The Center on Budget Priorities and Policy has published a summary of what Mr. Bush proposed last night.
In last night’s press conference, President Bush endorsed a proposal that would result in substantial cuts in benefits for middle-income families and deeper cuts for higher-income families. While the proposal was described as reducing benefits for the most affluent Americans, it would result in large benefit reductions for middle-class workers, as well.All workers with incomes above $20,000 today would be subject to benefit reductions, and the benefit cuts would escalate sharply in size as income climbed above $20,000. A worker making $35,000 today would be subject to benefit reductions more than half as large as the benefit cuts imposed on people at the highest income levels. A worker making $60,000 today would be subject to benefit reductions more than 85 percent as large as someone making several million dollars a year.
The benefit reductions for average earners would be the largest in Social Security’s history. The 1983 Social Security reform, for example, lowered benefits for average workers by 17 percent, with the reduction phased in over 46 years. The President’s plan would lower benefits for average workers by 28 percent over a period of 70 years, and by considerably more than that for middle-class workers with incomes somewhat above the average, such as those who make $60,000 today.
Nice, huh? If you make over $20K, prepare to see your benefits cut considerably. I certainly hope this doesn't find any takers, because it defeats the whole purpose of the Social Security program. It ain't secure, and it sure ain't social in the sense that everyone gets an equal share of the (previously-cooked) pie.
The entire report is in pdf form here.
Posted by Linkmeister at April 30, 2005 12:01 AM