White House Mum on Social Security

Heard any talk about Social Security during the whole budget debate? You’re not going crazy: The White House has shelved discussions about Social Security reform in the current budget battle to reduce the deficit. Jason Furman, deputy director of President Obama’s National Economic Council, said Tuesday that talk of Social Security reform “is not one you care about” if “you are worried about our long-run fiscal future.” In this year’s State of the Union, Obama said he would like to “speak out against” any budget plans that “target” Social Security, and adviser David Plouffe has said Obama will not slash or reduce benefits while in office. But Furman’s remarks that Social Security has no place in the debate over the deficit are directly at odds with the conclusions of Obama’s own deficit commission.