Mark Thoma: Save Social Security (and Medicare) First
Mark Thoma:
Economist's View: "Romer Advised Obama To Push $1.8 Trillion Stimulus": If Obama goes go "big on entitlements," it will be a mistake. People don't object to the benefits they receive. They like Social Security and Medicare. The worry is that these programs won't be there for them -- politicians have scared them into believing they might not be. After paying into programs like Social Security for so many years, middle class America feels entitled to the benefits they have been promised. But people have been made to believe that others are stealing this future from them -- lazy, schemers who live off the government in one way or the other -- and that's what they want eliminated, the "undeserving others". But keep your hands off their Medicare and Social Security.
