Analysis of President Bush's Press Conference

ABP ^ | 4/28/05 | ABP

[crushkerry]

Ping

[EagleUSA]

I know I now have a better understanding of his PLAN. Let us not forget it is not a done deal yet, since the SCUMBAG LIBERALS will surely obstruct him. He needs to fight hard, and put the cockroach Dems in the limelight when they obstruct his plans. The stinking Dems do not want to let go of OUR MONEY. Bush is effectively trying to keep SOME OF IT out of Washington's hands, in our control.

[sarasmom]

President Bush is showing his socialist bent, again.
I don't like it.

[Adrastus]

Not to put too fine a point on it,but, what about the illegal immigration and borders? All these points he touched on wont mean squat with another 9-11 or being swamped by illegals.

[Aetius]

He did pretty good with Soc Security, but since he was asked about the judiciary, he should have had more ammo ready to use.

Instead of just saying he opposes judges legislating from the bench, he (and all on our side) needs to start reeling off a list of the most outrageous examples of judges acting like kings and imposing for the Left what would be or already has been rejected by the people.

[Lord Nelson]

Someone mentioned "wobbly" Republicans are the ones that could nix the reform for SS. Maybe someone can explain how bills pass? If the Republicans hold the majority in the Senate, they can pass anything they want, correct? Unless enough Reps ally with the Democrats to defeat a bill? Or is it more complex than that?

The President mentioned it would be the option of the social security contributor to where they invest. They can have stocks or bonds. What about just plain annuities? Or Term Deposits? My concern is how 401Ks function. My wife's company only offered 8 mutual fund choices. 2 were interest bearing, and the other six were stock market funds. Would contributors have more flexibility than that? I assume they could just designate a financial institution as to where their money will go and then sort their investments with the bank?

[Petronski]

Judged on style, he was pretty good: animated, prickly when misrepresented, funny and well-studied.

[Lord Nelson]

I noticed that too. Canada's Pension Plan is more what the President is suggesting. Our system is more of a welfare system. The lowest amount is $250 and highest is $750 per month. A person can have worked one day in their entire life and still get $250.0. And then, since they will be poor on retirement get a supplement. The most anyone would ever get is $750, even if they grossed $100,000 per year

[crushkerry]

It will likely follow the lead of the Thrift Savings Plan (the 401K type plan for federal employees). They have a choice of 5 broad based index funds to choose from. Social Security will likely do the same thing. The main reason is that the govt. isn't going to want people taking too much risk, and they have to be broad based to keep the fees down.

[Lord Nelson]

Funny how Democrats who would be the first to attack pyramid schemes, won't dismantle this one - I guess because they built this one.

[Lord Nelson]

I also heard some murmering about allowing SS funds to be used to pay down federal guaranteed student loans?

[gas_dr]

I have a different take. I feel sold out as an economic conservative that he thinks everyone should have the same amount of money, or more when they retire. I personally would have rather him tell the truth about the whole thing. It is bankrupt and dying.

My main fear is MEANS TESTING WITHOUT PERSONAL SAVING ACCOUNT. Look for the dems to push this.

[EagleUSA]

Funny how Democrats who would be the first to attack pyramid schemes, won't dismantle this one - I guess because they built this one.
---
I know I won't see it in my lifetime, but the system (IMHO) will be eventually dismantled and phased-out. Why does the government have to run a welfare program WITH YOUR MONEY? It is just big-government socialism - installed by FDR, our great father of socialism. He wanted the socialist control, and so do our socialists of today. But it is not needed. The government in Washington has proven that it cannot manage OUR MONEY at all -- they are the last place any sane person would want to "save money" (chuckle) -- we just have a government that is drunk on our money and wants to stay drunk!!!

[etlib]

President Bush is showing his socialist bent, again.
I don't like it.

I didn't care for it either but then I realized that if personal accounts exist this will serve to drive people out of the system since they will see that they will be even less likely to get anything from it.  I think crushkerry is implying this.

[ImphClinton]

That works out to what US $500 / month.

How can anyone live on that?

Boy there goes the Great Welfare State theory. I feel sorry for you blokes up there.

[F16Fighter]

Bottom line is that the President did a good job tonight...

"Good job" OR "snow-job"?

NO mention of the illegal invasion through the gaping hole called the "MEXICAN BORDER"??

No, Ill NOT give Dubya a "good job" score.

Try a "D" for "Disingenuous Drivel."

[ImphClinton]

Right.

Saving Social Security is Socialist. Why should the poor working slobs get any money for Retirement. It was already stolen by the fat cats and Heqq if they will get it back.

You make us all look bad.

Social Security has always been a welfare program. But it is far to popular to do away with it. Thus it must be fixed. I would think a rich guy like you would understand the value of investing money. But then I would be forgetting that you only care about the Rich and to Heqq with the poor. Let them die a slow painful death of starvation or disease. Far be it any of my taxes go to help them out.

The rest of us realize that if you don't treat the bottom 90% with at least some decency sooner or latter they will rebel and take all the top 10% has. They will then put them in prison. A La the Robber Barons and IBM.

[Lord Nelson]

It was rather confusing what he was saying. First he mentioned that social security will be broke 2027. The truth is it is already broke because the fund is filled with IOUs - otherwise more government debt. But I believe he did clarify later by saying that would be the date that incoming contributions will be dwarfed by outgoing payments. That's when it starts to cost the government to have pensioners. Although it will really cost before then since governments now use social security money to meet current expenditures. So now the US government lives off of 12% of every paycheque (less current payments) in addition to regular income tax.

[Lord Nelson]

As an outsider I could never understand why FDR is so worshiped. He allowed his love for the Soviet Union to cause his own cabinet to be infiltrated by communists. He began Keynes grand experiment of irresponsible financial accountability as the new economics of government.