Newsweek: Bush buried Social Security privatization proposals in budget

[deminks]

Sleight of Hand

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11235990/site/newsweek/from/RSS/

Feb. 8, 2006 - If you read enough numbers, you never know what you'll find. Take President Bush and private Social Security accounts.

Last year, even though Bush talked endlessly about the supposed joys of private accounts, he never proposed a specific plan to Congress and never put privatization costs in the budget. But this year, with no fanfare whatsoever, Bush stuck a big Social Security privatization plan in the federal budget proposal, which he sent to Congress on Monday.

His plan would let people set up private accounts starting in 2010 and would divert more than $700 billion of Social Security tax revenues to pay for them over the first seven years.

If this comes as a surprise to you, have no fear. You're not alone. Bush didn't pitch private Social Security accounts in his State of the Union message last week.

But anyone who thought that Bush would wait for bipartisanship to deal with Social Security was wrong. Instead, he stuck his own privatization proposals into his proposed budget.

[Cha]

1. That little pissant fucker!

Congress BETTER REJECT THIS!

[asjr]

2. The Sneak and Peek administration!

[SCDem]

3. And yet the Republicans are now saying that we need transparency

in government. We've always needed a transparent govt. and the Republicans have repeatedly denied us such a thing and now even when they are saying it is needed they are doing crap like this.

[ClintonTyree]

55. You've got to be shitting me.

They actually said that? :wtf: This maladministration is the most secretive, opaque administration in history. They deny every request for information (or destroy it) and thumb their noses at anyone trying to find out what the hell they're up to. I can't believe this shit. Another GOP bait and switch. Healthy forest initiative = clear cutting old growth forests. Clear skies initiative = trading pollution "credits" so the really BIG polluters can pollute as much as they want with no restraints. Now they say "we need transparency", which = pull the plug on any light shone on the White House. :eyes:
I give the hell up, these bastards have elevated lying to an art form. When will this shit END? :grr:

[Tigress DEM]

84. Some Republicans are breaking rank, others are playing both sides

It's like the way that the party that got 70% of the graft from Abrahmoff is all of the sudden champions of campaign finance reform.

But there are probably a few who are just freaked out by the extent to which *ush is making this a dictatorship Even corrupt Republicans can't sell that.

[gkhouston]

4. oh, that was a mistake.

A BIG one. :popcorn:

[Cha]

25. Ya think? I hope so..

tell me something to make me feel mo better :)

[Pirate Smile]

33. Well, we saw how the public reacted to Bush's campaign for this

last year.

This means we can run on it again this year - bashing the Congressional Republicans and Bush for trying to privatize social security. Warning people not to vote for them in November, 2006.

Thanks for handing us the bludgeon, we will certainly use it up against your head all the way until November.

[Cha]

37. Thanks! It's my personal

upfront issue with the monkey lovers..I got into politics in 2000 cause I thought there Might be cause for concern with our Social Security.

It's just the way they sneak everything through..but if Newsweek is writing about this then we should be able to beat back their Sneak Attacks.

[gkhouston]

36. think about this: Bush spent most of last year

droning on and on and on about Social Security. The more he talked about it, the less Americans wanted it. So now he's going to try to force through something that is very unpopular with most Americans and he didn't even have the balls to tell us he was going to do it in the SOTU speech, he just slips it into the budget without talking about it. That makes it look like he's trying to do something behind our backs because he knows we're not going to like it. Ah, but Congress has to approve this budget... in an election year when the R's are already against the wall because of the Abramoff scandal and the Plame outing scandal and the wiretapping scandal and, and...

This is gonna be good...

[Cha]

38. Thanks!

I've calmed considerbly since I first read this this morning :popcorn: :D

I know how they do things..if the public doesn't want it they think "the public be damned" and do it anyway.

[Cleetus]

5. son of a bitch

nothing is beneath this contemptable asshole.

[Kansas Wyatt]

6. Democrats had better be screaming about this every chance they get.

Let the American people, who refused Bush's Social Security privatization plan, see how he is trying to sneak it in on them anyway regardless of what they want.

[converted_democrat]

7. I just called Bill Nelson's office, and the women on the phone didn't

care a lick.. I asked her to look into it, and she literally laughed at me.. I'm really getting pissed at my elected representation..

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. Florida's Nelson?

[converted_democrat]

13. Yep, The DC office.. n/t

[drm604]

44. Everyone should call and fax his offices about this.

Let him know that we're watching and we care even if he doesn't. If you get laughed at tell them it's not a laughing matter and you don't care for that kind of condescending attitude from the office of an elected representative whose salary you pay, then fax them about this issue and also mention in the fax the bad attitude of the staffer.

[serryjw]

73. Ohhhhhhh, Thanks for the good laugh...........,

I was starting to get very upset.

[Lasher]

82. Bill Nelson says he is opposed to privatization

From his web site:

Social Security has a long history of ensuring the retirement security of American workers, and Senator Nelson is committed to maintaining this tradition. He is determined that Social Security will remain a reliable source of retirement savings for our children and grandchildren. Nelson has cosponsored legislation to help strengthen the program for future generations, and opposes its privatization.

http://billnelson.senate.gov/issues/seniors/index.cfm

I suggest that you call one of his other offices, listed here

http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/offices.cfm

to complain about the shabby treatment you got at the DC office. I believe Senator Nelson would want to know that his image might have been tarnished by this staffer.

[jwirr]

76. And let them know that private SSA accounts is just

another way to allow the rich to opt out of paying taxes EVEN thought they don't even pay social security taxes on their entire income like most of us do.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Fucking sneak. Everything he does is sneaky.

I'd rather he were getting blow jobs in the oval office.

[druidity33]

59. who says he's not? n/t

[Ganja Ninja]

10. Commander & (Sneak) Thief n/t

[SpiralHawk]

11. Sneaky little Skull & Boner AWOL Cheerleader

Hasn't got the guts to face the American people with his real plans.

Weasel.

[ClintonTyree]

57. He hasn't got the guts to face them at all.........

unless they're hand picked and certified to be fawning bush sycophants. Words cannot express the hate I have for that spoiled, little shit. Going behind the backs of Americans so he and his Wall Street pals can steal all of that juicy Social Security money. The same with his "health-care accounts". :grr:

This monkey-faced, little son of a bitch is in for the fight of his life on this one. The maggot actually thinks he can do anything he wants and get away with it. King george is in for a rude fucking awakening, and soon. The best part of this slimy cretin ended up as a brown stain on his Mommy's sheets!

There are no words in the English language that can describe the hate and revulsion I feel for this walking sack of shit! :mad:

[jwirr]

78. You are so right - did you see the look on his face at the

King funeral? He was pissed!!

[Bridget Burke]

12. But the news-droids are up in arms about Mrs King's funeral....

Who wants to discuss the Budget? Numbers are so dull.

[FreedomAngel82]

42. Yep

This is why. Anything to not report the real news.

[rpgamerd00d]

14. I forwarded this to Russ Feingold

[Cha]

28. Thank you, Sweetie!

If anything kills this Nation it's gonna be apathy!

[Marleyb]

15. Just trust him, he knows what is best..he is doing it for our own good....

[mattclearing]

16. Man, he is going to pay for this one. n/t

[liveoaktx]

17. This the budget he says he is SIGNING today? How did this

get in? Really, what the heck is the process? If congress went through all this and approved it, and then he sneaks something else in, did he just not TELL them? Or don't they have to look at it again if he ALTERS it?

[deminks]

18. This is in the proposed budget that he just gave Congress on Monday

this week. I think it is being hashed out for several weeks. Question becomes now will the Dems fight it. I pray that they will.

[liveoaktx]

19. I am listening to him speak on one of his stumps-he said he is

SIGNING it today. Why?

[Lindsay]

24. I think what he is signing today is the "Deficit Reduction"

bill that guts childcare enforcement and raises the cost of student loans, among other lovely things.

So it has to do with the budget, but is not The Budget he just submitted.

[deminks]

26. I am not sure what he is talking about.

But that is not unusual. The budget has not yet been sent to him to sign. Maybe he now thinks he can just bypass that step too.

[jwirr]

80. If they don't they will also have hell to pay! It had better be

unanimous.

[Tigress DEM]

83. Rethugs have taken sneaking it in after the vote to new lows.

Maybe the lady was laughing because it was a done deal and one of those crazy ironic things they thought was so far below the belt that it couldn't happen.

Cheney would redo things in the middle of the night after all the votes were in.

It's like signing a blank check to be a Senator these days. If you vote yes on anything, they will put in 5 or 6 add ins that will make you sick.

I think getting Ted Kennedy on it would be good. He knows all the rules and if something is violated by this kind of sneak and it can be undone, there may be hope.

