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 Congress
