Congress Fears Social Security Reform

Re “Stop Sweating Social Security -- the End Is Not Near,” Commentary, Dec. 29: Kevin Drum, former Sen. Bob Graham and other spendaholics on both sides of the aisle have only one real issue with reforming Social Security: They fear that it will result in spending controls for Congress.

Under the present system, Congress rakes in huge amounts of Old Age Survivor and Disability Insurance cash, pays out a modest portion to recipients, writes an IOU to the “trust fund” and spends all the money. Were individuals given actual control over a real investment nest egg, many would choose not to buy U.S. Treasury bonds -- and Congress would lose access to that cash. Several hundred billion dollars a year would either have to be raised in taxes (not likely) or cut from spending.

Social Security reform is much like health spending accounts in Medicare and school testing in No Child Left Behind: It conceals the sour pill of market-based discipline among porcine sweeteners of big government spending.

That’s why we’re suddenly hearing that Social Security is just fine, thank you.

Paul Burich

San Jose

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Anyone wonder why President Bush is proposing major surgery to noncritical Social Security at a time when our Medicare program is at least seven times more financially distressed? Well, think politics, the vote-buying variety.

Here’s the Bush history: In 2001 and 2002, we had major tax reduction programs aimed squarely at the very wealthy, the political donor class. Then, in 2003, an awkwardly structured drug reimbursement plan was targeted to existing Medicare seniors.

And now we have a risky “you’ll be wildly rich someday” recommendation for Social Security private accounts directed at younger voters.

See a trend here? And are we finished yet? No. I’ve heard it on good authority there’ll be a free software giveaway to teenagers in 2005! It’s a video game where shiny red elephants chase down and slay scruffy, scrambling donkeys.

Donald Funk

Redondo Beach