Fla. GOP Fret About Candidates' Social Security Views

In Florida, about 20 percent of residents are older than 65. So it stands to reason that Republicans there would be concerned with how GOP presidential candidates deal with the issue of Social Security, especially after Texas Gov. Rick Perry called it a “Ponzi scheme” and “monstrous lie,” Politico reports.

Florida Republicans are worried that the terms of the debate could hurt the party’s chances not only of winning the state’s 29 electoral votes, but also the Senate and House elections.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam takes issue with Perry’s criticism of Social Security’s creation in his book. “There is a way to talk about Social Security reform without scaring seniors and while demonstrating to younger workers that you’re going to have a modern system that’s going to be there for them,” he said. “We haven’t heard it yet.”

Putnam also cited Florida Straw Poll victor Herman Cain’s suggestion of switching to the “Chilean model” of entitlement programs. “Claiming that Social Security is unconstitutional is a way bigger problem than saying it’s a Ponzi scheme,” Putnam said. “And I don’t think the average American aspires to the Chilean standard of living.”