David Brooks babbles in the Times this morning thus:
"This is what's infected the Tories in Britain, and it's infected the Democrats here. When a Republican president embraces progressive indexing, something big is happening. When the Democrats oppose it, you know their party has betrayed an animating ideal."
First, Dubya did not "embrace" indexing until it was clear that his PRIVATE ACCOUNTS SCHEME had flopped terribly.....he was embarassed into saying somthing different.
Second, there has been a feeding frenzy among the Republican Rich in Washington and Wall Street that has looted the US economy to the bone...so a few "concessions" were in order. Especially since nothing is "for sure."
And the "concessions" were coming at the expense of the upper middle class who are not big contributors at $10,000 a plate Republican fund raisers.
Third, a means test is probably the next best way to "fix" the Social Security problem if you don't want to use tax hikes.
And means testing does reflect the true nature of the program...namely SOCIAL INSURANCE, NOT A "TRUST FUND" FOR THE BETTER OFF.
BUSH & CO ARE GOING TO BE "HAVING EPIPHANIES" FOR THE REST OF HIS TERM IN OFFICE.....BUT THE MERE FACT THAT REPUBLICAN LOOTING IS "SLOWING DOWN" A BIT BECAUSE THERE IS ALMOST NOTHING LEFT TO LOOT IS NOT GROUNDS FOR PRAISE......
Almost all of the Stock Market's recent "Hosanna Moments" have been two edged swords...."things" are only "good" because the WALL STREET SPIN MACHINE is on the job 24.7......
THE BUSH PRESIDENCY IS IN A DOWNWARD SPIRAL NOW....AS WILL BE BEST SEEN AFTER THE 2006 ELECTIONS.