[AndyA]

20. And we're supposed to trust this man? Everything is a game to him.

What a sneaky thing to do. What is this? Hide and Seek with the American people? He is messing around with our lives. This is not funny, it's not a game, and it's not right.

What a deceptive thing to do!

[spinbaby]

21. Steam is coming out of my ears

Every time I think they can't go any lower, they do.

[Just Me]

22. EW! That conniving little tyrant bastard!!!

:grr: He MAKES me hate him!!! He MAKES ME!!! :grr:

[carolinalady]

23. Let's hope the Dems actually read it and catch it. They have

admitted before that they do not read legislation before they vote.

[Cha]

30. Yeah, have they learned

to read the bills, yet?

[liveoaktx]

52. I've already called Harry Reid's office about it, as well as my 2 senators

[LittleClarkie]

85. What were their reactions?

If I may ask.

[LittleClarkie]

87. Hope hell. They don't have to catch it. WE caught it

so now we call them so they can't say "Oopsie, didn't see that." OH YES YOU DID!

[in_cog_ni_to]

27. RAT BASTARD! This is EXACTLY like the wiretapping! The people won't

support it, Congress won't support it SO I'LL JUST DO IT ANYWAY behind their backs! SOMEONE, PLEASE!!!!! GET THESE PEOPLE OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE!!! They're CROOKS. They're TRAITORS! They're LAW BREAKERS! They're FASCISTS!

Congress caught this, right??? The Democrats know about this???

[deminks]

29. Please do send this to your Congress critters!!!

I do not know how many of them know about this. This just appeared in a Newsweek article this morning, to the best of my knowledge.

[Oilwellian]

31. Dems are aware of it

I saw it mentioned by a Dem (can't recall who) today in the DHHS hearing w/Leavitt.

[HereSince1628]

32. So, another example of Smirky doing an end run around Congress

Have we established a pattern, yet?

[AzDar]

34. Kick for awareness...I'm calling the Arizona Repulsive (useless,

but we gotta get this OUT THERE) Sneaky little bastard!!

[HereSince1628]

35. So, is this decree a law or a regulation?

Government spending programs are supposed to be a matter for the House aren't they?

Laws are for the entire Congress to put forward for a signature...

But regulations...aren't they are written by the Agencies and ALL the agencies are headed by Bush?

I am sure that Gonzo has a justification for this.

[FreedomAngel82]

39. That little asshat

They can't do A THING without cheating, stealing or lying. And he's a "Christian"? UGH! I wish he'd stop being a phony with my faith. :mad: Imagine if this was Jimmy Carter!

[LaCrosseDem]

53. I admire you for KEEPING your faith

Christian Bush was more than I could take. I had to leave the church after 41 years.

[napi21]

40. We ALL need to contact our Reps and Sens about this!

You do remember many of them saying "I didn't realize THAT was in that bill!" crap, don't you?

Too bad the Staff is being paid to find this crap, but it takes the PEOPLE to find it!!!! Hell, WE deserve a tax break because we're doing THEIR JOB!

[magellan]

41. Can the Dems stop this?

If the Dems stand together against passing the budget because of this payload (or just plain old load), can they stop it being passed?

I rather hope not. Bush** has already tried floating this plan -- the people have resoundingly said they don't want it. If he and the Repugs stealth bomb us with this...well, I don't like to think what the response from the masses will be...except for the part where Bush** and the Repugs find themselves on the business end of millions of pitchforks.

[Rainscents]

47. This budget Bush just sent to congress...

Even republicans are barking at it! I hardly doubt, this will pass.

[magellan]

67. I hope you're right, Rainscents

But you know how Rove likes to get all his ducks in order.....

[SammyWinstonJack]

43. Little f'ng Dictator!

:grr:

[PhilipDC]

48. duplicate--ignore

edited--duplicate

[Just Me]

45. *KICK*

:kick:

[Rainscents]

46. Bush is doing a hackofajob!!!

Another try on dismantling SSI... Wow, does this baster ever give up?

[PhilipDC]

49. Budget

An underhanded trick, but fairly meaningless. Congress basically receives the President's budget proposal and then promptly ignores it. They write their own version and it is usually voted on around April. It really is just an outline for the various appropriations bill that are passed over the summer and fall.

[earth mom]

50. I am so furious and upset over this!

We are being screwed people! This is the fucking last straw!

