GOP Seeks Dems' Support on Soc. Security

House Republicans vowed to pursue politically problematic Social Security legislation on Wednesday, alternately criticizing Democrats as obstructionists and appealing for their cooperation.

One prominent Democrat declined the challenge. "Private accounts will not be on the table if you are looking for bipartisanship," said New York Rep. Charles Rangel, reflecting the sentiment of party leaders.

But Republican Rep. Jim McCrery of Louisiana said, "If you want to be serious players, then you will stop this nonsense of saying, `We won't (accept) personal accounts.'" He said of President Bush's proposal, "If structured properly, it can be a very constructive reform."

The partisan differences persisted despite sobering testimony from Comptroller General David Walker, the leadoff witness at the first Social Security hearing of the year at the House Ways and Means Committee.

more>>>> http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/03/09/national/w144831S87.DTL

:o

Carper, Conrad, Ben Nelson will be there, too.

Those four plus 55 Repubs leaves them just one shy of 60 votes, just what they need to ensure SS "reform". :eyes:

He's one of the biggest pouplists in the Senate.

That POS broke ranks and voted for the bankruptcy bill.

That was about as Non-Populist a piece of legislation that has EVER come out of Congress.... and I mean EVER.

He's too thin to be eating doughnuts...

They want it so bad, they would sell their mother and kids into slavery.
The GOP can KMA!

on NO private accounts. BTW, the silencing of the 'drug benefit' guy I believe is why the GAO guy was testifying. That drug benefit added about $17 trillion to the deficit; Social Security's deficit is only $12 trillion...

The drug discounts to Medicare recipients are NOT anywhere near the discounted drug prices available on most private health plans. Given the restricted incomes of Medicare recipients, this is truly a choice for them between food or life-sustaining medications. It's a sin the way Shrub again has squandered our tax money by handing it off to his "big corporate buddies," and in the process...is trying to conquer-and-divide America by turning one group against the other to achieve his goals. In the instance of Medicare, he's trying to make the wealthy, and the young angry at the Elderly that their alleged Drug "benefits" are breaking the Budget.

"This is a debt to future generations of Americans and unless we do something about it we're not going to be able to pay for it without wrecking the economy," Bush said in Columbus, Ohio.

"This is a debt to future generations of Americans and unless we do something about it we're not going to be able to pay for it without wrecking the economy,"

:wtf:

If Democrats stick to their guns and don't allow its tampering with. There are other options to 'fix' Social Security before the critical year 2040 comes. Democrats need to fight for protecting the security nets put in place by SKILLED leaders of the past ie FDR and company. I have heard some would-be experts say that the monies we have paid out of our tax dollars did not belong to us but to seniors on Social Security..I say RUBBISH! Those monies have belonged to us tax payers all along regardless of greedy Bushies who see only $$ and will need to pay for their mismanagement of the US and their uncalled for war in Iraq.

You'll see just how serious we are in a second, but we sure aren't playing around.

Get your effin' hands out of the SS Trust Fund surplus, and KEEP THEM OUT.

The DNC could nail Republicans with television ads focusing on benefit cuts to be made only on taxpayers 55 and younger.

with an old woman talking to some little kids, all dressed in rags and tatters sitting around an open air fire on a terrible, snowy cold night, huddled together for warmth.

She is telling them that once upon a time there were beautiful green fields with clear streams and healthy animals and there were magnificent cities where people gathered together to form communities.

There were wonderful jobs that paid well and gave vacations and if folks got sick they could afford to go to the doctor and when they got old there was something called "Social Security" for them to be able to live with dignity to their final days.

But then the Selfish, Greedy ones came and convinced the simple people that they knew what was best for them and, little by little, they took over and ruined our beautiful land and way of life and turned us into a waring nation that the whole world feared and hated.

there is some serious hating going on in that committee between the majority and minority.

Chaired by the creepy Bill Thomas, with some spirited dems like Stephanie Tubbs Jones.

Anyone remember the past episode where the majority called the capitol police on the minority, and Thomas ended up apologizing on the House floor, literally in tears?

but in this case, I actually think Biden IS asking for it.

A little voting discipline amongst our democratic electorate would be a nice change.