Investing in Stocks

Perhaps the key issue in the debate over Social Security reform has to do with how funds in the system are to be invested - and by whom. Awareness of the fact that stocks have typically given better rates of return than the government bonds in which the Social Security Trust Fund has been invested has driven a broad range of proposals either to shift some of the Social Security investments into the stock market or to add a new component of the system which would be invested in stocks. There are several possibilities as to how this might be done. Proposals range from individually managed retirement accounts to a government managed investment fund.

These ideas are very controversial and go to the heart of the debate over Social Security reform. We are fortunate to have two of the leading experts on this topic as our panelists for this Roundtable. They are skilled debaters and forceful advocates of rather different positions on this issue. Please join in the discussion and take advantage of this opportunity to be in the thick of the debate.

Our distinguished panelists are listed below. Click on any of the small pictures to obtain a biography of the panelist. Or go directly to read their position paper on the subject of Social Security reform. Then register for the online discussion and participate actively when the Roundtable begins on May 17.


Robert Reischauer Brookings Institution position paper	Carolyn Weaver American Enterprise Institute position paper

What to do

and

when to do it:

Start date: May 17
End date: May 28
View the discussion archive
Fill out a survey