Social Security and You!

I can do no justice to the current Social Security debate however, of course, I'd like to put my two cents in. Josh Marshall over at Talking Points Memo has devoted his blog almost exclusively to this debate the past couple of months. I've mentioned before that Republican efforts on Social Security long ago left the world of 'substanative debate' and entered into the world of 'whatchyou talkin' bout Willis'. The new line of attack is that if Democrats don't come up with a plan of their own, they are simply obstructionists and have no interest in real reform. Republicans are trying to paint Democrats as simply opposing the reform as a partisan tactic, thereby making that opposition seem unpopular and unsound. President Bush's approval rating on Social Security is at an all time low of 35% so it isn't only Democrats who don't support this reform. Opposing an idea on the basis that its a crappy idea is enough for me. As much as Republicans want to cry about Democrats bringing nothing to the table to bargain with, they won't bargain without private accounts. A very convincing case is made that private accounts will bring about the end of social security, and that is independant of all the other arguements of why private accounts aren't desireable (some people could be left high and dry, etc). I'm no economist and I freely admit I have to rely on other people's analysis and opinions on this issue, but it seems to me that whenever an idea has no merit, it can't survive on its own and must be pushed using other tactics--like smear campaigns and creative wording. That alone is enough to make me think that even Republicans can't come up with enough good reasons for private accounts.