Vanity. Did FDR ever brag about how long Social Security would last?

Free Republic.com ^ | August 15, 2025 | Nateman

[Nateman]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that FDR bragged about how long his Social Security program would last. I've been (so far) unable to find any of his quotes on this.

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TOPICS: Chit/Chat; History
KEYWORDS: fdr; socilalism; vanity

[Nateman]

I'm hoping the this very knowledgeable and self educated audience here could provide an answer that even Grok could not provide.

[gloryblaze]

I’m sure he expected it to be from here to eternity.

[plain talk]

I’m still getting my Social Security check and FDR has been dead a long time. Government programs don’t die easily. :-)

[frogjerk]

Since he was a socialist I would presume it was going to cure all ills forever.

[Nateman]

90 years as of today. Trump just signed a Social Security bill and mentioned that.

[Gman]

Claude.ai:

Searched for “FDR Franklin Roosevelt Social Security duration expectations how long last”

Let me fetch more specific information about FDR’s statements on Social Security’s duration.

Fetched: Presidential Statements

Based on the comprehensive record of FDR’s statements on Social Security, there’s no evidence that Roosevelt expected Social Security to last for only a specific limited duration. In fact, the historical record shows quite the opposite.

FDR described Social Security as “a cornerstone in a structure which is being built but is by no means complete” when he signed the act in 1935. He viewed it as a permanent foundation that would be built upon over time.

Roosevelt insisted that Social Security “should be funded by payroll taxes rather than from the general fund” [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt) to ensure its long-term sustainability. This design choice reflects his intention for the program to be self-sustaining and permanent.

Throughout his presidency, FDR consistently spoke of Social Security as an evolving, expanding program. In his 1939 message to Congress, he stated: “We shall make the most orderly progress if we look upon social security as a development toward a goal rather than a finished product” - language that suggests permanence and growth, not temporary duration.

Rather than setting an expiration date, Roosevelt repeatedly advocated for expanding Social Security coverage. He pushed for including more occupations and extending benefits, viewing the program as foundational to America’s economic security infrastructure.

The historical evidence suggests FDR envisioned Social Security as a permanent cornerstone of American social policy that would grow and adapt over time, not as a temporary program with a predetermined end date.

Citations:
- [Franklin D. Roosevelt - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt)

More sources:
- [FDR’s Statements on Social Security](https://www.ssa.gov/history/fdrstmts.html)
- [Why Did Franklin Roosevelt Create Social Security? | Free the Facts](https://www.freefacts.org/resources/why-did-franklin-roosevelt-create-social-security)
- [Social Security History](https://www.ssa.gov/history/briefhistory3.html)
- [Why Social Security Was the Cornerstone of FDR’s New Deal](https://www.history.com/articles/social-security-history-fdr-new-deal)
- [Social Welfare History Project FDR’s Statement on Signing the Social Security Act](https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/social-security/social-security-an-introduction/)
- [Social Security Act - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_Act)
- [Historical Thinking Matters: Social Security](https://historicalthinkingmatters.org/socialsecurity/1/sources/35/fulltext/)
- [FDR Signing 1935 Social Security Act](https://www.ssa.gov/history/fdrsign.html)
- [Franklin D. Roosevelt Signs the Social Security Act - White House Historical Association](https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photos/franklin-d-roosevelt-signs-the-social-security-act)

[Steven Tyler]

Problems
FDR relied on in house “Economists”
Government always cooks the books

Planned Parenthood took off

[Steven Tyler]

Problems
FDR relied on in house “Economists”
Government always cooks the books

Planned Parenthood took off

[Cold Heart]

Trump also got 275,000 illegals off SS. I sure thre are more to go.

[Leaning Right]

In 1940, the average life expectancy at birth in the United States was approximately 65 years.

Today, the average life expectancy at birth in the United States is approximately 80 years.

So there you go. FDR didn’t read things wrong. He just didn’t anticipate the advances in medicine and health care.

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Disclaimer: Those life expectancy numbers vary all over the place depending on the source. But I think the point is made regardless.

[Nateman]

...cure all ills forever...

With the exception of Africa, all over the World birth rates are below replacement levels. I figure Governments are so messed up in Africa they can't depend on it for anything, much less a person's retirement. In Africa I figure your average person has kids so they not only help as soon as they can , but depend on them to help the parents when they are old and feeble. The West has the state now taking up the old person burden so much of the incentive for lots of kids is gone.

[dljordan]

“Trump also got 275,000 illegals off SS. I sure thre are more to go.”

The last time I had to go to an SSA office they had an entire army of translators on standby.

[SkyDancer]

Read the book: FDR’s Folly.

[Nateman]

That is pretty much what I also found. Thanks anyway for the post!

[Blurb2350]

How 'bout this: "Roosevelt later explained how the payroll taxes would help ensure Social Security’s long-term viability. 'Those taxes were never a matter of economics,' he said, according to [Jean Edward] Smith’s biography ["FDR," Random House, 2007]. 'They are politics all the way through. We put those payroll contributions there so as to give the contributors a legal, moral, and political right to collect their pensions and their unemployment benefits. With those taxes in there, no damn politician can ever scrap my Social Security program.' " (I added the boldface. This block of text came from this substack post.

[Nateman]

...Read the book: FDR’s Folly...

Since most historians are also collectivists they speak of FDR in glowing terms and generally place him near the top of the greatest Presidents. I place FDR near the bottom. In my search for quotes I came across this handy site with the dirt on FDR:

https://www.whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/pearl/www.geocities.com/Pentagon/6315/fdr.html

[cgbg]

I call Social Security a Ponzi scheme with guns.

The fancy political theory talk is just putting earrings on that pig.

[Nateman]

Thanks for that. I came across that same quote while I was looking. It sure implies he made a monster that would live forever and was damn proud of doing it.

[airborne]

Great information! Thank you!

[Nateman]

...I call Social Security a Ponzi scheme with guns.

I signed up early. I figured get soon while I still can. It's amazing how the powers given to the Federal government have been expanded to include programs like this, almost as if the Constitution was made of putty and could be shaped into anything a liberal judge thought it should have said .