BusinessWeek suggests there's a potential compromise on fixing Social Security between Bush and the Democrats. It doesn't look good....
President Bush spoke to a packed 1,600-seat auditorium yesterday morning, where he "raised the roof" discussing his proposals to fix Social Security. One question that needs to asked is what impact the compromise over judicial nominees will have over the Social Security reform debate. Regardless of whether you like the...
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May 24, 2005
By the Numbers
By Matt Margolis at
06:25 AM
In 2027, the amount the Social Security system will be in the red for that year: $200 billion In 2034, the amount the Social Security system will be in the red for that year: $300 billion The percentage of promised benefits that the current Social Security system can afford to...
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May 23, 2005
The Young Enter the Social Security Debate
By Mark Noonan at
12:49 PM
Reforming Social Security is, in the end, much more about people under 30 than it is for older people. After all, the system as is will continue to function for about 30 years; at 40, I can look forward to at least some SS benefits upon my retirement at age...
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May 20, 2005
Keeping The Promise
By Matt Margolis at
11:53 AM
John Snow writes in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch how progressive indexing will secure middle-class Social Security benefits: President Bush is proposing a reformed system that can afford to keep the promises it makes. Progressive indexing would create benefits that middle-class Americans can rely on, instead of the empty promises of...
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May 19, 2005
No Solutions From The Dems
By Matt Margolis at
06:42 AM
The Orlando Sentinel also notices that when it comes to Social Security, the Democrats aren't interested in offering solutions.. Congressional Democratic leaders are more interested in using Social Security as a weapon against President George W. Bush than in offering their own plans to shore up the program's finances. That...
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May 18, 2005
Democrats Plan: Oppose Bush Now, Offer Ideas Later
By Matt Margolis at
09:06 PM
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has not only confirmed that the Democrats have no ideas or a plan to fix Social Security, but she's also told us that we shouldn't expect one anytime sooner. The Washington Times reports that Pelosi said that "most Democrats approve [the] leadership's strategy of not...
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May 17, 2005
Media Turns Blind Eye To Support For Personal Retirement Accounts
By Matt Margolis at
11:26 PM
Via the Social Security Choice blog, I learned that "the Cato Institute issued a new advertisement listing 450 economists, including 5 Nobel laureates, from across the country who have publicly endorsed personal accounts for Social Security." That was the first I'd heard of this, because, sadly, the media never reported...
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May 14, 2005
Democrats Back Social Security Privatization
By Mark Noonan at
02:29 PM
Oh, not for you...and since it is from the West Virginia State government, it only applies to West Virginia State employees, but here's the gist of it (annoying but free registration required): With their $5.5 billion pension bond proposal, Democrats in West Virginia are promising voters that Wall Street will...
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Democrat Breaks Ranks With Party, Offers A Plan
By Matt Margolis at
05:03 AM
A Democrat has broken ranks with his party by coming up with an idea to fix Social Security. I'm not kidding, that's even how the Associated Press put it: Breaking with party leaders, a Democratic congressman plans to introduce Social Security legislation, saying his first commitment is to his constituents....
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May 11, 2005
Democrats: The Roadblock To Bipartisan Social Security Reform
By Matt Margolis at
08:39 PM
Rep. Jack Kingston nails the Democratic leaders ">in an article in Roll Call: Unfortunately, some who oppose finding a solution to the Social Security problem, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), continue to stand in the way of bipartisan discussions. On countless...
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May 07, 2005
Personal Accounts Have Tested True In Other Countries
By Matt Margolis at
01:09 PM
While Democrats seem to think we shouldn't protect our country without permission from other countries, they don't seem particularly interested in 50201261.html">following the footsteps of other countries when it comes to personal retirement accounts: "It just so happens that I think George Bush is doing something interesting with Social Security....
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May 06, 2005
70% Agree Social Security is Going Broke
By Mark Noonan at
03:14 PM
While the MSM will likely concentrate on the high "disapprove" number the President has on Social Security in this AP/Ipsos poll, the more important finding is that when people are asked the question, "Some have said that the Social Security program in its present form will run out of money...
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May 05, 2005
Bill Clinton To Democrats: Get A Plan
By Matt Margolis at
06:38 PM
Bill Clinton has given the Democrats some valuable advice regarding Social Security, via ABC's The Note, Clinton says, "I think [the Democrats] need to come up with a plan of their own," I think the Democrats should say what they are for on Social Security in the next couple weeks;...
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Social Security Reform Keeps Moving
By Matt Margolis at
03:52 PM
Gary J. Andres, writing in the Washington Times, says that despite the naysayers, Social Security reform keeps moving forward: With the completion of the administration's "60 Stops in 60 Days" advocating strengthening Social Security, the debate pivots, shifting from convincing voters about the problem to persuading lawmakers to craft solutions....
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May 04, 2005
Strengthening Social Security For Hispanics
By Matt Margolis at
10:48 PM
Earlier today, President Bush was at the Latino Coalition’s Small Business Conference In Washington, D.C. discussing Social Security reform. I watched him on C-SPAN, and I have to say I was really impressed by him. He really does know his stuff, and he knows how to talk to people. You...
