Bush says Social Security shortchanges black seniors

[truthpusher]

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20050126/1063516.asp

Bush says Social Security shortchanges black seniors

By PETER WALLSTEN and RICHARD SIMON
Los Angeles Times
1/26/2005
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Race became a significant factor in the debate over Social Security on Tuesday when President Bush told black leaders that the government retirement program shortchanged blacks, whose relatively shorter life span meant they paid more in payroll taxes than they eventually received in benefits.

Bush's comments came during a private White House meeting with 22 black religious and business leaders who backed his re-election last year - marking a new line of argument in the president's attempts to win support for adding worker-owned investment accounts to Social Security.

The conversation demonstrated the White House's determination to build on outreach efforts to blacks that proved effective in battleground states last year, adding Social Security to a list of moral issues - such as opposition to same-sex marriage and support for faith-based social programs - that Republicans see as providing common ground with black conservatives.

White House officials did not release a transcript of the hourlong meeting, but several participants said Bush was adamant that his Social Security plan had special appeal to blacks - and that he intended to make that point in public.

more:

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20050126/1063516.asp

[liberal N proud]

1. And putting it in the hands of the stock market sharks is going to

fix that?

[Mizmoon]

2. With that argument, it cheats men in general

since we ladies tend to live longer than our menfolk.

Yeah, I don't know why I used the word "menfolk" either. Seemed quaint, I guess.

[central scrutinizer]

8. they plan to reduce benefits for women

then when retired women have to chose between medicine or food, health care or shelter, their health will suffer, thus reducing their life expectancy. It's all about the lowest common denominator, baby.

[classof56]

21. It's like the gender pay gap back way back when

Still exists, I know, but by and large I think they're paying women the same as men for the same job. Back in the 50s and 60s when I would voice my concern about not making as much as male co-workers, I'd get answers like..."yeah, but girls don't need as much money as men because you can always find some guy to buy you dinner." This one I liked, too..."You can live at home or share an apartment with 5 other girls." Here was a classic: I got turned down for a promotion once at the small company I worked for 'cause as the manager said, "You'll just get married some day."

Now I'm retired after many-many years in the work force and they're going to cut my SS bennies 'cause I'm female? Well, like I used to tell people--I don't notice them charging me less when I shop.

And here I thought we actually we might have overcome, like the song we used to sing.

Damn, I hate this administration!!

Tired Old Cynic

[iamjoy]

27. To Be Fair Classof56...

How many "Men's Nights" with free drinks ar there at bars?
There is still a lot of gender (and racial discrimination) out there. I don't think any male manager is stupid enough to make comments like you heard back in the day, but qualified women are passed over for promotions because the male boss likes the guy better. It is unconscious and therefore hard to prove. Also, for women who try to be "SuperWomen" and juggle work and family - even if they have help they are the primary caretakers who may have to miss work if a child is sick. Or they don't put in as many hours because they need to get home and cook dinner, whatever. So, they aren't seen as being as dedicated a worker as the man who leaves most of the home responsibilities to his wife.

So, we make less our whole lives, then less in retirement.

Hello, the point of social security is a safety net against poverty. Why would you want to take away the safety net for women?

[Mizmoon]

28. Free drinks for women is not a gift to women

it's *for the men* too.

As an offensive sign on a bar once read, "We get'um drunk ... you do the rest."

[papau]

24. Is there a Bush plan to increase the life expectancy of Blacks - and men?

Once that is accomplished it would seem this "Soc Sec problem" would be fixed.

[snippy]

31. Excellent point. This should be every democrat's talking point on this

part of Bush's argument for privatizing Social Security.

[DaDeacon]

32. THERE IT IS !!!!!!!! BIG UPS !!!!!! this is the real issue! n/t

[radfringe]

33. gee, then does this mean bush* would favor aa national health care system

that will provide care which will extend life expectency of all people?

[yardwork]

3. I hope this backfires

It raises the obvious question - why doesn't the government spend a little money providing health insurance and improved access to health care for minorities so that their lives won't end sooner?

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Bush is attempting to drive a wedge between Blacks and Democats

It's very clever and very revolting.

[Mizmoon]

12. It is their strategy no doubt eom

[Straight Shooter]

35. Not to be confrontational, but it isn't clever, it's cunning.

And yes, absolutely revolting.

Perhaps women should start abusing their health more, then we would die sooner, eh? Women are more inclined to seek a doctor's opinion when we suspect something is wrong. Also, women's statistics for longevity are declining in proportion to smoking and drinking more, just like men.

Have you ever heard a urologist go on and on about how difficult it is to get men to have prostate checkups? I have, and, believe me, it fits right in with the stereotypical male who is too "manly" to see a doctor. (Edit: this does not apply to those men who do in fact take care of themselves, but sadly they are in the minority.)

The women here, and some of the men, know exactly what I'm talking about. So let's not allow bush to punish women for taking better care of ourselves in the first place.

As for black males, bush needs to address the factor that all the young black males who die violent deaths tend to skew the overall results. Why are they dying? Uh, duh, could it be because of drugs and poverty and hopeless outlooks for their futures and the rage engendered by a feeling of impotence against the All Powerful White Male Machine?

Rant over.

[central scrutinizer]

5. hey, here's a better idea

institute universal health care, strengthen affirmative action programs, improve schools in inner cities, etc., and when African Americans enjoy the same things that the dominant culture takes for granted, then they will live just as long as whites, thus ending the disparity.

[GetTheRightVote]

6. So now they try to divid by using the race card again

These are evil men and women, they wish to base SSN on race and gender, why so they can start to take from whom they please. This is against civil liberties in this country, do they believe in anything American ??

:kick:

[Skittles]

7. AND WE KNOW HE GIVES A SHIT ABOUT BLACK SENIORS

:puke:

[Bush on crack]

9. Bushie & SS

Bush is right about that but we all know what he is doing, pandering for their vote again. He sits up there and acts like he is so dang high and mighty. What a fraud! This guy makes Strom THurmond look like a moderate.

[Rose Siding]

10. Some debunking of this lie-

I've run across an even better analysis recently but here are two I just found...

snip>
Bush didn't make up this phony line on his own; it comes from the Heritage Foundation, which a number of years ago did a study purporting to show that because African-Americans have a shorter life expectancy than whites, they get less in return for the taxes they pay into the Social Security system.

But when the Heritage study was examined by actuaries at the Social Security Administration and by the Government Accountability Office, serious methodological flaws and numerous bad assumptions were uncovered. For example:

• Heritage failed to factor in the progressivity of Social Security benefits; on a taxes-paid to benefits-received ratio, those with lower incomes get more back. Blacks tend to earn less than whites, and thus their Social Security benefits are larger in comparison to taxes they pay.

• Social Security is more than retirement benefits. It also includes survivor and disability benefits. Blacks benefit disproportionately from those programs. While blacks are 11 percent of the workforce, for example, they are 18 percent of those receiving disability benefits. Almost half the blacks receiving Social Security -- 47 percent -- are getting disability benefits or survivor benefits.

http://24hour.startribune.com/login/?goto=http://www.startribune.com/stories/561/5187689.html

snip>
M inorities should favor private Social Security accounts, several advocacy groups such as the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute have argued. They have a right to their opinion. We object, though, to their implications that traditional Social Security favors whites over Latinos and African Americans.

Reputable researchers have debunked their research.

Evidence-based analyses explain why the system treats minorities fairly despite many groups' shorter employment histories, relatively lower wages and less-favorable life expectancies. Two concise analyses are "The Importance of Social Security to People of Color and Women" (www.cbpp.org/7-18-01socsec2.htm ) from The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and The Century Foundation's Reason No. 11 in "Twelve Reasons Why Privatizing Social Security is a Bad Idea" (www.socsec.org/publications.asp?pubid=503 ).

Selectively using data about shorter life spans to claim that Social Security discriminates against minorities in retirement pay turns a nonstory into a scandal. It ignores other features of the program -- that minorities are more likely to receive benefits for disabilities; that they are more likely to require support as survivors; and that, on average, they get higher average retirement income than their low-income history would warrant without the program's redistributive, safety-net leaning.

http://www.oregonlive.com/editorials/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1106312342108262.xml

[TahitiNut]

20. A simple falsehood is easier to remember than a more complex truth.

That's the core of the reichpublican propaganda mill.

That's also why people aren't asking "Why not pay working people more?" After all, isn't that the 'supply side' logic? If Social Security needs more revenues, then why not increase the revenue base? Like ... what about increasing the Federal Minimum Wage that's now at its lowest in 50 years?

[flordehinojos]

11. with his comment bush THE UNITER NOT A DIVIDER is dividing blacks and other

races...HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT HE IS DOING... LIKE A DRUNK WHO WANTS HIS BOTTLE, OR A DRUG ADDICT WHO WANTS HIS DRUG ... BUSH WANTS TO DISMANTLE SOCIAL SECURITY AND DESTROY SOCIETY AND THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT AND HE DOESN'T CARE TO WHAT EXTENT HE GOES TO GET IT... IF PEOPLE CANNOT SEE THAT HE IS STICKING A KNIFE IN THE HEART OF AMERICA
...... AND THAT HE IS VERY DANGEROUS MAN .....AND IF BLACKS CAN'T SEE HOW BUSH USES THEM AND THEY LET THEMSELVES BE USED BY BUSH .... WHAT A SORRY EXCUSE FOR BEING HUMANS THESE BUSHES ARE.

