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Fix Social Security Soon, Bush Urges

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By MARTIN CRUTSINGER, The Associated Press

Published: September 25, 2007

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration said in a new report Monday that Social Security is facing a $13.6 trillion shortfall and that delaying needed reforms is not fair to younger workers.

A report issued by the Treasury Department said some combination of benefit cuts and tax increases will need to be considered to permanently fix the funding shortfall. But White House officials stressed President Bush remains opposed to raising taxes.

The Treasury report put the cost of the gap between what Social Security is expected to need to pay out in benefits and what it will raise in payroll taxes in coming years at $13.6 trillion.

It said delaying necessary changes reduces the number of people available to share in the burden of those changes and is unfair to younger workers.

In another key finding, the report said: 'Social Security can be made permanently solvent only by reducing the present value of scheduled benefits and/or increasing the present value of scheduled tax increases.'

The paper went on to say: 'Other changes to the program might be desirable, but only these changes can restore solvency permanently.'

Bush Rejects Tax Increases
Although the language of the Treasury report seemed to indicate the administration would consider raising taxes along with reducing benefits as a way to deal with the funding shortfall, the White House was quick to reject that possibility.

'The president is not advocating for tax increases or benefit cuts,' said White House spokesman Tony Fratto.

'Everyone understands that the choices available in the current structure of Social Security, that absent reform, tax increases and benefit cuts are inevitable,' Fratto said. 'That's why the president believes it makes more sense to reform the program sooner rather than later.'

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, Bush's point person on Social Security reform, said he has had a number of discussions with members of Congress from both parties over the issue of fixing the problems in Social Security.

'While differences over personal accounts and taxes dominate the public debate over this issue, in my conversations I found that there are many other things on which people agree,' Paulson said in a statement accompanying the issues report.

'By focusing on areas of agreement, I hope these issue briefs will narrow the divide and spur further discussion of reforms,' Paulson said.

Reform Slow To Happen

Bush had hoped to make Social Security reform the top domestic priority of his second term. Bush put forward a Social Security reform plan in 2005 that focused on creation of private accounts for younger workers. That proposal, however, never came up for a vote in Congress, with Democrats heavily opposed and few Republicans embracing the idea.

While Democrats have fought to protect benefit levels, Republicans have been adamant that taxes should not be raised to cover the Social Security shortfall.

Phil Swaigel, Treasury's assistant secretary for economic policy, told reporters the plan was to issue about six issue briefs on Social Security during the next three months. He said it was 'unclear' at the moment, though, whether the papers would lead to a new push to get an overhaul program through Congress next year.

Many think such an effort would be highly unlikely to gain success in 2008, a presidential election year when one-third of the Senate and all House members will be facing re-election.

BRIDGING THE GAP

THE FINDINGS: Social Security is facing a $13.6 trillion shortfall and delaying reforms is not fair to younger workers, a Treasury Department report found Monday.

THE FIX: The report said benefit cuts and tax increases must be considered to permanently fix the funding shortfall.

THE REFUSAL: White House officials stressed that President Bush remains opposed to raising taxes.

Source: The Associated Press

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