Mostly Economics - Episode 7

Podcast

Mostly Economics – Episode 7

Jun 19, 2025

Social Security has lifted millions of seniors out of poverty — but right now it’s under attack. In our latest episode, Dean Baker sits down with Nancy Altman, who has spent decades defending this critical program. The discussion covers how DOGE’s interference in the Social Security Administration puts your data at risk, why the system is actually incredibly efficient (despite right-wing myths), and how bogus fraud claims are being weaponized to undermine public trust.

This isn’t just about retirees — Social Security affects every working American. Nancy and Dean make the case for why we need to strengthen, not weaken, this essential safety net.

Nancy J. Altman has a fifty-year background in the areas of Social Security, Medicare, private pensions, and related programs. She is president of Social Security Works and chair of the Strengthen Social Security coalition. Ms. Altman is the author of The Battle for Social Security: From FDR’s Vision to Bush’s Gamble (John Wiley & Sons, 2005) and The Truth About Social Security: The Founders’ Words Refute Revisionist History, Zombie Lies, and Common Misunderstandings (Strong Arm Press, 2018). From 1983 to 1989, Ms. Altman was on the faculty of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and taught courses on private pensions and Social Security at the Harvard Law School. In 1982, she was Alan Greenspan’s assistant in his position as chairman of the bipartisan commission that developed the 1983 Social Security amendments.

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