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Doing Nothing Means Higher Taxes And Lower Benefits
By Matt Margolis at
03:07 PM
I reported yesterday on Nancy Pelosi expressing her strong opposition to both the President's plan to fix Social Security, and her own party offering an alternative... Well, the Democrats plan of opposing whatever Bush supports, and doing nothing instead, would mean higher taxes and reduced Social Security benefits: President Bush...
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Clear Thinking on Social Security Reform
By Mark Noonan at
09:26 AM
Tom Elia of The New Editor brings forward two rather salient facts often missing in the Social Security debate: that it is a manifestly inefficient means of providing retirement income to middle and lower class class seniors, and that the proponents of SS as-is are vastly richer than the middle...
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May 03, 2005
Still No Plan From The Democrats
By Matt Margolis at
07:11 PM
In a press release, Nancy Pelosi said, "...the Democrats are united in fighting the President's proposal. Many of us view this assault on Social Security as a way to destroy it. The President's privatization plan would be a nail in the coffin of Social Security. Make no mistake about it."...
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May 02, 2005
Democrats Take A Beating In The Editorial Pages...
By Matt Margolis at
11:06 PM
From USA Today: Bush's willingness to begin addressing that unpleasant reality puts pressure on Democrats to do the same. They have refused to negotiate until Bush gives up on private accounts, but eventually they'll have to do more than complain From the Washington Post: For The past three months Democrats...
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Kudlow On Bush's Social Security Plan
By Matt Margolis at
07:56 PM
Larry Kudlow reacts to Bush's Social Security proposal, made during his news conference last week: President Bush’s social security proposal made at his news conference last week may not be my first choice. I would have preferred Ryan-Sununu and it’s emphasis on personal savings accounts with no benefit cuts or...
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Charlie Rangel Supports Social Security Privatization?
By Matt Margolis at
12:45 PM
Scott Sala discovers a rather comical oversight on Charlie Rangel's website... Rangel has a Social Security poll on his site meant to suggest that the Republicans are planning to privatize Social Security (which they aren't, but that's a whole other issue) and well, a typo makes it a very different...
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Democrats Do-Nothing Plan On Social Security Means Lower Benefits
By Matt Margolis at
12:16 PM
George Stephanopoulos caught Nancy Pelosi in lie yesterday on ABC's "This Week": STEPHANOPOULOS: "If you compare it to doing nothing, the benefits under - if you do nothing - are actually lower than under the President's plan and so far the Democrats have not offered anything." REP. PELOSI "It's not...
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May 01, 2005
Social Security Reform by June?
By Mark Noonan at
01:25 AM
That is what this Washington Times news story indicates: House Republicans will craft by June a broad retirement bill that includes Social Security reform and aims to accomplish the goals President Bush outlined on television Thursday night, Capitol Hill party leaders said yesterday. "The president has rightly stepped forward and...
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April 29, 2005
Confirmed: Democrats Have No Plan To Fix Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
12:09 PM
Jonathan over ar GOP Bloggers called Senator Harry Reid's office to find iut what the Democrats' plan to fix Social Security is... and guess what? They don't have one!!! This explains why they don't want to come to the table and work with President Bush to fix Social Security. They...
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April 27, 2005
Bush To Hold Prime Time News Conference On Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
10:08 PM
Reuters reports that President Bush will hold a prime time press conference tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m. EDT, "to offer more details about his plans to overhaul Social Security,"...
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April 26, 2005
Reid Sponsored 1983 Bill To Keep Members Of Congress Outside Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
10:33 AM
I guess what's good enough for us is not good enough for Senator Harry Reid: The Republican National Committee (RNC) has resurrected a bill Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) sponsored when he was in the House more than 20 years ago that would have kept members of Congress out...
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April 22, 2005
Social Security Today Is Like Separate Water Fountains
By Matt Margolis at
01:51 PM
Herman Cain explains the inequities of the current Social Security system in a recent column on Townhall.com. It is now evident that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not apply to the Social Security system. Due to the rising retirement age, differences in life expectancy between Blacks and Whites,...
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April 21, 2005
For Our Grandchildren
By Matt Margolis at
10:44 AM
Check out this new website dedicated to Social Security Reform: For Our Grandchildren. It's got news and facts on Social Security... they even have a blog. If you have a view or a story on Social Security you can submit it as a blog entry....
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April 20, 2005
Majority Of College Students Support Personal Accounts
By Matt Margolis at
05:56 PM
A new national poll by Harvard University's Institute of Politics (IOP) finds that nearly 70 percent of college students are concerned that Social Security will not pay out benefits when they retire, and fifty-two percent "support changing Social Security to allow private investment."...
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The Social Security Reform Solution: The Ryan-Sununu Bill
By Matt Margolis at
01:37 PM
Today, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senator John Sununu (R-NH) introduced their Social Security Reform Bill, which has the enthusiastic approval of The Free Enterprise Fund. Larry Hunter, chief economist of the Free Enterprise Fund, says, "The Ryan Sununu bill demonstrates conclusively that properly designed personal retirement accounts makes Social...
