Democrats Decry Deficit Impact on Social Security

Sat Mar 5, 2005 12:50 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats on Saturday said President Bush's budget proposals are making it more difficult to solve the financial problems facing the Social Security retirement system.

In the weekly Democratic radio address, Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota also criticized Bush's plan to carve private investment accounts out of Social Security, saying that "slashing benefits and hoping to make up the difference in the stock market is risky."

Conrad also drew attention to how the accounts would work, noting that those who opted for the investment accounts would have their traditional Social Security benefit reduced.

"The president's plan assumes the Social Security trust fund loaned you that money. And you have to pay it back with interest," he said.

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http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=7816320

The current balance of the Social Security Trust Fund is still below the Gross Federal Debt in 1990. Indeed, the projected Social Security Trust Fund balance in 2009 will still be at the level of the projected Gross Federal Debt in 1994.

...so that we know what the Bright Red is, and what the dark red is. I'm fairly sure I've figured it out, but it would help clarity

The darker (lower) red is that part of the Federal Debt held in various government accounts, mostly the Social Security Trust Fund. The bright red is the part of the Federal Debt held by the public (including foreign and domestic individuals and institutions).

Should not be forgotten.

:kick:

Saturday, March 05, 2005
ROBERT LANDAUER


Social scientists, I sense, are already outlining articles on George W. Bush's legacy.

Their topic: Persuasion vs. Manipulation in the Bush Presidency.

Not since the collapse of the Soviet Union over 13 years ago has an administration produced so much material for a case study on governmental propaganda techniques. Case-building arguments and conclusions by President Bush and his surrogates regarding Social Security reform repeatedly redraw the line between fact and fiction, between information and indoctrination.

Propaganda in this case involves deliberately withholding relevant facts and spreading misinformation in order to reach preconceived ends that don't solve the declared problem and don't stand up to fact-based scrutiny.

Government propaganda campaigns typically include creating overblown fears and inflated desires or expectations; exaggerating the urgency of an issue in order to deflect attention from more pressing or unpopular issues; and attacking the motives and integrity of messengers of differing views rather than refuting the evidence they bring and the conclusions they draw.

These and other propaganda techniques are essentially opposed to education in aim and style because they are intentionally geared to indoctrination, manipulation and control rather than persuasion based on fair, full disclosure and informed judgment.

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http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/robert_landauer/index.ssf?/base/editorial/111002767789770.xml

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Durbin was great! Our DEM whip slashed the Republican Whip Mitch McConnell. "We'll come to the table on SS when privatization is off the table" "It seems as if the time is passed for Prez to slip this in as a solution to a crises. Now that people have had a chance to look, they see it won't help SS it will destroy it."

Apparently people have been holding demonstrations agains SS in repub districts!!! McConnell pretty much begging DEMS to come to negotiate about SS, but Durbin being firm that until the Prez takes the ridiculous Privatization off the table, forget it. ((With the repubs in majority, I think it's the only way to keep them from ramming it down our throats.))

The only press person up * a** was Kate O'Beirne of the National Review. " * is so great because of elections in Iraq" :puke:
"You people who don't support * 'wrong side of history' " :crazy:

Mike Allen of the Washington Post, I don't remember him saying much, can't even picture his face, but he seems solid.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42895-2005Jan27.html
http://www.fairness.com/resources/by-relation?relation_id=7697

Joe Klein of Time magazine, he said what was not to like about the prosperity of the BC Clinton era and said Hillary is well poised to deal with a full agenda for DEMS.

Paul Krugman of the New York Times, looks like another REAL reporter is stepping up - made some good points about SS privatization simply not being the solution and even brought up taking away the tax cuts for those over $300,000 that we obviously can't afford.

In response to Hillary running he was a bit hesitant... mentioned the idea of triangulation? of BC era that we may need more to face a far right agenda and that she is getting funding from Republicans to run in 2008??!!

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