In denial still...............
Bush Plans to Revive Social Security Proposal With New Congress
By Nadine Elsibai
Oct. 22 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush said Republicans can hold their congressional majority by focusing on national security and the economy, and that he will return to overhauling Social Security as a top domestic priority for his last two years in office.
The president said he was confident that his party will keep control of the House and Senate, even if the margin is narrower. He dismissed ``conventional wisdom'' that his low job approval ratings, public concerns about the Iraq war and ethics scandals in Congress will lead to significant gains for Democrats.
``I've heard all the speculation and all the predictions,'' Bush said in a recorded interview broadcast today on ABC's ``This Week'' program. ``I can't tell you what the margins are going to be, but I believe our candidates will go out and talk about the issues that matter and we'll win.''
Recent polls have indicated voters may be ready to overturn the Republican majority. A poll conducted Oct. 19-20 for Newsweek magazine found 55 percent of U.S. adults say they are likely to cast their ballots for the Democratic candidate in the Nov. 7 elections. The poll put Bush's approval rating at 35 percent. Democrats need a net gain of 15 seats in the House and six in the Senate to gain majorities in both chambers.
Iraq was cited at the most important issue in deciding how to vote by 31 percent in the Newsweek poll, followed by the economy at 18 percent and health care at 16 percent. Bush said Iraq won't be the deciding factor in most races. ``Most elections are very local elections,'' he said.
No Change in Priorities
Regardless of how many seats Democrats may win, Bush said he'll make the tactical changes necessary to accomplish his goals. At the start of each congressional session, he said, ``you test the mood of the Congress, find out what their appetite will be. But it doesn't change your priorities.''
The top items on the agenda, Bush said, are immigration and Social Security. The Republican-led Congress stymied Bush on both after the president won re-election in 2004 and made them his top priorities.
Bush's plan to let workers divert a portion of their Social Security payroll taxes to private savings accounts -- along with other steps to address future shortfalls in the government retirement insurance program -- never made it to a legislative proposal in the face of broad public and congressional opposition.
On immigration, Congress deadlocked over a proposal favored by Bush and most of the Senate to adopt a guest-worker program and citizenship for some undocumented immigrants already in the country coupled with tougher border controls. House Republicans demanded any changes focus on security and border control. Both chambers last month passed legislation to build 700 miles of barriers along the border with Mexico and expand use of cameras, sensors and other equipment to check illegal immigration.
``They're still alive,'' Bush said of the two proposals.
The president listed reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, which expires next year, and homeland security as other priorities before he leaves office in 2009. |