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Bush: No Social Security Reform Without Personal Accounts
By Matt Margolis at
12:20 PM
President Bush did an interview with CNBC's Ron Insana yesterday, and had this to say regarding personal retirement accounts: "[Social Security reform is] not going to pass without a personal savings account. A plan with personal savings accounts would bring the Social Security system into the modern era. Social security...
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April 19, 2005
Black Americans Would Benefit From Social Security Reform
By Matt Margolis at
11:01 AM
According to a Wall Street Journal editorial by Alphonso Jackson (registration required), Social Security reform would greatly benefit black Americans: Black Americans have the most to gain from the [President's] proposals. As it stands today, black seniors are disproportionately more dependent on Social Security, but they receive less benefit from...
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Bush Wants Permanent Fix To Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
12:10 AM
Earlier today, President Bush was in South Carolina, and had this to say about Social Security: You need to be skeptical about any talk that talks about a 75-year fix. Back in 1983, Republicans and Democrats came together on what they thought was a 75-year fix. You know, I like...
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April 17, 2005
We're Winning The Social Security Debate
By Matt Margolis at
12:11 PM
The Associated Press reports that Democrats are "adjusting" (one might say flip-flopping) their Social Security stance... House Democrats have decided to quit emphasizing that they will not negotiate changes to Social Security until President Bush drops his idea for private accounts. The switch in strategy comes after Democrats learned from...
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April 15, 2005
White House Going Soft on Personal Accounts
By Matt Margolis at
04:48 PM
Those of us interested in meaningful Social Security reform will not be happy about this. "We're not going to get into ruling anything in or out," presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said as Bush traveled here for a Social Security speech. McClellan was asked about comments by the president's chief economic...
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Bush Determined To Fix Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
01:37 PM
"...the fundamental question confronting Congress is, are they willing to take on this issue now before it's too late, before by waiting the cost becomes more and more severe. And so I'm going to spend a lot of time on Social Security. ... And the more resistance I find for...
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April 14, 2005
Personal Retirement Account Calculator
By Matt Margolis at
04:43 PM
While the Democrats are pushing a "rigged" calculator in order to influence people to oppose Bush's plan to fix Social Security, the Heritage Foundation has their own calculator that shows you how you would benefit from personal retirement accounts. The Washington Times gives some information on how various workers benefit...
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The Hypocrisy of the AARP
By Matt Margolis at
12:09 PM
The Washington Times published a very illuminating editorial by John Carlisle about the AARP's hypocrisy for opposing personal retirement accounts: In the ongoing debate over Social Security, AARP may claim that its mission is to defend the elderly, but its use of manipulative polls and inaccurate ads to needlessly frighten...
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April 13, 2005
FactCheck.org: Democrats Pushing "Rigged" Social Security Calculator
By Matt Margolis at
11:52 AM
Click the graphic to read FactCheck's analysis. I'm still going to bet that Harry Reid and the other Democrat Senators won't take the calculator off their websites. Why don't you contact Senator Reid and ask him to take the rigged calculator off his site and demand his fellow Democrats do...
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April 11, 2005
The Battle Over Meaningful Social Security Reform
By Matt Margolis at
11:04 AM
Roll Call reports today that Republicans in Congress will soon begin to craft a bill for Social Security "that could pass both chambers by the end of July." ...Bush administration officials and senior Republican Congressional staffers said they also are gearing up for the president to begin outlining more details...
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The Need for Political Courage on Social Security Reform
By Mark Noonan at
01:22 AM
John M. Templeton, writing over at the Washington Times, points out the flaw in only allowing a person to invest 4% of their income in privatised Social Security accounts: President Bush has proposed allowing workers to invest 4 percent of their taxable wages in personal accounts. That's not enough. At...
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April 09, 2005
Bush Praises Clinton's Past Policy of Social Security Reform
By Matt Margolis at
02:11 PM
While Drudge chooses to flash "Bush asks Clinton for foreign policy advice" as the big headline on the Drudge Report right now, I think there is something much more noteworthy in the Washington TImes article that he links to The president also praised one of Mr. Clinton's domestic policies --...
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A Four-Letter Word In Politics
By Matt Margolis at
11:25 AM
The Democrats have been consistent on maybe two things on the Social Security debate. First, they've consistently neglected to propose their own plan to fix Social Security, and second, they've consistently referred to Bush's plan as "privatization." Recently, Max Baucus, Democrat Senator from Montana said of Bush's proposal, "Privatization is...
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April 08, 2005
GOP Senators Reconsidering Personal Accounts?
By Matt Margolis at
10:55 AM
The AP reports that some Senate Republicans "are considering temporarily sidetracking President Bush's plan for personal investment accounts under Social Security," in an effort to bring obstinate Democrats to the table to fix Social Security. Several GOP officials said Thursday that Republican leaders discussed the possibility privately this week, recognizing...
