Posted on 02/05/2005 12:59:45 PM PST by FairOpinion
PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON ON SOCIAL SECURITY CRISIS Democrat Leaders Ignore Crisis President Clinton Was Aware Of In 1990s _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“Liberal Democrats may deny the fact that Social Security lacks the resources needed to pay benefits to younger works, but Bill Clinton's comments show he realized years ago that the system faces a crisis, which 90 percent of Americans agree with today. Clinton also understood that the problem must be solved before it is too late, but Democrats are more focused on partisan gain than preserving Social Security.” - Brian Jones, RNC Spokesperson IN 1990s, PRESIDENT CLINTON RECOGNIZED THERE WAS A “CRISIS” IN SOCIAL SECURITY
President Clinton: “This Fiscal Crisis In Social Security Affects Every Generation.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks At Georgetown University On Social Security, Washington, DC, 2/9/98)
President Clinton: “[F]irst, And Above All, We Must Save Social Security For The 21st Century.” (President Bill Clinton, State Of The Union, 1/19/99)
President Clinton: “So That All Of These Achievements – The Economic Achievements – Our Increasing Social Coherence And Cohesion, Our Increasing Efforts To Reduce Poverty Among Our Youngest Children – All Of Them Are Threatened By The Looming Fiscal Crisis In Social Security.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks At Georgetown University On Social Security, Washington, DC, 2/9/98)
President Clinton: “Now Is The Time To Strengthen Social Security For The Future. … We Can And Must Accomplish This Critical Goal For The American People.” (The White House, “Presidential Statement On Social Security,” Press Release, 4/23/99)
President Clinton: “But Because A Higher Percentage Of Our People Will Be Both Older And Retired, Perhaps Our Greatest Opportunity And Our Greatest Obligation At This Moment Is To Save Social Security.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks To A National Forum On Social Security, Kansas City, MO, 4/7/98)
President Clinton: “[I]f You Don’t Do Anything, One Of Two Things Will Happen. Either It Will Go Broke And You Won’t Ever Get It, Or If We Wait Too Long To Fix It, The Burden On Society … Of Taking Care Of Our Generation’s Social Security Obligations Will Lower Your Income And Lower Your Ability To Take Care Of Your Children To A Degree That Most Of Us Who Are You Parents Think Would Be Horribly Wrong And Unfair To You And Unfair To The Future Prospects Of The United States.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks At Georgetown University On Social Security, Washington, DC, 2/9/98)
President Clinton: “And Above All, To My Fellow Baby Boomers, Let Me Say That None Of Us Wants Our Own Retirement To Be A Burden To Our Children And To Their Efforts To Raise Our Grandchildren. It Would Be Unconscionable If We Failed To Act, And Act Now, As One Nation Renewing The Ties That Bind Us Across The Generations.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks To A National Forum On Social Security, Kansas City, MO, 4/7/98)
TODAY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THE SOCIAL SECURITY CRISIS DEMOCRATIC LEADERS IGNORE
The Latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll Shows 90% Of Americans Think The Social Security System Is Either In Crisis Or In Trouble. (NBC/Wall Street Journal Poll, 1,007 Adults, Conducted 1/13-17/05, Margin Of Error +/- 3.1%)
A Recent Gallup Poll, Showed That 71% Of Americans Believe Social Security Is In A “State Of Crisis” Or “Has Major Problems.” (USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll, 1,008 Adults, Conducted 1/7-9/05, Margin Of Error +/- 3%)
If the MSM were "fair and balanced", they would quote Clinton every time, they are talking to a Democrat claiming there is no crisis.
And more:
http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york200501140807.asp
In 1998, the major policy question in Washington was what to do with enormous anticipated federal budget surpluses. Republicans, arguing that a surplus meant the government was taking in too much money, wanted to cut taxes. Clinton wanted to kill any tax-cut proposal before it had a chance to gather support. So in his 1998 State of the Union speech, he came up with a famous slogan.
"What should we do with this projected surplus?" Clinton said. "I have a simple four-word answer: Save Social Security first."
Soon Clinton was going around the country, touting a coming Social Security "crisis." All of his administration's economic achievements, he said in February 1998, "are threatened by the looming fiscal crisis in Social Security." There should be no new spending — or, more importantly, no tax cuts — "before we take care of the crisis in Social Security that is looming when the baby boomers retire."
In September (1998), Vice President Al Gore went to the Capitol for a Social Security pep rally with congressional Democrats, including House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, Sen. Edward Kennedy, Sen. Barbara Boxer, and others. Gore said that in coming years — by 2032 — "Social Security faces a serious fiscal crisis." Everyone in the group stayed remarkably on-message as they warned that the future was dire.
"Save Social Security first," said Gore.
"Save Social Security first," said Gephardt.
"Save Social Security first," said Kennedy.
"Save Social Security first," said Boxer.
Today, some of those same lawmakers are leading the opposition to President Bush's initiative and no longer fear a crisis in Social Security.
Why didn't clinton do anything.
Could it be the free money tree would be gone!
And more:
"Mr. Clinton warned seven years ago about "the looming fiscal crisis in Social Security." He acknowledged to the students that "every one of you know that the Social Security system is not sound for the long term."
