Prime Only Members-Only Article

Press is Way Behind on Social Security FlimFlam

UNITED STATES - MARCH 8: Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., attends a news conference after the Senate luncheons in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
|
February 8, 2023 2:23 p.m.
THE BACKCHANNEL
FREE EDITION
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.
NEW!
A FREE email newsletter from Josh Marshall An email newsletter from Josh Marshall

With the future of Social Security and Medicare back under discussion — and not in a good way — we need to review a few points about how these subjects are discussed in the nation’s capital. This morning I saw some very solid, level-headed reporters noting that Rick Scott didn’t say Social Security and Medicare should be sunsetted after 5 years. He said all government programs should be sunsetted. And it just happens that Social Security and Medicare are government programs. In other words, these folks suggested, while Biden’s claim was technically true it amounted to a kind of cheap shot.

That’s malarkey.

Want to keep reading?

Join TPM to get full-access to our reporting, newsletters, and other member-only features.