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April 07, 2005
Criticism Of Personal Accounts Overstated
By Matt Margolis at
06:43 PM
There was a very interesting editorial yesterday from USA Today on personal retirement accounts....
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April 05, 2005
There Is No "Trust Fund"
By Matt Margolis at
01:36 PM
The following is an excerpt from Bush's remarks on strengthening Social Security earlier today in Parkersburg, West Virginia: I have just come from the Bureau of Public Debt. I want to thank Van Zeck, Keith Rake, and Susan Chapman. Susan was the tour guide there at the Bureau of Public...
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April 04, 2005
Conference Call On Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
06:06 PM
This morning I participated in a conference call hosted by the RNC with Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Congressman Adam Putnam (FL-12), who talked about their experiences at Social Security town hall meetings, as well as the grassroots efforts during the last recess. Despite what the...
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Americans Want Reform
By Matt Margolis at
09:38 AM
Patrick Ruffini told us on Friday about a poll showed support for personal retirements accounts is much higher than the Democrats and the mainstream media would would like us to believe. Here is a flash animation highlighting the results of that poll:...
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April 01, 2005
60% Support Private Social Security Accounts
By Mark Noonan at
09:41 PM
So says this new Fox News poll brought to our attention by Patrick Ruffini. In the poll, this question is asked: Do you favor or oppose giving individuals the choice to invest a portion of their Social Security contributions in stocks or mutual funds? The results for this are 60%...
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Sign The Petition....
By Matt Margolis at
03:44 PM
...asking your Senators to work with President Bush to strengthen Social Security......
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March 30, 2005
The AARP In Sheep's Clothing
By Matt Margolis at
10:03 PM
The Washington Post gives us a report of the efforts of AARP to oppose fixing Social Security. Over this week and last, AARP, the nation's largest lobby, will have spent more than $5 million on ads attacking the president's Social Security plan -- nearly three times as much as all...
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Social Security Reform Will Happen This Year
By Matt Margolis at
03:50 PM
The Concord Coalition, a non-partisan think tank founded by Republicans and Democrats, in recent brief expressed support for Social Security reform and warned that the problem with the system is only getting worse. According to the briefing, "While there has been some suggestion in recent years that the situation has...
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Hold On To Your Wallets
By Matt Margolis at
11:20 AM
The Hill reports that congressional Democrats are "crafting their own retirement savings plan that does not call for any change to the entitlement system." This is a major shift from their previous strategy of denying there was a problem with Social Security. So it looks as if they are coming...
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March 29, 2005
"Progressive" Rhetoric On Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
02:34 PM
President Bush has got the Democrats cornered over Social Security. Over the past couple months, Democrats have shifted/nuanced/flip-flopped their position from "there is no crisis" to as Ted Kennedy called it, "a serious issue." Even Harry Reid wants to "save" Social Security. Americans both know and want Social Security to...
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March 28, 2005
President Bush Scores Victory in Round One Of Social Security Debate
By Matt Margolis at
01:15 PM
According to Republican strategists, we have won the first round in the Social Security debate, and they're now "preparing to plunge into the next fight over President Bush's plan to help fix the program with private investment accounts." After more than a month of town hall meetings nationwide by the...
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March 26, 2005
Political Pessimism On Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
04:26 PM
Yesterday, Senator Charles Grassley, said that "the odds are against Congress approving the proposal being pushed by President Bush," for Social Security reform. He told the Associated Press, "I think it's very difficult for me to say today that we'll present a bill to the president." Grassley is chairman of...
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March 24, 2005
Senator Harry Reid vs. Senator Harry Reid
By Matt Margolis at
11:33 AM
The Senate Minority Leader on March 21, 2005: After all, there is no more positive agenda than saving Social Security. The Senate Minority Leader on March 23, 2005: "Today's report confirms that the so-called Social Security crisis exists in only one place: the minds of Republicans. In reality, the program...
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» Right In Texas linked with 3.24
Union Members Support Personal Retirement Accounts
By Matt Margolis at
10:23 AM
A new survey commissioned by the Coalition for the Modernization and Protection of America's Social Security, or Compass, reveals that nearly 60 percent of union members are interested in creating personal retirement accounts. "Why are big-labor bosses doing everything in their power to deny their members the option of personal...
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March 23, 2005
AARP Runs Misleading Ad on Social Security Reform
By Matt Margolis at
11:33 AM
FactCheck.org explains why a recent ad run by AARP, which claims that personal retirement accounts would "dismantle Social Security" and "lead to huge benefit cuts," is misleading. According to FactCheck.org, "the ad is intended to be humorous but presents a distorted picture. It both understates Social Security's financial problems and...
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March 22, 2005
Latest Polling Trends In Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
03:03 PM
According to a memo by RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, Americans are warming up to President Bush's plans to reform Social Security. Over the past couple months, more people have become aware of and understand the problems facing Social Security. A number of polls have shown that Social Security has become...
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John Kerry's First Choice For VP Stumps For Bush Social Security Reform
By Matt Margolis at
10:28 AM
Senator John McCain has joined President Bush in pushing for Social Security reform. Yesterday, McCain traveled with Bush to Arizona (McCain's homestate) and Colorado. McCain accused the Democrats of not working for a bipartisan solution. "We find this reluctance to even come to the table," he said. "We've started the...
