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National Academy of Social Insurance
July 11th 02:07:49 PM
The National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) held a Social Security Academy this weekend to educate DC interns about the Social Security debate. When we first heard about the event, we thought this would be a great opportunity for students to be educated on the issues facing Social Security; however, once we saw the list of speakers, we knew it was not going to be a truly educational experience, unless one wishes to learn how the American Association of Retired People (AARP) and Rock the Vote want to maintain the status quo and ruin any chance for choice in the future.
Rather than a Social Security Academy, NASI could have simply entitled the weekend long event an AARP recruitment camp. One of their first speakers, John Rother, AARP’s Director of Policy and Strategy, blatantly laid out his agenda by adding at the end of his speech, “I hope one day you will all become members of AARP.” Since AARP was an official sponsor of the Academy it remains hard to see whether the money was well spent.
Opponents of personal accounts (PAs) attempt to turn the Social Security argument into something it is not, by continuously arguing that proponents of PAs are trying to eliminate Social Security altogether. The fact is, we care just as much as they do about giving people security, but we think greater security lies in personal ownership and beyond the abusive whim of 535 men and women. Remember that it is these same congressional representatives who continue to spend the Social Security trust fund even now on “pork barrel” projects and other government largesse, while the very solvency of the system continues to face dire forecasts.
One of the weekend’s first speakers was Hans Reimer, Washington Director of Rock the Vote and, like Rother, an opponent of personal accounts. Reimer’s suggestion for the students at the Academy: “We should do nothing.” He explained that Democrats could continue without needing to offer any new ideas and still keep the system as-is, while Republicans would be able to watch the system, which he claims they never liked, fall apart. If the purpose of the weekend was to provide education to students, then the lesson provided was only one of cynicism and partisan complaint, not of constructive leadership.
In another odd twist Hans supports collective investment of the Social Security Trust Fund in the stock market. How can he argue against personal accounts but support this? Apparently Hans believes the government is much smarter than the people and should be able to invest for them. Hans must also realize this is a great way to establish the socialist utopia he apparently dreams of in which the government, instead of the people, controls the market.
Reimer was happy to talk to and take a picture with us afterwards, but before the picture he jokingly asked if this was going to end up on the Students for Saving Social Security blog. Assuming then our individual reputations preceded us we did not expect him to allow us the opportunity of a picture, but he revealed his facetious comment when he asked “Are you guys involved in the Social Security debate?”
Yes Hans, we are!
Posted by Jonathan Swanson
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