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Social Security Push to Tap the GOP Faithful [Campaign's Tactics Will Drive Appeal]
The Washington Post ^ | January 14, 2005 | Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei

Posted on 01/14/2005 12:56:44 PM PST by The Loan Arranger

President Bush plans to reactivate his reelection campaign's network of donors and activists to build pressure on lawmakers to allow workers to invest part of their Social Security taxes in the stock market, according to Republican strategists.

White House allies are launching a market-research project to figure out how to sell the plan in the most comprehensible and appealing way, and Republican marketing and public-relations gurus are building teams of consultants to promote it, the strategists said.

The campaign will use Bush's campaign-honed techniques of mass repetition, never deviating from the script and using the politics of fear to build support -- contending that a Social Security financial crisis is imminent when even Republican figures show it is decades away.

Bush aides said that in addition to mobilizing the Republican faithful and tapping the power of business, they plan to target minority voters who have not been able to afford to save and might be open to the argument that the president's plan would turn them into investors. The campaign will also court younger voters, including many Democrats, who would potentially benefit the most from the change.

The president plans to ask Congress to allow younger Americans to put at least one-third of the 6.2 percent payroll tax into private accounts, which will offer a set number of investment options similar to the thrift savings plans provided to federal workers. The administration has also signaled that it will propose changing the formula that sets initial Social Security benefit levels, cutting promised benefits by nearly a third in the coming decades.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: lyinglefties; mediabias; mediashillsforrats; runningscared; socialsecurity; zotduder
The MSM is always on the other side of any issue from the president...if he says the sky is blue, all of a sudden they trot out three experts to say that it's green! Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, and would be illegal if not foisted by the government. There is no "trust fund" or "lock box", folks, just worthless IOUs.

Go to http://www.bugmenot.com for a free password if you do not wish to subscribe or give the WaPo information on yourself to read this article.

1 posted on 01/14/2005 12:56:46 PM PST by The Loan Arranger
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To: The Loan Arranger

The campaign will use Bush's campaign-honed techniques of mass repetition, never deviating from the script and using the politics of fear to build support



Is this a news report, or an opinion piece?!


2 posted on 01/14/2005 12:58:08 PM PST by Atlas Sneezed (Your Friendly Freeper Patent Attorney)
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: Beelzebubba

"Is this a news report, or an opinion piece?!"

There's a difference?


4 posted on 01/14/2005 1:01:19 PM PST by An Old Marine (Freedom isn't Free)
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To: Beelzebubba

Silly...It's the WP..there's no difference.


5 posted on 01/14/2005 1:01:55 PM PST by ken5050
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To: Duder

Hello, Mr./Mrs. Troll Were you getting bored at Democratic Underground/Moron.Org? The Leftwing press was never behind President Bush, as you well know, so please quit with that canard, okay? Aren't you supposed to be in school?


6 posted on 01/14/2005 1:03:28 PM PST by The Loan Arranger (The modern definition of 'racist' is someone who is winning an argument with a liberal.)
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To: The Loan Arranger

Well, if the MSM is always against Bush they're doing a poor job here.

"Bush aides said that in addition to mobilizing the Republican faithful and tapping the power of business,"

What businesses? All of them? Why would they spend money on this, for what rational economic advatage?

"The president plans to ask Congress to allow younger Americans to put at least one-third of the 6.2 percent payroll tax into private accounts, which will offer a set number of investment options similar to the thrift savings plans provided to federal workers."

Ahh, a "set number" of investment options. IOW, the "businesses" are the ones likely to be promised to be part of the "set number" of investment options. Let the bidding war begin!

Naturally the reformers could just give us our money to invest as we see fit, but that's a bit too much freedom I suppose.


7 posted on 01/14/2005 1:05:20 PM PST by Shermy
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: Beelzebubba
Is this a news report, or an opinion piece?!

It's an opinion piece, and a poor one. The "politics of fear" is a common epithet for Bush, but how many politicians don't use that? Clinton did.

9 posted on 01/14/2005 1:10:09 PM PST by Shermy
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To: Beelzebubba

Their news division received its obituary a few years ago.

My interpretation to this on the part of the WP is a string of curses. Bush is drawing on his ground game, he's going to have the public pressure their own Senators and Reps, and he's going to target youth and minorities. The latter being typically devoted to Dems.

This article is one of fear on the part of the WP. Their own, that these tactics may be successful further eroding their power.


10 posted on 01/14/2005 1:11:06 PM PST by Soul Seeker
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To: Soul Seeker

"Bush is drawing on his ground game, he's going to have the public pressure their own Senators and Reps, and he's going to target youth and minorities."

That's the plan. Sounds like a loser.

Bush's "allies" won't be so naive. They'll probably buy out some big dem name. Perhaps Clinton will be purchased?


11 posted on 01/14/2005 1:19:24 PM PST by Shermy
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To: The Loan Arranger

The Washington Post will use the journalism school-honed techniques of mass repetition, never deviating from the script and using the politics of fear to build resistance...


12 posted on 01/14/2005 1:48:34 PM PST by mrsmith
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To: Shermy

It worked in 2002. It worked in 2004. It worked with his tax cuts.

You're definition of "loser" and mine evidently do not match.


13 posted on 01/14/2005 3:23:46 PM PST by Soul Seeker
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