The Republican attempts in 2011 to weaken Social Security in the name of deficit reduction were to be expected; the mixed signals of the Democrats in terms of defending it were concerning. What saved Social Security from cuts was mobilization by organizations such as Strengthen Social Security of the public which overwhelmingly supports the program in the face of backroom Washington attempts by elites to weaken it.
For an excellent summary of the political battle to defend Social Security during 2011, go to Scott Hochberg’s article at Strengthen Social Security.