Originally published August 6 2005
Congress doesn’t want to tackle Social Security
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Democrats and Republicans usually disagree on everything, but for once they are the same side of the aisle in telling Bush to stop stumping his Social Security plan.
House Republicans and Democrats are in agreement about one issue concerning Social Security reform -- neither wants to tackle the system's long-term solvency problems right now, as President Bush wants.
The leading Republican and Democrat proposals for Social Security and retirement reform in the House both buck Mr. Bush because neither fixes long-term solvency problems.
"Now's the time to act on this," Mr. Bush said Friday, after explaining Social Security's long-term problems to a crowd in Atlanta.
but in my judgment, when it costs 600 billion [dollars] a year every year you wait in order to fix the system, ultimately fix it, there's nothing too sensitive."
So far, however, the plan pushed by House Republican leaders only focuses on the personal accounts Mr. Bush has demanded.
Supporters acknowledge the proposal -- which would create personal accounts using Social Security's surplus -- doesn't fix solvency, but they say it's a first step.
And House Democratic leaders this week introduced a retirement package that combines changes to pension rules with new incentives to save more in 401(k)s and other existing plans.
That package -- which also is expected to include broad pension improvements and other boosts for private savings -- is being crafted by Rep. Bill Thomas, California Republican, who has pushed for solvency to be included.
Mr. Tanner doubts that will happen because Republicans aren't unified on solvency.
Rep. Paul D. Ryan, Wisconsin Republican and key backer of the House's new accounts proposal, said Mr. Bush solidly supports the House accounts-only plan, but can't back off from his public push for a solvency fix.
"I don't think he wants to say anything that hurts the chances of getting solvency at the 11th hour," he said.
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