Washington DC — Utah GOP Senator Bob Bennett isn’t a high visibility legislator, but he makes up for it in thoughtfulness and sense of professional seriousness devoid of media antics and cheap photo-ops.
As Robert Novak reports today, the plan avoids a payroll tax increase but does cut benefits — graduated to hit hardest in upper income brackets. President Bush’s proposed voluntary personal accounts as part of Social Security would be written into law but would not go into effect for five years.
Besides the desire to have the personal accounts immediately, this seems to be where the political equilibrium exists at the moment — and a best case GOP hope. There should never be a compromise on a tax increase, and no compromise on government sanctioned private accounts.