[bif]

13. Who cares what you think? Asshole.

Why don't you just shut the hell up with your crisis du jour. You'll fix it just like you fixed Iraq.

[Guns Aximbo]

14. I believe he's shadow boxing

Yes, I'm sure African American seniors don't get as large a check as Caucasians seniors do.

The reason is that your FASCIST PARTY through its policy of racism over the last ? years has oppressed minorities where they NEVER were payed as well as their Caucasian equals.

Remember S.S. pays back what you've earned so... Bush should be pointing a finger at that doddering old fool - (his father).

[Cocoa]

15. so that's what this photo is about

Bush at his first Social Security chat...

[meti57b]

16. Why not just do something to improve health and lifespan for blacks?

in addition to providing Social Security. That is what I would call ... a good solution for that. Stop the tax cuts for the wealthy and stop the war against Iraq, and provide healthcare, jobs, education, housing for those who need them.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

17. So does imprisoning young black men for minor drug offenses

In fact, that combined with not restoring their voting rights after conviction of a felony shorts the ENTIRE black community.

[2Design]

18. * lies and we all die

[shanti]

19. time to play the race card!

way to go, *ush! :grr:

[Mandate My Ass]

22. race baiting as a diversion so he can loot SS

What a POS loser. Like he cares about black seniors, or black anybody for that matter.

What about black disenfranchisement and black sentencing disparities, he wouldn't touch those issues with a ten-foot pole.

[nolabels]

23. Along with all these other right wing facist groups doing it with other.

elements of our society. This all a bussiness plan and we will be hearing the same old bull for the next four years or untill they gut Social Security (which ever occurs first).

They will stoop to any low, age, sex, race, income level, citizenship status, regional bias, etc. Can't you see them just licking their chops for it



http://tang.mspencer.net/wc/m_wcachive03.html

[Mr_Spock]

25. So now this dumb fuck is playing the race card.

This guy would do anything to promote his lies - he'll fail and we'll all be better off.

[AllegroRondo]

26. Solution - find out why blacks dont live as long

and fix these problems.

[Kikosexy2]

29. Playing...

the race card...how low can one go? Now he recently bribed...oops, I mean made donations to Black congregations/churches--those shared values you see.

[Malva Zebrina]

30. What a cheap trick

Who will be the next person to get the memo and continue to push this nonsense. I'll be watching and waiting for I am sure the memo has been sent out to those journalists et al on the White House payroll.

[DaDeacon]

34. The repubs , race baiting ? Man, what would Condi say -nt

[KamaAina]

36. OK, let's run this one through KA Labs' repuke translation software

Bush**: "Thank you, good black folks, for dying off just as soon as you can and helping me and the PNAC boys get off the hook for the billions we've spent on our wars of conquest. Besides, we really don't give a crap about you anyway once you're too old to go up for an offensive rebound."

</sarcasm>

[indepat]

37. Social Security shortchanges married women who work, those who

die before receiving any benefits, and those who die in the early years after benefits begin, just for starters. It's never been fair to all, never will be, but children will receive an annuity should a parent die while they are still minors. Those alive today in their 90s, including African-Americans, have likely received benefits approaching incredible multiples of what they paid into the system: some gotta win and some gotta lose. But I doubt that heartfelt concern over black seniors being short-changed is what is really driving these compassionate conservatives to want to short-change virtually every beneficiary going forward, especially considering Chairman Greenspan laid the groundwork for reduced future benefits as a means of paying for tax cuts he supported.

[struggle4progress]

38. kick

[daleo]

39. So, try improving the lot of blacks, so their lifespan equals whites.

Instead, he tries to take political advantage of this regrettable demographic fact. What a bastard this Bush is.

[cosmicdot]

40. Bamboozled: Destruction of SS Would Harm Black Communities

more SS articles at
http://www.mediatransparency.org

Bamboozled: Destruction of SS Would Harm Black Communities
by Maya Rockeymoore

A big hoax is about to be pulled on the American people in the name of Social Security reform if President Bush and the Republican Congress get their way and send Social Security money to Wall Street. If this happens all Americans will lose big but African Americans will likely receive the shortest end of the stick.

~snip~

Privatizers consistently argue that African Americans will experience a greater rate of return under a system of individual accounts. Their assertion, however, misses the point: it is misleading to measure Social Security benefits by rates of return. Unlike the private securities market, Social Security is an insurance system that re-distributes economic assistance to contributors and their families on an as needed basis at various points during their lives. The value of this assistance for working and middle class African Americans families, particularly in the event of unexpected occurrences like disability or death, is priceless when considering how expensive it would be if offered by the private insurance market.

~snip~

http://www.blackcommentator.com/118/118_cover_rockeymoore.html