RE: The Big Picture

[National Dialogue Moderator <moderator>]

Since its inception in 1935, Social Security has been one of the
most successful federal programs.  Health care, poverty and crime
are all valid concerns.  In the current economic climate, we have
a unique window of opportunity to remodel Social Security and to
make it solvent for generations to come.  By focusing this discussion
on Social Security, we are celebrating the positive economy:  we
have a real shot at opening up savings and wealth creation to all
Americans.

The only way to fund the transition and to make the system solvent
for future taxpayers is to make a series of tough choices.  There
is no one quick fix.  Any solution must combine a number of changes,
some of which we have already addressed in this forum (raising the
wage base, raising the retirement age, moving the Social Security
Trust Fund off-budget). While there are no easy answers with fixing
Social Security, it is important to note that necessary cuts to
basic defined future Social Security benefits not come at the
expense of those Americans who face a high rate of poverty and have
little or no health coverage.  The goal here is to do better for
these Americans, not worse.

As a part of this multi-faceted solution, we should rely on the
surplus projections of OMB (Office of Management and Budget), CBO
(Congressional Budget Office) and respected economists and actuaries,
and dedicate those future budget surpluses to Social Security.

Sam Beard