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March 21, 2005
Senator Corzine Compares Cheney To Saddam Hussein
By Matt Margolis at
04:49 PM
The Democrats are getting even more unhinged... In a conference call with reporters Monday, Sen. John Corzine, D-NJ, one of the leading opponents of the president's plan, said Cheney had "a virtual career of disdain for Social Security," and compared his appearances to sending Saddam Hussein to campaign for democracy...
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Democrats: All Opposition, No Ideas
By Matt Margolis at
11:27 AM
An article in USA Today notes that when it comes to Social Security, the Democrats need ideas, which they have none, otherwise they risk losing Social Security as their issue. ...over the longer term, [the Democrats] run a risk in challenging Bush without ideas of their own. Social Security requires...
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March 19, 2005
Strengthening Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
03:25 PM
Check out Strengthening Social Security for detailed information the Social Security debate, including the history of Social Security, information on personal retirement accounts, and details of the "60 Stops In 60 Days" tour. NOTE: This is a new site, and may not be accessible to everyone yet. Click here if...
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March 18, 2005
NYC's Social Security Experiment
By Matt Margolis at
01:45 PM
Scott Sala from Slant Point calls our attention to an article in the NY Observer describing how New York City's government employees have been engaged in an experiment with private retirement programs, which are much more radical than anything has suggested....
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President Bush Is Wrong On Personal Retirement Accounts
By Matt Margolis at
10:34 AM
In a column published today on Human Event Online, Stephen Moore and Larry Hunter, the chief economist of the Free Enterprise Fund, say that President Bush "is receiving bad economic and political advice," because Bush has been saying that personal retirement accounts are insufficient to make Social Security permanently solvent....
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March 17, 2005
You Can't Have A Discussion With People Who Aren't Willing To Listen
By Matt Margolis at
06:49 PM
Rowdy disruptions during open "town-hall" style meetings last month hosted by Congressional Republicans have prompted a change of format and venue for future meetings discussing Social Security. This month, Republican leaders say they are chucking the open town-hall format. They plan to visit newspaper editorial boards and talk to constituents...
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Interview With Stephen Moore, President Of Free Enterprise Fund
By Matt Margolis at
10:00 AM
I recently had the opportunity to interview Stephen Moore, the president of the Free Enterprise Fund. Mr. Moore is also the former president of the Club For Growth. The Social Security debate is heating up, and many still have questions about how to reform Social Security. The following is the...
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March 16, 2005
Upcoming Interview on Social Security with Stephen Moore
By Matt Margolis at
04:24 PM
How can we reform Social Security without raising taxes, cutting benefits, and without raising the retirement age? Why are some Republicans wary on reforming Social Security? Is Bush's plan really privatization? Find out tomorrow morning, here on Blogs For Bush. I'll be posting an interview with Stephen Moore, president of...
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Democrats Still Have No Plan for Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
01:44 PM
I thought maybe there was hope for the Democrats yesterday after the Senate unanimously voiced support for fixing Social Security. But, today it's clear that their Social Security strategy is merely to oppose Bush and offer no plan of their own. This will have dire consequences for the Democratic party....
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Bush: "I'm just warming up."
By Matt Margolis at
09:56 AM
President Bush raised $8 million at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner at the Washington Hilton last night. Bush said Republicans have won election to most of the seats in Congress because they fulfill their campaign promises. Even though a majority of Americans in recent polls say they don't agree...
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March 15, 2005
Senate Unanimously Voices Support For Fixing Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
05:02 PM
From The Associated Press: The Senate unanimously voiced its support Tuesday for bolstering Social Security in a symbolic vote that skirted most of the divisions between Democrats and Republicans over President Bush's effort to overhaul the program. In an early test of sentiment on the issue, senators voted 100-0 for...
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Personal Retirement Accounts Could Lower Debt
By Matt Margolis at
10:39 AM
Robert Pozen explains in The Wall Street Journal how personal retirement accounts could lower the federal debt. Ever since President Bush first floated the idea of personal retirement accounts as part of Social Security reform, fiscal hawks have been going berserk: "This will only increase future government borrowing when the...
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March 14, 2005
Ken Mehlman Says Voters Will Penalize Democrats Who Obstruct Social Security Reform
By Matt Margolis at
10:44 PM
RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman said today that Congress will indeed pass a Social Security bill, with personal retirement accounts included, and that "Democrats who stand in the way will be considered obstructionists by voters." "The reason I think we are going to get a bill is because the American public...
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Personal Retirement Accounts Are Not Dying
By Matt Margolis at
06:31 PM
Donald Lambro at The Washington Times says that contrary to media reports, Bush's personal retirement accounts plan for Social Security reform is not a dying issue. A dreary drumbeat of news reports keep telling us President Bush's personal Social Security retirement accounts plan is losing ground in Congress and with...
