Perry's Social Security strategy has been good for America...but he needs policy specifics soon

Ryan Streeter
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My Indianapolis Star column today argues that all the fuss about Perry’s “Ponzi scheme” charges against Social Security have focused too much on the comparison between the two “schemes” and missed the larger point. The larger point is that Perry’s insistence that the New Deal program is ripping off younger workers like never before is a good thing for the 2012 campaign and America.

I claim that Perry is doing three things on this front:

1. He’s arguing from principle – namely that the program is deeply troubled and deserves tough talk.
2. He’s making a shrewd political calculation – namely Americans actually agree with him on the general point that the program is in deep trouble, and so charges that he’s scaring people aren’t as effective as his opponents think.
3. He’s embarking on a gamble – namely that Americans, for all their agreement with him, get more nervous when talking about actual fixes, and that his tough talk can wake them up to considering those fixes.

The whole column is here.

Perry’s tough talking may ultimately get him in trouble, especially if he doesn’t follow with policy specifics soon. But the post-debate commentary has too quickly begun to question – even write off – the Texas Governor as a viable candidate. He has a grasp of where ordinary voters stands on things right now, and he’s connecting with them.

His biggest challenge right now is how to move from high marks he receives for his leadership and style to convincing voters he’s got the solutions in mind that the country needs. The CNN poll that came out early this week in anticipation of the debate showed that Perry’s lead was much greater on questions of leadership than it was on policy substance.