Posted on 02/03/2005 9:10:42 PM PST by TheEaglehasLanded
Democrats on Personal Accounts Adam Doverspike
Back in an era where Senators and Representatives listened to proposals before opposing them, these Democrats endorsed the idea of personal accounts. Here are their own words.
Senators: Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV): “[M]ost Of Us Have No Problem With Taking A Small Amount Of The Social Security Proceeds And Putting It Into The Private Sector.” (Fox’s “Fox News Sunday,” 2/14/99)
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) Press Release: “Durbin Said Due To The Increasing Number Of ‘Baby Boomers’ Reaching Retirement Age, Social Security Will Be Unable To Pay Out Full Benefits … But The Sooner Congress Acts To Avert This Crisis The Easier And Less Painful It Will Be.” (Sen. Dick Durbin, “Reforming Social Security,” Press Release, 9/15/98)
Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND): “Fixing Social Security Is An Urgent Priority. It Ought To Be At The Top Of Both Parties’ Agendas.” (Sen. Byron Dorgan, “Fixing Social Security Must Top Both Parties’ Agendas,” Roll Call, 12/6/99)
Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND): “The Potential [Social Security] Crisis Should Be Viewed As An Enormous Success, Because It Means That We Are Living Longer And Healthier Lives.” (Betty Mills, Op-Ed, “What Would You Do About Social Security?” Bismarck Tribune, 8/5/98)
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND): “I Was At The Social Security Summit At The White House, Along With 40 Of My Colleagues, Republicans And Democrats. And There Was Virtual Unanimity Of Opinion That We Simply Have To Get A Higher Return From The Social Security Investments.” (Fox News’ “Special Report,” 1/20/99)
House Members: Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI): “People Can See, I Think, A [Social Security] Crisis Where There Immediate Family Is Affected Even If Not Immediately … This Is Something That Affects Almost Everybody’s Immediate Family.” (Richard A. Ryan, “Social Security Reform Stalls,” The Detroit News, 2/2/02)
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY): “I Am One Democrat That Truly Believes That Democrats Will Not Benefit By Doing Nothing On Social Security.” (Rep. Charles Rangel, Press Conference, 1/21/99)
Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA): “I Am An Advocate For Investing A Portion Of The Surplus In The Private Sector …” (Rep. Edward J. Markey, Committee On Commerce, U.S. House Of Representatives, Testimony, 2/25/99)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY): “[I]t’s A Way Of Getting More Money – A Higher Return On The Trust Fund, And Is A Prudent And Good Thing To Do.” (Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Press Conference, 1/21/99)
Former Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-MO): “Why Should Social Security Recipients Be Disadvantaged By Not Getting To Be Able To Have Higher Returns Out Of The Stock Market?” (Rep. Dick Gephardt, Press Conference, 1/21/99)
Clinton: President Clinton: “[Investing] Will Earn A Higher Return And Keep Social Security Sound For 55 Years.” (President Bill Clinton, State Of The Union, 1/19/99)
President Clinton: “[W]hat I Believe We Should Do Is To Invest A Modest Amount Of This In The Private Sector, The Way Every Other Retirement Plan Does. The Arizona State Retirement Plan Does; Every Municipal Retirement Plan Does; Every Private Plan Does.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks To The Citizens Of Tucson On Medicare And Social Security, Tucson, AZ, 2/25/99)
President Clinton: “[E]ven After You Take Account Of The Stock Market Going Down And Maybe Staying Down For A Few Years, Shouldn’t We Consider Investing Some Of This Money, Because, Otherwise, We’ll Have To Either Cut Benefits Or Raise Taxes To Cover Them, If We Can’t Raise The Rate Of Return.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks Via Satellite To The Regional Congressional Social Security Forums, Albuquerque, NM, 7/27/98)
I know Sean Hannity has done some of this and Fox News had the clip from Dingy Harry Reid's February 14, 1999 on Fox News Sunday on Special Report tonight.
If journalists did their job they would be playing the tapes and then asking questions. Hey you said we had a crisis in Social Security 5 years ago and supported private investment of social security, now your bashing Bush over it, isn't that hypocritical?
Interesting stuff. Could use this for reference.
Bump...
Of course that was alright, it was a dem impeached president.
Rush said today on his show that Searchlight has 1 place to eat that has a casino inside, not exactly the kind of place 10 year old skateboarders hang out from Dingy Harry Reid knows.
The only place to skateboard around Searchlight is Interstate 15. I'm wondering if Harry Reid went to the Dick Gephardt school of friendship development.
The Eagle has sharp eyes. Thanks for finding this information.
Lets hope some Republican group has good brain and puts this in an ad campaign to help President Bush get us personal accounts.
The MSM will never ask a hard question of Democrats, but this post should make the rounds of the all the bloggers who comment on Social Security.
After their statements they all said, "Unless of course a Republican suggests these changes, then they are a bad idea."
Hmmmmmm, what is the difference between 1999 and 2005??? The guy in the White House perchance??
A rhetorical question of course. ;-)
For those with a VCR, record Special Report with Brit Hume starting at 12:30 Eastern time, just before the panel they show Dingy Harry's quote from Fox News Sunday on February 14, 1999 and get it to your local conservative radio host.
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV): “[M]ost Of Us Have No Problem With Taking A Small Amount Of The Social Security Proceeds And Putting It Into The Private Sector.” (Fox’s “Fox News Sunday,” 2/14/99)
Some great stuff here, Eagle... thanks!
Some gut called into Rush's show today. Said that he lives near Searchlight and stopped in to the restaurant that Reid had spoken so fondly of.
According to the caller, the locals haven't seen Reid in years....
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.
ping
What was the position of AARP when the Democrats were proposing personal accounts in the 1990s?
hypocriticalping!
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