Social Security

Several thoughts on this topic.

Not to be flippant, but the first is "MERLE HAGGARD FOR POET LAUREATE!" (That woke up Sugarchuck!) So says PowerLine. It's like Vaclav Havel for UN SecGen -- we know we can't, but why? He has been a true American Voice for many years. And the NYTimes Ed Page would consider it the first sign of the apocalypse.

(The allusion, of course, it to Big City: "And keep your retirement and your so called social security. Big City turn me loose and set me free.")

Second is yet another disagreement between me and Bill Kristol. It is starting to scare me -- I respect him highly. There is really no better advocate for conservative positions. Yet he chose Senator McCain over President Bush on a few occasions. There's no law against that, but it does not demonstrate sound judgment.

The FoxNewsSunday AllStars panel last week was interesting. Bill sided with the liberal members Juan Williams and Cici Connely. Brit Hume held the Administration's position strongly, respectfully calling his usual-ally "General Kristol." Ouch.

Kristol opposed Hume not only on Rumsfeld, but also expressing caution that Social Security reform is too risky and threatens to undermine other elements of the President's agenda. Kristol thought permanent tax cuts were more important and might be put at risk.

Sorry William, we part one more time. Social Security reform is part of the ownership society. -- a change from "the government takes care of you" to "you own assets." Huge and important.

Larry Kudlow sums it up in NRO Financial. The 2nd term economic agenda is big, audacious and consistent:

Over two days last week, George W. Bush gave three full-fledged statements on his economic intentions. Reading through his comments one is struck by the clarity of his message. Each of his key points is pro-growth, incentive-based, and investor- and owner-oriented. His economic message favors entrepreneurs, importuning for more saving and capital formation as well as a healthy dose of deregulation.

In short, Bush is prescribing market-oriented measures that will spur prosperity and wealth creation. He's clearly rejecting government planning and entitlement. This is another dose of cowboy capitalism from the president. It is Schumpeterian capitalism. Entrepreneurial capitalism. Ownership capitalism.

Kudlow doesn't do it here, but he loves to quote Patton in times like these: "l'Audace, l'Audace!"

Posted by jk at December 21, 2004 11:32 AM