Basically, the whole Social Security thing is a diversion, as Social Security is solvent for a long time..

However, many people may lose their jobs over the next few years due to technology improvements...

Its quite possible that those changes may be huge...

But of that happens, SS will be the least of our problems..

From their web site:
http://www.cbpp.org/pubs/socsec.htm

"Is Social Security working?   Social Security benefits raise nearly 13 million American seniors out of poverty, cutting the share of seniors who are poor from nearly one in two to one in twelve.  While Social Security faces a significant long-term funding shortfall, the Social Security trustees and actuaries report that the program can pay  full benefits until 2042 and about 70 percent of promised benefits after that.  The Congressional Budget Office projects that Social Security can  pay full benefits up to 2052 and about 80 percent of promised benefits after that.

How would private accounts affect Social Security's finances -- and the federal budget?  Private accounts do nothing by themselves to reduce the Social Security shortfall.  In fact, private accounts would worsen Social Security's finances by diverting payroll tax revenues away from the program.  The private accounts plan proposed by the President would worsen the federal budget outlook as well, by requiring trillions of dollars in new borrowing.

How would private accounts affect beneficiaries?  Under the President's plan, workers who open a private account would receive a significant cut in Social Security benefits that in many cases would offset the entire value of their private account.  This would be in addition to any benefit cut that might be imposed to restore Social Security's long-term stability.  The President has proposed no measures to close the long-term Social Security shortfall, but the main private accounts plan proposed by his Social Security Commission would accomplish this through large cuts in future benefits.

Are radical changes needed to maintain Social Security?  No.  The long-term (75-year) Social Security shortfall is about one-third to one-fifth as big as the Administration's tax cuts and can be closed through a mix of modest benefit and payroll tax changes phased in over a number of years."

You have got to be kidding..

Bush's reality-distortion field may be pushing the idea of his 'momentum', but people are not falling for it.. at least where I live, (west coast) people are extremely unhappy with his performance, especially on the economy.

Basically, every new 'plan' is a new scam to steal more money from you and me..

We increasingly live in a kleptocracy.

No, I don't like what the Republicans are doing, but  given enough time, they will attack Social Securities weakness point by point as proof that their solution is needed. (Yes, I know this is a logical fallacy, but that doesn't matter.) We need to be ready for this. We can't play defense forever.

You say this would give Bush more momentum. I say this would give Bush enough rope to hang himself. He wants reform? How about means testing on benefits, eliminating the cap, and a huge taxcut for most working Americans? Getting GOP leaders to vote against a taxcut so that wealthy Americans can have more would be priceless. Talk about it now, and run on it in 2006.

Of course, more seasoned strategists may disagree on the timing, but it is something we need to think about and start talking about now.