Enter the Ostrich Caucus?

The mainstream members of the Democratic Party have long recognized that Social Security is in a crisis. Only a small wing of ultra-liberal Democrats— dubbed The Ostrich Caucus– refuses to accept the reality that the program’s finances are in crisis. By rejecting basic facts about Social Security, the Ostrich Caucus does a disservice to the debate and puts our economic future at risk.

Fortunately, the Ostrich Caucus may not speak for the entire Democratic Party. Many Democrats at least recognize that the program is in crisis. Below are some Democratic leaders’ comments in support of taking immediate action to reform Social Security.

President Bill Clinton: “We Have to Start Now”…in 1998!

“And all of you know to a greater or lesser degree of specificity, 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.”

“On the other hand, if you don’t do anything, one of two things will happen — either it will go broke and you won’t ever get it; or if we wait too long to fix it, the burden on society of taking care of our generation’s Social Security obligations will lower your income and lower your ability to take care of your children to a degree most of us who are your parents think would be horribly wrong and unfair to you and unfair to the future prospects of the United States.”

“And I can tell you, I have had countless talks with baby boomers of all income groups and I haven’t found a single person in my generation who is not absolutely determined to fix this in a way that does not unfairly burden your generation. But we have to start now.”
“REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY”
Georgetown University – February 9, 1998

Senator Robert Byrd: “Long-term financing crisis”…in 2001!

“What do we mean in terms of the calendar when we speak of the baby boom generation? I started out in politics in 1946. The baby boom generation began then and there, for the most part, in 1946. That was a good starting point. Ten years from now, when 53 million Americans are expecting Social Security –hear me–10 years from now, when 53 million Americans will be expecting Social Security to be there for them in their retirement, they will remember–they will remember–whether we voted for a budget resolution that failed to address the long-term financing crisis that faces the Social Security program. They will remember, and so will we.”
“THE BUDGET RESOLUTION”
U.S. Senate – March 30, 2001

Senator Kent Conrad: “Faces a demographic time bomb”…in 1998!

“Our legislation would provide some of the funding for Social Security, which the Republican budget resolution also precludes. They wouldn’t provide a penny to strengthen Social Security. They oppose providing any help to Social Security, even though we know it faces a demographic time bomb, the same demographic time bomb that Medicare faces.”
“CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET RESOLUTION”
U.S. Senate – March 31, 1998

Senator Tom Daschle : “Serious Social Security crisis”…in 2000!

“This demographic change has triggered a serious Social Security crisis. In 1940 there were 100 workers to support 1 retiree. Today that ratio has dropped to 3 workers supporting 1 retiree. In less than 20 years, that ratio will decrease to 2 to 1. As a result, we have a $20 trillion unfunded Social Security liability.”
”SENIOR CITIZENS’ FREEDOM TO WORK ACT OF 2000”
U.S. Senate – March 22, 2000

Senator John Edwards: “a Social Security crisis”…in 2002!

“We have a coming challenge in Social Security . We are going to have baby boomers retiring in huge numbers, and we are going to have to find a way to keep our social contract with them….With terrorism, with crime and education and health care needs, with a Social Security crisis, with massive fiscal hemorrhaging, what are we talking about here today?”
“ESTATE TAX”
U.S. Senate – June 12, 2002

“It must be said that this legislation is a patch to one problem in the Social Security system that is currently riddled with holes. If Congress does not start considering overall Social Security reform, we will eventually have a hole too big to fix.”
“SENIOR CITIZENS’ FREEDOM TO WORK ACT OF 2000”
U.S. Senate – March 22, 2000

For more about the Social Security crisis and plans for reform, please visit www.freedomworks.org.

With 700,000 members nationwide, FreedomWorks is a grassroots organization dedicated to lower taxes, less government, and more freedom for all.