Whatever happened to...
Social Security reform? Stephen Schlesinger, of Huffington Post, has his own ideas about why Bush wasn't able to push it through on the first try.
His problem was, though, that he was not able to "9/11" the issue as he did with the Iraqi War, the Patriot Act, the energy bill and a host of his other initiatives. The argument that privatization of Social Security benefits was necessary to defeat the terrorists somehow just could not be made -- even by this administration. So his proposal died on its merits.Whether Bush's privatization plan "died on its merits" or not may be a subject of debate, but some of us think we're likely to see the issue roll back around sooner or later. Whether that's because Bush is truly focused on the issue or just doesn't have any other ideas probably depends on who you ask.
posted by Anonymous at 4:18 PM
22 Comments:
Personal accounts AREN'T going away because WE'RE not going away.
Every day Social Security becomes a heavier burden for our generation...without personal accounts you can cut our benfits by over 25% or increase our taxes by over 50%.
I - and 2/3 of our peers - are with personal accounts.
Rock the Vote, you are in danger of becoming an irrelevant factor in youth politics if you continue to push the anti-reform line in this debate. Everyone has started to realize that you represent AARP not us.
Come on, see the light, personal accounts are something we want. It'd be a shame to see an otherwise cool organization drift into political irrelevance.
PERSONAL ACCOUNTS...BOOYAH GRANDMA!!
Check www.SecureOurFuture.org for the alternative to Rock the Vote. Unlike RTV, S4 represents the true interests - and poll-proven preferences - of our generation.
Anti-personal accounts groups have written the obituary for personal accounts - because they WANT it to be dead.
It's not.
There is growing momentum behind GROW accounts in the House. If Bush decides to support them it could pass the House before the end of September.
Rock the Vote is in shambles - and their dereliction of our generation on Soc Sec is going to drive RTV into further dissarray.
What is Rock the Vote doing, by the way, besides fundraising in DC? (Which apparently isn't going very well.) When's the last time someone heard of a Rock the Vote rally...or of a Rock the Vote person sending in a letter to the editor...sure, they pull crowds...but I'd go to a RTV event if Black Eyed Peas were playing and I disagree with everything they're doing.
Rock the Vote: you have the potential to be a great organization - the new youth AARP - but you can't claim to represent us if you don't represent our interests.
I'm a college student - I dislike the war in Iraq, Bush's stance on social issues, etc...but I don't want to get screwed by Social Security.
Support choice RTV! Support VOLUNTARY personal accounts!
Y'ALL WISH!!
ha ha, i'm here to stay!
forever and ever you'll be feeding your paycheck taxes into my gluttonous gut, and you'll be happy with the scraps of meager returns i spit back at you!
NO CHOICE FOR YOU!!!!!
Wow, does anyone who reads this blog support Rock the Vote? Seems like Rock the Vote should take this blog down...it's embarassing.
What happened to Hans? I could care less about these recent posts that seem to want to take both sides to each story. "Thats up to debate... depending on how you view it this could be good or bad" Did all of our comments and observations about Hans and gang's posts being in direct conflict with RTV's 501-3(c) status scare someone in the DC office?
Instead of hiring some lackey to post sophomore level drivel that tries to be everything to everyone why not just go out and get a young conservative to post the other side of the debate? Its not like Hans' political leanings are a giant mystery, and if he's worried that further posting here could draw some heat then why not follow that slogan Fox has: Fair and Balanced? Liberal post of story, then Conservative post... perhaps even a Libertarian post :-)
Time for RTV to think outside the box.
Folks, as much as social security is a huge ripoff, ya'll should oppose bush's "privatization" plan too. Why? Bush's privatization plans insofar as he has any are to establish government accounts to hold government sanctioned equity funds possibly government managed. This would allow for all kinds of big government corruption and political interference in at least two ways:
1.) If the government controls the voting rights for the stocks in these funds or influences those who do, we will see business decisions decided by senators or government bureaucrats through control of this fund's voting rights. Any CEO who would dare exercise independence of thought and action would be voted out by bureaucrats who control majority voting rights of all public corporations by virtue of controlling the voting rights of the largest retirement fund in america.
Even if voting rights are delegated to the fund manager like in FERS*, the feds control which fund manager gets to manage the fund and so, they still control the rights.
