MyDD :: SOTU

SOTU

by blogswarm, Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 12:27:58 AM EST

The Republican playbook on Social Security has a sample speech that might give us a preview of the State of the Union speech tomorrow night:

We need to modernize the system. If we don't, adequate Social Security benefits will not be there for the next generation. When you discover what I have learned, I hope you will join me in the campaign to update and save Social Security. This campaign will not solve every roblem, but without action the benefits will certainly be cut ramatically, long before today's high school graduates are ready to retire. As the bi-partisan Social Security Advisory Board stated in a recent report, "As time goes by, the size of the Social Security problem grows, and the choices available to fix it become more limited."

That is why BlogPAC's Social Security campaign needs you to join us for a houseparty tomorrow night.

You see, the problem is not growing. That is why just yesterday the Associated Press headlined, New Soc. Sec. Estimates More Optimistic. This continues the trend. In 1996, SSA was saying the trust fund would run out in 2030 (34 years). By 2000, that date had been pushed back to 2038 (38 years). Now, the CBO is saying 2052 (47 years) and the headlines are that solvency is strengthening.

Bush is manufacturing a crisis to phase-out Social Security. Bush's numbers don't work.

The url to host a party is: http://www.thereisnocrisis.com/throwparty
The url to attend a party is: http://www.thereisnocrisis.com/houseparty

We will be liveblogging during the State of the Union at http://www.thereisnocrisis.com.

15 minutes after the SOTU, we will have a conference call with Duncan Black (Atrios), as well as representatives from the Center for American Progress and the Campaign for America's Future. Join us and fact check his ass.

Tags: (all tags)

Permalink :: 15 Comments :: Post a Comment

remember past SOTU (none / 0)

Center for American Progress 2002, 2003, 2004 SOTUs

by blogswarm on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 08:30:38 PM EST

American Progress Rapid Response Blog (none / 0)

I found this item via Josh Marshall. It could be useful to us, and perhaps anotehr resource for house parties.

Debuting in tandem with the State of the Union address on Feb. 2, Thinkprogress.org will give journalists and the public real-time access to American Progress's highly regarded rapid response operation for the first time ever. And in honor of the launch, American Progress CEO John Podesta will be a guest blogger, providing live commentary throughout the entire State of the Union address.

by KDMfromPhila on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 09:03:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

yes, Yes, YES!!! (none / 0)

www.thinkprogress.org could be really cool, check them out. If you know of others live-blogging, post the url for the list we're compiling.

Speaking of American Progress, we want as many bloggers as possible on the rapid response call

by blogswarm on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 09:40:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Does a DFA Meet Up count as a house party? (none / 0)

Hey Bob, are you contact with eRiposte.com on Social Security. They've done some awesome work developing and organizing information.

by Gary Boatwright on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 11:32:44 PM EST

Re: Does a DFA Meet Up count as a house party? (none / 0)

Does DFA count as a house party? No, I think DFA counts as a DNC reform strategy meeting... ;)

But when you home, check out our Rapid Response, freep the polls and then write a letter to the editor.

Props to eRiposte. They are a great source. But as for our message, I found this article interesting:

Bush stopped using the word "crisis" last week in referring to the system's future financing difficulties, instead choosing the word "problem."

The netroots are reframing the debate, Reid is ensuring economic security, so please attend your DFA meetup and figure out how to reform our party. If you don't have a meetup, start one. If you just want to have some friends over to watch the SOTU, use our House Party rules. If you want to help on Social Security, join our Rapid Response call for bloggers.

We have the momentum, it is a new day.

by blogswarm on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 12:21:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

whoops (none / 0)

I meant to say use our house party "tools" instead of "rules" -- somebody else has taken care of the SOTU Rules.

With our tools and their rules, on Thursday you'll hit snooze.

Whatever you're doing, spend tomorrow with friends. We need to continue our solidarity.

by blogswarm on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 12:27:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

President Bush, why bother? (none / 0)

Privatization doesn't have a prayer of passing. The powerful elderly lobbies will never let anyone touch their monthly checks. What an effort in futility. Must be that whole faith based community thing...

http://operationyellowelephant.blogspot.com/

by Vote Hillary 2008 on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 02:45:02 AM EST

Re: President Bush, why bother? (none / 0)

Don't underestimate their PR campaign. There are a string of think tanks with Heritage and CATO taking the lead. The National Assoc. of Manufacturers is signed on and the Chamber of Commerce. Never underestimate an opponent with a $100 million war chest.

by Gary Boatwright on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 04:44:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: President Bush, why bother? (none / 0)

Ever tried to take a social security check from an elderly person? This issue is political kryptonite for many so many republicans who are scared shitless of touching it without bipartisan cover.

I bet here and now that in the next two years before Bush becomes a lame duck, he loses the SS battle as long as dems oppose it. This is such a huge part of the democratic legacy that they will not surrender it...it's damn near holy. My feeling is when Bush loses this battle over the next year he'll focus on judicial opponents which the dems are already preparing for.

http://operationyellowelephant.blogspot.com/

by Vote Hillary 2008 on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 05:10:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

A few observations. (none / 0)

I decided to take a look at the Bush guide to Saving Social Security. I picked out the most egregious claims.

Under the category of well, duh:

The couple who sock away $30,000 or $40,000 a year for many years would, absent some sort of economic catastrophe, almost certainly end up with a handsome retirement account.

On the other hand, if we don't reform Social Security, the couple who socks away $30 or $40 k per year will not end up with a handsome retirement account?

Why do people who can afford to save $55k a year need help with Social Security?

Section 529 - State programs to fund child education with tax free earnings when used for education. Some states allow contributions of more than $100,000. Some states allow contributions of $55,000 in a single year, double for a couple.

How does diverting several trillion dollars out of Social Security fill a $10 trillion hole?

Unfunded liability of $10 trillion. Fixing Social Security fills that $10 trillion hole.

Are you subtracting from Social Security before you add?

The solution: We can add personal accounts to Social Security.

We make the trust fund last longer by making sure it runs out of money sooner.

And fourth, the current pay-as-you-go Social Security floor of protection will continue to work, funded by the rest of the taxes, just as it has for almost 70 years.

by Gary Boatwright on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 05:10:35 AM EST

Bush Starts Generational Warfare (none / 0)

I am a bit disappointed that I haven't heard any main Dems pointing out the obvious: Bush is trying to use generational warfare to further his agenda.

He is hoping to rally younger and middle-aged people to support him, due to fear that they will get no benefits, while trying to keep older Americans at bay by telling them their benefits will not be affected.

So he is trying to whoop up the younger while holding down the older --- pitting one generation against each other. What a cynical political tactic. They are even going further, trying to make older Americans feel guilty as if they are being greedy at the expense of their own children and grandchildren.

This kind of despicable politics is apparently not beneath the President and the Republican leadership. We should be jumping on it, taking the offensive, but I fear we are just playing defense, counting on the old axiom: "It will never happen." After the first four years of this bunch, I can't say that anymore about anything.

This would be a great issue for Dean and the new DNC to jump right on and score a victory. Remember what the big "health care initiative" and the response to it did for the rightwing? But we need to be aggressive, not wishy-washy and appearing to just rely on the status quo. If we let them paint us into that corner, we're in big trouble.

by DDenver on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 09:14:25 AM EST

Re: Bush Starts Generational Warfare (none / 0)

Heh, too bad the youth in their 20's really don't care about social security and probably don't even know what that FICA payment is actually going to. Thirty years is eternity for a young buck with all of life still before him!

Not to mention they're shit for reliability when it comes to voting. The elderly win this battle. And with the aging US demographics, they will only become more powerful.

http://operationyellowelephant.blogspot.com/

by Vote Hillary 2008 on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 10:15:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Lies, damn lies, and statistics (none / 0)

"As the bi-partisan Social Security Advisory Board stated in a recent report, "As time goes by, the size of the Social Security problem grows, and the choices available to fix it become more limited."

As real numbers show, exactly the opposite is true:
Economics Policy Institute: Changes in Trustees Projections over time.

They wanted 2.23% more of my income for every year from 1997 to 2004, in aggregate a pretty large dollar figure. They didn't get it. Did the problem "grow"? No, it shrank. Now they only claim to need 1.89% going forward. And base that on truly craptacular growth numbers that assume that ultimate productivity growth settles in at 1.6%.

My 'available choice' in 1997 was to do nothing. That still is my preferred choice in 2005. Because the economy is returning numbers that will continue moving depletion outwards at more than a year per year. It isn't broke.

Got Numbers?

by Bruce Webb on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 09:15:04 AM EST

Re: Lies, damn lies, and statistics (none / 0)

thanks for the great links... a great weapon against the fearmongers...

by DDenver on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 10:14:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The State of the Union speech (none / 0)

will be filled with as many pointless applause lines as possible and everyone will be invited to believe that elections that failed to produce a stable South Vietnam will somehow produce a stable Iraq.

On Social Security, the one thing I'm hoping to see is Democrats--en masse--sitting on their hands and refusing to stand or applaud when Mr Bush lies his way thru the Social Security "reform" section of his speech. It'd be even nicer to see them all turn around and face the other way during that time, but we've got to crawl before we can walk. Any sign of defianace will be welcome.

by The Bandit on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 10:13:20 AM EST

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