RE: Bipartisan Consensus

[National Dialogue Moderator <moderator>]

There are some immediate areas of consensus that we can focus on:

1.  Both the Archer/Shaw Social Security Guarantee Plan and the President's
plan are committed to saving the Social Security system.

2.  Each plan uses the private market to boost the rate of return on
investment.

3. Women are fully protected by both plans.

4. Neither plan cuts benefits.

There are, however, some important differences:

1. The President's plan cannot guarantee solvency beyond 2055, our plan
guarantees solvency for at least 75 years--the furthest date out that Social
Security actuaries will predict.

2. The Archer/Shaw plan says that individuals should be free to pick a plan
of their own choosing, while, the President's plan believes that the
government knows best.

3.  The President's plan does not guarantee that taxes will not be hiked.
Our plan not only guarantees that taxes will not be raised but further
guarantees that the payroll tax will be reduced from 12.4% to 9.9% then 8.9%
by 2060, just 5 years after the President's plan collapses.

I await the President's leadership to say we can work this out.  I am ready,
willing and able to get the job done now.

Bill Archer