The Journal plays up a supposed McCain change of heart on Social Security. He was for the personal savings accounts Bush wanted; his campaign website says that he wants accounts that “supplement” Social Security rather than being carved out from it; and he says he still wants personal savings accounts. But the distinction between accounts that are “add-ons” versus “carve-outs” is pretty meaningless, and I don’t think it is wrong of the candidate to ignore it. Under his plan, people get to put some of their tax dollars into savings accounts, and benefit levels are adjusted so that they’re affordable. Some conservatives and some liberals think that structuring the accounts so that they “supplement” Social Security is a big concession on the part of Republicans–Democrats, including Clinton and Gore, have favored “add-on” accounts. If this “concession” buys some Democratic support for the idea, terrific. Conservatives shouldn’t be worried about it.