In an attempt to deal with the backlash, his advisers insisted that he explain that he meant only to see Social Security “strengthened” and made “sound,” but most voters knew he had said what he meant originally. For many, the proposed alternative—investing their money in the stock market—raised painful memories of the crash of ’29, when families lost their life savings. For others, investing elsewhere was not an option, because they had never earned enough money to save for old age. Without Social Security, they could not get by.7
