Treasury Dept. Shows Leadership
By James Hamilton
Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson is a realistic guy. That's why he commissioned a handful of internal studies that highlight areas of agreement between those who support and those who oppose updating Social Security.
Predictably, liberal bloggers have taken to the ether to blast Paulson, the White House, and anything that remotely resembles a willingness to talk openly about the problems facing the nation if we fail to act responsibly now.
Look. Franklin Roosevelt was a decent guy who had a lot of great ideas and a few pretty loony ones. To his credit, he threw them all against the proverbial wall to see which ones stuck. When a program succeeded, he took credit for it and moved on to the next problem. If a program failed or was declared unconstitutional, that didn't slow him down. He came up with new ideas. That's why he ranks among the top presidents.
BUT THAT WAS OVER 70 YEARS AGO.
Similarly, Lyndon Johnson (from my great state of Texas) had a lot of compassion and energy. He succeeded in getting Medicare enacted and wanted to do much more, but he was mired beyond hope in the Vietnam War.
AND THAT WAS OVER 40 YEARS AGO.
Isn't it time to look at the programs in the bright light of the 21st Century and see if they're still doing what they need to do for Americans? And, just as important, to determine if future generations - you know, the ones that actually pay for the programs - are being treated fairly?
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