The Social Security Debate, Cont'd

[James Devine]

Max notes that the Cato Institute's > intention is to dismantle the public
sector, and they are targeting the largest, most debatable portion (old age
insurance) of the largest public program.  It is very different from the
Reagan Administration's attack on disability insurance in 1981-83, which
was much like the anti-welfare campaigns of the right then and now, or the
more recent pressure on the Disability Insurance component of SS noted by
Doyle.<

Though Max is generally right in his description, I think that it's wrong
to take the Cato Institute's own rhetoric too seriously. Given that one of
the members of their board -- Rupert Murdoch -- is one who eats at the
public trough in a big way (taking advantage of the publically-owned
airwaves), it's more reasonable to see the Cato Institute as pushing free
enterprise for the poor and middle classes (dismantle the public sector)
but socialism for the rich (including military suppliers).

Jim Devine jdevine at popmail.lmu.edu &
http://clawww.lmu.edu/Departments/ECON/jdevine.html