:grr: :grr: :grr:

[BadgerKid]

51. Gotta fund Iran war, upcoming inflation, etc., somehow

:sarcasm:

[AtomicKitten]

54. *^%$#^&((^$*&#@$(*))&^ (words I can't use on DU)

If the Dems don't scream LOUD about this, they are forever irretrievably hopeless.

[ClintonTyree]

58. Go ahead and use them........

I do! :) It does make you feel better. Every cuss word in the English Language isn't sufficient to describe how I loathe this sorry, mentally deficient retard. Stupidest President, ever.

[RedEarth]

56. kr

[VP505]

60. Anybody know

anything about the planned cut of the SS $255.00 death benefit and SS survivor benefit for teens 17 & 18 who drop out of school, proposed by the Repukes?? I heard Ed Schultz mention it a few minuets ago but they didn't offer much information.

[converted_democrat]

92. Here..

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/02/08/national/w132702S84.DTL

[redqueen]

61. No! Not our pretzeldent! He's not sneaky and underhanded!

:eyes:

[von Staufenberg]

62. Isn't this special...

Let's see, he never puts anything in the budget for our respective quagmires in Afghanistan and Iraq, but he does find a place for a mythical "plan" that was roundly rebuffed by most everyone last year (much of the media seems to have forgotten that R's weren't exactly rushing to line up behind this either)? Yep, par for the course.

[oc2002]

63. if the Dems all vote it out or fillibuster it, its dead.

..if they dont, then they are dead.

[LittleClarkie]

86. Make sure they know that YOU know it's in there

so that they can't hide either.

[PegDAC]

64. I thought

the people rejected this crap a year ago...
:eyes: :puke:

[Nothing Without Hope]

65. another thread on this outrage:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x359485
thread title (2-8-06 GD): Bush HIDES SOCIAL SECURITY Privatization in Budget.

They don't even PRETEND to be a real government any more.

[HockeyMom]

66. Bush cut Education Funding, Yet

increased the funding for VOUCHERS to Private Schools.

Face it. Bush wants to privatize EVERYTHING. If you are poor, or even middle class, you are going to be SCREWED in this country very, very soon.

[mod mom]

72. Rich kids get better educated others go into the military.

[snippy]

68. How very republican.

[Catchawave]

69. Civil lawsuit?

Everytime I see these posts about how else George is fookinapaloozin' us and laughing his little freeper ass off for getting away with it "consitmahtututionally"....I just have to wonder, how and why he's getting away with staying above the law ?

[JohnWxy]

70. BUSH'S OWN LITTLE 'EAR-MARK'. Man, for a president extra legal he sure

has astounding contempt for elected representatives of the people.

[RedEarth]

71. .....

[progressoid]

74. Time to call my congress critters again

[jwirr]

75. What is the status of this bill? Already law? Details please.

[deminks]

77. This is in the proposed budget handed to Congress on Monday.

Not law yet. Should be hashed out for several weeks. There is a good chance this won't be in the final budget, but we need to make sure Congress knows we still don't want it in there.

[upi402]

79. That slight of hand is reserved for Congress

What
The
Fornicate the nation
?

[RaleighNCDUer]

81. Question on the indexing --

If, as they say, wages historically rise 1.1% faster than inflation, how is it that we also have had falling real wages?

If the wealthy have their deductions indexed against inflation rather than wages, and real wages have been falling for the past two decades, isn't that a real good thing for the wealthy, and for the poor...not so much?

I reckon the discrepancy is due to different reading of the statistics, but I think the truth is the poor are getting poorer and the rich, richer, meaning that wages are flat, at best, at the lower income levels. Meaning, once again the rich are planning on fucking over the poor.

Am I wrong on this?

[LittleClarkie]

88. Just emailed Kerry now

I'll have at my Senators tomorrow.

[VP505]

93. I just heard

John Kerry on Ed Schultz, when asked about this he (Kerry) said this will be met with the same sound of two hands clapping that it got the last time around. Hope he's right!

[antonialee839]

89. I wonder if he thought of this brilliant idea before or after the SOTU?

Cheering Dems made him look like a fool when he started whining about his Social Security nonsense being shot down. I can only imagine the nasty little hissy fit he must have had once he was no longer in the sight of television viewers.

[B Calm]

90. Get rid of the safety net and have millions of desperate older

people willing to work for cheap wages...

[Roland99]

91. The WH can help submit bills but isn't this the Executive LEGISLATING??