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In a battleground state with a disproportionate number of older Americans, Senator Rick Santorum's attempts to win over young people with his advocacy for President Bush's Social Security plan have faced strong opposition from retirees and those near retirement. Santorum's strategy emphasizes the importance
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The conservative lobbying organization, USA Next, has hired several high-profile consultants, including Chris LaCivita and Rick Reed, to orchestrate attacks on AARP, a powerful lobby opposing President Bush's plan to overhaul Social Security. USA Next plans to spend up to $10 million on commercials and other tactics to
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Alan Greenspan, the Federal Reserve chairman, has expressed support for individual investment accounts in Social Security, but warned that creating such accounts could lead to trillions of dollars in additional government borrowing. Greenspan's comments, made in testimony to the Senate Banking Committee, give President Bush some support on
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As Congressional leaders prepare for a public relations battle over Social Security's future, a new report highlights the critical role immigration will play in determining the program's financial health. The study, authored by Stuart Anderson, finds that rising or falling immigration rates could have significant effects
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The Bush administration's top officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, have sought to alleviate concerns that a Shiite-run Iraq could emerge following last weekend's elections. In a series of TV interviews, they emphasized that most Iraqis reject an Iranian-style theocracy, citing
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Violence has gripped Iraq in recent days, with kidnappings, bombings, and attacks becoming increasingly common. On Sunday, four Egyptian contractors were kidnapped outside their residence in Baghdad, and an American soldier was killed and two others wounded in a roadside bombing north of the capital. The contractors worked for an
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Economists largely support private accounts for Social Security, but their backing comes with caution and concerns about the potential impact on financial markets. According to a USA TODAY survey of 53 economists, nearly three-quarters (74%) support private accounts. However, many of these economists express worry about the potential consequences of
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As President Bush prepares to sell his plan for private investment accounts in Social Security, the White House is facing intense opposition from Democrats and even some Republicans, who argue that the administration has not done enough to prepare the public for the drastic changes that the plan would entail.
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As Sunday's nationwide elections in Iraq draw near, a determined group of insurgent groups has vowed to disrupt the voting process by any means necessary. Leaflets warning Iraqis to stay away from voting booths, threatening violence and death against those who participate, have been found in neighborhoods across
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The United States Army plans to maintain approximately 120,000 soldiers in Iraq through 2006, according to a senior operations officer, who cited the number as the "most probable" level under current assumptions. This projection comes as Congress is pressing the administration for a more detailed explanation of
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George W. Bush began his second term as the 43rd President of the United States, outlining a vision for spreading liberty worldwide and emphasizing individual responsibility and character in his inaugural address. The ceremony was held on a Thursday, with over 100 blocks of downtown Washington closed to traffic and
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President George W. Bush began his second term with an address that highlighted his administration's accomplishments and outlined its goals for the next four years. Bush emphasized the need for America to continue leading the cause of freedom and to expand freedom in the United States. He acknowledged
