The media handling of socal security has been abhorrent. Bush's proposal to partially privatize Social Security was rebuked by the Democrats and the MSM. What the media intentionally withheld is that it was not his idea. In '98 the very same proposal was made by Moynihan and Bob Kerrey - an idea that was derived from the Moynhian Social Security commission. In fact Bubba himself had a privitization proposal of his own. But Bush was not smart enough to use this against the Democrats when Schumer pounced on the idea. The MSM never uttered a sound about the hypocracy.

If I thought that Social Security and Medicare would just implode and cease to exist when they're no longer fiscally sustainable, I'd actually be looking forward to it. There would be an awful day when they would cease to exist in a big, painful, terrible and chaotic implosion, but then we could start over and come up with something more feasible to help the genuinely poor and needy. But apparently not being able to pay for these programs--at all--won't mean they will cease to exist. Everything I've ever read--including this--indicates that the government will just keep throwing infinite amounts of money into what should be dead programs to sustain them forever, at the expense of younger taxpayers and every other government program, like military spending and the prison system. No politician will ever want to be one of the ones who "took Social Security and Medicare away."

Important post Tom. Thanks. Now, may I rant?

The MSM had a major win (for their agenda) during the SS debate. Following the introduction,a couple of years back, by the Bush administration of a plan to reform SS,  the MSM roared into action. I remember checking that in the LA Times alone (off the top of my head - so just an est.here) over a period of some 9 months, ran hundreds of stories addressing Social Security. Few, if any, accurately presented the proposals accurately; fewer offered past views of pro reform D's. Missing from public consumption was the presentation of the fact that there was broad support for reform; notably for Bush's voluntary partial private accounts (weighted for younger people - not available for yours truly).

In March, 2005 an ABC/Washington Post poll showed (well, I doubt that it made the news, but) that 78% of us thought that it was a crisis. This was a typical result.

A very large % of the media coverge sought to attack the expressed view of the Bush administration that SS was approaching a state of financial crisis. The MSM found experts and pundits from every corner of the universe, in their attempt to proove that there was no crisis. -- NOT INCLUDED in the COVERAGE by media was any mention that many others, including Bill Clinton and Al Gore, consistently used the same language throughout the 1990's. 

What we kept being told by the MSM (typical LA Times piece):

"Social Security is not in crisis, and the financial challenges facing the system are manageable," said Rep. Robert T. Matsui of Sacramento, the senior Democrat on the House Social Security subcommittee.

What we were not reminded of, by the MSM:

Pres. Bill Clinton, Feb 9, 1998 .. "every one of you know that the Social Security system is not sound for the long term, so that all of these achievements, the economic achievements, our increasing social coherence and cohesion, our increasing efforts to reduce poverty among our youngest children, all of them are threatened by the looming fiscal crisis in Social Security."

The polls were readily available - and consistently cherry picked for only the information the media wished to share. They had no interest in leading off the nightly news with: "polls still show strong support in much of the President's proposal - especially amongst young people.

The MSM expended scant effort in bringing forth the past and present views of our economic and political leaders whom the MSM (Democrats) do respect. Many had supported views, similar enough to Bush's general template for reform, that had they been presented by the media we just might have experienced a true discussion of the facts, what was at stake, and how to begin the address.

As the year ran down with the full court press against Bush, by the media, and via the media's broad coverage of those special interests group which had mobilized, AARP, etc., the poll results saw the support for the Bush plan slowly dwindle away. Then the media started sharing some of the new data - which they had helped create. 

It was the MSM that sucessfully defeated what the American citizen, taxpayer and future retiree wanted: a national dialog and debate on how bad it is, and what must be done immediatley to addresss the crisis.

Ref (PSRA/Pew): Q. Generally, do you favor or oppose a proposal which would allow young workers to invest a portion of their SS taxes in privarte retirement accounts, which might include stocks or mutual funds?

Sept 2000    Favor - 70%

Sept 2004    Favor  - 58%

Dec 2004     Favor  - 54%

Feb 2005     Favor  - 46%

March 2005 Favor  - 44%

Well done, MSM. And you say you care about the young people?

I thank God for the fact I am not in the SS system but am fearful of the day tehy try and raid my pension to pay for those who are.

Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark. -- save my gun, shoot a liberal.