Senate Republicans Off-track on Social Security

From the Cato Institute's Daily Dispatch for April 8, 2005:

"Senate Republicans are considering temporarily sidetracking President Bush's plan for personal investment accounts under Social Security, hoping Democrats will then join compromise talks on legislation to restore the program's solvency," reports the Associated Press.

The article continues: "Several GOP officials said Thursday that Republican leaders discussed the possibility privately this week, recognizing that unified Democratic opposition to the accounts has so far stalled efforts to advance the president's top domestic priority."

In "Social Security Reform," Jamie Dettmer, Cato's director of media relations, writes: "Social Security reform has gotten off track because Republicans have wandered off message. Tricks, schemes and gimmicks -- like add-on accounts, tax increases, wage cap increases and the rest -- are not the keys to winning the debate over Social Security reform."

"... Major reform requires political toughness and tenacity and a real thoughtfulness when it comes to explaining why change is necessary. Alas, neither congressional Republicans nor the White House has excelled at presenting the case for reform. They are failing to draw on the rich populist themes of the dignity of ownership and the right to dispose of one's own earnings and savings that can win the political debate."