History

by digby

Ryan Grim has a rundown on the Senate bill if you’d like to see the major provisions as well as the feelings among fellow Senate Democrats according to Al Franken:

Overall, Franken said, his colleagues are happy with the bill. “All of us believe that we need to make basic reforms and that this does that,” he said of the product. “It’s an enormous step forward. It’s something we can build on. Social Security passage was just widows and orphans.” Social Security gradually expanded over time.

“I think it’s a really important, really historic bill, but I’m just worried that we don’t over-promise but at the same time we do tell them all the great things the bill has,” said Franken.

He’s right on the politics but wrong on the facts. There have, of course, been expansions, notably SSI, over the years, but Social Security was not just widows and orphans when it was passed. It had certain exemptions for domestic and farm workers, churches and non-profits. And those who already had pensions from the government and the railroads were not covered. But everybody else went immediately into the system under the same rules. It was very easy for people to understand how it worked.

These Democrats have their work cut out for them.

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