In Case You Missed It: Democratic Senator Says He's Open To Private Accoun

[sunnystarr]

Democratic senator says he's open to private accounts in Social Security

By LAURA MECKLER
February 11, 2005

WASHINGTON - A second Senate Democrat said Friday he was open to President Bush's idea of letting people divert some of their Social Security taxes to personal retirement accounts as Republican Party leaders tried to allay re-election fears among wavering GOP lawmakers.

Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said any plan should be bipartisan, in part to give lawmakers from both parties political cover for supporting major changes to such the popular retirement program.

"I don't believe that we should rule out the accounts," Carper said Friday in an interview. "We have a very low savings rate in this country and clearly need to find ways to stimulate savings, and I think we should be open to a wide range of ideas and not dismiss them out of hand."

Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., also has said he is open to discussing the private accounts, saying he wants to see details.

more... http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/10415.html#

I actually found it on the RNC website but wouldn't want you to give them the traffic. The headline is from the RNC.

So what do we do about Carper and Nelson??

[Patiod]

1. I'm copying this and posting it in the Delaware forum

That state is so damned small, those people all know each other. No kidding - my friend's kids go to school with Carper's kids.

Delawareans need to know this (if they don't already)

[sunnystarr]

3. Should we be starting a phone/fax campaign?

I'm kinda new to the process and usually just follow the experienced pro's on here. Please advise.

[woodsprite]

20. I'm gonna write Tom a nasty-gram and give him a phone call.

[Riding this Donkey]

2. OK so all my bulbs are not the brightest But.......

Do corporations also donate to FICA?

Are the so called private accounts something that the government will choose for us and then say "you can pick A,B,C ,etc. only?

I am totally opposed to this kind of radical change in our safety net (SS) of guaranteed insurance for my future descendants.

Who much will Wall Street and Corporate America make on the back of US citizens?

This is not a statement it is some honest to God questions. Does anyone have any answers to these questions?

One more if you will indulge me. Has any one heard what became of the 9 Billion missing under Paul Bremmers watch in Iraq?

Thanks, Riding

[Selteri]

5. Answers - Yes, but not under the "reform"

The "reform", so far as I understand it, does not require the employer to pitch in a set amount based upon the amount the eployee is forced to "donate" to the various parts..

[Selteri]

4. Send him this!

Senator Tom Carper,

I find your choice to side with the corporation over the interest of the people to be thoroughly abhorrent. This choice to side with business over the people who placed you in office is unacceptable. As a voter who has personally decided that this action is completely unacceptable for a Senator of the United States of America. I hope and pray that you remember that this is a country of, by and for the people. This country is being threatened by your choice to support the deceptively named "Class Action Fairness Act of 2005" has left me with the belief that you need to be replaced.

As a voter who strongly believes in these, the United States of America, I shall vote with the two strongest tools I have, my vote and my wallet.

For your decision to vote against the American People I am donating the sum of $X dollars to whomever I deem to be worthy of replacing you to serve the people. I am encouraging every person I know who agrees with me that this poorly written "Class Action Fairness Act of 2005" to do the same. Every time you vote against the people I will vote again with my wallet to a fund to remove you from office.

Should you begin to vote consistently for the people, the direction of these legal political contributions will change.

In Disgust,

X

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Pass it on and send it in, alter it as you will.

[bahrbearian]

6. "both parties political cover "

who cares about the Constituent's , it's cover your ass?

[papau]

7. His words say IF - and his required conditions mean no Bush carve

out accounts

So can we trust him to keep his word?

[BlueInRed]

8. here's an alternative link

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=536&e=4&u=/ap/20050211/ap_on_go_co/social_security

I had this posted over in LBN, but it's long since fallen off the front page. Glad you posted it over here. :hi:

[whistle]

9. One by one they'll buy off democrats until Bush gets his...

...majority votes in both houses. Social security is social insurance, but no insurance company can offer what social security offers. That's what needs to be hammered home to the working people. 401Ks are not insurance, but higher risk investments which move up and down with the markets and are subject to management fees and other leakage. So nothing that privatization offers beats the deal that Social Security has for everyone, because administrative costs are low and everyone who contributes benefits.

The big issue is with corporations who are pressuring Bush to implement privatization to eliminate their 6.25% share of contribution. When that part goes, the whole social security fund implodes and corporations are off on one more free ride.

[Dudley_DUright]

10. Before going ballistic on Carper

better read this statement the Senator sent to Josh Marshall:

I've consistently said I would be open to the idea of establishing personal retirement accounts, but not if they result in an increase in our nation's debt nor a reduction in benefits for seniors. From what I understand thus far from the president, his proposal does not meet that crucial test. I believe that our government functions best when both Republicans and Democrats work together to find solutions to common problems, and that's why I believe it would be prudent for Congress and the president to create a truly bipartisan commission, like the one established in 1983, to find a way to strengthen and preserve our Social Security system and increase savings for young and old workers alike.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_02_06.php#004790

[sandnsea]

12. It's dumber WITH this statement

The plan in 1983 is the one that raised my FICA that Bush just gave away to the rich. Why would I trust another bipartisan commission when they ripped me off with the last one?

[Dudley_DUright]

15. True, but often calls for commissions are really calls to

punt the issue and do nothing, which is I think what Carper is calling for here.

