Daily Howler - March 31, 2005

ERRING ON THE SIDE OF ERROR! At the Times, they err on the side of confusion. And sometimes they just get it wrong

THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2005

ERRING ON THE SIDE OF ERROR: No, it won’t make a bit of difference in the ongoing Social Security debate. But try to believe that the New York Times’ Edmund Andrews still can’t get the simplest facts straight:

ANDREWS (3/31/05):Under Mr. Bush's plan, workers would be allowed to divert up to 4 percent of their payroll taxes to personal retirement accounts. But people would have to earn at least 3 percent a year after inflation to break even, because their traditional benefits would be reduced by the amount of their contributions, plus 3 percent a year in interest. Yes, that’s what it says in our hard copy of today’s Times, the one we hold in our hands as we type. (The same mistaken account appears on the Times’ web site, at least right now as we look.) Somehow, though, the Nexis version of this report contains an accurate statement: