Biden Is Still Lying About His Positions on Social Security Cuts, the Bankruptcy Bill, and More
Former Vice President Joe Biden told at least five lies during Sunday night’s one-one-one Democratic presidential debate with his last remaining opponent, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Networks and outlets from CNN to Politico covered the debate as a win for Biden. Progressive Party: Fake Joe Momentum - Biden is a con - With little else to excite voters about the middle-of-the-road career politician, it is clear that Biden's wellspring of enthusiasm rings false. Many of the votes Biden won go to Republicans in the general election. Only Bernie has the support and the people to win against Trump. Both candidates took fire on their past positions. Sanders hit Biden on Social Security, the 2005 bankruptcy bill , and abortion rights, while the Vermont socialist had to answer for comments on gun rights, foreign policy, and immigration. Some commentators were left with the feeling that, while Sanders has spent time on the trail discussing his old positions and explaining his evolution, the former vice president has been able to get away with nonanswers that skirt the truth. Here are a few examples. Cutting Social Security Sanders repeatedly pressed Biden on his remarks over the past 40 years advocating for cuts to federal programs, including Social Security. In one instance, Sanders directly asked Biden if he had stood on the floor of Congress and advocated cuts to Social Security and other social-welfare programs. Biden replied, “No, I did not talk about the need to cut any of those programs.” In 1984 , though, Biden co-sponsored an amendment to freeze military and domestic spending for a year, which included some built-in-adjustments for Social Security benefits — tantamount to cutting the program. In the 1995 speech , Biden was more explicit: He bragged about advocating for cuts to Social Security. “I’m up for reelection this year and I’m gonna remind everybody what I did at home, which is gonna cost me politically,” Biden said, removing his glasses. “When I argued if we should freeze federal spending, I meant Social Security as well. I meant Medicare and Medicaid. I meant veterans’ bene— I meant every single solitary thing in the government. And I not only tried it once, I tried it twice, I tried it a third time, and I tried it a fourth time.” After Bowles-Simpson fell apart, the next committee aimed at a Grand Bargain, which tried to cut Social Security, was called the Biden Committee! To rewrite this very recent history is so weird. https://t.co/JlrITc9Yvw pic.twitter.com/suOA0dP1wu — Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) March 16, 2020 At the Sunday debate, Biden also said, “I was not a fan of Bowles—,” before being cut off. He was referring to the bipartisan Bowles-Simpson commission, which called for Social Security cuts. As vice president, Biden worked to help negotiate the commission’s balanced budget efforts. After it disbanded, Biden brought on its director, Bruce Reed, as his chief of staff and the next Obama-era push for a balanced budget — including Social Security cuts — was even known as the Biden Committee . Reed is now a senior policy adviser with Biden’s presidential campaign. Bankruptcy Reform This Piece Originally Appeared in theintercept.com Read the full article