Seniors organization digs in for fight overprivate Social Security account

[papau]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-12-06-aarp-socialsecurity_x.htm
Seniors organization digs in for fight over private Social Security accounts

Mon Dec 6, 6:58 AM ET


By Jim Drinkard, USA TODAY

AARP, the nation's largest seniors organization, is coming out strongly against President Bush's plan to allow private individual accounts within Social Security.

In the magazine it sends to its 35 million members, the group says Bush's plan would damage the most successful government program in history and abdicate on a promise made to future retirees.

"Taking some of the money that workers pay into the system and diverting it into newly created private accounts would weaken Social Security and put benefits for future generations at risk," says the December issue of the AARP Bulletin, which went to members this weekend.

The group's position is consistent with its long-standing opposition to privatizing the nation's retirement program. But it was the strongest statement yet to its members and comes as Congress and the White House gear up to tackle the issue.
<snip>

While Bush has promised to make revamping Social Security a top priority for his second term, the administration has offered no specific plans. When Bush does flesh out a proposal for private accounts, opponents say, it will become clear that the plan will entail benefit cuts, additional risk for retirees and a bigger national debt.


AARP spokesman Kevin Donnellan said the letter is just the first step in "an aggressive grass-roots campaign" that could include TV ads. "If there's any issue we will pull out the stops on, it's this one," he said.

[Florida_Geek]

1. IF I repeat IF AARP stands it's ground

Bush's new SS plan is DOA in Congress. IMHO

[Ian David]

2. Private Social Security Accounts

I am all in favor of allowing private social security investment, on one condition:

If we can invest it in Euros or gold.

[papau]

4. Or invest by shorting an index that measures middle class Stadard

of living.

This should be framed as a new forced tax funded 401k plan separate from a new cut Social Security benefits in excess of any needed fix in the 2042 - such as moving from Reagan "retirement age" 67 to age 70 for those that take benefits at age 62 or later after the year 2042 - thereby cutting the benefit at 62 for those newly retired folks in the year 2042 by 30%.

[asjr]

3. This administration's only goal is to bleed the citizens of

this country dry. Except for the 2% who already own us. With the stock market we have now who in his or her right mind would want to invest. They have stolen everything we have since 2000.

[madrchsod]

5. there is no way in hell

that we are going to let the thugs change social security. there are tens of millions who will not let anyone change SS. there is another election in 2006 and if the thugs even start there won`t be a republican in America that will back this bill. will the democrats cave in? probably