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Democrats Missing The Point On Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
03:25 PM
Sebastian Mallaby of The Washington Post says that Democrats risking "impaling themselves" on Social Security the same way they did on Iraq war last year....
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March 13, 2005
Did Bush Get Bad Advice On Selling Social Security Reform?
By Matt Margolis at
03:59 PM
According to The Washington Times, conservatives "in and out of Congress say President Bush has been taking bad advice on Social Security, hurting his chance to win private investment accounts for younger workers." Mr. Bush has refused to rule out measures that would contradict his campaign promises on Social Security,...
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March 11, 2005
Gloves To Come Off On Social Security Debate?
By Matt Margolis at
04:54 PM
Senate Democrats may block a vote on Social Security reform... However... Vice President Cheney says the Bush Administration "may soon take a more combative tone toward Democrats, who've said they'll never accept - or even negotiate about - private accounts as part of Social Security."...
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March 10, 2005
Bush Discusses Social Security In Kentucky
By Matt Margolis at
02:10 PM
President Bush was in Louisville, Kentucky earlier today... See extend entry for an excerpt:...
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March 09, 2005
Cheney On Social Security Reform
By Matt Margolis at
10:50 AM
Yesterday, Vice President Dick Cheney said Bush's re-election victory provided a mandate "for the notion of personal retirement accounts" and warned that if Democrats blocked them that they would pay a political price among younger voters. In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Cheney also rejected the idea that...
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Bush Still Has Work To Do To Sell His Social Security Plan
By Matt Margolis at
06:58 AM
While Bush has been successful in changing the context of the Social Security debate from "is there a problem?" to "what can we do to fix the problem?" there's still some work to be done to make sure the right things are done to fix it. According to GOP pollsters,...
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March 08, 2005
Union Thuggery On Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
10:28 PM
We knew this would be a tough fight... Waddell & Reed Financial Services has pulled out of a group backing U.S. President George W. Bush's Social Security reform due to pressure from the AFL-CIO. The firm's decision to end its membership in the Alliance for Worker Retirement Security, hands the...
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Bush's First Victory On Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
11:50 AM
A Washington Post article today describes the dilemma facing Democrats on Social Security. Democrats have been quick to claim victory on Social Security, but their strategy of denial and obstruction has not been working. Without standing for anything besides opposing the President, they are losing ground quickly on the issue....
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March 07, 2005
Is AARP Warming Up To Bush's Social Security Reform Plan?
By Matt Margolis at
08:23 AM
Russ Wiles, writing for The Arizona Republic says they might just be doing that... So it turns out AARP and the White House might be bosom buddies on one key aspect of Social Security reform. Never mind all those barbs the special-interest group has been hurling at the president, such...
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March 06, 2005
Another Democrat For Social Security Reform...
By Matt Margolis at
02:49 PM
...and just think, days ago some people were suggesting Social Security reform was dead. Joe Lieberman is the next Democrat coming clean on Social Security, admitting on CNN's "Late Edition" that there is in fact a problem and it's time to address it: "So at some point we've got to...
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Ted Kennedy Admits Problem With Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
01:37 PM
Earlier today on ABC's "This Week," Ted Kennedy took the Democrats meme that there is no problem with Social Security and drove it right off the bridge. Kennedy called Social Security "a serious issue," and said "we ought to address it …” If Ted Kennedy can finally agree with President...
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March 04, 2005
Is Bush "Out Of Step" or is the New York Times "Out of Line"
By Matt Margolis at
09:11 PM
Yesterday, an article on NYTimes.com with the headline "New Poll Finds Bush Priorities Are Out of Step With Americans." The article cites a CBS/New York Times poll conducted February 24-28 which implies some uneasiness about changes to Social Security... Does the poll really suggest that Bush's priorities are out of...
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Frist: Social Security Reform Will Happen This Year
By Matt Margolis at
10:42 AM
While many on the Left felt that Senator Bill Frist's remarks earlier this week signified somehow that Social Security reform was dead, the doctor breathed new life into the debate yesterday by saying the legislation on Social Security needs to pass this year. "We need to do it this year...
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March 03, 2005
Winston Group Memo On Social Security Poll Numbers
By Matt Margolis at
12:42 PM
Later today The Winston Group is going to be releasing a memo with some polling numbers regarding Social Security, refuting the findings of a recent Democracy Corp "analysis" on the issue, which claims that "the president’s Social Security proposal [is crashing] against the wall of the public’s deep doubts." The...
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Social Security Reform Is Alive And Well
By Matt Margolis at
11:02 AM
The best piece of advice to give off the top is don't believe the media when it comes to Social Security Reform. In the past couple days there's been this growing belief that Social Security Reform—particularly with private retirement accounts—is dead. It's not. Treasury Secretary John Snow had suggested yesterday...
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March 02, 2005
Greenspan Urges Congress To Give Social Security Reform Green Light
By Matt Margolis at
04:54 PM
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan urged Congress today to take action in reducing the cost of health and retirement benefits promised to baby boomers, adding credence to President Bush's call for adding personal retirement accounts to Social Security. "We owe future retirees as much time as possible to adjust their...
