Project Information

April 28, 1999 Press Release

PITTSBURGH, PA – On Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said that Congress will not pass Social Security legislation this year. On Tuesday, people asked members of the House Ways and Means Committee in an online roundtable whether that was so and why.

Chairman Bill Archer sent an almost immediate response. He said he still hoped Social Security legislation could be passed this year. In an earlier message, he said that he and President Clinton both have two years remaining in their terms and both want to leave a legacy of having saved Social Security. Responses soon followed from fellow Republican Kenny Hulshof of Missouri, and Democrats Xavier Becerra of California and Karen Thurman of Florida.

On Wednesday, when Archer and Rep. Clay Shaw unveiled their Guarantee Plan to reform Social Security, Archer informed the roundtable and asked them to visit his website for more details.

The exchanges came in the first of four roundtables in the National Dialogue on Social Security - a seven-week online non-partisan discussion that connects elected officials, policy researchers, policy advocates and the public. The National Dialogue is hosted by Information Renaissance and Americans Discuss Social Security, non-profit groups from Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. Participation is free.

Politicians and advocacy groups have been increasingly using the speed and economy of the Internet to reach a large and diverse audience. Jesse Ventura raised campaign funds and continues to mobilize a volunteer force of 7,000 with The JesseNet. Steve Forbes announced his presidential candidacy on the Intenet, and the U.S. House of Representatives reached millions when it released Kenneth Starr's report.

Can the Internet also be used for non-partisan purposes, as a place where people can get substantive information and engage in a debate that spans a broad range of viewpoints? Can the Internet help produce better public policy? The hosts of the National Dialogue believe it can.

The National Dialogue, funded by a grant from the Prudential Foundation, began on Monday, April 19 and runs through June 4. Roundtable panelists spark conversation by describing their positions, answering questions from the public, and debating among themselves. Topics include:

* Why Reform Now? (April 26-May 7); Archer, Becerra, Hulshof, Thurman

*Options for Reform (May 3-May14); Sam Beard, Economic Security 2000; Ron Gebhardtsbauer, American Academy of Actuaries; John Rother, AARP; Gerald Shea, AFL-CIO; Moderator, Robert Rosenblatt, LA Times.

* Investing in Stocks, (May 17-May 28); Robert D. Reischauer, Brookings Institution; Carolyn Weaver, American Enterprise Institute

* Women and Minorities, (May 24-June 4): John Banks-Brooks, Tax Management, Inc.; Heidi Hartmann, Institute for Women's Policy Research; Kilolo Kijakazi, Center for Budget and Policy Priorities; Darcy Olsen, Cato Institute;, Anna Rappaport, Mercer, Inc.; and William Spriggs, National Urban League.

Information Renaissance is a nonprofit organization that promotes the use of computer networks to support public participation in policy issues. Americans Discuss Social Security is a nonprofit, nonpartisan project funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts to engage Americans from all walks of life in a national conversation about Social Security.