A scandal-scarred Republican party asks, 'What next?'

We appreciate you anyway.

 

Social Security was never suposed to be a retirement plan. We have pensions, IRA, 401K's, and a ton of private options to save for retirement. SS was intended to insure that the elderly and disabled have at least a subsistence income, which is only right in the worlds richest country. We don't want elderly widows becoming bag ladies.

Let's say SabanFan became disabled in his 40's, his wife divorced him and took his house, his broker embezzled his savings, and his sons became Hari Krishna's. Social Security would keep him from having to live out his life in a cardboard box down by Bayou Teche.

Anyway, we've argued the merits of Social Security on other threads. This particular issue was about Bush's failure to interpret the citizen's feelings about Social Security. You seem to think this is leadership, I call it hubris.

 

Good leadership is to come up with a plan that meets the needs of the citizens. Good leadership is to come up with a plan that doesn't increase costs while lowering security. It takes more than authoritative resolve to be a good leader. He must also lead in the right direction and not go over the cliff. People will not follow such a leader.

Hogwash. Clinton worked with Congress to reform Social Security instead of bypassing them and going directly to the people, as Bush did. Clinton signed several Social Security bills and covened a White House Conference on Social Security with Congressmen. Clinton managed to achieve budget surpluses while strengthening social security benefits. You can read all about it if you bother to look.

President Clinton on Social Security

I'm not criticising Bush for coming up with a plan. I criticise him for coming up with one that sailed like a lead balloon. He should have worked wth Congress to enact legislation, but that would have meant working with Democratic as well as Republican congressmen to find some consensus.

Instead he foolishly tried to have "hometown meetings" with the citizens, believeing he could create a groundswell of public support that would overwhelm congressional objections. But he got his ass handed to him. The elected officials in Congress knew their constituencies better than the President.

 

Nice fix Harry, Ike, John, Lyndon, Dick, Jimmuh, Ron, George, Bill, and Dub.

 

Facts is facts, amigo. Clinton ran budget surpluses while increasing SS benefits. He did it by not spending it on huge new federal programs while cutting federal income at the same time, as Bush did. Not to mention starting a foolish war that is costing us more than World War II did and is continuing at 12 billion a month.

Analysis says war could cost $1 trillion

Not exactly. Bush creates deficits because he spends more money than he takes in. Money we don't have. So we borrow it and go deeper into the biggest national debt of all time. Irresponsible leadership.

Me too.