Progress Report: Tweedledee, Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber

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Tue, 26 Apr 2005 08:21:17 -0700

Progress Report: Tweedledee, Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber

 

 

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The Progress Report

by Christy Harvey, Judd Legum and Jonathan Baskin

with Nico Pitney and Mipe Okunseinde

 

April 26, 2005

SOCIAL SECURITY Tweedledee, Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber

MEDIA The Privatization of PBS

UNDER THE RADAR Go Beyond The Headlines

 

ThinkProgress.orgFor news and updates throughout the day, check out

our blog at ThinkProgress.org.

 

SOCIAL SECURITY

Tweedledee, Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber

 

Speaking in South Carolina earlier this month, President Bush

described the " urgent need for the United States Congress to work with

the administration to get something done now " on Social Security.

Today, the Senate Finance Committee holds its first hearing on Social

Security reform and the White House can't be bothered to show up.

After months of self-congratulations for " taking on the issue, " the

administration won't send anyone to the Senate to take questions on

the president's proposals. Instead, they will rely on surrogates to

present their own plans for Social Security privatization. Here's a

preview of what you'll hear:

 

POZEN – MASSIVE BENEFIT CUTS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS: Businessman Robert

Pozen, who will testify today before the committee, has a Social

Security privatization plan that includes " progressive price

indexing. " Current Social Security benefits are calculated based on

the growth in wages, a system called " wage indexing. " Some people

propose linking Social Security benefits to the growth in prices

(price indexing), which would mean big benefit cuts because prices

rise much more slowly. Pozen's " progressive price indexing " maintains

wage indexing for low-income workers, switching to price indexing for

high-income workers and using a hybrid of the two for the middle

class. Although it sounds attractive, the impact of progressive price

indexing on the middle class would be devastating. Under Pozen's plan,

the average wage earner who retires in 2075 would see a 28 percent

benefit cut. A significant portion of the savings created by benefit

cuts is squandered by diverting 2 percent of Social Security payroll

taxes into private accounts. President Bush has called Pozen's

proposal " interesting. "

 

FERRARA – PIE IN THE SKY: Peter Ferrara, a senior fellow at the

Institute for Policy Innovation, proposes allowing huge transfers from

payroll taxes into private accounts – far larger than even the

president is suggesting. (The president proposes allowing 4 percent of

payroll taxes to be diverted; Ferrara proposes 10 percent of the first

$10,000 in income to be diverted and 5 percent of all other income.)

Under the Ferrara plan " personal accounts would be backed up by a

safety net providing a Federal guarantee that workers with personal

accounts would receive at least as much as promised by Social Security

under current law. " Sound too good to be true? It is. Ferrara " pays "

for his proposal by transferring $68 trillion over the next 75 years

from general revenues to the Social Security system, more than twice

the predicted Social Security shortfall. Since the government is

already running a deficit in excess of $400 billion a year, all of

this money would have to be borrowed. Chuck Blahous, assistant to the

president for economic policy, has commented favorably on the Ferrara

proposal.

 

TANNER – DISMANTLING SOCIAL SECURITY: Michael Tanner of the Cato

Institute will present his plan to effectively dismantle Social

Security. The Tanner proposal would fully privatize the retirement

component of Social Security. Individuals will be able to divert all

6.2 percent of their payroll taxes into private accounts. (They would

receive a bond equal to the amount they have contributed to the

existing system.) Technically, workers could choose to remain in the

traditional system, " accepting a level of benefits payable with the

current level of revenue. " Since there would be little or no revenue

going into the traditional system, this would mean draconian benefit

cuts. If someone invests in private accounts and his or her

investments tank, there is no safety net. Don't take it from us, take

it from Peter Ferrara: " Cato wants to get rid of the entire Social

Security system. "

 

BUSH APPROVAL ON SOCIAL SECURITY SINKS TO 31 PERCENT: Why is President

Bush letting these guys take up the mantle of Social Security reform?

He hasn't been the most effective spokesman. After months on the road

talking up his Social Security proposals just 31 percent of Americans

approve of how he is handling the issue. Bush is so desperate he has

recruited Tom DeLay to help him sell his Social Security plan. Today,

DeLay is scheduled to participate in a Social Security event with

President Bush in Galveston, Texas, and then will fly back to D.C.

with Bush on Air Force One. For the latest news and commentary, check

out American Progress's Social Security page.

 

MEDIA

The Privatization of PBS

 

According to people within the Public Broadcasting Service, the

supposedly politically independent PBS " is being forced to toe a more

conservative line in its programming " by its oversight agency, the

Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which is being stacked with

right-wing appointees. Over the past few years, President Bush has

attempted to flood the CPB board with partisan political operatives.