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If They're Good Enough For Congress, They're Good Enough For Us
By Matt Margolis at
01:56 PM
In a column for the Tallahassee Democrat on Social Security, U.S. Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) asks, Some Democrats, including members of Congress, say a personal retirement account is a risky gamble. But if a personal retirement account is such a gamble, then why do members of Congress participate in a...
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Texans Want Congress To Take Action On Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
11:44 AM
According to a Scripps Howard Texas Poll, 85% of of Texans " want Congress to make changes to ensure Social Security’s long-term future." What they want done about it, is still in question. Texans are split over whether workers should be allowed to invest Social Security taxes in stocks or...
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March 01, 2005
Even Howard Dean Admits There Is A Problem With Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
11:29 AM
Even though Howard Dean hates Republicans and everything they stand for, he seems to agree that there is a problem with Social Security. During an event at Cornell University, Dean said that while he wouldn't endorse privatization (which no one is suggest we do, not even President Bush has endorsed...
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February 27, 2005
Dems Admit Social Security Has Problems
By Matt Margolis at
03:28 PM
RNC Press Secretary Tracey Schmitt released the following statement: "For months Democrat leaders have repeatedly said Social Security faced no serious problems. Today, after President Bush and Republican leaders have worked to make the public aware of the problem facing Social Security and the need to act now, Democrat Senators...
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February 26, 2005
Bush: "We Need To Act Now To Fix Social Security..."
By Matt Margolis at
10:51 AM
Back home after his European trip, President Bush has resumed pushing to fix Social Security: "We need to act now to fix Social Security permanently," [Bush] said Saturday in a radio address aimed at Congress. The president is making a fresh push for his plan to let younger workers put...
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February 24, 2005
Public Not Yet Sold On Social Security Reform
By Matt Margolis at
09:22 AM
Treasury Secretary John Snow said yesterday that "the Bush administration hasn't yet succeeded in selling its Social Security plan to Americans." I can think of one major reason why... Right now, no definite plan has been proposed. Ideas have been tossed around on how to fix the pending Social Security...
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February 21, 2005
Since President Bush said that increasing the Social Security payroll-tax cap, which is now set at $90,000 would be "on the table," many have come out crying foul. Larry Kudlow is clearly not amused by this trial balloon—and explains why it is a bad idea anyway. UPDATE: David Limbaugh is...
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February 14, 2005
Sign the Social Security Petition
By Matt Margolis at
12:23 PM
...
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February 12, 2005
Sign the Social Security Petition
By Mark Noonan at
09:57 AM
President Bush and the Congressional GOP need all the support they can get in order to push through Social Security reform against reactionary Democratic opposition. While people have plenty of questions about how the reform will work, large majorities realise that the system does need reforms if it is to...
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February 11, 2005
Another Democrat For Bush's Social Security Plan
By Matt Margolis at
07:11 PM
Well, they may not be "for" it yet... but they're open to the idea, and that's definitely a start. A second Senate Democrat said Friday he was open to President Bush's idea of letting people divert some of their Social Security taxes to personal retirement accounts as Republican Party leaders...
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The Bush Social Security Calculator
By Matt Margolis at
10:53 AM
Patrick Ruffini has posted on his blog the first Interactive Social Security Calculator that "calculates the effects of the proposal outlined by President Bush in the State of the Union address." Check it out! Also, don't forget to participate in his poll of early picks for the GOP nomination in...
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Another Personal Look at Social Security
By Mark Noonan at
12:41 AM
Only partially in our debate about Social Security reform has it been hit upon what a lousy deal Social Security actually is - the opponents of reform keep up a scare tactic which boils down to a "keep what you've got" mentality, while we on the pro-reform side have been...
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February 08, 2005
9 out 10 Americans Worry About Retirement
By Matt Margolis at
11:19 PM
Democrats say there's no Social Security crisis, yet an astounding amount of Americans are worried about their retirement: Nearly nine out of 10 Americans were worried about saving enough for retirement even before President Bush began his recent campaign to change Social Security, according to a newly released study Fifty-seven...
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February 07, 2005
Social Security Reactionaries
By Mark Noonan at
07:22 AM
Back when I was a child during the Cold War, I asked my father what was the problem with socialism. He opined that aside from a penchant for murder in the more extreme examples, the real problem is that they had a bunch of 19th century solutions to 18th century...
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February 05, 2005
Social Security Calculator
By Matt Margolis at
03:39 PM
Unsure about Social Security Reform? Be sure to check out this Social Security Calculator (meant for those not already in retirement) to compare how you make keeping Social Security as it is, or having a personal retirement account. Also check out the recently launched Social Security Choice blog started by...
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February 04, 2005
The Social Security Campaign
By Mark Noonan at
02:47 AM
Taking nothing for granted, President Bush started out yesterday on a five State swing - the thing the States all have in common is that they are "red", and they've got at least one Democratic Senator. President Bush talked about expending political capital to gain his agenda, but he hadn't...
