howling about Meet the Press

The Daily Howler rips apart Meet the Press's repetition yesterday of Bush Administration talking points re Social Security even as pundit guests complained about Armstrong Williams being paid to deliver Bush propaganda:

What does a press corps “liberal” say when asked if SS faces a “crisis?” He says “you can’t sustain the system!” Hunt is entitled to that hazy view, of course, but it’s hard to see it as anything but the current conservative viewpoint. Meanwhile, what had Mitchell already said in the presentation Hunt affirmed? In her speech, Mitchell recited some prime White House views. Could Armstrong Williams give a better account of the basic situation?

....When [Andrea] Mitchell explained what could be done, she never mentioned an obvious possibility—the possibility of tax increases! Could you make slight changes in the payroll tax rate? Would that “support a pay-as-you-go system?” Politely following the White House line, Mitchell never mentioned this option. And how about this: Could you raise the “cap” on the payroll tax? Mitchell forgot to consider that too. Politely reflecting the White House line, she only mentioned benefit cuts as the way to deal with revenue shortfalls. And of course, neither Mitchell nor anyone else ever mentioned a key, basic fact—that the minor revenue shortfalls in question don’t occur for the next fifty years! This basic fact was never mentioned by any of Russert’s four guests.

....the following speech wasn’t given:

THE UNBOOKED PUNDIT: But Tim, that 16-to-1 ratio is wholly irrelevant. Those were the numbers in 1935! But today, we have roughly three workers for every retiree, and the system is producing an annual surplus! We don’t need those sixteen workers to finance Social Security! The question is: What will happen over the next five decades as we get closer to a 2-to-1 ratio? And no, the system isn’t in “crisis.” Come on! According to the CBO, full benefits can be paid until 2052, and minor changes in taxes and benefit levels could make the system fully solvent for decades after that. We don’t need sixteen workers for every retiree. Does somebody pay you to mention them?

I guess if you do it for free it not's not considered propaganda.