Social Security Framing

Paul Glastris of the Washington Monthly innocently wonders about something that I think is actually pretty important to look at a little further:

Just a thought... Maybe a lot of people have made this point and I just missed it. Or maybe it's so obvious it doesn't need to be made. But...

In 2018, Social Security will begin paying out more money than it takes in. This is what Dennis Hastert calls the "crisis point." But the entire federal government is paying out more money than it takes in right now.

Yes Paul, this point has been made several times... but not quite like this.

The different is subtle but important. A lot of Democratic talking point you see mention the idea of the absurdity of caring about a managable deficit in Social Security some 40 to 50 years out while ignoring the more important one right in front of our faces. However, those points have not had a nice little catchy ring to them... something to stick in your mind.

In using Hastert's own words against him, this feat is accomplished; the same idea is being used, but it is a lot more consumable. Not only does the media tend to love using the words of any politician against them (i.e. "Gotacha" quotes), but it also makes it seem to the lay person that this is not just some technical definition ginned up by the left since it is borrowing Hastert's own definition for use.

IMO, all of this underscores the importance of framing the debate, and is something that I hope Democrats don't forget the farther out from the 2004 elections that we get.