Karl Rove: Rick Perry "toxic" on Social Security

Karl Rove, Former Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Adviser to President George W. Bush.

/ CBS

Republican strategist Karl Rove says Texas Gov. Rick Perry's controversial take on Social Security will prove "toxic" in the 2012 election - and finding a way to "deal with these things" will be his biggest challenge in the race for the Republican nomination.

Rove, a longtime adviser to former president George W. Bush, told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos Wednesday that Perry would need to come up with a more adequate response to a series of unusual - and by many counts, extreme - statements he made in his 2010 book "Fed Up!"

In the book, Perry blasted Social Security as a "ponzi scheme" and questioned the merits of the 16th and 17th Amendments.

"You know how much trouble that can be for a Republican candidate in a general election," Stephanopoulos asked Rove, "so how does he handle it and must he disavow some of these statements in the book?"

Rove said the Perry camp's defense of the statements had thus far been "inadequate" to quell further trouble later down the road.

"What they've done thus far is, I think, inadequate. Which is to basically say, 'look, we didn't write the book with the presidential campaign in mind,'" Rove said. "Well, okay, fine. But they are going to have to find a way to deal with these things."

"Because, as you say, they are toxic in a general election environment and they are also toxic in a Republican primary," he continued. "If you say Social Security is a failure and ought to be replaced by a state-level program, then people are going to say: 'What do you mean by that?' and make a judgment based on your answer to it."

Perry had initially tiptoed away from his comments on Social Security, but has recently reiterated the claim that the program is a "Ponzi scheme" - as well as a "monstrous lie."

"We need to have a conversation with Ameica, just like we're having right here today, and admit that t is a Ponzi scheme for these young people," Perry said, of Social Security, in remarks captured on video by ThinkProgress on August 28th. "The idea that they're working and paying into Social Security today, that the current program, it's going to be there for them, is a lie," Perry said. "It is a monstrous lie on this generation, and we can't do that to them."

According to Rove, Perry's comments will be "his greatest challenge" in the elction.

"Each candidate has strengths," he said. "Each candidate also has challenges. This, for Governor Perry, is his challenge. Now he's got some formidable strengths. But this is his biggest challenge."

[americalove1]

I'm almost 60 years old. My husband & I have paid into this system all our adult lives. It wasn't optional. If it had been, we would have considered investing all that money elsewhere. Why are people suddenly so surprised that SS is going broke? The experts have been warning us all about this for over 20 years now that I know of.

SS was a good idea in the beginning. The problem was, it hasn't been used as initially intended. And, everyone and their brother in Congress with their hand in the pot has just about destroyed it.

There has been massive fraud for decades as well, costing billions each year. Do your HW: Go to your local SS Disability office and see how many people, especially young people these days, are lining up with their applications, without even bothering to see a doctor first.

Check out the massive fraud being committed by health care providers every day.

Payments need to be restructured & increased proportionally for the younger workers, going back each decade. Correct those things & SS might be saved.

[factsplease1]

First of all I think you meant Soc. Sec. office Not disability office, the are one and the same. Secondly, disability is NOT easy to get in this day and age. I personally know of 3 people who should have gotten disability years ago and have been turned down repeatedly even with doctors records and evidence of debilitating illnesses. Yes, a few always sneak thru the cracks, but basically it is not easy to get disability.

[dougp3104]

Social Security was started in the wrong fashion. It should have been set up as other pension funds have been set up. The immediate payout of SS in the beginning doomed it. It should have been privatized right from the beginning and made into a pension fund which could make investments like other pension funds make. It would have been the most solvent fund anyone has ever seen. There would have to be a restriction on it that no governmental agency could touch it and that it would be an autonomous private agency. Then it would be safe and guaranteed well in to the next century.

[notreich]

So what you're saying is that it's a ponzi scheme and a monstrous lie, just like your pal, Rick Perry. Trying to dress it up? Saying "it should have been privatized right from the beginning" is just a roundabout way of saying it should be privatized now. "Then it would be safe and guaranteed," you say. Oh,sure!

