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UPDATE,
SUMMER 2001
The Bush Administration has
launched another bogus Social Security "Commission" to yet
again"study" the non-existent Social Security
"crisis." Made up of Republicans, Democrats, Corporate
representatives and Academics, it is interesting to note that all
members of this Commission support Social Security privatization!
Lawmakers must be urged to denounce and expose this corrupt Commission.
Lawmakers must also be pushed to take strong public stands in support of
our Social Security safety net, declaring privatization and other
looting schemes as "off limits."
Although the movement to raid our Social Security system
is still afoot, the momentum built up over the past decade has fallen
off because of several key factors. First, public opposition to attacks
on Social Security remains high, giving caution to lawmakers who would
advocate its privatization. Second, the recent collapse of stock market
values has highlighted the steep downside to investing Social Security
retirement funds in the stock market.
Our Social Security safety net is far from safe,
however.
A majority of Republicans in Congress, and a smaller but
growing number of Democrats are increasingly tempted to advocate the
total or partial privatization of Social Security. The Bush Presidential
campaign openly pushed to privatize the system, with little public
outcry. The corporate news media gladly assisted in the creation of the
myth that working people might support investment of Social Security
funds in our volatile stock market.
Working people will need to keep
reminding the politicians that privatization is NOT an option. We should
expect the assault on our retirement system to return full-blast during
the Bush Administration, at whatever point the Republican majority feels
that it is again an opportune time.
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