There was a democrat President in 1998....there was a Republican president (albeit a RINO) in 2002...
That is correct. And the Democrats lost seats in 1998 - against the “rule” - and Republicans lost seats in 2002 - against the “rule”.
Be that as it may, I saw an analysis that if President Bush’s plans for SS had been put in place, recipients would be getting 3x the return and the system would be more solvent and far less costly (deficits/debt/cumulative interest on debt also being effected). We all knew that - but the hyperbolic demagoguery by the media and the Democrats stopped those badly needed reforms in their tracks. And here we are...a debt larger than our economy and an SS trust fund spiraling toward bankruptcy and retirees with far less income than they could have had. Another Democrat accomplishment.