Journalist:  Social Security is something that regular Americans seem to have a need to care about.  Do you want to say anything on it?

Obama:  Social Security is the lynchpin of our social safety net, and I have always supported it.

Romney: Of course social security is an important program, everybody recognizes that.

TNE:   Social Security is running a surplus, and has enough money on hand to pay all benefits for the next 21 years without any changes at all. There is no other federal program that can match that record of fiscal responsibility.

Romney:  We’re going to have to recognize that Social Security and Medicare are unsustainable, not for the current group of retirees, but for coming generations. And we can’t afford to avoid these entitlement challenges any longer.  I propose that we Lower the rate for high income earners and raise the age of eligibility.

Obama:   There are some fairly modest changes that could be made without resorting to any new fangled schemes.  And we can make those changes now rather than later.

TNE:   I must point out, once again, there is no difference between these two on this issue.  There are big problems today  in every other sector of government but these two want to tap into Social Security to keep those other failing policies going.  And they are looking at undermining Social Security to do it.   The two tweaks Governor Romney mentioned are the same tweaks adopted by President Obama’s deficit reduction commission.  In addition, both of them favored the temporary Social security payroll tax cut And both of them supported the Federal Reserve’s zero interest rate policy both of those ideas have hurt social security already. Before you propose any further changes to social security we should repeal the Congressional Pension Plan and put everyone in the Executive Branch and Congress into Social Security instead.  With the same maximum benefit as a normal citizen.

Journalist:   You mean there wouldn’t be any sweetheart pensions for members of Congress?

TNE:  That is right, they get the same maximum benefit as a normal citizen.

Journalist:  But…but…

Journalist:  Oh my God.