Text of Rep. Sandy Levin's Democratic response on Bush SS plan

From Chronicle wire reports

Good morning. I'm Congressman Sandy Levin of Michigan.

The president has asked Congress and the American people to support diverting trillions of dollars from Social Security to private accounts. This would have dire consequences including major borrowing and massive benefit cuts. It would mean the dismantling of Social Security as we know it.

Maybe that's why the president is now trying to sell privatization through staged gatherings where the audience is hand- selected and the discussion is scripted. The president is out of touch, hearing what he wants to hear not what the public is saying.

Congressional Democrats are taking a different approach. We're holding hundreds of town hall meetings, open to the public, giving everyone an opportunity to be heard. I have found the more people hear the facts about the president's privatization proposals, the less they like them.

I've heard from current retirees that for them, Social Security has meant independence, an ability to live their retirement on their own as they see fit. They've worked hard, paid into the system and earned a secure guaranteed retirement. They want the same for their children and grandchildren.

I've heard from those near retirement, real doubts that diverting nearly $5 trillion over 20 years would not impact their Social Security.

more...

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/3103789

By VOA News
26 March 2005

A Democratic lawmaker has criticized President Bush's plan to revamp the U.S. retirement system known as Social Security.

House Representative Sander Levin, from the northern U.S. state of Michigan, says Mr. Bush's changes would dismantle the current retirement system and have severe consequences, including massive borrowing and benefit cuts.

more...

http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-03-26-voa29.cfm

the fact that the coward in the White House is afraid to hold an open town hall meeting.

Personally, I think Shrub would cower if he was confronted with a really diverse audience demanding answers.

public is saying."