Lawmakers get an earful about Social Security plan

"When [U.S. Rep. Chris] Chocola, R-Ind., asked Cass County residents what they thought Washington should do about the fact that the [Social Security] program will not collect enough in taxes to pay out all its promised benefits to retirees, the answers were not what he -- or President Bush -- would like to hear.

One man called for rolling back the tax cuts Bush enacted.

Several women said the United States should stop spending so much on wars and disaster aid in other countries.

Others argued that if U.S. companies stopped moving jobs overseas, there would be more workers paying into the Social Security system.

As for Bush's main proposal -- allowing younger workers to divert some of their Social Security taxes into personal investment accounts -- the applause came when Camden resident Pete Wagoner told Chocola: "It's the entirely wrong way to go.
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At a Muncie meeting Thursday, when Rep. Mike Pence tried to talk about other governments -- such as Chile -- that have adopted private accounts, a constituent shouted out: "Oh, Chile! There's a good model!""

As the Indiana paper covers the skepticism with which consituents greet the Bubba Bush plan for gutting Social Security, they also cover the reactions from the Republican snake-oil salesmen:

"[Pence said] 'Clearly, public understanding and comprehension of what the president is proposing has got to grow significantly for us to move legislation in Congress this year.'

In other words, people need to suddenly get a lot stupider over night and believe the Republican horse-hooey. But with the Bush track record of deceit, the Bubba administration has lost the benefit of the doubt several times over. Fool me three times ...