Cato's Tanner Speaks at Ames Forum

September 1, 1999

On Saturday, August 14, the Cato Institute and the Public Interest Institute cosponsored an informational forum on Social Security reform in Ames, Iowa, site of the Republican Straw Poll. One of the Speakers was Michael Tanner, Director of Health and Welfare Studies at the Cato Institute:

"Looking at what Social Security did in the past is like the fellow who jumps off the top of the Empire State Building. As he was falling, people would gather at each floor to watch him go by. And as he passed by, people could hear him say, 'Well, so far, so good.' Of course, the problem is at the bottom, where there's a big splat. And unfortunately, that's exactly what's going to happen with Social Security - there's a big splat coming. And unfortunately, it's going to be a bigger splat, and it's going to come much sooner than most people believe."

Michael Tanner's speech from the Forum on the Future of Social Security (Realaudio)

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