Social Security turns 70

Social Security, the centerpiece of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, will turn 70 on Saturday, Aug. 13. The milestone carries added significance at the UW–Madison, recognized as the intellectual home of the landmark legislation.

In 1934, UW–Madison economist Edwin Witte drafted the Social Security legislation while serving as economic adviser to the president. That legislation was signed into law in August 1935. Witte’s work drew from decades of Wisconsin research demonstrating how government can play a role in “social insurance” for its citizens.

Today, as Social Security faces an uncertain future as the focus of reform efforts, UW–Madison again has a number of scholars playing a role in the debate. Reporters covering the anniversary may consider the following for interviews:

• Karen Holden, professor of public affairs and consumer science, (608) 263-9283, holden@lafollette.wisc.edu. Holden served on a bipartisan task force this year of academics that explored the complex payout issues involved in private account proposals, including those by the Bush Administration.
• David B. Johnson, emeritus professor of economics, (608) 233-7335, dbjohnso@msn.com. Johnson studied under Witte as a graduate student and has a personal perspective on Witte’s work and how the economics pioneer may have viewed Social Security’s current state.
• Edward W. Freese, professor and associate dean for research in the School of Business, (608) 262-0429, jfrees@bus.wisc.edu. Freese served on the technical panel for the federal Social Security Advisory Board in the late 1990s and has conducted research on Social Security issues.
• James Hickman, emeritus dean and professor of the School of Business, (608) 262-8978. Hickman has given a number of presentations to civic groups across the region on the topic of Social Security as a representative of the UW–Madison Speaker’s Bureau.