Bayh really nailed the framing on Social Security privatization on This Week (the Stephanopoulos show).
[L]ook, the president is probably going to talk a lot about ownership and individual choice. I think those are great concepts, and I can support those -- but in addition to the current Social Security system, not as a replacement for it.
Look, you may own your home; a lot of Americans do. I bet you have insurance. Ownership and insurance have to go hand in hand.
Social Security is the insurance. Senior citizens in our country can always rely on it to make sure they're not desperately poor in their old age.
Should we have ownership and choice in addition to that? Yes, we should. But we should never do anything to undermine that insurance. That is one of the bedrock principles of our country.
Word. Don't fight ownership and insurance, just force George to make it a topping. If he wants to lay the groundwork for expanding the safety net after we shrink his deficit, I'm all for it. But base Social Security is untouchable. And if Bayh knows it, Republicans might as well pack up their toys and go home.
