Democrats Adjust Social Security Stance

[Jon8503]

The dems are already getting weak kneed afraid of being seen as obstinate. Yeah, sure play nice, look like you are cooperating and you will get elected. Probably play right into Rove's hands again. They are going to have to learn to take a stand and stick with it.

Gutless.

Apr 16, 8:31 PM (ET)
By GLEN JOHNSON

WASHINGTON (AP) - 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 focus groups that people frown on the lawmakers for being obstinate.

"People feel like it doesn't show a good-faith effort," said a top House aide, who like several others spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the internal data. "It makes us seem like we're 'typical politicians.'"

The shift in tactics comes with Democrats and Republicans unsure what will happen after the end next month of a campaign-style, 60-day travel blitz by the president and administration officials who are promoting his plan.

"It may seem like a long time to you, but realistically, we've really just started," Bush told the American Society of Newspaper Editors last week.

Democrats say they are united in opposing a plan they contend would break a social contract by shifting Social Security from a government-guaranteed benefit to a personal investment subject to the risks of the market.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20050417/D89GQSJG0.html

[acmejack]

1. I agree

I am so damn sick of focus groups dictating the way everything must be done.

[slor]

2. All they need to do is...

point out how much money will make it solvent. I believe that amount totals less than a month in Iraq. They had better not give in to the program destoying idea of private accounts!

[sheilajane]

3. gutless....raise the cap....

I am sick of focus groups.....who knows if this is true! I would say there is no cap for medicare,why is there one for S.S. You could collect less for Payroll taxes,but have a higher cap or no cap and it would solve the problem. There is a surplus now in the fund and we won't be short until 2040 or so. The social security money is the last safe source of money for the repubs to steal. Read the article in Harpers about the the secret behind Bush's wanting the S.S. money. He needs it or the corporations do because they have not been funding their retirement accounts. Now they have to pay out and there is not enough money. GM had to add on 695 dollars for each car it sells to make up the loss. So, the plan is to dump all the money in the market and then pay the accounts and sometime after the bubble will burst and you will be out of luck. Fool me once.....fool me once.....................you can't fool me again! Read the article,they did a better job of explaining.