Biden’s Failure to Confront His History on Social Security Isn’t Reassuring

An important article. The well-being of us all depends upon an informed populace. Again and again it is illuminated that “centrist” corporate democrats — who I see as extreme in their compromised integrity and alliances with toxic wealthy donor friends — have consistently failed to act on behalf of the best interests of the people and the planet. Listening to Biden chills me with his inauthenticity and long term utter refusal to stop being complicit with the deadly status quo and instead choose to transform himself into someone who will actually put people before profits. But the record is clear, a record that is incredibly important for us all to know and understand. — Molly

By Dean Baker

 

Having worked to protect Social Security for more than a quarter century, it is good to see the growing consensus in the Democratic Party that current benefit levels need to be sustained and ideally expanded. This is a big change from where the party was in the 1990s when many centrist Democrats supported cuts to the program.

It seemed as though the leading Democrats in the presidential race accepted the position that the size of Social Security benefits should be maintained or expanded. However, the recent actions of former Vice President Joe Biden provide good reason to question this assumption.

Through his long political career, Biden has repeatedly indicated his willingness to support cuts to Social Security. For example, he proudly announced his support for a balanced budget amendment in 1995, which he explicitly acknowledged could mean cuts to Social Security.

More recently, he was President Obama’s point man in negotiations with Republicans in Congress over a “Grand Bargain” that would include cuts to Social Security and other programs, in exchange for some increases in taxes on high-income families. The deal was eventually scuttled because the Republicans refused to go along with the tax increases.

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