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AIM: maestrojed
YahooPresident Bush’s Social Security and Engergy policy.
Many have called me a “Bush Basher” or at least accused my commentary on maestrojed.com (formally High Five Friday) dot com of being very anti-Bush. I am not pushing any anti-Bush agenda rather stating things as I see them. To prove this let me take Bush’s side in the following rant (at least for a little while).
I watched President Bush’s prime time address last night on Social Security reform. This is a policy matter that I agree with the President on, I think.
I agree with him because it is obvious the S.S. program is broken. I have no doubt it is going broke and the sooner we deal with the problem the better. As President Bush said last night each year we wait to fix the problem it become billons more expensive to fix. Not to mention it becomes harder for people to make the sacrifices that will be needed. I applaud President Bush for pushing this issue. It is not popular and I imagine politically damaging but it has to been done. At the least President Bush’s ideas will start a discussion on Capital Hill about S.S. reform.
However, I said I agree with the President I think because he never told me once how he wants to fix this problem. He talks about the option to pay into personalized investment accounts. He explains why these accounts are good for the people and I agree. But how does paying money into personalized accounts make the S.S. program more solvent? I want to know the details. I have little doubt that the actual reform package that President Bush is pushing does outline steps to fix the S.S. program. Those details however were omitted from his hour-long address last night. Is it because he is hiding the details? Is it because his speechwriters think that these details would make for a boring speech? Or is it because Washington has little faith that the American public could comprehend such details?
President Bush also talked about a new energy policy for the United States. Again a policy that I agree we need. But how can you propose a long-term energy policy geared towards fixing today’s problems and not mention one single alternative energy initiative? He talked about moving away from fossil fuel dependency and then turned around and his entire policy is focused on coal and natural gas. The only thing he mentioned that was not fossil fuels was nuclear energy. Should the US’s long-term energy policy not look to enhance and utilize safe and renewable alternative sources? Why is there not mention of incentives for hybrid or alternative fuel cars? Science today is finding efficient ways to enhance Solar, Hydro, and Hydrogen energy production. Yet Bush’s energy plans best suggestion is to drill in Alaska and build more natural gas receiving ports. Who is this guy and his administration? Oil tycoons? Oh yeah …. They are.
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29. April 2005 at 12:44
I think it’s AWFULLY big of you, Jed, to pat Mr. Bush on the back. I personally can’t stand listening to the man talk – I am embarassed for him. I mean are you really surprised? All the man is good at is talking – never any substance to back it up. Where’s the beef Bush man?
29. April 2005 at 13:17
Wow, I think that’s the first time I’ve heard someone say that Bush is good at speaking (I’m addressing a comment about this post).
Anyway, bad idea to open up Alaska but maybe we should start looking at those reserves we have. I would like to know what situation has to exist for use to start tapping those. Of course, this is not a solution to the overall problem. Let’s look at hydro and other hybrid technology, like you suggested. I think Bush is dancing around this issue because of his ties to oil. That bastard!
And Jed, what about some good words about our presence in the Middle East. There seems to be some good changes (maybe semi-democratic, though that might be too strong of a term) going on over there since we went over. Yeah, he got us over there with bullshit, but would we have gone if we knew the truth? I’ll be the first to say that it’s still to early to say whether or not there will be any lasting change, but then again…
29. April 2005 at 22:39
Dear Jed, Interesting Rant!
Energy– I read your criticism regarding our oil problem. I understand there is plenty of oil available but very limited refining capacity. Opening up Alaska won’t fix this problem. What are your suggestions to fix the problem?
SS– Did I read that you agreed with Bush??
Again I ask what your suggestions are to fix the problem!
30. April 2005 at 11:07
I agree, Social Security needs to be fixed. Or, just killed. What we don’t need is a massive spending effort to fix it though. And what we need even less is a massive spending effort which won’t even help fix it, like those private accounts.
I thought he did kind of lay out some details (albeit not much) on his plan to reduce benefits for the wealthier folk, like Dick Cheney (hey, that’s a cheap shot). I think this is completely legitimate. Who relies on social security? The poorest of the poor. Who feels entitled to social security? Anyone who’s ever paid a cent into the program. Would I be upset if I didn’t receive any social security benefits when I retired? I guess so. But even before I knew what social security was I’ve been told it wouldn’t be around for me when I retired, so to me it’s just a fact of life. If they have to cut my social security benefit so someone who NEEDS it gets theirs, that’s fine with me. It’s better than bankrupting the government trying to make it so I get social security benefits. (BTW – I have no idea where I fall in the wage earners, but I think it’s safe to say if I can live without social security, can’t those in the top 10% of earners do without it too? (15%? 25%))
My problem with his plan however, is that he has no credibility in my book. His words may be loud and repeated often, but it’s his actions that resonate far longer. And his actions frequently differ from his words.
Re: Energy reform and Bush? Funny stuff.
1. May 2005 at 12:14
Jeff – Stay on subject. S.S and Energy reform not the war.
Dad – I admit that I don’t have a great solution to the S.S problems. However, I am not touring the country claiming that I do either. I like Andrew’s approach. We all know the system is broken so lets just buck it up and end the program for all but those that need it.
As far as Energy reform there are tons of alternative and renewable energy programs in the science community. All of which move us away from our dependancy on fossil fuels. These technologies are not brought to the markets because of the political and financial empires of the oil industry and our current oil rich politicians.