Bush to Push Social Security Plan in Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- President Bush will be in Rochester, N.Y., on Tuesday to talk about Social Security and sell the plan to skeptical Republicans in Congress, WROC-TV reported.

In the meantime, a Senate Republican urged Democrats on Monday to negotiate about Social Security, even if they just say "no" to a plan with personal investment accounts favored by Bush, The Associated Press reported.

"You know, they ought to be sitting down at the table, talking to us about solvency, and if they want, it gives them an opportunity ... to say, ‘You know, we'll agree to do this much, but if you're going to have personal accounts in there, we aren't going to do it,'" said Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa. The Senate Finance Committee, which Grassley heads as chairman, takes up the issue on Wednesday.

Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, the top Democrat on the panel, said he would negotiate with Grassley only if the president publicly disavows the accounts, which Bush has conceded will not improve the program's solvency.

Also, U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow on Monday renewed his call to overhaul Social Security and the U.S. tax code, saying both steps would ensure sustainable economic growth.

"Reforming our Social Security and tax systems both address some critical long-term issues," he said in remarks prepared for delivery to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

-- NYSSCPA.org News Staff

Posted on 5/24/05