newsobserver.com projects - Hagan criticizes Dole on Social Security - Comments

Re: Hagan criticizes Dole on Social Security

louisdous — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:50:48 -0400

Dear Mr. Cooper, You may want to ask the folks in Galveston, Texas that opted out in the late '70s/early 80's. Imagine were they would be now after their homes were washed away if they had to rebuild their lives on a measly government controlled ss check. Those that did not opt out are probably crying and whining to anybody that may listen to have the government bail them out with a few additional pennies of my money, much like you have been when the government's other wonderful program (medicaid) sends you a measley check to cover the costs of nursing home care in one of the eight nursing homes you own. Why not just give the government these nursing homes to run instead of privatizing them? Just wondering...LD

Dole is ineffective, does nothing

Real_Americans_Think — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:32:07 -0400

Dole needs to be sent to retirement. she is a do-nothing ineffective senator. The idea of privatizing any portion of social security is absurd. Dole is part of the problem. Vote her out. Send someone who actually lives in North Carolina to be our Senator. Dole spent only 13 days in NC in 2006. That's outrageous. No wonder she is so out of touch and clueless.

Re: Hagan criticizes Dole on Social Security

Right_is_Right — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:02:32 -0400

Neither 2042 nor 2049 helps me as a young worker. I think something certainly has to be done to make Social Security more sound. Privitization is the only sensical solution.

Re: Hagan criticizes Dole on Social Security

dahedgehog — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:10:45 -0400

But it is not clear what Hagan would do make Social Security more sound.

It's not clear that anything has to be done to make Social Security "more sound." According to the Social Security Trustees' Report (http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/TR/TR08/IV_SRest.html#253691), the bonds in the SS trust fund are sufficient to cover full benefits until 2042.

The Trustee's report is likely overly cautious -- the CBO puts this date at 2049.

Hagan criticizes Dole on Social Security

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:11:52 -0400

Democratic Senate candidate Kay Hagan's criticized Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole's support for privatizing Social Security today, saying the current market crisis would have placed the program in jeopardy.

"I'm absolutely opposed to privatization," Hagan said at a news conference at state Democratic headquarters Wednesday. "Elizabeth Dole campaigned on privatization of Social Security in 2002. George Bush took her on the road with him in 2005 to show that you can campaign for privatization of Social Security and actually win."

Hagan raised the issue at a time when the stock market has been in free fall and people are worried about the declining value of their retirement savings. There are 1.6 million Social Security recipients in North Carolina, a powerful voting bloc, Rob Christensen reports.

"Where would we be in the last two weeks if Social Security had been privatized?" said Jerry Cooper, executive director of the N.C. Assisted Living Association, who appeared with Hagan.

The Dole campaign Wednesday accused Hagan of "lying to scare seniors" and said it was a campaign tactic that Democrats used nearly every election.

More after the jump.