Social Security private accounts hidden in Bush budget

[DebinTx]

Folks, it's time to raise a stink about this, again!


Bush's Social Security Sleight of Hand

By Allan Sloan

Wednesday, February 8, 2006; Page D02

If you read enough numbers, you never know what you'll find. Take President Bush and private Social Security accounts.

Last year, even though Bush talked endlessly about the supposed joys of private accounts, he never proposed a specific plan to Congress and never put privatization costs in the budget. But this year, with no fanfare whatsoever, Bush stuck a big Social Security privatization plan in the federal budget proposal, which he sent to Congress on Monday.

His plan would let people set up private accounts starting in 2010 and would divert more than $700 billion of Social Security tax revenues to pay for them over the first seven years.

First, he drew a mocking standing ovation from Democrats by saying that "Congress did not act last year on my proposal to save Social Security," even though, as I said, he'd never submitted specific legislation.

Then he seemed to be kicking the Social Security problem a few years down the road in typical Washington fashion when he asked Congress "to join me in creating a commission to examine the full impact of baby boom retirements on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid," adding that the commission would be bipartisan "and offer bipartisan solutions."

But anyone who thought that Bush would wait for bipartisanship to deal with Social Security was wrong. Instead, he stuck his own privatization proposals into his proposed budget.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/07/AR2006020701865.html?referrer=emailarticle

[SillyGoose]

1. Was this mentioned on any of the MSM news outlets yesterday or

were they still obsessing over Mrs. King's funeral?

I'm getting alarmed that the only place I've seen this mentioned is on the internet. We need to be shouting from the rooftops about this. This is plain unmitigated gall on the part of the Administration to slip this into the budget in such a sneaky manner.

Just when I think I can't get any more outraged, something like this comes along.

[DebinTx]

2. As large as the budget is

I doubt that it's been noticed much by our reps and even if it were, sneaking it in the backdoor this way, takes all discussion off the table, by both sides.

Contact your reps!

[NoFederales]

3. How can that money be re-routed if it has no where to go?

There is no approved plan to act as a depository for this money.

NoFederales

[sadiesworld]

4. Today's story in my local rag is chock full of quotes

by republican congressmen vehemently denouncing the proposed SS cuts.

Perhaps it is all just intended to help the repubs distance themseves from * and SS privatization in an election year. Let's face it, I doubt the repubs want to face their voters with the stench of SS privatization which currently surrounds them.

[radio4progressives]

5. I just wrote a scathing letter to Senator Reid... demanded that he take

leadership and hold full court press denouncing this budget with the privatization of the Social Security amendment etc.

There is only one issue that comes to mind, that PROVES the Democratic Party Senators still HAVE THE POWER TO BLOCK Repukes agenda - and that's the Social Security issue - they fought that battle and won.

That's evidence that most other major issues can be fought and victory could be achieved as well - if only they would fight back. They could have with the Alito vote, they could have with Bankruptcy and tax cuts, they could have on so many issues, including the Patriot Act and the Iraq war.

too bad they're not there doing the buisiness FOR the people, instead they're doing business ON the people.