TightWind is written by Kyle Baxter. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Charles Blahous says that claims the Simpson-Bowles Social Security proposal is telling working Americans to “drop dead” are not only incorrect and unfair, but have no basis in reality:

The Simpson-Bowles plan is a progressive one. In addition to the progressive bend point factor changes, the plan would create an increased minimum benefit to ensure that no one retires into poverty after a full working career. The best way to design such a provision is to have the new minimum benefit phase upward with years of earnings so that it doesn’t create a disincentive to work. Information passed from the commission suggests that this is indeed how this provision is designed.
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Reasonable people can disagree on the optimal Social Security plan. It is, however, ridiculous to allege that the Simpson-Bowles outline represents an attack on working Americans. Retirement income security for low-income workers would be enormously greater under Simpson-Bowles than under current law: first because it would increase their benefits outright, and second because it would eliminate the threat of benefit reductions that would persist under the status quo.

His analysis is quite good. Definitely recommended.