The future of the New Deal—the social insurance state that has Social Security and Medicare as its twin pillars—is at stake in not just this, but coming presidential elections. In that, Mike Konczal and Bryce Covert writing in The Nation, are correct. Where they are wrong is the notion that prescriptions put forth by GOP vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan constitute a clear and present dang... More

Two years ago, Paul Ryan, the presumptive Republican vice-presidential nominee, proposed a plan that would allow workers to divert one-third of their Social Security taxes into private retirement accounts, akin to what they can do with their 401(k) dollars. The Left is prepared to attack him on this, sensing an opportunity to bring back an issue they used with great effect in the 2006 mid-term ele... More