The Boston Globe has an article today titled, "Democrats try to alter Social Security debate: Discussion of cuts challenges GOP view of program in 'crisis.'" This is one of the first pieces I've seen that gives the impression that not only do the Dems. have a strategy, it may actually be working:
President Bush's strategy of saying that Social Security's "crisis is now" as a rationale for creating personal investment accounts has been offset by unanticipated attacks from Democratic leaders that the White House is manufacturing an excuse to boost support for private accounts.The White House and the Republicans on the Hill seem to think they really do have a mandate to do whatever they want. And, what's more, they seem to think that there won't be any real opposition. In fact, they seem genuinely shocked by it:
The attacks have made the majority of Republicans uncharacteristically nervous that public discussion of benefit cuts by Bush's aides will backfire on the party. A memo by the Senate Republican Policy Committee warned this week that a plan under serious consideration by Bush "could be mislabeled as a benefit cut."
Like numerous Republicans, Senator John Sununu of New Hampshire said in an interview that he has been surprised by the Democratic strategy of charging that Bush is manufacturing a crisis in Social Security as a ploy to garner support for private accounts. "I didn't expect a wing of the Democratic Party to respond by saying, 'This really isn't a problem.' It is very hard to sustain that argument," Sununu said.Okay, maybe, just maybe, we are on to something here. Fighting Bush and the GOP really makes a difference. I know it's just one story on just one issue, but let's hope this is the start of a new ballgame. And, the rest of us have to keep up the pressure and become the echo chamber.
