McCain 2004: Privatize Social Security; McCain '08: I've Never Been For Privatization

[e-brake]

John McCain tried to deny past comments on Social Security reform yesterday, a move which has exposed him to criticism from his rival as well as obscuring the record on what entitlement changes McCain would seek to correct.

During last night's pre-screened town hall, John McCain took a hard line against George Bush's plan to privatize social security saying, "But I'm not for quote privatizing Social Security, I never have been, I never will be."

But that doesn't quite fit with past comments made by McCain on social security. In fact, he was a big supporter of privatizing social security in 2004:

"Without privatization, I don't see how you can possibly, over time, make sure that young Americans are able to receive Social Security benefits."

Link has video of both comments:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/0..._n_106935.html

[zerojunkie]

Maybe he was talking about total privatization, hence the quotes?

Originally Posted by www.johnmccain.com

Reform Social Security: John McCain will fight to save the future of Social Security and believes that we may meet our obligations to the retirees of today and the future without raising taxes. John McCain supports supplementing the current Social Security system with personal accounts -- but not as a substitute for addressing benefit promises that cannot be kept

[zymote]

Originally Posted by zerojunkie

Maybe he was talking about total privatization, hence the quotes?

Nope. I think he's wearing flip-flops.

[St. Stalin the Apathetic]

Originally Posted by zymote

Nope. I think he's wearing flip-flops.

yeah but you think psytrance is good music


I do suspect he's being taken out of context to a degree - I do recall he did support the general notion of optional retirement accounts, that is privitized SS - but that was a small and optional portion.

Why anyone would want to take their 1-2% return on their money from SS and put it into the market though is beyond me.

[zymote]

Originally Posted by xian

yeah but you think psytrance is good music

At least I have hair.

[St. Stalin the Apathetic]

Originally Posted by zymote

At least I have hair.

yeah? There's only so much testosterone the male body can handle... some use thiers to grow hair

[umalak_]

as much as I'd like to jump on him about this, I'm pretty tired of this idea that politicians can't change their minds just because they're politicians.

I change my mind all the fucking time on issues, I don't understand why they can't. I wish some of the people on this messageboard would change their minds. I wonder how many people don't change their minds for fear of being called a flip flopper... whether it's a conscious fear or a subconscious one.

good for him changing his mind, privatizing SS is a dumb idea. come back in a few years and i might change my mind if the circumstances change.