[sunnystarr]

17. Guess it's a good thing people went ballistic on him ...

evidently the Senator retracted his previous statements after Marshall posted some of them and called him out.

Sen. Tom Carper (D) of Delaware: "I don't believe that we should rule out the accounts. We have a very low savings rate in this country and clearly need to find ways to stimulate savings, and I think we should be open to a wide range of ideas and not dismiss them out of hand."

Carper is the new Dean of the Senate Fainthearted Faction.

(ed.note: The Senate Deanship was temporarily vacant and held on a contingent basis by Rep. Allen Boyd of Florida, who is fainthearted enough for both chambers. However, Carper has now sufficiently distinguished himself to resume the post.)

and this from Marshall:

Social Security joke of the evening.

In parliamentary-speak, a 'whip' is a member of the leadership charged with 'whipping' straying members of the party back into line on major votes. The Senate Dems, for instance, have four deputy whips whose job it is to get strayers into line on pivotal issues like, say, Social Security.

Only, in this case, one of the four deputy whips is none other than Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, Dean of the senate's Fainthearted Faction.

So in addition to getting whipped by Sens. Boxer, Feingold and Nelson of Florida, he now also needs to whip himself.

So now Carper is memorialized on the RNC site as supporting Bush's position. Ain't he special?

He'd better retract himself more publicly than for Josh Marshall.

Thank you Josh!

[sandnsea]

11. Then adopt Edwards' plan

Matched savings plans for low-income people. We don't need to put SSI at risk in order to do add a savings plan.

[bluedipper]

13. my store

I know I can't post a thread yet because I am new here, but I thought I would let you know about this store I started. I am 18 and tried very hard to get the word out this past year for people young and old on why they should vote for Kerry, not that it wasn't totally obvious, but some people, those being the half who voted W back in are just to ignorant and downright stupid to understand that they voted in a undereducated, war loving COWARD! Anyway, now that we have 4 more years of this, I am still trying to get the word out, to hopefully open everyones eyes to it all, and we won't end up having one of Ws friends in office by 2008. So please come visit my store, and don't feel obligated to buy, but spread the word.
PEACE! -B
WWW.CAFEPRESS.COM/BLUEDIPPER
p.s. I update it frequently

[paineinthearse]

14. "We have a very low savings rate in this country..."

...due to un- or under-employmnet stemming from our jobs being offshored. It's kind of tough to save when your living from paycheck to paycheck or on unemployment or worse.

Don't be a rethug stooge, Crapper, concentrate on Democratic values.

[googly]

19. Americans are very smart to NOT save because........

they are buying homes like mad (67% own homes, highest ever)
and homes are appreciating at a faster rate than what the
savings account pays.

[MADem]

16. Joe Biden needs to get the junior senator in line

...and I am sure he will. Carper is up for reelection in '06, he really ought to think hard before shooting off his mouth.

[waryone1962]

29. Carper is more popular than Biden in DE...

Carper is a former 2 term Governor and a very popular politician in DE. There isn't much that can be done to unseat him short of a major scandal (and it would have to be really bad!) or his resignation. Delaware traditionally votes Democratic but the people are very loyal to individual politicians rather than parties; case in point, Mike Castle is a congressman, very popular and also a former Governor, who continues to get re-elected, but he is a die hard republican.

[newyawker99]

31. Hi waryone1962!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Califooyah Operative]

18. Get your pens and pencils, telephones and emails going.

let these people know what's really going on,

[bvar22]

21. Lets see what Barbara Boxer has to say.

Barbara tells the TRUTH about piratization!
Go here for good ammunition.

http://boxer.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=232056

[seabeyond]

22. people dont have saving cause dont have money to pay for heat

what is to guarentee this money will go to a savings. is it forced? i have read about the plan. why would someone having a tough time feeding family put this money on hold?

[IndianaGreen]

23. Will this POS surrender his Congressional pension for SS?

Of course not! None of those shitheads in Congress care about us! They have the best health care and the best pension system in the world, while the rest of us have to toil for what little we get.

[DistantWind88]

27. Why should he?

SS was never supposed to be retirement system. It was to SUPPLEMENT other retirement programs and ensure that no one lived in poverty in their old age. SS is part of a three-pronged system: Pension, savings, and SS. If you want a mandatory government-backed RETIREMENT STEM, them lets get to work on that.

[IndianaGreen]

32. There were no other retirement systems when SS was enacted

It was the "evil" unions that fought to get pensions from the employers.

BTW, Social Security is a watered-down version of the Socialist concept of a national pension for all workers.

[Gyre]

24. Dean should put a hit on these moles

To force them into the repube camp, where they belong.

[flordehinojos]

25. any democratic senators open to the looting of social security through

privatization accounts that will enrich wall street big shots and deplete needed income for many, many, many everyday Americans, must be die hard republicans at heart!

[FreeStateDemocrat]

30. It's simple, no legitimate democrat can support the idiot on SS.

The Democratic leadership needs to sanction traitors to the core values of Democratic Party.

[cthrumatrix]

26. start calling him NOW

[sendero]

28. Question...

... is it possible to send campaign money - either hard donations or "soft" money for "issue ads" - to states other than your own?

Because we should put the Dem Senate on notice - you vote for this sham of a reform and we will use grass roots contributions to GET YOU OUT OF THE SENATE.

There is no excuse whatsoever for any Dem senator going along with this bullshit.