The result, according to a senior FCC official, is that today CPB " is

engaged in a systematic effort not just to sanitize the truth, but to

impose a right-wing agenda on PBS. It's almost like a right-wing coup.

It appears to be orchestrated. "

 

STACKED BOARD: Created in the 1960s, CPB was purposefully designed as

an independent body in order to provide a buffer between the

independent public broadcast networks and the partisan government. In

fact, Congress funds CPB two years in advance to " shield it from

momentary bursts of partisan anger " and keep PBS safe from the muck of

daily politics. That was then. Now, the chairman of the CPB board is

Kenneth Tomlinson, a close friend of uber-strategist Karl Rove and an

individual who has contributed thousands to Republicans over the past

decade. President Bush also nominated Gay Hart Gaines and Cheryl

Halpern, individuals who have given more than $816,000 to conservative

causes over the past 14 years, to the CPB Board of Directors.

Interestingly enough, Gaines was a key fundraiser for Newt Gingrich

back when the House speaker campaigned to " zero out " CPB funding and

privatize PBS.

 

A CORPORATION IN HIS OWN IMAGE: In recent months, at least three

senior CPB officials – all of whom had left-leaning associations –

have departed or been dismissed, making the effects of the stacked

deck even more apparent. Last week, CPB's board decided not to renew

the contract of its chief executive, Kathleen Cox, choosing instead to

replace her with Kenneth Ferree. Before becoming the chief executive

of CPB, Ferree was at the Federal Communications Commission, where he

" played a significant role in the failed effort to loosen rules " for

giant media conglomerates to consolidate their empires. (It was

backlash from the American public that defeated his efforts.) Now

Ferree is at CPB, but not because of his love for public broadcasting.

In an interview with the New York Times Magazine, Ferree admitted to

not watching much PBS, not even its flagship show, NewsHour with Jim

Lehrer, which he called " slow. " In Ferree's own words, " I don't always

want to sit down and read Shakespeare, and Lehrer is akin to

Shakespeare. Sometimes I really just want a People magazine. "

 

THE LYNN CHENEY SHOW: In addition to stacking the board of CPB, the

administration hired Michael Pack, a producer with close ties to the

Bush administration. How close? In 2002, Pack greeted outgoing PBS

President Pat Mitchell at Vice President Cheney's house with an

" inappropriate " proposal for a children's series featuring the vice

president's wife, Lynn Cheney.

 

DESPERATELY SEEKING CENSORSHIP: The Public Broadcasting Act prohibits

CPB from interfering with public TV's programming, but someone may

need to remind its Board of Directors. During her confirmation

hearings, new board member Cheryl Halpern advocated a policy of

" aggressive " censorship and suggested CPB should be allowed to

penalize and " remove physically " broadcasts it decides are unbalanced.

In fact, media watchdog groups accused the Bush administration of

using a " litmus test " to select board members; the White House

reportedly sunk the candidacy of a nominee who stated CPB should

intervene in programming only in " extraordinary circumstances. " And

now the current board is starting to do the job for which it was

apparently hired, tightening its grasp over programming content.

Earlier this year, for the first time in its history, the CPB insisted

on tying any new PBS funding to " an agreement that would commit the

network to strict 'objectivity and balance' " in its programs. But its

supposed quest for " objectivity and balance " is decidedly subjective.

On its website, the CPB claims it'll listen to the opinions of public

officials and keep them under wraps: " These opinions may be expressed

in … private conversations with CPB board members and other officials. "

 

TILTING AT " LIBERAL " WINDMILLS: CPB's own research shows that there is

already " objectivity and balance " within PBS. According to two

different national polls and a series of focus group sessions, the

American public thinks there is no real bias in PBS. The group

Fairness and Accurate Reporting claims CPB has it wrong – public

broadcasting isn't designed to balance a right/left tilt: " If

anything, PBS (and public broadcasting in general) is theoretically

designed to balance the voices that dominate the commercial media. "

The national media watchdog group continues on to point out, " As the

1967 Public Broadcasting Act proposed, public broadcasting should have

'instructional, educational and cultural purposes' and should address

'the needs of unserved and underserved audiences, particularly

children and minorities.' "

 

 

Under the Radar

 

JUDICIARY – AMERICANS OPPOSE GOING NUCLEAR: A Washington Post–ABC News

poll reveals Americans oppose the nuclear option by a 2-to-1 margin.

Senate Majority Leader Bill First (R-TN) has indicated he will try to

change Senate rules to eliminate the filibuster on judicial nominees,

but even many conservatives " were reluctant to abandon current Senate

confirmation procedures: Nearly half opposed any rule changes, joining

eight in 10 Democrats and seven in 10 political independents, the poll

found. "

 

UNITED NATIONS – BOLTON PUSHED EXAGGERATED SYRIA INTEL: It seems that

Iraq was not the only country where the Bush administration sought to

inflate the weapons threat by forcing intelligence to conform to its

opinion or policy views. According to former intelligence officials,

then-Undersecretary of State John Bolton " clashed repeatedly with

American intelligence officials in 2002 and 2003 as he sought to

deliver warnings about Syrian efforts to acquire unconventional

weapons. " The fight over the intelligence was due to Bolton trying to

push through intelligence claims, publicly and in Congressional

testimony, that the Central Intelligence Agency and other experts had

already " rejected as exaggerated. " Though Bolton eventually kowtowed

to the truth, his colleagues found " the prolonged and heated disputes

over Mr. Bolton's proposed remarks " to be " unusual within government. "

One former senior official went so far as to call it part of " a

pattern in which Mr. Bolton sought to push his public assertions

beyond the views endorsed by intelligence agencies. " The Senate

Foreign Relations Committee is reviewing these recent assertions as

well as another " previously unknown episode. "

 

HOMELAND SECURITY – 9/11 COMMISSION CONTINUES TO BE IGNORED: At the

very beginning, the Bush administration flatly opposed establishing

the 9/11 Commission and then undercut the Commission every step of the

way. It is no surprise then that " many of the 9/11 Commission's

far-reaching recommendations to protect the U.S. against terrorist

attacks … are foundering as special interests have intervened,

congressional enthusiasm has waned, and other priorities preoccupy the

White House. " After the Commission released its final report in

August, its ten members were " determined to avoid the fate of other

Washington blue-ribbon panel whose proposals were ignored " and

established an independent organization to that end. Unfortunately,

with a few notable exceptions, " the proposals are falling prey to a

resistance by bureaucracies to give up power or money, and a lack of

consistent pressure from the White House and Republican congressional

leaders. " Some of the ideas yet to be implemented include " the call to

free up more radio frequencies for use by fire, police and other

emergency responders, " overhauling congressional oversight of

intelligence and homeland security, allocating homeland security funds

based on risk and terrorist threat, not pork barrel politics, and the

creation of " a single, consolidated and reliable 'watch list.' "

 

BUDGET – CASH SHIFTS AWAY FROM GANG PREVENTION: President Bush's

budget proposal for 2006 contains $50 million in funding for Helping

America's Youth, Laura Bush's new project to " help organizations keep

young people out of gangs. " Unfortunately, that pales in comparison to

the $4.2 billion the president proposes cutting " from youth and

crime-prevention programs with similar aims. " Overall, USA Today

reports, Bush proposes cutting federal funding for youth and

crime-prevention programs by 5 percent, including many programs

integral to crime prevention nationwide. Included in the cuts are a

$34.7 million Elementary and Secondary School Counseling program, and

an effective grant program for extra counselors in high-risk schools,

as well as a 40 percent cut in federal juvenile crime prevention

funds. Recently, Laura Bush visited a Boys & Girls club in

Philadelphia and said Boys & Girls Clubs are " a great example of a

community-based center that engages young people through positive

youth development. " Under her husband's budget proposal, the clubs

overall would lose 19 percent of $80 million in federal funds.

 

IRAQ – INSURGENTS MOUNT NEW WAVE OF ATTACKS: According to U.S. defense

officials, Iraqi insurgents are showing " improved coordination and

greater tactical sophistication in a new surge of attacks. " A sharp

decline in violence followed national elections in January, but the

new surge in violence " comes amid a stalemate over the formation of a

new Iraqi government, which US officials worry is dissipating an

opportunity opened by the January 30 elections to undercut Sunni

support for the insurgency. " More than the number of attacks,

officials say the coordination and sophistication of recent insurgent

efforts are alarming. U.S. commanders continue to play down the

attacks as " desperate acts by desperate individuals, " but the new

phase of the insurgency " could set back US hopes for making

significant reductions in its 142,000-strong force next year. "

 

DON'T MISS

 

CORPORATE: Ralph Reed on Microsoft payroll.

 

ETHICS: DeLay hitches a ride on Air Force One.

 

MEDIA: So-called liberal media misreports origin of the term " nuclear

option. "

DAILY GRILL

 

" [T]here is a concern about demand and supply. And those issues have

to be addressed not by jawboning, but by having a strategic plan for

dealing with the problem. " – Condoleezza Rice, 4/25/05

 

VERSUS

 

" The president of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower

the price. " – President Bush, 2000

DAILY OUTRAGE

 

According to newspaper reports, Bush judicial nominee Janice Rogers

Brown said that " people of faith were embroiled in a 'war' against

secular humanists who threatened to divorce America from its religious

roots. "

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