WASHINGTON — The Concord Coalition said today that President Clinton’s
State of the Union proposals regarding Social Security are best viewed
as an opening bid in a political negotiation. The bipartisan group
advocating fiscal responsibility noted that when viewed from that
perspective, advocates of reform should take heart that all credible
options, including individually owned accounts, are still on the table.
WASHINGTON — The Concord Coalition said today that President Clinton’s
State of the Union proposals regarding Social Security are best viewed
as an opening bid in a political negotiation. The bipartisan group
advocating fiscal responsibility noted that when viewed from that
perspective, advocates of reform should take heart that all credible
options, including individually owned accounts, are still on the table.
"Rather than rejecting the President’s ideas out of hand, we urge
Republican leaders to continue the bipartisan dialogue that
characterized the forums co-sponsored by Concord and AARP last year,"
said Concord Coalition Executive Director Martha Phillips. "Creative
people on both sides of the aisle should be able to develop a consensus
approach, but only if they treat the President’s proposals as the
beginning — and not the end — of the negotiations."
The Concord Coalition is concerned that the President stopped
short of recommending any hard choices, or even suggesting some
options, to reform the current system. As the President noted during
the State of the Union, by 2013 Social Security payroll taxes will no
longer be sufficient to cover monthly payments.
"This part of the reform agenda needs immediate attention,"
said Concord Coalition Policy Director Robert Bixby. "The President
made a good case for serious reform. We urge the President to meet with
Congressional leaders as soon as possible to build upon the progress
made during the White House conference held in December."
