Bush Admits Private Accounts Do Nothing To Fix Social Security

by Steve

"Personal accounts do not solve this issue."
--Bush, this morning at his press conference

Bush had an interesting press conference this morning. First, he came out and admitted that his private accounts proposal does nothing to address the solvency problem with Social Security, but he defended the concept on the basis that it will give "workers get a better deal" in the future. The jury is definitely out on that claim as well, and Bush still refuses to talk about the debt that is necessary to finance private accounts. Bush also admitted today that he has no intention of proposing a plan of his own, so why should Democrats do so when he is unwilling to lead on the issue, and has only talked about a concept that doesn’t address the problem at hand?

Second, Bush said today that energy companies don’t need incentives in the energy bill to drill for more oil; high prices are incentive enough. Is that how it works? The Bush Administration sees its job as presiding over steep increases in prices so that oil companies will then find it worthwhile to drill more? Again, where is the leadership from the White House to make energy available and more affordable?

Lastly, he stood by Tom DeLay, even as his allies among House Republicans are getting skittish about being associated with DeLay.