Answers Wanted
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Talking Points Memo points out that Pete Roskam is being a bit, umm, quiet about his exact position on Social Security.
He’s not just running for those ambulances
BTW–what about Kirk? hmmmm….
2006
Stunning Lack of Competence
There are a couple choices today given the Auditor General’s findings, but the absolutely FEMA like organization of the CPA is stunning.
The Death of Policy
One former CPA employee who had an office near O’Beirne’s wrote an e-mail to a friend describing the recruitment process: “I watched r?sum?s of immensely talented individuals who had sought out CPA to help the country thrown in the trash because their adherence to ‘the President’s vision for Iraq’ (a frequently heard phrase at CPA) was ‘uncertain.’ I saw senior civil servants from agencies like Treasury, Energy . . . and Commerce denied advisory positions in Baghdad that were instead handed to prominent RNC (Republican National Committee) contributors.”
We’ve seen it at Treasury with Paul O’Neil. We’ve seen it with Faith Based Initiatives with DiIulio . We’ve seen it at FEMA. We’ve seen it with Zoellick. We saw it at the CIA.
Yet, we get the Whitehouse and personnel treated as serious people. Why?
Bring the Senate Into the 21st Century
Having talked to many campaign workers, the bill not only would increase accountability, but it also would make their jobs far easier and I’m betting far more accurate. A friend is currently the compliance officer for Claire and trying to get the reports out is a nightmare–so go here and read about a bipartisan bill to improve the situation and get the Senate to disclose online–for comparison, Illinois’ campaign finance laws are far better than what relates to the US Senate in terms of disclosure.
Campaign Finance Dilemma: How Do You Put Down Social Security Privatization Support by Your Opponent as In Kind
Really, how do you thank the President, the Treasury Secretary, the Chair of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, The House Majority Leader, and the President’s OMB Office for promising to continue pushing a proposal that is deeply unpopular with independent voters?
Of course, the Bamboozlement over the issue continues as many in the press seem to think that a program that affects every American is not a big issue to worry about and Illinois Republican candidates for Congress try like hell to avoid the issue.
But, if the press does it’s job, Roskam and McSweeney have made their positions clear in his responses to the National Taxpayer Union’s candidate questionaire.
Both answer yes to the following question:
SOCIAL SECURITY CHOICE. I recognize that Social Security will default on its obligations to future retirees unless fundamental reforms are made. Therefore, I will work and vote for a system of Social Security Choice that will allow younger workers to have the choice of investing much of their Social Security taxes in regulated individual retirement accounts. Current retirees and those nearing retirement would not have any change in their Social Security benefits. Social Security Choice will give younger workers the option of ownership of personal Social Security accounts, with higher rates of return and better benefits than are possible under the current system.
That is a perfect description of the CATO plan which is essentially the outlines of the President’s plan that wasn’t a plan.
Making matters even more interesting is Roskam’s response to AARP
Without a doubt, Social Security must be protected. At the same time, I believe Social Security must be strengthened so that it can pay retirement benefits for years and years to come. Although no current or near retiree is facing benefit cuts, the benefits for future generations are at risk simply because the number of retirees continues to grow relative to the number of available workers who pay into the system. Therefore, I believe we should look at ways to improve the overall retirement security for all of us. If I am fortunate to serve you in Washington, I will examine all the proposals that are on the table. My position is that we must find a way to strengthen and protect Social Security without raising payroll taxes, without reducing benefits, without raising the retirement age and without privatizing the system.
What’s great is this sentence:
Although no current or near retiree is facing benefit cuts, the benefits for future generations are at risk simply because the number of retirees continues to grow relative to the number of available workers who pay into the system
This has always been true since the inception of the system. It does create challenges, but it certainly doesn’t require this kind of reduction in benefits.
Bush in Survey USA
First, if you want a good analysis of his national numbers there is only one place to go anymore and that is Charles Franklin’s Political Arithmetik. Charles actually does this work as a working political scientist and views it as a professional question, not as someone with a partisan angle. And he’s really, really good.
Bush has bounced up to around 40%, though that’s not exactly something to be excited about.
