US citizens usually defer to the federal government in matters about which they know only little. This is especially true for foreign policy. This explains the ease with which the Bush administration managed to sell its war in Iraq.
But, Mr Bush, fresh off "re-election" as "war-president," stumbled pathetically as he travelled the country for months to sell his plan to "reform" Social Security. This, by contrast to foreign policy, is an issue about which the average citizen knows a good deal. This is because the program touches so many lives.
Mr Bush never offered a specific alternative to Social Security but only general gloomy warnings and a vague program of private investments. The more people heard the President say "I know all this stuff sounds really complicated ..." the less they trusted him to touch their expected retirement incomes. His popularity numbers began to drop and no legislation was presented by the Republican majority in Congress.
Below is a listing of websites and articles that outline the operation of the Social Security system and news about the effort for "reform."
Note: links are underlined below.
Social Security Administration
General Description of Social Security
Rep. Peter DeFazio's newsletter summary
Social Security benefits calculator
Think Tank Analysis
Center on Budget & Policies Priorities
Center for Economic
& Policy Research
a) Basic
facts on Soc Sec and proposed privatization
b) Series
of articles on the system and efforts to "reform" it