Elaborating, Mr. Clinton argued: "This fiscal crisis in Social Security affects every generation. We know that the Social Security trust fund is fine for another few decades. But if it gets in trouble and we don't deal with it, then it not only affects the generation of the baby boomers . . . when they retire; it [also] raises the question of whether they will have enough to live on by unfairly burdening their children, and, therefore, unfairly burdening their children's ability to raise their grandchildren." What did Mr. Clinton think about this? "That would be unconscionable," he said, "especially since, if you move now, we can do less and have a bigger impact." That was seven years ago.
Mr. Clinton then listed the consequences of failing to address "the looming fiscal crisis in Social Security." Addressing the students, he said: "If [we] don't do anything, one of two things will happen — either [Social Security] will go broke and you won't ever get [the benefits you are promised]. Or if we wait too long to fix it, the burden on society of taking care of [the baby boomers'] Social Security obligations will lower your income and lower your ability to take care of your children to a degree most of us who are your parents think would be horribly wrong and unfair to you and unfair to the future prospects of the United States."
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20050118-093611-1435r.htm
"Specifically, I propose that we commit 60 percent of the budget surplus for the next 15 years to Social Security, investing a small portion in the private sector just as any private or state government pension would do. This will earn a higher return and keep Social Security sound for 55 years." - Bill Clinton, SOTU Address 01/19/1999
the number one reason I hate politicians on both sides of the aisle.....total hypocrisy with very short memories, and then when presented with blatant facts like this they still spin and obfuscate......though I still think the Dems are much more short sighted and less strategic thinkers than us by a mile
The Democrats are hypocrites because they don't want the Republicans, especially President George W. Bush, to get credit for saving the same Social Security they created over 60 years ago.
Thanks, I will post this as part of our monday update on Christian-news-in-maine.com while we are not MSM, we do get more hits than most of the other maine online papers. Thanks to FreeRepublic and guys like you.
February 9, 1998 Address at Georgetown University
So what's the bottom line? You can see it. Today, we're actually taking in a lot more money from Social Security taxes enacted in 1983 than we're spending out. Because we've run deficits, none of that money has been saved for Social Security
Thanks for the link.
Here are some relevant excerpts for those, who don't want to read through it to find them:
Clinton's SOTU 1999;
"With the number of elderly Americans set to double by 2030, the baby boom will become a "senior boom." So first and above all, we must save Social Security for the 21st century.
Today, Social Security is strong. But by 2013, payroll taxes will no longer be sufficient to cover monthly payments. And by 2032, the trust fund will be exhausted, and Social Security will be unable to pay out the full benefits older Americans have been promised. "
Now, these changes will require difficult but fully achievable choices over and above the dedication of the surplus. They must be made on a bipartisan basis. They should be made this year. So let me say to you tonight, I reach out my hand to all of you in both houses and both parties and ask that we join together in saying to the American people: We will save Social Security now.
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These the same dates, as what Bush said, but when Clinton said it, the Dems cheered, when Bush said it, they had the unmitigated gall and lack of class to hiss.
Every post so far has the answer that Clinton was saying. SAVE Social Security. He never said to do away with it.
Lawmakers? You call them lawmakers? You sir are much kinder than I.
Please, also check out some of the other articles and links posted on this thread. There are a number of good ones.
ping
From Clinton's SOTU speech in 1999:
"I propose that we use a little over 11 percent of the surplus to establish universal savings accounts -- USA accounts -- to give all Americans the means to save. With these new accounts, Americans can invest as they choose, and receive funds to match a portion of their savings, with extra help for those least able to save. "
The irony is, Clinton had wide bi-partisan support, whereas, President Bush doesn't. This tells me the Republicans would rather fix Social Security instead of doing away with it, like the Democrats keep carping about.
well what makes them hypocrites is not booing and hissing Clinton when he said virtually the same thing......them not wanting W to get credit is more like rabid insecurity and morbid politics.....something they are good at.......sabatoging themselves
I don't recall anyone on this post or in the Admimistration sayin "do away with it". If I can own my own piece of the rock, then why not! All I hear is setting up folks with their "own" account from a portion of the SS tax already being deducted from our paychecks. Great! Count me in!
Excellent.
I just noticed another article of a week or so ago, that the Republicans are indeed quoting Clinton and the Democrats. I hope they will keep doing that, let the American public know of the hypocrisy of the Democrats.
Bush officials quote Dems on Social Security
Republicans to use Clinton's words in push to reform the system, but strategy has its own risks.
http://www.detnews.com/2005/politics/0501/28/A05-69778.htm
With their push to restructure Social Security off to a rocky start, Bush administration officials have begun citing two Democrats -- former President Clinton and the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan -- to bolster their claims that the retirement system is in crisis.
In public speeches recently, N. Gregory Mankiw, chairman of Bush's Council of Economic Advisers, and White House budget director Joshua Bolten, cited the same passage of a 1998 Clinton speech at Georgetown University.
"This fiscal crisis in Social Security affects every generation," Clinton said then.
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If Social Security was a crisis in 1999, and nothing was done, how come it's not a crisis today? Someone should ask the Democrats that. Of course MSM journalists wouldn't want to do that, and embarrass the hypocritical Dems.
By taking a piece of the "rock" from Social Security, you will, in essence, be ending social security. It needs to be fixed, not ended.
"I just noticed another article of a week or so ago, that the Republicans are indeed quoting Clinton and the Democrats. I hope they will keep doing that, let the American public know of the hypocrisy of the Democrats."
I don't believe hypocrisy is the correct word. Clinton may have had a smiliar program in mind, but it's not what the people wanted and it didn't fly.....did it?????
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