The Note has useful quotes re social security

[Dr Ron]

The Note has a lot of useful information today re Social Security. This inculudes both their own observations (which cast doubt on the honesty of Bush's proposals) as well as quoting key lines from several newspapers.

I thought this was particularly helpful being an objective, nonpartisan source in the mainstream media.

I have included some of the key quotes from them at Light Up the Darkness Blog at:http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp

[kerrygoddess]

1. Good stuff there...

From the Note! Thanks Ron

[Dr Ron]

2. May reflect mainstream media's take

What is especially useful in being from The Note is that this may become the "conventional wisdom" established by the mainstream media. If this is how the media covers Bush's Social Security proposals, he will have an uphill battle.

[blue4barb]

3. Peter Jennings on ABC News tonight

had a conversation with correspondent (Shuster?) about social security. It was stated that b*sh is re-activating his thousands of campaign/election workers to push his social security plan.
(think that was the gist of it)

Has anyone heard if they're reorganizing for this battle?

[Dr Ron]

5. Similar comments elsewhere

I didn't catch that show, but I've seen several comments in the mainstream media with the same idea. They commonly discuss Bush's plans to push his political agenda in the context of having a campaign analogous to his reelection campaign.

I've also heard of one hitch to this plan. Some on the religious right said they would not support him on Social Security if Bush didn't support their issues. Note he had to stick in a brief mention of the Defense of Marriage ammendment in the State of the Union. It seemed thrown in there. I bet he didn't want to include it there, but felt he had to continue to throw such bones to the religious right to keep them in line.

[kerrygoddess]

4. Republicans not all happy with this

In an unexpected blow to the administration, Rep. Jim McCrery (R-La.), chairman of the subcommittee that handles Social Security, said Bush's plan must be changed in a fundamental way if it is to have a chance. McCrery said he should scrap the idea of funding accounts with money earmarked for the Social Security trust fund.

"It seems to me that if we insist on diverting payroll tax revenue, we have ensured opposition from the AARP and probably every single Democrat in the House and Senate, and that's not a good place to start," McCrery said in a telephone interview.

With Senate Republicans privately saying they plan to delay action on the proposal for several months, the president is betting he can eventually overcome opposition by building public support for change, pressuring lawmakers in states where he is popular and spending the political capital that he feels flows from winning a second-term in office. So far, no Senate Democrat has embraced the partial privatization of Social Security.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61523-2005Feb3.html?sub=AR