[realtimecoffee]

If you are asking if I would have rather put 12% of my income into a mutual fund in an IRA for the last 45 years then yes, definately. Better result for everyone than the Social Security Ponzi.

[hairynews]

Social Security , a ponzi scheme?

I see a posting that described Social security as a ponzi.

Soc-Sec is out in the open for all to see, ponzi is secret and destroys lives.

Soc-Sec has paid retirement for 70 years without a problem and is solvent until 2037.

Soc-Sec Disability is the portion of the program that needs to be looked at because it will be in trouble in 5 years without adjustment.

please do some research and stop getting your information from the radio.

[realtimecoffee]

If you take a diagram of the way a Ponzi works, and write Social Security above it, you have the Social Security system. It didn't have to hide, it was government. People knew it wouldn't last, but it was keeping Grandma out of their pocketbook for just a wee little deduction from their check so they thought what the heck, a chicken in every pot and so forth. Socialism was in good form in those days. And it wouldn't go broke for a while. 100 years, 50 years, 10 years, and then here we are. This is the part where everyone gets all cranky, when the Ponzi crashes.

[notreich]

No hairynews, this realtimecoffee guy replying to you lays it out. He uses the Socialism word. Social Security was socialism and it's dead now. Has to go! That sounds so true. That was Marx, Lenin, and Stalins whole goal --Social Security checks for America's elderly.

[hairynews]

Gov Perry is a Bible thumper telling women to get medical procedures if pregnant, wanted Texas to leave USA and turned around and took 25 BILLION of stimulus money and still got a 27 billion budget deficit, second highest in nation. 49,000 teachers gone, Anti-gay , Anti-women in church, Anti abortion, 17.2% of Texans live below poverty line, Illegal immigrants holding many minimum wage jobs. Texas ranks 4th in percentage who live below the poverty level, 2nd in percent of people who are hungry, and students that rank 45th in the scores they make on the SAT. They teach bible thumper rantings that evolution and dinosaurs are lies in the schools. Texas is also 43rd in high school graduation rate and 50th in percent of population that is age 25 and older with a high school diploma. Most polluted state, Ranking 1st across the board in volatile organic compounds released into air and water, hazardous waste generated, and cancer causing carcinogens released into air.http://texaslsg.org/texasonthebrink/?p=1
IF YOU WANT TO VOTE FOR A ANTI AMERICA CANDIDATE , VOTE LEAVE THE USA-PERRY!

[hairynews]

80 MILLION BOOMERS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE BIBLE THUMPER GOV-PERRY.

[americalove1]

And just what does believing in the bible have anything to do with Social Security? Funny, I don't see any mention of the Koran either. Just the usual mindless attack on Christians again, huh? Hmmm

Perhaps you're one of those who believe in cradle to grave entitlements too?

[fedup12]

Ol good ol Rick. A government employee that hates government employees.

I liked Romneys Jab at him on that.

[vielmann]

I've been saying what Rove just said for some time. He might be leading the polls right now, but the minute it comes out about his feelings on social security and medicare, he's finished.

[Woody-1]

Youi are abolutely right.

[ludvig1-2009]

To quote Harry Truman in his book "Plain Speaking" "Under Republican administrations, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer."

[bantamei]

Think we should do away with Medicare and Social security? Then Rick Perry's your man.
Are you a big fan of cronyism and influence pedaling? Think the Office of President should be for sale? Again, Rick Perry is your man.
Hate clean air and water? Don't like the EPA? Rick's your man.
Don't think that deep water oil drilling should be regulated and held to safety standards? Want to increase pollution? Rick's your man.
Texas is 43rd in education and last in healthcare for its citizens. Want that for the whole country? Rick's your man.
Think kids should get a poor education in order to provide businesses with a good supply of minimum wage workers? Rick's your man.
Hate Wall Street reform and consumer protection laws? Rick's your man.

[imnotimportant]

Rick Perry is toxic.