* FERS or the Federal Employee Retirement System has its equity or 'C' fund managed and voting rights controlled by Barclays Global Investors but could switch to another should they not exercise their voting rights the 'right' way.
see http://banking.senate.gov/97_04hrg/043097/witness/mehle.htm
2.) Even without rights, legislators or bureaucrats could determine what companies are 'safe' enough or 'worthy' of being invested in and thus which will be allowed to receive an influx of capital from the largest equity fund in america, the hypothetical privatized ss fund.
No, as I've stated before the right kind of privatization is to simply allow people to opt out of the system or to allow people to put their forcibly set aside money in *any* FDIC insured bank CD or account they desire at *any* bank.
QUOTE:
Liberal post of story, then Conservative post... perhaps even a Libertarian post :-)
/QUOTE:
Yeah, don't forget the libertarian perspective. I'd like to think my viewpoint 'represents'. :)
Theath, the last three posts on your website have been about Social Security reform.
You lose a little (read: all) credibility when you then question "what happened to it?"
Social Security has absolutely nothing to do with the war in Iraq or the current domestic policy issues. If everyone would stop using duck and cover tactics, maybe we could actually debate the issue at hand.
President Bush has waited out the ADHD left and they have gone on to other things. Now we are ready for the real discussion on saving Social Security without many of the wackos gumming up the works. September on Capitol Hill will be a sight to behold!
Hey Jonathan Swanson - - I couldn't help but notice your efforts to recruit commenters here from Social Security Choice. SMOOTH, since Social Security Choice doesn't accept comments (and now apparently not even trackbacks).
Don't be such a chicken (hypocrite?).
Mr. Lynch,
Feel free to stop by the website of Students for Saving Social Security (www.SecureOurFuture.org) if you want to leave some comments.
I agree that it's silly about SSChoice.org.
S4 welcomes all commments on our website.
www.SecureOurFuture.org
Personal accounts AREN'T going away because WE'RE not going away.
Every day Social Security becomes a heavier burden for our generation...without personal accounts you can cut our benfits by over 25% or increase our taxes by over 50%.
I - and 2/3 of our peers - are with personal accounts.
Rock the Vote, you are in danger of becoming an irrelevant factor in youth politics if you continue to push the anti-reform line in this debate. Everyone has started to realize that you represent AARP not us.
Come on, see the light, personal accounts are something we want. It'd be a shame to see an otherwise cool organization drift into political irrelevance.
Social Security reform will happen. And we can look back on this post and laugh at how irrelevant and short-sighted it was.
We need to keep up the pressure to get to the giant Soc Sec funds. You can be sure that the communists and liberals (one and same, right?) are going to be using the Katrina hurricane to further their communist ageneda.
I have already heard demands that further tax rollbacks be stopped so we can pay for all New Orleans and the Gulf Coast damage and victims. Once again, the whining liberals will start the chorus about how the "rich get tax cuts". Of course our system must allow the rich to get richer so they can invest and spend.
That's why this Soc Sec fund should be completely raided. We need to distribute those dollars to investment to build more industry and businesses. Now, I ask do you want poor people to invest the money, or rich people?
I am also sick of hearing the liberals and poor complain about the wealthy having mansions, boats, luxury cars, etc. Do you mean to tell me those poor people would give away their money if they were rich?
Let's get to those Social Security funds. We have a big job to undo the communist programs set up in the USA in the 1900's. Don't forget SocSec, Unemployment Insurance, government inspections and controls (FDA, USDA meat inspections, etc.), welfare, etc were all proposed by communists.
Social security is part of the communist conspiracy. All funds need to be diverted to private investment and all social security taxes need to be ended.
Somebody tell me where "capitalism" has any promises to old age pensions or "safety nets" for poor people. If these people cannot afford to eat, pay rent, or get medical services, well - doesn't capitalism philosophically say "too bad...". Any "social services" or "help" should be left to private charity. The idea that "goverment" should do this was proposed by communists and socialists with their deranged notions of "equality" and providing "basic needs to all people".
I support Rock the vote. I want to do something about this social security thing, but right now, I am in the dark, because I am just getting into government and politics
I support Rock the vote. I want to do something about this social security thing, but right now, I am in the dark, because I am just getting into government and politics
(Dickson
(Dickson
PERSONAL ACCOUNTS BABY!!!
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