Securing America's Future: A Bold Plan to Preserve and Expand Social Security

Since its adoption in 1935, the Social Security Act has been a great success, operating efficiently, never missing a payment, and providing economic security for retired and disabled Americans and their dependents. Nevertheless, the system has been the subject of fierce attack - not least from President George W. Bush. Securing America's Future counters the attacks on Social Security and makes clear that this important program is not in crisis. The book proposes a series of modest changes to improve the program, including reforms to enhance Social Security and increase its value to Americans. Securing America's Future is an important book for students and scholars of public policy and all Americans interested in the reality of our Social Security system.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 Foreword Chapter 2 Introduction Chapter 3 1. The Forgotten Piece of National Security: FDR's Economic Bill of Rights Chapter 4 2. Misinformation about Social Security: It Ain't What People Don't Know Chapter 5 3. The Gospel of Wealth Amid Acres of Diamonds Chapter 6 4. FDR's Plan and its Enemies Emerge Chapter 7 5. From Miss Fuller's First Check Chapter 8 6. Frightening Facts? Or Persistent Politics? Chapter 9 7. A New Plan that Truly Would Improve Social Security Chapter 10 8. The Enemies Regroup: Rallying 'Round Reagan Chapter 11 9. Presidential Attitudes Toward Social Security: "Only Desperate Men with their Backs to the Wall" Chapter 12 10. The Special Problem of Health Care: The Fortunes to be Made Chapter 13 11. Some Final Words to Sum It All Up Chapter 14 Appendix 1. Text of Recording of "Operation Coffeecup" Chapter 15 Appendix 2. Internet Nonsense about Social Security Chapter 16 Appendix 3. Social Security and Ponzi Schemes

About the Author :
Max J. Skidmore is Thomas Jefferson Fellow and the Curator's Professor of Political Science at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He has written several books, including Social Security and Its Enemies: The Case for America's Most Efficient Insurance Program (1999).

Review :
Max Skidmore's book does a valuable service in documenting the political battle surrounding Social Security since its creation. He also exposes the misinformation and outright lies that opponents of Social Security have used to undermine public support for the program. Do yourself a favor and read this excellent, solidly researched, commonsense book... This work is well argued, graceful in exposition, and well documented....Highly recommended. Max Skidmore's excellent and timely book, Securing America's Future, irrefutably documents the fact that recent attacks on Social Security are based on a "manufactured crisis," promoted by anti-government ideologues and Wall Street interests that selfishly want to get their hands on this great money stream. Skidmore demonstrates that Social Security is sound and highly effective, and he shows how it, and U.S. medical programs, might be further expanded.