Now this is the kind of headline we don’t need.  Watch the video below as “MSNBC Host Cenk Uygur and Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) discuss whether or not we should raise the retirement age for social security. What reforms should we really be discussing?”

I think the point that Cenk Uygur was trying to make is that we shouldn’t be discussing Social Security benefit cuts until we have rescinded the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy and other anti-progressive steps that have already been taken. They kept talking around each other without facing their real point of disagreement. Cenk should have said, “I don’t think you should be talking about these changes until we have taken other steps. Earl, why do you think it is appropriate to talk about this aspect before we have even finished the discussion about more important priorities?” Then they could have had a fruitful discussion.

It is interesting to consider the discussion in this video in the context of my previous post Get Radical: Raise Social Security. If some astute people can put enough money aside in their private investments to live on in retirement for 40 or 50 years, why can’t Social Security do the same for its clients? Is there really a need to raise the retirement age?