Posted on 09/23/2011 3:37:54 AM PDT by tobyhill
Texas Gov. Rick Perry declared in the latest Republican presidential debate that he had never advocated turning Social Security over to the states. His denial was hard to fathom given his past rhetoric about the program.
"Let the states do it," he said last year, for example.
Also in Thursday night's debate, Michele Bachmann misread presidential approval polls and denied making a statement that she actually did make just the week before, concerning a vaccine for girls. Mitt Romney denied supporting an Obama administration education program that he had praised.
But the most consequential exchange may have been over Social Security, and Perry's changing thoughts about it.
ROMNEY: "Well, it's different than what the governor put in his book just, what, six months (ago), and what you said in your interviews following the book. So I don't know. There's a Rick Perry out there (who) ... says that the federal government shouldn't be in the pension business, that it's unconstitutional. Unconstitutional and it should be returned to the states."
THE FACTS: In his book Perry heavily criticized Social Security, advocated states' rights and suggested federal entitlements were unconstitutional in general, but he never tied these beliefs together as succinctly as Romney claimed.
Even so, he danced close to branding Social Security as unconstitutional. He called Social Security the best example of a program that tosses "aside any respect for our founding principles of federalism." He also lamented: "If only the New Dealers had been kind enough to allow workers to make their own choice about whether to participate." And he said the program was introduced "at the expense of respect for the Constitution and limited government."
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
Soc Sec IS a PONZI scheme, it IS unconstitutional and like everything else, congress doesn’t give a damn and does it anyway.
Just imagine the number of lies the commie prick in the WH told yesterday!
Calvin Woodward should do an FC on Odumbo.....he could fill a book.
...the AARP is in Odumbo’s back pocket
You are right and that’s why we will be stuck with Romney.
Evidently, there are some claims by parents that their daughters have suffered mental retardation. It may be worth Michelle's time to research some of these claims. Otherwise she needs to state her objections to Perry's executive order and let others do the research on any harmful effects of the vaccine.
There’s a difference between the issue of what ss is and the issue about denying what you said it is.
Also, Perry’s claim that ss should be done by the states is ridiculous. Cain was right on calling him on that in the last debate, just as he called Romney on saying it had to be done by the feds. Cain has it right by reforming it along the Chilean, individually-controlled line.
I think because TX is so sprawling Perry doesn’t realize how his one-size-fits-all ‘return it to the states’ solution is impractical in many matters. Between the small, close states in the Northeast and the number of people moving from state to state, the answer for much is not to bulk up a muscular state state instead, but to have government stop controlling so much of our lives altogether.
It is not totally backed by the good faith and credit of the tax payers, since it is being whittled away by Congress. Many of the Republicans actually support means testing it. So the government will be getting into seniors personal business and finding out what they have and whether to allow them to collect anything.
I would have loved to asked everyone on stage if they support means-testing those who would collect Social Security.
And I don't believe Romney is right about how many depend on Social Security right now to live. Not very many are going to be able to live on Social Security alone. Maybe some in the less expensive states, but the pay out is so low, it is only a supplement to your other savings. Contrast this to the pensions given out for government jobs. I never hear government pensions will be means tested or that the government retiree has to wait until they are 66.
“Bachmann did not say what the moderator said she said. One of the moderators said she claimed the vaccine caused mental retardation. As she pointed out, she actually said a woman in the audience came up to her after the last debate and said her daughter suffered mental retardation. She shouldn’t have repeated the claim on Greta’s show that night without more fact checking, but she accurately stated what she had previously said and went on last night to explain why she objected to Perry’s executive order.
Evidently, there are some claims by parents that their daughters have suffered mental retardation. It may be worth Michelle’s time to research some of these claims. Otherwise she needs to state her objections to Perry’s executive order and let others do the research on any harmful effects of the vaccine.”
IIRC, Bachmann plainly stated last night after she was misqouted by Chrissy, that the point was the unethical connection of Perry and the Merck Campaign Contributions and the lobbying that has gone on, which resulted in the Executive Order, rather than letting the Texas Lagislature examine and debate any harmful effects of the vaccine.
Working for a government pay should not put a person in a different world than a personworking for a private company pay. Getting rid of all government employee unions would be the first thing to do to bring/make the worlds on the same basis.
“I agree but right now we need to know about the REAL GOP candidates so we get the best candidate we can get. Bachmann is making herself look like a fool and that’s why we will be stuck with a RINO. Romney is lying when everyone knows he’s an Obama Light. Perry squirrels down on issues Conservatives agree with then bucks-up on those we totally oppose.”
Agreed. So the TOP THREE republican cndidates seem to be causing long-term damage to themselves by engaging in these early debates.
It is also not factual, at least according to this article.
THE FACTS: In his book Perry heavily criticized Social Security, advocated states' rights and suggested federal entitlements were unconstitutional in general, but he never tied these beliefs together as succinctly as Romney claimed.
Look, I'm not saying that this is a smart strategy on Perry's part, I'm just saying it is what it is...walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and all that.
Debates are fine but it needs to contain honesty.
Couldn't agree more.
Why do they find it necessary to attack each other?
am i th eonly one fed up of hearing about these two front runners so called off our biased media..
I don’t like either and only trust Rick S and MB but they have no chance thanks to our corrupt media.
Wish Palin or Christie would get in this race and get rid of these two so called front runners
If present employment (unemployment?) trends continue there will be even fewer workers per beneficiary in 18 months.
To even talk as if this a functionally sound and financially viable program is a schizophrenic denial of impending reality-and a fundamental disservice to the country and beneficiaries. Kudos to those politicians that can publicly approximate the truth.
It AIN’t gonna be pretty folks. And that's the BEST that can be said.
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