Yeah, Right, Whatever

Several days ago, I saw Art Linkletter on Neil Cavuto's show on FoxNews. He was amazing.

During the interview, the 93-year-old conservative Linkletter touted the importance of Social Security reform with personal retirement accounts and went on to call the AARP, which opposes President Bush's reform plan, "the largest liberal lobbying group in Washington."

The United Seniors Association, of which Mr. Linkletter is the National Chair, is starting a full-court press against the AARP.

"USA Next Stop Scaring Seniors NOW!" -- a campaign focusing on the AARP and the alleged damage it has done and continues to do to America.

I'm glad there is an alternative for seniors to the AARP. I know they have my grandmother scared half to death.

I think it's funny when people try to say there is no crisis. Then why did President Clinton want major reforms in Social Security? Why, in 1999, did Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid say that he agreed with the idea of putting a portion of SS into the private sector? And why did FDR say this back in 1935?

In a written statement to Congress in 1935, Roosevelt said that any Social Security plans should include, "Voluntary contributory annuities, by which individual initiative can increase the annual amounts received in old age," adding that government funding, "ought to ultimately be supplanted by self-supporting annuity plans."

When President Clinton was in office, Democrats were talking about the Social Security crisis. What has happened in the last few years? Did they overhaul the system while we weren't looking?

Oh, wait. I remember now. They wanted to overhaul it when Clinton would get the credit. Now that President Bush is calling for reforms, they're against it, not because it won't work, but because they are against him in principle.

I'd at least like the OPTION of having Social Security when I'm old and gray(er). Reform it. Now.