What’s interesting is the effect in Illinois. While he’s moved up from the mid-30s nationally and a little lower, his Illinois numbers are pretty much stagnant according to this month’s Survey USA poll which puts him at 31% approval. Both the national unweighted and weighted come close to Charles’ trend line so that is consistent with other polling. Bush has jumped between 28 and 33 percent approval for several months.
The local effect is that any movement upwards for Bush is unlikely to be helpful to the Illinois GOP where Bush is just toxic.
One Last Thing
As one of the biggest fans of David Simon’s work and all dramas Baltimore, I’m a little peeved I’ve been overlooked for a blogad from The Wire. Having seen the first two episodes, it’s off to another fine season as the Best Damn Show on Television since Homicide (this was a common phrase from Homicide fans during its tenure). And even better news, it’s been renewed for a fifth and final season.
If you haven’t watched the previous seasons, pick them up at your local DVD rental store and enjoy.
Slow through the weekend
Some personal business came up. I might post a bit, but I doubt it. Back Monday.
Compare and Contrast
Better Body Armor, not such a big deal
Halliburton execs watching the SuperBowl in style. Big Deal.
As far as I’m aware only one Republican has called for serious investigation into war profiteering and it is Jim Leach. Why is investigating war profiteering not something everyone agrees upon?
More Interested in Quoting Bin Laden Than Capturing Him
So, as Talking Points Memo points out:
The President launches a series of speeches that repeatedly quote the words of Osama Bin Laden to highlight how terrorists want to kill Americans. Then, a week later, he says that catching Osama Bin Laden is not a priority. Words vs. action. Rhetoric vs. reality. The Bush presidency. If only the Democrats knew how to take advantage of the glaring inconsistencies.
?I absolutely do not agree that Iraq is part of the war on terror,? said Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran, at a news conference in Oakbrook Terrace. ?I think a very small percentage of what?s happening in Iraq is terrorist activity. I think most of it is sectarian violence. It?s Sunni fighting Shiites.?
That view drew a raised eyebrow from her Republican opponent Peter Roskam.
?The notion that theater of conflict (in Iraq) is de-coupled from the war on terror, I just disagree with that,? said Roskam, a state senator from Wheaton. ?I?m actually surprised she would say that.?
Roskam agrees with Bush, who stressed in his Monday speech commemorating the five-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that Iraq is a key front in the war on terror.
?Al-Qaida and other extremists from across the world have come to Iraq to stop the rise of a free society in the heart of the Middle East,? Bush said. ?They have joined the remnants of Saddam?s regime and other armed groups to foment sectarian violence and drive us out.?
But Duckworth, a Hoffman Estates Army reservist who saw combat action in Iraq, disagreed.
?I think that to try to tie Iraq into the war on terror is a disservice to the real work that has to be done on the war on terror,? she said.
Duckworth lists capturing Osama bin Laden, finishing the job in Afghanistan and enacting the 9/11 Commission recommendations on homeland security as the ?real work.?
Petey and Dick Cheney aren’t up on their reading.
There can be no clearer differentiation between the reality based community and those who have decided to live in a fantasy land. Look at today’s ticker and you’ll notice these aren’t terrorist attacks, this is a low grade Civil War with tons of sectarian violence. Trying to fight it as if it were about terrorists will certainly result in even worse outcomes than we already are stuck with.
What is central to fighting terrorism is bringing down Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. Apparently, Bush, and Roskam since he’s following the President’s line, don’t think that’s so important.
Mark Kirk, Jerry Weller, David McSweeney and Andrea Zinga can all join in and explain to the people of Illinois exactly how getting Osama bin Laden isn’t a high priority. I’d love to see that done in a way that doesn’t cause people to either bust out laughing or just start crying.
I’m Trying to Figure it Out
It’s great that Dan Hynes is calling on Obama to run for President, even if I think that’s a terrible idea for 2008, but the interesting thing to me is what does it mean in terms of Madigan’s slap at Obama a few weeks ago?
Hynes learned an important lesson about organizing and appealing to those voters without strong ties to the regular Democratic operation in 2004. That he’s decided now is the time to bring this up just after a mild dustup from Madigan makes it strange to me.
The very plausible explanation is that watching George Bush fail miserably simply has Dan saying he’s HAD ENOUGH!