On SS tear-down, we should question press line of supposed youth support

[confludemocrat]

I keep seeing this story line time and again about how young people eseentially like idea of the proposed demolition of social security. I frankly don't believe a fully informed youth element really believes this:

"Santorum's arguments yesterday had more resonance among his younger listeners, who in national polling have been far more supportive of the president's proposal than older workers. Though some admitted that they had attended Santorum's presentation mainly for extra credit in their college courses, some said they were annoyed that many people opposing changes to the system would not be affected by them.

Support for the changes Santorum endorses was not just confined to the younger generation. A number of current retirees yesterday said they were intrigued by the plan that the senator was advancing for personal accounts."

The overt and subtext here and in most mainstream papers is repeatedly that in contrast to older people, younger people support what ideologue-hacks like Santorum are pushing and it "resonates" with them. I say that's bullshit.

from a story about Santorum/SS linked to from Raw Story
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05053/461038.stm

[papau]

1. This is Usual GOP assertion - accepted by media - that is a lie on closer

examination.

The studies change to younger reject when the actual proposal - including the cut benefits - is part of the question.

The world loves addon accounts is true- and removing the wage cap on tax and benefit calculation is approved - and using excess payroll tax collection - that results from no wage cap -over next few years to do a 401k type "match" and "gift" (as in 1% of Salary to max of 5000, with a match of 100% for first extra 3 % that is saved, to a max of 20,000) is preferred to a reduction in the actual tax rate.

NO AGE GROUP HAS A MAJORITY OR A PLURALITY THAT LIKES CARVE OUT ACCOUNTS ONCE THE PRIVATIZATION, REDUCTION OF SS GUARANTEED BENEFIT, IS EXPLANNED TO THEM.

[Coastie for Truth]

2. Most young people

do not "know" anybody who actually lived through the Great Depression (as in really spend the time listening to Grand Pa's stories about he lost the farm, or how Uncle Joe was laid off -- and the family was divided up between the aunts and uncles, etc.).

Also, most young people see their grand parents living relatively comfortably - with SS, and ERISA "defined benefit" pensions (now disappearing), and employer paid Medi-gap (now disappearing), and good 401k's (if they weren't too heavy in ATT, Polaroid, USSteel, PennCentral, Xerox, RCA). But these young people will NOT have ERIS "defined benefit" plans or employer paid Medi-Gap, and they will have to get out of HP or United Airlines instantly.

The things I remember of my youth--
1. Grand pop's and Mom's and Dad's stories about the Great Depression were probably an exaggeration. There will never ever be another Great Depression.

2. There will never be another World War 2 - besides Dad and my uncles all came alive with lots of medals.

3. The US is always on an upward growth curve -- and things can only go one way. Excelsior.

4. You have absolutely nothing to worry about if you have a good education, keep learning, and stay flexible.

5. You will probably live forever.

Then, I got older, and had kids, and mortgages, and the death of steel, and the death of PennCentral, and Three Mile Island. It's called growing up.