Gov. Chris Christie kicked off a four-day tour at the presidential primary starting line by touching the third rail of national politics — entitlements. And his reforms would be radical. Here’s what he proposes: raising the retirement age to 69, thereby postponing eligibility for both Social Security and Medicare to 69; means testing the programs so they’d be available only to seniors who would otherwise fall into poverty. That would mean phasing out Social Security payouts to those with an income of $198,000 a year and eliminating Social Security entirely for people making $318,000 a year. He’d also reform Medicaid.
“These changes will not affect you but will save these programs for your grandchildren and anyone who tells you differently is simply not telling you the truth. We should and we must ensure that Social Security and Medicare exist to prevent our seniors from falling into poverty,” Christie said.
Christie claims his plan would reduce the growth of entitlements by $1 trillion over the next decade. And announcing it at St. Anselm College in Manchester — the conservative heart of New Hampshire — may give his dimming presidential prospects the reboot he needs should he decide to run for president. NJTV NewsChief Political Correspondent Michael Aron discussed the governor’s proposal with Anchor Mary Alice Williams.
“I think the governor’s taking a gamble here but it’s a gamble he needs to take. Basically he’s transposing what he’s been saying in New Jersey on and off for five years and expressing it at the national level — that entitlements are a crisis, that they’re unsustainable,” Aron said. “It was a substantive presentation today and he comes off as substantive at a time when most of the other candidates and potential candidates are speaking in generalities.”
Aron said Christie is presenting himself as the truth teller and someone who is willing to deliver difficult news.
Christie has been slipping lately in the public’s perception of the presidential race. “When they show the top six or eight candidates on television now he’s often not in the pack,” Aron said.
The Eagleton Institute came out with a poll today that showed that in New Jersey, just 24 percent of the public thinks he’s fit to be president while 69 percent think he’s not, which Aron said could be fodder for a potential primary opponent.
“He’s got Bridgegate looming possibly in the news and there could be some difficult news for him. At the same time, if this message is not ignored, if it’s taken seriously, I think it could do him some good. I think it separates him from the rest of the pack,” Aron said.
According to Aron, Christie’s proposal for Social Security only affects the top 2 percent of residents and the Social Security cuts don’t come until 2022.
“The retirement age is raised to 69 in the year 2040 for Social Security and the year 2064 for Medicare, so it’s not as radical a plan as it might seem even though Democrats like Congressman Bill Pascrell tonight are bashing it,” said Aron.
