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Democrats bash Bush social security plan
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-01-29 12:01 US Senate Democrats on Friday
criticized President Bush's plan to add personal accounts to Social Security and
accused his administration of improperly using the Social Security
Administration to promote the idea.
A pair of Social Security employees told the Democratic Policy Committee they
objected to internal agency documents that direct employees to talk about the
system's problems and a need for reform.
"That is a political message, and it's not my job as an agency employee to
project a political message," said Debbie Fredericksen, who works in the
Minneapolis field office and is a union representative.
Bush hopes to let younger workers divert a portion of their Social Security
taxes into private retirement accounts that supporters hope would be more
profitable than traditional government bonds because they could be invested in
the stock market.
Bush met privately Friday with congressional Republicans at a retreat in West
Virginia to discuss Social Security and other issues.
Congressional Republicans have said they will need Democratic support to pass
legislation, and a handful of Senate Democrats have been meeting with supporters
of private accounts to discuss the issue.
Most Senate Democrats have said they oppose carving private accounts out of
the existing system. They held the session Friday to highlight their opposition
to the Bush plan and to what they say is the administration's improper use of a
government agency.
"These messages serve no other purpose than to sear the idea of crisis into
the public's mind," said Sen. Frank Lautenberg , D-N.J.
Specifically:
_The agency's communications plan directs workers to spread this message: "In
order for Social Security to be there for future generations, necessary reforms
must take place."
_Talking points distributed internally reflect Bush's political messages
about Social Security and the need for personal accounts. It includes Bush's
principles for overhauling the system, including that "modernization must
include individually controlled, voluntary personal retirement accounts to
augment Social Security."
_Mailings to Americans detailing the benefits they can expect to receive also
warn that "the Social Security system is facing serious financial problems, and
action is needed soon to make sure that the system is sound."
_The agency's Web site and customer service telephone lines push the need to
"modernize and reform" the system, saying the future shortfall is "massive and
growing."
"We feel that this is a gross misuse and waste of government funds and
government personnel," said Steve Kofahl, a claims representative from Seattle
and also a union representative.
The Social Security Administration responded that its actions were
appropriate and said similar messages were used during the Clinton
administration.
"I have never, nor will I ever, ask or direct Social Security employees to
promote or advance any specific proposal for Social Security reform," Jo Anne
Barnhart, commissioner of Social Security, said in a statement. "Our job at
Social Security is to provide services and benefits and to educate the American
public about the programs and finances of Social Security."
At Friday's session, several Democrats said they would not support the Bush
plan because it undercuts the nature of Social Security as an insurance program
that guards against poverty in old age.
"We want a guaranteed benefit, not a guaranteed gamble," said Sen. Barbara
Mikulski, D-Md.
Also objecting was James Roosevelt Jr., whose grandfather, President Franklin
D. Roosevelt, signed the Social Security Act into law. "He was adamant that
Social Security was an insurance program ... not an investment plan," James
Roosevelt said.
Brian Jones, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, called the
Friday's Democratic forum a farce.
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