Heh. Learn something new every day. Here's an interesting article about Alf Landon, who campaigned, in much the same way Republicans are threatening to do now, on a pledge to repeal Social Security (this was not too long after it was created)...


"This is the largest tax bill in history," the Republican leader fumed. The reform "is unjust, unworkable, stupidly drafted and wastefully financed."

And that wasn't all. This "cruel hoax," he said, this "folly" of "bungling and waste," compared poorly to the "much less expensive" and "practical measures" favored by the Republicans.

"We must repeal," the GOP leader argued. "The Republican Party is pledged to do this."

That was Republican presidential nominee Alf Landon in a September 1936 campaign speech. He based his bid for the White House on repealing Social Security.

Bad call, Alf. Republicans lost that presidential election in a landslide. By the time they finally regained the White House -- 16 years later -- their nominee, Dwight Eisenhower, had abandoned the party's repeal platform.

More here...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/19/AR2010031902636.html

This must be why Obama is so keen for the Republicans to campaign on this issue.