Bush Says Retirement Benefit Growth Not Realistic

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush said on Tuesday that limiting the growth of future retirement benefits for Americans would be an "adjustment to reality."

Bush said in an interview with local newspapers that he was not expressing a preference for one idea that would link benefit growth to increases in prices rather than wages. That idea, backed by some White House officials, would effectively slow the growth of the benefits.

"Benefit cuts is an interesting word," Bush was quoted as saying in the Quad-City Times, a Davenport, Iowa newspaper.

"Benefits are scheduled to grow at a certain rate, and one of the suggestions, for example ... was they grow ...they grow, but not at a rate as fast as projected. You can call it anything you want. I would call it an adjustment to reality," he said.

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=7640628

Benefit cuts is an interesting word

[progressivebydesign]

1. I really freakin' hate millionaires... n/t

[htuttle]

6. They're really not so bad...

...if you remember to tenderize them and wrap them in foil before you pop them in the oven. Roasting them on a spit can be good, too. You need a decent barbeque sauce for that, however, since millionaires have a tendency to taste 'gamey'.

[TahitiNut]

I prefer basting them with tar and dressing 'em with feathers.

:evilgrin:

[LisaLynne]

2. I hate it when he uses "interesting".

Can he say anything without sounding like a buffoon or an arrogant chimp?

[Norquist Nemesis]

3. Rinse and repeat, George

Hey, it's been working for the Republicans for 40 years now. Those who question, disagree, or hesitate to jump the band wagon get rubber stamped with "crazy" on the forehead.

:grr:

[xxqqqzme]

4. If I am receiving a

'benefit' of $1,000 in 2005 and the 'benefit' projected for 2012 is $800.00 - interestingly I call that a cut! We need a better word than benefit. The money in your SocSec account is not a benefit - You EARNED the money in that account.

Benefit sounds 2 much like a hand-out, which SocSec is NOT.

[GodlessBiker]

5. "Benefit cuts is an interesting word" ... That's two words, George.

[TahitiNut]

15. It's a typo. He actually said "Benefitcuts is an interesting word"

:silly: Something invented by George Nethercutt, apparently.

[Beetwasher]

7. LOL! "Adjustment to Reality"!!!!!!!

They are trying to call benefit cuts an "Adjustment to Reality"!!!!

Good luck w/ that ASSHOLE!!!

I think they're losing their touch.

Which term has more punch? "Benefit Cut" or "Adjustment to Reality"? Let them go for this and let the Dems keep calling them benefit cuts. See who wins this little propoganda war. Dumbasses.

[Norquist Nemesis]

14. Actually, they're trying to label dissenters as "crazy"

Watch the news over the next 10 days. It's the new TP now that he's said it. He's targeting the donut hole of the plan (40-55) since he has support with younger voters and he's promised no cuts in the 55+ demographic.

All that remains are the 40somethings up to 55 yr olds...the last 10-15 years of the boomers. Supposedly, this group will have an 'option' for his 'personal' accounts (or not, in which case those people will be a burden to the taxpayers :eyes: )

So, Bush is planting a seed into the sub-conscious for middle of the spectrum to ask themselves "Am I crazy with my head in the clouds?"

[TahitiNut]

18. The 40somethings should be the LEAST tolerant of the scam.

The latter half of the boomers (born 1954-1964) are the folks who'll have paid the 30-35% premium on their payroll taxes for the entirety of their working life in order to build the trust fund reserve to ameliorate the impact of their own retirement. This is the only aspect of Social Security that lends any legitimacy at all to the words 'savings' or 'investment.' (Even then, we have to ignore the fact that private insurance companies do the same thing.)

It'd be economically masochistic in the extreme for any boomer to support the Fecal Führer's Fraud.

[merwin]

17. This isn't the first time * has adjusted reality and gotten away with it

[papau]

8. Bush Says Retirement Benefit Growth Not Realistic

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-retirement-strategy.html

Bush Says Retirement Benefit Growth Not Realistic
By REUTERS

Published: February 15, 2005

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush said on Tuesday that limiting the growth of future retirement benefits for Americans would be an ``adjustment to reality.''

Bush said in an interview with local newspapers that he was not expressing a preference for one idea that would link benefit growth to increases in prices rather than wages. That idea, backed by some White House officials, would effectively slow the growth of the benefits.

``Benefit cuts is an interesting word,'' Bush was quoted as saying in the Quad-City Times, a Davenport, Iowa newspaper.

``Benefits are scheduled to grow at a certain rate, and one of the suggestions, for example ... was they grow ...they grow, but not at a rate as fast as projected. You can call it anything you want. I would call it an adjustment to reality,'' he said.<snip>


``The White House has got a very confused message. They are mixing the positive message of personal accounts with this idea of cutting benefits,'' said Peter Ferrara, a senior fellow at the Institute for Policy Innovation, a Washington think tank.<snip>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Bush.html
Bush Barnstorms for Social Security Fix 11:12 a.m. ET
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush is barnstorming the country, trying to convince the public that Social Security needs an urgent overhaul and offering a solution even the White House acknowledges won't fix the retirement system's future financial problems.

[cthrumatrix]

9. coming from a man who is "afraid" to show his plan

because it's nothing more than a sham

[Palacsinta]

10. Benefit cuts IS an interesting word?

Bush are an interesting man.

[Worst Username Ever]

11. I noticed that too. God.

[oneighty]

12. Like Nixon

running for Pres. (I have a secret plan) to end the war. So secret he never ever told anybody.

Bush is not going to reveal his save SS plan because he does not have one.

180

[VegasWolf]

13. I didn't think clownboy could find anything interesting! n/t

[Straight Shooter]

16. "I would call it an adjustment to suppression."

Little Boots never tells the truth.

[wishlist]

19. "Adjustment to reality" - Bushism for get used to getting screwed suckers!

It shouldn't be difficult to maintain the status quo and keep providing the same level of Social Security benefits and standard of living for our elderly in the most prosperous country in the world, if Bush & Co hadn't bankrupted us.

[Orsino]

20. Done before the fact...

...it's not an "adjustment to reality." It's ideology.

[dbt]

21. Has anybody said FUCK BU$H yet?

[LynnTheDem]

22. BUSH WANTS TO CUT YOUR BENEFITS.

It's really that simple.

[Cocoa]

23. yes it is that simple

Bush and the whores will try to make it more complicated, but I think people understand the concept of "less money" pretty well.

[screembloodymurder]

24. Tax cuts for the rich must be extended, but Government

obligations to regular folks can't be met. SS is an insurance policy. We paid for the policy in full, and now Bush doesn't want to honor the policy.

Bush wants to have his cake and eat ours too.

[KansDem]

25. Why are we even listening to this worthless POS???

He lied us into war, why are we even taking him seriously?

He can't even explain his plans for Social Security without sounding like a dimshit! When he tries, it's obvious that he doesn't know a damn thing about what he's talking about!!!

[driver8]

26. As I mentioned before, I know someone is screwed when I read

the words, "Bush said", "Bush vows", "Bush pledges".

Oh, how I hate that man.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

27. For many of us, retirement is unrealistic

[GetTheRightVote]

28. I'll face up to my own reality without your lies in it, take your plan and

put it where the sun does not shine, screw you * and your Adminstration.

:kick: