Social Security tour loses steam (Voters don't buy the fix)

[liveoaktx]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/rssstory.mpl/politics/3152933

WASHINGTON - With his "60 Stops in 60 Days" Social Security sales tour wrapping up with less public support than he started with for private accounts, President Bush is looking to Congress for a face-saving bailout."It's obvious he is not going to get what he wants," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics
....
That Bush is having such a hard time selling the public and Congress on his plan has many strategists and political watchers marveling at what appears to be an uncharacteristic political miscalculation by the White House.

"Clearly what he is trying to do now is pivot to the legislative phase and look to allies on the Hill to save his privatization bacon," said Brad Woodhouse, communications director for Americans United to Protect Social Security, a Democratically funded organization opposing Bush's plan.

[CottonBear]

1. How many stops in how many days did * actually make?

Remember his 6 speeches in 6 weeks jag back during the election? He gave about 2 speeches and then got yanked by Rove once they realized * is a blithering idiot in front of a live audience.

[asjr]

3. The country does not want personal accounts. But when have

the Republicans listened to the country? Either this push is to cover something else up or they really intend to push it through. I am simply tired of hearing the word "compromise." In my opinion that has come to mean caving in. If any Democrat "compromises" he or she should be run out of office. This is our future and no one should mess with it. We have enough problems without this grandstanding BS.

[CottonBear]

6. Sen. Max Baucus was on C-Span WJ this morning.

He said that the Republican SS reform agenda was "all about ideology not econmomics." Furthermore, he said there will be no negotiation about SS without an actual plan from Bu$h being presented first.

[outrage]

7. leave social security the hell alone

this administration won't be happy until the little safety net we have is so tattered and torn that we're all nothing but serfs living in a 3rd world version of America. By his own admission the private accounts will do nothing to fix the supposed solvency problem so WTF?
I have a private-fucking-account, it's called an IRA. Anybody can get one. The operative word in Social Security is S-E-C-U-R-I-T-Y.

[liberal N proud]

2. uncharacteristic political miscalculation?

Isn't most everything they do outside of manipulation a miscalculation?
WMD's - manipulate the facts to justify war
elections - manipulate the polls and ballots to win the election
the list could go on!

[Rainscents]

4. Well, Mr. Bush........ American people are NOT buying into your

lies, Give it up!!!

[mtnester]

5. There was never any political miscalculation ...the goal all along

was to take SS away from the Democrats and make it their own. I am not yet sure if they accomplished that goal or not.

[central scrutinizer]

8. the "tour" is so much trouble that they are bringing Tom DeLay along

That should really pep things up and get it back on the upswing!! <sarcasm/off>

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1423207

[Enraged_Ape]

9. B-b-b-but, he has TOM DELAY helping him to sell it now!!

He would have done better to get Gary Coleman and Pink Lady and Jeff on board, but I guess when you're as desperate as he is, you take what you can get.

[DinahMoeHum]

13. Him AND Tom DeLay???? The "Clusterf**k Express" has just

left the station!!


:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[underpants]

15. It might help them if they had actual live human beings at their meetings

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1746243&mesg_id=1746243

[freedom_to_read]

10. I think I speak for us all when I say: HA ha

[BR_Parkway]

11. "looking for a bail-out" How many times has that been said about

Shrub? I lost count years ago.

[AnneD]

12. Give the man a cigar....

The tour is making a stop in Galveston where some employees have a private plan. Our channel 13 ABC affiliate KTRK field reporter Regi Aquino dually reported the Bush - DeLay (did he redraw Galveston to his district?)visit. He also showed a clip of a worker on the program that was happy with it and would be in the audience. OK, I was getting majorly annoyed.....until Regi added this caveat (paraphrasing here)'Unlike the proposed changes to SS, these workers are allowed to invest in higher yeilding bonds. A high income earner with children will be able to put away much more than a low income worker with the same number of children (I guess he meantioned children to emphasise the survival benefits)'. I was so proud, a journalist that could figure it out. All you Houston Dems out there...send an email to KTRK for Regi's straight up reporting of the fact.

[dave29]

14. AROUND THE PROBLEM IN 60 DAYS

hehe.