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February 03, 2005
SOTU, Interrupted
By Matt Margolis at
10:15 AM
The Democrats lost in 2000, 2002, and 2004. It's time for them to move on stop acting like sore losers. Days before the State of the Union address, Nancy Pelosi, in a news conference regarding the upcoming address, said, "We'll all be listening respectfully to the President." Since when is...
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A Personal Look at Social Security
By Mark Noonan at
09:18 AM
My most recent 401k statement shows a balance of $5,800 - not much, I know, but I didn't get into the 401k earlier because my employers matching funds had been entirely in company stock; even before Enron it didn't seem like a wise decision to wrap myself up in such...
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February 02, 2005
Background Press Briefing On Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
08:57 PM
Blogs For Bush has obtained a copy of the transcript of the Background Press Briefing On Social Security, which was embargoed until delivery of the State of the Union address. Click here to download the PDF...
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We Need To Do Something About Social Security... Now!
By Matt Margolis at
04:56 PM
The Joint Economic Committee has released some very interesting charts detailing the problems facing the current system of Social Security. This chart explains how Social Security can't pay the benefits it promises: Check out the full Social Security Charts package for yourself. Thankfully, we have a President who is willing...
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January 28, 2005
AARP's Fraudulent Social Security Poll
By Mark Noonan at
01:06 PM
For a while there back in 2003 as President Bush got a prescription drug benefit added to Medicare, AARP was on our side - but now in the Social Security reform debate, AARP has returned to its roots as a publicity arm of the Democratic Party. National Review's The Corner,...
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January 27, 2005
Social Security Reform and African Americans
By Matt Margolis at
09:10 AM
Earlier this week, Bush told black leaders that his plan to add private accounts to Social Security would benefit blacks. Don Luskin over at The Club For Growth's Social Security Choice blog helps put this into perspective....
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January 24, 2005
AARP Comes Out Against Bush's Social Security Plan
By Matt Margolis at
11:25 PM
We knew Bush was going to have to fight to save Social Security, it looks like he's got one. The nation's largest seniors' lobby will oppose any proposal that takes tax money out of Social Security to create private investment accounts for today's workers, the head of AARP said Monday....
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January 18, 2005
Democrats: Don't Refinance Your Mortgage at Lower Rates
If homeowners would follow the logic of the Democrats' Social Security argument, they never would refinance their mortgages. Fortunately, when people act in the financial arena they tend to do so rationally and I would bet even the most ardent Democrats have refinanced their homes. Then why do they fight...
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Social Security in Simple Terms
Jim Pinkerton does readers a great service by explaining clearly and soberly the Social Security issue from a macro level.under any retirement system, the amount of America's national wealth devoted to the elderly is going to increase, for the simple reason that the elderly percentage of the population is going...
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January 14, 2005
Cheney Defends Social Security Plan
By Matt Margolis at
04:33 AM
Our Vice President takes on the critics and defends the administration's plans to fix Social Security. Meanwhile, FDR's grandson thinks we should care about what he has to say... Progress for America is running an ad on Social Security Reform.....
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January 12, 2005
Midterm Elections Likely To Focus on Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
04:49 AM
Yesterday, Bush put more pressure on Congress to join him in his desire to address the problems of Social Security. During a forum yesterday he said Bush gave a clear warning to those who don't want to act, "I happen to believe people who have been elected to office who...
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January 10, 2005
Showing Backbone On Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
11:36 PM
President Bush is going to have to sell his Social Security proposal to Democrats and Republicans. You know, we've heard presidential candidates tell us every four years that we need to save or fix Social Security... Why is it that George W. Bush is the first president with the backbone...
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January 08, 2005
Who says the Democrats are out of fresh ideas?
By Eric Lindholm at
09:27 PM
From today’s Washington Post: "It is a crisis created in the mind of the White House because they want to take care of the fat cats on Wall Street," [Senate minority leader Harry] Reid said. He argued that Social Security is primed to pay out full benefits until 2055 --...
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Social Security Crisis?
By Matt Margolis at
11:59 AM
For years we've been listening to Democrats tell us that we need to save Social Security. Now they're saying there is no crisis. Why this flip-flop? The Democrats are out of power. The last thing they'd want is for a Republican President (especially George W. Bush) and a Republican Congress...
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January 04, 2005
Brooks on Social Security
By Daniel Moore at
01:29 PM
To add to Jonathan's round-up of Social Security debate commentary, here is what David Brooks wrote Which brings us to the current moment. In Europe, everybody is aware of the problem, but the remedies are so bad that most countries avoid them. Meanwhile, we in the United States are embarking...
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Social Security Battle Begins
It has long been known that reforming the demographic time bomb that is the Social Security Ponzi scheme will be a battle royal but only now are the details coming into focus. The Democrats' strategy appears to be a denial that Social Security needs fixing.“There is no crisis in Social...
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December 21, 2004
The Battle Over Social Security
By Matt Margolis at
11:08 AM
The question about what to do about Social Security has no easy answer. Democrats don't like Republicans saying there's a problem with it, and Democrats don't like the idea of meddling with a system that was put in place way way back during FDR's New Deal. Critics of President Bush's...
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