WP: Hastert Doubtful on Social Security Bill

Hastert Doubtful on Social Security Bill
House Speaker Says That Passage of Legislation This Year May Be Unlikely

By Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 1, 2005; Page A04


House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) has acknowledged that President Bush's call for completion of a Social Security bill this year could be unrealistic and that the legislation might have to wait until 2006.

The president's aides immediately responded by saying Bush is committed to winning passage this year. The White House and Republican congressional leaders have said repeatedly that the proposed restructuring of the retirement system is doomed if it does not pass this year, because it will be even more difficult to get Democratic support in 2006, a midterm election year.

GOP lawmakers have also said Bush needs to sign the bill this year because they want close to a full year before the election to explain what they have done, and for retirees to see they are still getting their checks and scheduled increases.

But Hastert, in an interview to be published today by the National Journal, cast doubt on the ability of Congress to deliver on such a rapid schedule. He was asked what his timetable is for completion of a Social Security bill.

"Politically, we probably need to get something done by next spring, a year from now," he said. "You can't carry it right up to an election. That's just political dynamite."...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17000-2005Mar31.html

The Social Security Piratization Plan has official jumped the shark! :evilgrin:

...Hastert is John Linder's #1 supporter on the "National Sales Tax" proposal.

Hastert PROMOTED Linder to a position on the House Ways & Means Committee SPECIFICALLY so he would be in a more POWERFUL POSITION to MAKE THE NATIONAL SALES TAX HAPPEN.

http://www.offshorepress.com/iwpm-0502.htm

"...another tax reform hint last week was House Speaker Dennis Hastert's choice of John Linder as one of the new Members on the House Ways and Means Committee. The Georgia Republican is the leading proponent of a national sales tax to replace the income tax, and his promotion signals that Mr. Hastert may be serious about pushing such a reform. We're highly skeptical, unless Republicans think they can also repeal the Constitution's 16th Amendment that allowed the income tax; without that change, the introduction of a national sales tax means we'll inevitably get stuck with both it and the income tax."

Thanks for the info, it would terrible if they enacted such a hugely regressive tax such as the national sales tax :mad:

do NOT have one. they want us dems to go first so they can shred us and our so called proposal. we should NOT put a plan up either.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

many people on DU who agree. Dems, keep on doing what you're doing. I applaud your silence!

It's called "Social Security". :-)

said the same thing.

It appears that the Republicans are acknowledging that the Prez's plan is DOA.

Why? I hear it's DOA also.

that * would come to Iowa to tout his SS plan--while Grassley is saying that the plan won't get through Congress.

Grassley was quoted as saying that there is a 50/50 chance it will pass.

What on earth are they doing?

The only thing I can guess--is that Grassley and other House/Senate members may be taking the blame for the plan failing. If Congress members, like Grassley, speak about *'s bill not passing--then maybe they think this puts the emphasis on Congress, and takes the failure off of *'s shoulders.

Hell. I don't know.

It's very bizarre.

you? They "know" they will pick up more seats in 2006 and just force it through

This is a good thing for Dems! I can just hear the Pubs still supporting Shrubs quasi plan, and all the people supporting the Dem candidates because they really don't want privitization at all!

So that they will have almost a full year TO EXPLAIN WHAT THEY HAVE DONE!!! I don't think that's the way it's supposed to work in a democracy, is it????? Every time I think I can't be more amazed at how this bunch of dimwit dipshits are trying to hornswaggle us, they come up with something even more absurd.

I'm not concerned so much with my "checks and scheduled increases," as I am the continued survival of the program for my children and grandchildren. Before I "sign on" to any changes to Social Security, I'm going to have to see more than "close to a full year" of proof that those changes are not going to radically alter or abolish the core aspects of the program.

:toast:

Snow is a senile bastard.

Hastert Casts Doubt on Quick Social Security Action

Fri Apr 1, 2005 02:07 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House Speaker Dennis Hastert said an overhaul of Social Security might have to wait until 2006, casting doubt on President Bush's push for action this year on his top domestic policy goal. But White House spokesman Scott McClellan said on Friday that the president remains "confident we can get it done this year."

Bush has been scrambling for ways to keep alive his goal of the biggest overhaul of Social Security since its 1935 creation but his proposal for private retirement accounts has run into opposition from Democrats and some Republicans in Congress. Polls show the American public remains skeptical despite a nationwide appeal for support by Bush and his top advisers.

Hastert, who controls the pace of legislation through the House, cast doubt on Bush's call for completion of a Social Security bill this year in an interview in the April 2 edition of the National Journal. "Politically, we probably need to get something done by next spring, a year from now. You can't carry it right up to an election. That's just political dynamite," said Hastert, an Illinois Republican. "When you are dealing with Social Security, there is always a nervousness. This is something that you have to convince people that there really is a problem... You can't take their Social Security, mash it up and not have a good result," the speaker said. But Hastert said, "I feel cautiously optimistic that we can get this thing done... It's a question of whether it's convenient politically or whether they can stand the test back home."

McClellan said Hastert, like the president, wants to "get it done this year... This is a high priority." Hastert cited "organized resistance on this thing," and said, "you have to get through that." One factor in Bush's inability to make much headway on the issue has been the opposition to personal retirement accounts of the AARP, the advocacy group that represents as many as 35 million senior citizens.

(more at link above)

"take their Social Security,(and) mash it up."

Politically, 'eh, dennis? That's all you guys care about, isn't it? What the political impact is gonna be - on yourselves. It's not for the good of the people you want to do this, you are hoping to manipulate it so it's "POLITICALLY" good for you. It's always about how it plays out politically, isn't it? Who cares what the impact is as long as it's beneficial, politically. Just shows you where his priorities are. NOT with his constituents. NOT with America. NOT with the elderly or any of the younger generations the elderly obviously cares deeply about.

he's totally beholden, and he's scared sh*tless.

down elephant you hobbled in on! Your fucked up plan to steal SS won't happen ANY YEAR!

holding his wet finger up in the wind.