The point being Obama opposes taking 3% of the existing social security money and putting it in a private account. But he is proposing to take some percent of the federal money (which might as well be social security taxes) and putting into a private account, IF the person matches it with their own money.
Also, Obama's plan is not mandatory either. It just reverses the result of inaction. In his plan, you can opt out, but you have to do so explicitly.
Which reminds me that we already I think did this, or something similar. I thought that a couple years ago we changed the laws so that employers are supposed to assume new employees want to participate in retirement plans, and the employee has to opt out.
It absolutely was.....you could have put up to 2% into a private fund. There was nothing mandatory about it. Where was it stated that you HAD to be a part of the program?