Does Norm Coleman Support Privatizing Social Security?
We’ve seen Norm Coleman’s campaign spokesman have trouble answering questions about who pays for Coleman’s suits, but now he doesn’t seem to be able to give a straight answer to a question about whether or not Coleman favors privatizing Social Security either:
My recollection of the 2005 Social Security debate is that Coleman, like most Republicans, favored privatizing Social Security but also recognized that privatizing Social Security is unpopular and therefore favored not calling it “privatization” and only actually going through with it if they could sucker some Democrats into going along with their plan so as to provide political cover. Placed in that context, it seems that Coleman is still a supporter. If he wants to change his mind, after all, it would be easy enough to say that he will oppose any plan to divert payroll taxes into any kind of private account and he’s clearly not willing to do that.
UPDATE: Don’t miss Ruy Teixeira’s brief report on Social Security and public opinion up on the CAP site today.
26 Responses to “Does Norm Coleman Support Privatizing Social Security?”
Register
RSSLogin
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog RollAbout Matt YglesiasContact Me
Donate
October 10th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Colemans seems to be running the worst campaign ever.
October 10th, 2008 at 10:49 am
One just hopes that the members of the national media were as sincere about their profession as the questioners in this clip are.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:02 am
given recent events, perhaps an acceptable substitute that Coleman could use for “privatization” is “pissing away”
October 10th, 2008 at 11:07 am
@ Gregor: Don’t get your hopes up. I used to work for the Minnesota DFL and the twin cities press corps was notorious for their persistence and determination during press conferences but for passivity and mild manner in articles. Wait for the Star Trib and Pioneer Press articles on Norm Coleman’s position shift, you won’t recognize that it was written by somebody at this press conference.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:12 am
I’m really starting to feel bad for Coleman’s poor spokesman. There’s nothing he can really say in response to the questions, so he’s forced to resort to the sad puppy face. He’s becoming the Minnesotan version of Scott McClellan.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:18 am
My question is which side McCain took?
If McCain was in favor of privatizing social security, in the last debate, Obama should have hit McCain over the head with “that one” when the subject came up.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:52 am
I love the part where he asserts that there’s no difference between supporting something and considering it an option. It’s a classic “I’m lying to you, you know it, and I know you know it but I’m doing it anyway” spokesman-moment (I was tempted to say “Republican spokesman” but that’s probably unfair).
I don’t feel sorry for him at all. He’s choosing to do this and if he doesn’t like it, he should probably go choose to do something else.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:54 am
having worked down in the capitol press corps, i’m glad people are seeing how awesome they are. they do this to both sides … it’s a huge part of mn’s good government.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:57 am
I can’t say that I follow Minnesota politics that closely, but when someone asserts that Al Franken is “fear-mongering”, it just does not ring true to me. Pestering, needling, mocking ridiculing, and taunting all seem like they could be credibly linked to Al Franken, but “fear-mongering” I just don’t buy it.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:57 am
I’m pleasantly surprised by those Minnesotan reporters. But would they ask those same questions to Coleman himself? I’ve noticed a lot of reporters are willing to accept talking points when it comes from powerful people but feel free to grill the underlings.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:58 am
I would be in favor of legislation that required the use of the words “the odious” as a descriptive modifier, at least once, in any description of Norm Coleman.
October 10th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
odious is OK. “short fingered vulgarian” is taken, I suppose
October 10th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
There’s a comedy in the fate of a bozo (like a press secretary) who attaches himself to a dumbo like Norm Coleman. It would interesting to play it straight, i.e. from the bozo’s POV. Not turn the bozo into a clown, a simp, or obviously venal. A guy who doesn’t aspire to much and gets less.
October 10th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
I think they are not answering directly because Norm is about to have another of his deeply heartfelt conversions. He was a Democrat whose conscience (and the reality of his relatively non-existent chances of becoming a party star) compelled him to become a Republican. He was Jewish until his conscience and the, still unfathomable, political ascendancy of the Moral Majority convinced him that rabid Christianity was God’s way. As he sees his adopted party imploding, it’s just about time for another soul-searching conversion, no doubt. They can’t comment on Norm’s policies or positions just yet, because he needs to see which way the political winds are blowing a little while longer before revealing the “real” Norm Coleman.
October 10th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
I’m with DAS here. Obama and Biden should go down to Florida and open a discussion of the wisdom of encouraging workers to take tax money out of Social Security and put it into the stock market. Against a backdrop of the Dow dropping back, that should have quite an impact.
October 10th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
This is the wrong question. The right one is, when the system goes from pushing money into the general fund to pulling it from there (sometie between 2012 and 2018), what will the government be able to do?
The cost of borrowing isn’t going to be cheap, with the current mess – it will still be impacting us then. Sure, taxes could be raised, but bear in mind that the payroll tax impacts everyone, so it’ll be massively unpopular.
This is a huge problem that most politicians are actively ignoring – just as they ignored the problems at fannie and freddie. I expect that the long term ignorage will go about as well.
October 10th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Hold on…do I understand correctly? Coleman supports a commission?
Hooray!!
October 10th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
LeighH – You called it. Check out the Star Tribune’s article.
October 10th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Normy doesn’t favor privatizing accounts, you betcha. He wants to have these new youngsters put some of their withholding into separate accounts which would be theirs apart from other peoples’. Got it? Only he’s afraid to even put it THAT way what with the market tanking also, you know, so he’s gotta also be, like, thoughtful and commissiony about it. Also the Star Tribune, Pioneer Press and the local ABC and Fox outlets will shill for him. So he’s got that goin’ for him also, don’t ya know.
March 22nd, 2009 at 7:49 am
tramadol
Great site. Good info
March 22nd, 2009 at 11:37 am
buy viagra online
Very interesting site. Hope it will always be alive!
April 8th, 2009 at 5:12 am
I rarely comment on blogs but yours I had to stop and say Great Blog!!
viagra
April 9th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
After reading the article, I just feel that I really need more information on the topic. Can you suggest some more resources ?