ABC's "This Week" had Warren Buffett, Bill and Melinda Gates, Tom Steyer, and Ted Turner on today to talk about their "giving pledge." A transcript is here. A lot of the stuff is just politically correct talk about the need for nuclear disarmament, higher taxes, and combating global warming, but there were a few bright spots in there as well. Give Mr. Turner, of all people, credit for standing up against the idea of cutting Social Security benefits for the "rich." Here is the key section:
AMANPOUR: so what do you think about the prospects of cutting Social Security --and means testing for people like you
TURNER: Well I don't like it. I paid for Social Security. It's my own money I'm getting back. Social Security, we get taxed for Social Security. In my opinion. I think Social Security -- since you paid for it, it's yours and you're entitled to get it.
Bill Gates also sets Ms. Amanpour straight when she asks a question with a zero-sum assumption about foreign trade:
AMANPOUR: how does the United States, in this situation, generate jobs, compete with China, India, and actually bring those jobs to Americans?
B. GATES: Well, there's not a fixed number of jobs. The fact that other countries are doing well actually creates opportunities for jobs.
