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Crisis, and opportunity.

High-ranking Democrats now claim there is no Social Security crisis, or that the problems are too far away or too theoretical to address them now, but in October 1998 the Clinton administration noted the profound and rare opportunity the United States has to preemptively fix a problem before it becomes a crisis:

"It is normally impossible for any democracy to tackle long-term problems while the crisis is still only on the horizon."

President Clinton, October 24, 1998:

"As with so many other long-term challenges, if we act now, it will be far, far easier to resolve the problem than if we wait until a crisis is close at hand. I believe we must save Social Security and do it next year."

Speaking to students at Georgetown University in 1998, Clinton noted the "looming crisis in Social Security:

"And all of you know to a greater or lesser degree of specificity, every one of you know that the Social Security system is not sound for the long-term."

Observing that the "fiscal crisis in Social Security affects every generation", Clinton argued that "we're going to have to rethink this whole thing":

"We can do this. President Roosevelt often called us to the spirit of bold, persistent experimentation. We will have to do that."

WILLisms.com believes Social Security reform is now years overdue. Democrats would be wise to pay heed to the words of America's most recent past president, their only winner in a national election in more than a quarter century. Squeamish, do-nothing Republicans sitting on the fence, worried about reelection, ought to pay heed, as well, to the words, energy, and the nearly-unprecedented coattails of the current one:

"...the problem is that some in Congress don't see it as the problem. They just kind of think that maybe things will be okay. But the structure of Social Security is such that you can't avoid the fact that there is a problem. And now is the time to get something done."

Posted by Will Franklin · 25 January 2005 11:40 AM

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Comments

Posted by: Elaina at January 26, 2005 07:49 PM

Posted by: Will Franklin at January 26, 2005 09:18 PM

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