| REDRESS |
|
|
BUSH MULLS ACTION ON SOCIAL SECURITY White House Debates When and How to Prod Congress for Changes By Amy Goldstein, The Washington Post, Reported in Las Vegas Review-Journal, 11-17-02 WASHINGTON - The White House is interpreting Republican congressional victories in the Nov. 5 midterm elections as a mandate for changes to Social Security that President Bush has long sought. But the administration may be unwilling to devote his political capital so such touchy legislation in the coming year. According to sources in the administration, Congress and conservative interest groups, White House officials have concluded from voters' choices that the changes, which would for the first time tie a portion of the nation's retirement system to stock market investments, can be a winning issue. Bush aids have compiled a Power Point presentation for advocates and lawmakers showing that several GOP candidates who emphasized Social Security in their campaigns did "best of all" as an administration official put it. However, the president's advisers are still discussing whether he should prod lawmakers for a bill quickly or spend the next year leading a "national conversation" to try to engender support. The change centers on the creation of individual retirement accounts in which most workers could divert some of their Social Security taxes into stocks and bonds. Several prominent outside advocates of such accounts, who have been in contact with the White House in recent days, said they believe that Bush's economic and political advisors, including senior advisor Karl Rove, favored swift legislation. On the other hand, the sources said, White House lobbyists are more hesitant to ask for legislation right away. That's because some senior Republicans believe the timing is poor, most Democrats are resistant, and the administration's ideological allies have not made clear how high Social Security ranks among their goals now that the GOP is taking control of both chambers of Congress. Bush has not tipped his hand. During a news conference last week, he called the future of Social Security "an incredibly important debate." But he added, "Listen, there are a lot of important issues." He did not say how soon he would ask Congress to act. White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card inadvertently provoked a furor last weekend when asked about Social Security changes on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I'm not sure that it can happen next year," he said. Afterward, White House aides called their sympathizers in advocacy groups and on Capitol Hill, saying that Card was not implying that Bush had made a decision. The question of when and how the White House should prod Congress is the most recent step in a long political dance over how to stabilize the retirement system, which pays benefits to about 40 million retirees. The system, which has been funded by payroll taxes invested in Treasury securities, is expected to face enormous strains starting in the next decade as Americans live longer and the large baby boom generation retires. Bush made Social Security a central issue of his presidential campaign. Last year, he set forth some principles for redesigning the program, including the retirement accounts and a promise not to reduce benefits for people who are retired or who will be soon. Then he created a commission that proposed three alternatives late last year, each containing a version of private accounts. At the time, the White House said it wanted to use this year for a national dialogue about the issue, deferring legislation until after this month's elections. And some GOP leaders, notably Rep. Thomas Davis, R-Va., chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee, cautioned party candidates against playing up the issue. WORKING TOGETHER TO ATTAIN FAIRNESS | ||
|
||
|
| ||
|
| ||
