Text 12610, 84 rader
Skriven 2005-05-14 15:59:00 av Jeff Binkley (1:226/600)
Ärende: Social Security
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Raising taxes.  Whoda thunk ?  Does anyone know why we are still paying 
the federal line charges on our phone bills ?  Can anyone point to the 
congressional vote which authorized it ?  

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/social_security


Democrat to Offer Social Security Plan By GLEN JOHNSON, Associated Press 
Writer 
Sat May 14, 9:28 AM ET
 


WASHINGTON - Breaking with party leaders, a Democratic congressman plans 
to introduce     Social Security legislation, saying his first 
commitment is to his constituents. 

 
Rep. Robert Wexler (news, bio, voting record), D-Fla., said Friday: "I 
have the largest amount of Social Security recipients of any Democrat 
anywhere in the country. My allegiance to seniors is greater than my 
allegiance to the Democratic Party."

While Wexler is proposing tax increases that would clash with     
President Bush's pledge not to expand the existing payroll tax, his 
legislation was heralded by the White House in part because Democrats 
had steadfastly refused to offer an alternative to Bush's plan. The 
president's proposal calls for creating private investment accounts and 
a new method for calculating future benefit growth.

Democrats have refused to put an alternative on the table until Bush 
drops his insistence on private accounts, which they say would destroy 
the Depression-era system by depriving it of critical funding.

"I would be surprised if the president were anything but pleased there 
is another voice with the courage to stand up and put a proposal on the 
table," said White House spokesman Trent Duffy. "Obviously we haven't 
seen the specifics on this plan, but I think the president welcomes 
anyone who wants to work in a good-faith effort to solve the serious 
challenges facing Social Security."

Wexler's bill calls for a 6 percent tax on all income above the current 
$90,000 cap. Three percent would be paid by workers and 3 percent paid 
by their employer.

At the same time, the bill would reinstitute "pay-go" rules for federal 
budgeting, requiring that any tax cuts or increase in entitlement 
spending be paid for either by raising taxes or cutting spending 
elsewhere. The requirement expired at the end of 2002.

Wexler's proposal, which he will unveil in Florida on Monday, would not 
require any cut in scheduled benefits or increase in the retirement age, 
and it does not provide for private accounts.

"The president's approach cuts benefits and it creates a privatization 
scheme, and on top of that does not ensure the solvency of Social 
Security," said Wexler, whose district includes the largest number of 
Social Security beneficiaries of any Democrat in the country.

The congressman said his bill, which has been reviewed by the     
Congressional Budget Office, would achieve solvency by eliminating the 
$2.1 billion program shortfall estimated by the nonpartisan agency. 
Social Security's trustees have pegged the figured at $3.9 billion.

"The president traveled the country for the past two months and 
effectively challenged the Democrats to make their own plan," Wexler 
said. "Today, that challenge is responded to."

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., recently quashed a meeting 
in which some of her fellow Democrats were set to discuss Social 
Security with the head of the AARP and a group of Republicans.

Wexler said he had twice spoken with Pelosi about his plan. While he 
would not reveal her reaction, he said, "It would be wrong to assume it 
was a receptive conversation."

Jennifer Crider, a Pelosi spokeswoman, said: "There are Democrats with a 
lot of different ideas. This is one member's take, but it is not the 
Democratic plan."

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