dean: Well, we fortunately donât have to do that now.

Russert: We have a $500 billion deficit.

Dean: But you donât have to cut Social Security to do that.

Russert: But why did you have to do it back then?

Dean: Well, because that was the middle ofâI mean, I donât recall saying that, but Iâm sure I did, if you have it on your show, because I know your researchers are very good.

Russert: Well, Miles Benson is a very good reporter for the Newhouse News.

Dean: Yes, he is. No, no, no. Iâm sure I did. Iâm not denying I said that. I have...

Russert: But you would no longer cut Social Security?

Dean: But you donâtâno. Iâm not ever going to cut Social Security benefits.

He may have mis-spoken on Meet The Press, but this second time, he was flat out LYING and hoped no one would catch him. Quit letting the left spin this away as a 'mistake' or a 'flip-flop.'

Here are all the details:

http://www.balloon-juice.com/archives/002956.html

By: Asymmetrical Information

Asymmetrical Information — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

The fiscally conservative Democrat?
After this statement, found on the incomparable Outside the Beltway, I don't think that anyone can properly say that Howard

By: Matthew Yglesias

Matthew Yglesias — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Howard and the Deficit
Via Outside the Beltway I see that Howard Dean is now admitting that his flip-flop on raising the social security retirement age was, indeed, a flip-flop thus abandonning his previous strategy of changing his mind and lying about it. I...

By: Modulator

Modulator — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Late Night Reading
Anna and Jake are at the Ignuazu Falls as they find their way back to the UK. Lots of cool travel pictures on this site. Just for you bachelors, Oscar Jr has some housekeeping tips beginning here and working back for two posts. If you are in need of fr...

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