Max J. Skidmore

Traces the long campaign against social insurance, and counters negative propaganda regarding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Uses a review of Joanathan Gruber’s innovative graphic presentation, "Health Care Reform," to launch an essay examining the cant that pervades discussions of health care today. The essay documents the existence and nature of the deliberate campaign to distort public understanding of the subject, and explores the history of that propaganda campaign.

Examines the political history of health care legislation in the United States in an essay that includes – but is not limited to – a review of "Health Care Reform and American Politics" by Lawrence Jacobs and Theda Skocpol.

Discusses the principles of Social Security that counter the prevailing misinformation. Identifies a dozen or so works of the last decade and a half that demonstrate errors in the conventional wisdom.

Goes beyond Social Security and its Enemies, below, to recommend expansion of America’s Social Security system and revision of its financing (removal of the cap on wages subject to FICA, exemption of the first $20,000 of wages from FICA with no penalty to workers, etc.). The recommendations aim at providing a full, portable, retirement system, rather than merely “one leg of a three-legged stool,” while incorporating a mildly progressive principle into the tax structure that supports the program. In addition, the book (prior to the PPACA) recommended a dual system providing a choice between an expanded “Medicare for all,” or a full system patterned on health care now offered through the Veterans’ Health Administration.

Examines the nature of the opposition to Social Security, and to government programs in general. The book clearly demonstrates the key role in that opposition of Ronald Reagan (both before and during his presidency), and argues that opposition to the system is politically, not economically, based. It argues not only that Social Security is not “in crisis,” but that the system is essentially sound in its financing – if troubles develop, they will be minor and could be easily dealt with; the question is entirely one of political will.