Broken Record Time

Social Security Reform has fallen out of the news. I found no stories on the front pages of www.nytimes.com, www.washingtonpost.com, www.cnn.com or www.latimes.com .

This is not surprising, since the Republicans seem to have decided to let it die a quite death. The Democrats should not let them do that. The issue has been very costly for the Republicans, and for good reason.

I think the Democrats should propose saving social security by eliminating the ceiling on contributions. This proposal has the support of the majority of people asked in every poll. I think it would be excellent policy even if one can't trust the Republicans with the trust fund.

There is a new reason for proposing elimination of the celing -- to bring social security back into the news.

Of course denouncing the elimination of the estate tax because it will make it impossible for the general fund to pay its debts to social security is also excellent policy and politics.

out of date update: Max Sawicky notes that Republicans in the house might bring back the social security debate on their own. Best of all they will be furiously debating with the Republicans in the Senate.