Blame the Victim

The local paper has an AP story about shrill Rethugs:

Republicans attacked the AARP as well as congressional Democrats on Wednesday as they struggled to build momentum behind President Bush's call for personal investment accounts under Social Security.

The AARP, which claims 35 million members age 50 and over, is "against a solution that hasn't been written yet," said House Majority Leader Tom DeLay after a closed-door meeting with the GOP rank and file.

He called the group's opposition to personal accounts irresponsible and hypocritical, adding that it sells mutual funds to its own membership.

A spokeswoman for the organization had no immediate comment.

DeLay and Speaker Dennis Hastert also criticized congressional Democrats, who are virtually united in opposition to Bush's plans. "The party of no," Hastert called them.

Gee, Dennis--maybe the "no" vote in this case is based on the following:

Social Security is "in crisis" to the same extent that a car with a low tire is "in crisis." In the latter case, sure, I guess you could junk the vehicle and start all over, but most people would consider options like, say, filling or patching the tire...or even purchasing a new one.
(hmmm...I'm not the only one to use this analogy).

Privatized pension plans aren't exactly tearing up the league.

And, most important, if the Bush administration hasn't layed out their plan for Social Security, then why the hell are they taking so much time to trash the program--this smacks of Operation Go Cheney Ourselves over in Iraq. And Iraq isn't exactly a model for much of anything, except perhaps for how to lose a war against a country so much smaller and weaker that you almost have to TRY to lose.

As for AARP's mutual funds (and similar accounts offered to federal employees)--hey, these are IN ADDITION to the guaranteed Social Security benefit...in other words, these DON'T take away money from the Social Security Trust Fund...

And, on that topic, TalkingPointsMemo actually found a Joe Biden quote that's worth repeating--I guess Joe can locate a fresh acorn now and again:

"And the presumption that Social Security can't meet its obligations rests on the notion that the federal government will default, something it's never done in 220 years, on an obligation, on Treasury notes, IOUs, just like the IOUs Japan has and other countries have in terms of buying our Treasury bonds. And so I don't think we'll default."

So much for the ridiculous notion that Treasury notes are worthless--they are commercial paper. I suppose you could make the argument that commercial paper itself is essentially worthless...but if you do, be prepared to discuss why capitalism is just plain wrong, because that will be the crux of your position...