What is the hurry with a SS reform?

[fencesitter]

What is the rush to fix something that's not really broke? I hear next week the white house is going to launch a big public relation campaign to convince everyone how broken the system is and how great it will be to put our SS into the market. Why not rush to fix something that absolutely is broken and needs desperate reform, like HEALTHCARE??
I think we need a "Harry & Louise(?)", those senior folks who helped trash the Clinton health care reform. If that campaign could kill a needed reform, we need a counter public relations campaign to point out this loonacy.

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Profits for the Bush constituency (ASAP).

[eaprez]

2. Because the news organizations aren't "investigating"

the claim enabling them to get away with this farce. This will be just like the campaign to invade Iraq except instead of saying "Weapons of Mass Destruction" a million times a day it will be "social security is broken" --- and just like they did for Iraq, the masses will fall for it.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. Profits for WallStreet brokers who would handle the private accts.

[Old and In the Way]

6. Perhaps this is the last available cash asset?

They wiped out the Treasury, all that's left is Social Security.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

4. When they say they are going to "fix" social security,

they mean it in the same sense as you "fix" a horse race. Just pulling bricks out of the New Deal wall, one at a time, until the whole thing collapses.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. SS is not an investment, It is insurance, as was said on AAR today.

It is more than just a retirement fund. It is used for disability and surviving dependents and children as well!!!
The media (SURPRISE SURPRISE) does not mention that...and does not mention that SS is fine for at leat 50 years and will be fine for even longer if Bush would stop stealing form it!!!!
This is all such an obvious ploy!!!

[haele]

7. They need an infusion of money in the Stock Market...

Whether it's right or not, most average, "middle class" Americans have this weird belief that if the Dow and NASDAQ is doing well, then the economy is good. It's an easy gauge for them to look at, especially those with 401K's or other smaller retirement accounts.

My 'pubbie stepmother in law had the gall to try and pull the "You have a 401K, so supply side economics should be good for you and you should be greatful that Bush is helping investors" card when we discussed Bush's disasterous economic policies and the weight of the burden on the poor.
Like my little 401K means more than the mixture of individual investments, a paid off residence (should I ever be able to buy a house in this inflated market), Social Security, and my military pension to my wellbeing when I retire.
She was born into a family with enough money to make a good investment in her social status despite having divorced parents - she's clueless as to the reality that it takes money to make money - a livable wage where you can put aside savings and pay off property before you retire is far more important to the average American than a 401K, even if your employer does make halfway decent co-deposits into it, and doesn't fire you before you vest.

Haele

[leftofthedial]

8. the RW want to destroy it while they hold power

they can't say they want to destroy it, so they call it "reform," or even, in their Orwellian manner, "saving" it.

[spanone]

9. Reform is a euphemism for destroy.

[Gothmog]

10. Bush wants to use Political Capital while he has some

Bush needs to move fast because he is claiming a mandate and that he has some political capital. Assuming that this is true, it will not last long unless Iraq improves and the administration does not stop screwing things up for the economy Bush is going to be a lame duck pretty quickly and wants to move fast on this issue before people realize that adding a trillion dollars to the deficit is a bad idea.