RE: Final questions for the Options for Reform Roundtable

[National Dialogue Moderator <moderator>]

Here's our last contribution. Thanks for all the good work!


Despite the importance of acting soon, it is difficult to imagine
legislation going through this year.  The congressional majority
leadership seems unable to agree amongst themselves on what should be
done, and they can't seem to find anything acceptable in  the
President's proposals.  If only they showed as much focus on bi-partisan
action on Social Security as they seem to on beating up the
Vice-President at every turn! In such a partisan atmosphere, I wouldn't
give the chances of legislative action this year more than a two or
three rating, in spite of the enormous public interest is seeing
something done. 

A bi-partisan agreement on USA accounts, which would have the benefits
of improving private pensions and increasing the national savings rate
while providing an opportunity to test the feasibility of universal
individual accounts, would be great.  But testimony to how excessively
ideological the Social Security debate has become in Washington is the
aggressive opposition by many private account supporters. 

The most important step to strengthen retirement security for working
families would be for the President and Congress to enact legislation
devoting 62% of the federal budget surplus, both Social Security and
non-Social Security, to strengthen Social Security (and another 15% for
Medicare). 

Gerry Shea
AFL-CIO