I plan to say that would return the 73% of seniors into poverty who were there before Social Security and would have them again, as they did before, eating out of trash cans.. Social Security has been the most successful program in history, and those (like McCain-Bush) who would privatize it would also destroy it-quite a tragedy as we today celebrate its 73rd anniversary. The late great Claude Pepper, Champion of the elderly who I had the privilege to serve as Chief of Staff of the House Aging Committee, would roll over in his grave if he heard the proposals to destroy Social Security out there today.