Is the Bush White House Changing its Tune on Social Security?

Hosted by
Opponents of President Bush's Social Security plan now claim it's dead before its arrival in Congress. One supporter has written a "Requiem for Reform" and a hard-line conservative senses "the smoldering smell of a sell-out." While trustees for Medicare say that government program is already receiving less revenue than its paying out, and Social Security won't be in that kind of trouble until 2018, Bush remains on the campaign trail, though his slogans and banners are changing to moderate the promise of private investment accounts. Has the White House made a colossal mistake? Will Congress fail to take action or will some compromise allow the President to make defeat look like victory? We hear more from journalists at the New York Times, Dallas Morning News and New Republic, and a Washington think-tank which has long advocated private accounts. Making News: Supreme Court Rejects Schiavo Parents, Case Pending in Florida The full nine-member US Supreme Court today refused to hear the case of Terri Schiavo, whose parents are running out of ways to keep her alive. George Felos, the attorney for Schiavo's husband, described her condition as "peaceful" and "resting comfortably" as she continues " in her death process." John Kennedy is State Capitol Bureau Chief for the Orlando Sentinel. Reporter's Notebook: Mobile Phone Security Imagine that a computer virus that's been waiting inside your cell phone starts making calls, maybe to overseas telephone sex lines. When the bill comes, you're faced with both massive costs and awkward explanations. Since disabling desktops and making e-mail run wild is becoming old hat for the people who write computer viruses, Clive Thompson, technology and games columnist for Slate.com, fears the next target is cell phones.
Opponents of President Bush's Social Security plan now claim it's dead before its arrival in Congress. One supporter has written a "Requiem for Reform" and a hard-line conservative senses "the smoldering smell of a sell-out." While trustees for Medicare say that government program is already receiving less revenue than its paying out, and Social Security won't be in that kind of trouble until 2018, Bush remains on the campaign trail, though his slogans and banners are changing to moderate the promise of private investment accounts. Has the White House made a colossal mistake? Will Congress fail to take action or will some compromise allow the President to make defeat look like victory? We hear more from journalists at the New York Times, Dallas Morning News and New Republic, and a Washington think-tank which has long advocated private accounts.
  • Making News: Supreme Court Rejects Schiavo Parents, Case Pending in Florida
    The full nine-member US Supreme Court today refused to hear the case of Terri Schiavo, whose parents are running out of ways to keep her alive. George Felos, the attorney for Schiavo's husband, described her condition as "peaceful" and "resting comfortably" as she continues " in her death process." John Kennedy is State Capitol Bureau Chief for the Orlando Sentinel.
  • Reporter's Notebook: Mobile Phone Security
    Imagine that a computer virus that's been waiting inside your cell phone starts making calls, maybe to overseas telephone sex lines. When the bill comes, you're faced with both massive costs and awkward explanations. Since disabling desktops and making e-mail run wild is becoming old hat for the people who write computer viruses, Clive Thompson, technology and games columnist for Slate.com, fears the next target is cell phones.
Resources and References to today's SOCIAL SECURITY discussion:

Supreme Court's denial in Schiavo v Schiavo

Pinellas Circuit Court on Florida Department of Children and Schiavo v Schiavo

Medicare

Prescription drug and Medicare Improvement Act of 2003

Thompson's article on cell phone viruses

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney