Pelosi and the Democrats are going to try to ride fears about a Ryan-style privatization plan for Social Security to victory — or not-so-bad defeat — this November. Reid has already run ads attacking Sharron Angle on Social Security, Talking Points Memo has circulated videos of Rand Paul supporting privatization in old interviews, and a new front group released a poll July 15 showing that Americans don’t like the idea of “reforming” Social Security in order to reduce the deficit. (Note how closely Pelosi’s remarks track this poll.)
The more President Bush talked about privatizing Social Security, the less voters liked it. They are not going to like it any more now that the stock market has collapsed and so many have lost half or more of their portfolios.
Warning, warning, warning.