WP,pg1,Friday: Senators May Block Soc Sec Vote(plan may not come to vote)

[DeepModem Mom]

Senators May Block Social Security Vote

By Charles Babington and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, March 11, 2005; Page A01

President Bush's bid to add individual accounts to Social Security faces such formidable opposition in the Senate that its supporters may be unable to bring it to a vote, according to a Washington Post survey of senators.

An overwhelming majority of Democratic senators said they will oppose, under any circumstances, Bush's plan to allow younger workers to divert a portion of their Social Security payroll taxes into individual investment accounts that would follow them into retirement. A few others said they will not support such accounts if they require substantial government borrowing. Even many Republicans say that is inevitable because the alternative involves unacceptably large cuts in benefits and/or tax increases to replace the diverted taxes.

Combined, these Democrats form a coalition large enough -- more than 41 members -- to use delaying tactics to keep the proposal from reaching a vote in the 100-member chamber. The Post survey of the Senate's 44 Democrats and one Democratic-leaning independent indicates there are at least 42 -- and perhaps 44 -- who firmly oppose personal investment accounts, particularly if they are financed with borrowed money.

Vice President Cheney has said the Bush accounts would cost "trillions of dollars." Democrats put the price tag at $5 trillion over 20 years.

In the clearest sign yet that Bush's efforts to win bipartisan support are flagging, several Democrats that the White House has been courting said they will not support the accounts at all. They include Sens. Thomas R. Carper (Del.) and Mary Landrieu (La.). Three other Bush targets -- Sens. Kent Conrad (N.D.), Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.) and Mark Pryor (Ark.) -- said they will not support individual accounts financed by heavy borrowing....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25304-2005Mar10.html

[VegasWolf]

1. Hell, what's the problem? Not enough bribe money?? Fuk, the Republicans

can fix that.

[WatchWhatISay]

12. Maybe they already got enough payola

from passing the the bankruptcy bill.

There is a difference between Republicans and Democrats you know. Democrats do at least stop when they get enough.

[merwin]

2. So, spending 5 trillion in 20 years is better than the surplus running out

in 40 years? huh?

[ender]

11. what the hell are you babbling about?

nt

[grytpype]

3. This is HUGE, Recommended!

It's really looking like Bush is beaten! We're winning!!!!

[shraby]

4. 5 trillion put into social security would make

the program solvent for a long time without private accounts. Where is their logic? :crazy:

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Trying not to get hopes up, but does look like...

they might lose this one, g --

[Kingofalldems]

6. Great news

The American people are now getting a glimpse of what the GOP has in store for them. We must use this issue in 2006.

[truthisfreedom]

7. watch for this: the rethuugs will turn on a dime suddenly and propose

some other (alternate) approach for modifying social security and railroad a bunch of Dems into voting for it in a rush, and the opposition will be left scrambling to find a new position.

[grytpype]

8. Krugman on DS says Reds rely on Social Security more...

says Red States like Alabama relies on Social Security more than say New Jersey because Alabama is poorer and has more people close to the poverty line.

The poor white trash of the Red States are shocked Bush is talking about privitization.

[ailsagirl]

9. Yet quite a few "Dems" voted for the bankruptcy bill

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=111888&mesg_id=111888

Since they voted against the people in the bankruptcy bill, why should they vote against privatizing SS?? These creeps don't appear to have OUR best interest in mind, to say the least.

These people are liars and hypocrites. I am totally disgusted.

:nuke:

(But I hope to God they vote against *'s little piratization plan)

[DeepModem Mom]

13. I like that! "Piratization plan"!

It deserves wider usage, ailsagirl --

[ailsagirl]

17. Can't take credit for it-- another DU-er came up with it

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3248414&mesg_id=3248414&page=

But it does fit, no??

[VirginiaDem]

16. They're politicians and they very well may not be right but

they're choosing their battles. The social security battle was bigger than the bankruptcy battle. They didn't feel they could win both--or, more likely, they didn't feel like they'd win the war even if they could win both battles. The Dem senators think (just my guess, of course) that a little obstruction goes a long way and, conversely, excess obstruction could kill 2006/2008 election chances.

I think they're on to something, actually. We've got to build, promote and maintain the meme that Repubs are too extreme. In order to maximize effectiveness, we've got to fight back the inevitable memetic counterattack of obstruction.

[msongs]

10. so far there IS NO PLAN available from Bush, just speculation.....

cannot be anything to vote against until there is an actual bill with specific contents..........anybody know when this is gonna happen?

Msongs

read our paper ballot proposal for CA
www.msongs.com/vvpb.htm

[wryter2000]

14. Come on, Conrad

I saw this guy once give a masterful speech on the Senate floor about how * has effed up our finances. He has to have the cojones to stand up against this outrage. He has to!

[Beetwasher]

15. Here's Hoping Chimpy Faces an Embarrassing, Humiliating, Shameful Defeat

Hey Chimpy, how's it going spending that 'capital' you keep yapping about? How's your man date now? You're a ruinous fuck up and you're doing what you've ALWAYS done w/ capital that was never yours to begin with; blowing it stupidly on shitty ideas that are managed badly and destined to fail. How's it feel to be such a monumental fuck up? With all you've been given you ALWAYS find a way to fuck it up cuz you're such a fucking monumental douchebag. I love it that he's so out front on this, so in your face, hittin' the road, staking it all and being the poster child for this abortion. The shame will be fully his. Douche.

[LiberalCompassionate]

22. very well said n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

18. Goes to show how a president can get away with killing Arabs

and wasting money on defense projects and bombs, but start screwing with the money people need to buy groceries and the "mandate" vanishes like a dream.

[ClarkUSA]

19. Time to make some phone calls/emails to these Senators...

and tell them what we expect from all of them. Let them know we are expecting them not to cave in or else.

"In the clearest sign yet that Bush's efforts to win bipartisan support are flagging, several Democrats that the White House has been courting said they will not support the accounts at all. They include Sens. Thomas R. Carper (Del.) and Mary Landrieu (La.). Three other Bush targets -- Sens. Kent Conrad (N.D.), Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.) and Mark Pryor (Ark.) -- said they will not support individual accounts financed by heavy borrowing...."

Congressional Contact Info: http://capwiz.com/wa/dbq/officials

[Lizzie Borden]

20. This shows kind of pain the Dems could inflict...

if they acted as a group, in concert, more often. I'd sure like to see it.

[AuntiBush]

21. Yeah. Hit our youth, the most impressionable.

So, no one will question his hands being in the I.O.U. surplus jars! BAST$(*%D!