False progress

Proponents of Bush's plan think progress has been made in the Social Security debate since we seemed to have moved from a 'yes-no' political dynamic to one filled with policy ideas - mainly from Republican Senators Graham and Hagel. Even if this is true, as Richard Stevenson points out in today's Times, Democrats will never accept a reduction in guaranteed benefits - the trademark of the Republican approach - and Republicans have already rejected a rise in the wage cap - the obvious solution to Social Security's long term financial problems and one supported by many Democrats and a majority of the public.

Since no agreement can be made on how to solve the funding problems for Social Security - the 'main course' of any reform package - than how can we help ourselves to 'dessert' in the form of private accounts since by the President's own admission they do nothing to fix Social Security's long term financing.