
 |
|
February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
|
| |
Jewish World Review
April 26, 2006
/ 28 Nissan, 5766
Ideas for after the Bush-bashing ends
By
Ed Koch
| 
|
|
|
|
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
In last week's commentary, I laid out a plan for a Democratic victory in the November 2006 national elections.
My premise was that Bush-bashing, which appears to be the official Democratic policy, is the wrong strategy for winning
control over the two Houses of Congress.
Instead, I conveyed my belief that to win in November it will be necessary to attract voters back to the
Democratic Party by restating and reaffirming the Party's commitment to the core policy positions that it has been
identified with since FDR.
Today I'd like to discuss two of those issues at greater length, and provide my views as to where the Party should
stand in implementing the goals of each.
Let's start with the miracle of Social Security, which, through the years, has been a major asset for the
Democratic party. Born in 1935, the Social Security program the average person's pension created for low and
middle income Americans the idea that at age 65 people who had worked during their adult years would be able to live
and retire in reasonable comfort on their Social Security checks along with other kinds of savings and investments.
A major improvement in the Social Security legislation was an amendment effective in 1975 which provided for
annual cost of living adjustments. I was in the Congress at that time and voted for the proposal offered by the then
Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Wilbur Mills. It provided an automatic increase in payments to retirees to
compensate for inflation. But for years now, many Americans currently working have been worried that the Social
Security fund would go broke before they were eligible to retire, and they would not be able to collect full benefits in the
future.
Social Security is not a true pension actuarially fully funded. The government pays each beneficiary from current
Social Security taxes collected from both employers and employees. In Social Security's early years, there were 22
workers paying into the Social Security fund for every person retired and receiving Social Security checks. Today there
are only 3.3 workers for each retiree, but it is still possible to pay the full benefits out of current revenues. However, by
the year 2042, it is estimated that current revenues would pay only 80 percent of the cost of benefits at that time.
In a foolish effort to divert the public's attention from the real problems causing the pending deficits, presidential
advisor Karl Rove proposed to the President, who accepted it, the concept of a private account for each employee into
which Social Security funds would be diverted, which in turn could be invested in the stock market, under a supervision
not yet fully determined. The public, much smarter than Rove assumed, rejected the idea, and it was abandoned by the
President. According to a New York Times article of April 20th, Rove "gave up day-to-day control over the
administration's domestic policy to concentrate on the midterm elections…[but] will retain his title as a deputy chief of
staff, as well as his catch-all designation as Mr. Bush's senior adviser."
To deal with the underlying problems of funding Social Security with an aging workforce and fewer people
contributing to the plan, the Democratic Party must address the funding for the future and the guarantee that every
worker can look forward to receiving the benefits he or she is entitled to when they reach retirement. The only
responsible ways to make that happen are to reduce the benefits somewhat, increase the age of retirement (which has
been done in part, but not to the extent needed), increase the rate of tax or include in taxable income so-called
"unearned" income such as stocks, bonds and interest. All of these proposed solutions may not be needed, but some
combination will be required.
It is incumbent upon the Democratic Party to immediately create a commission of the best, most knowledgeable
people, such as Peter Peterson, Felix Rohatyn, John Breaux, Robert Rubin and Alan Greenspan to examine the problem
and propose a plan for the Democratic Party to agree upon and adopt.
A second major and controversial issue is that of abortion. I support Roe v. Wade. I also oppose the abortion
technique known as partial-birth abortion (allowing the fetus in birth to leave the mother's body up to its neck and then
crushing the head of the fetus within her body, withdrawing the whole fetus from her body). The U.S. Supreme Court
has decided that Congress can prohibit the use of the procedure, except where it is necessary to preserve the life or
health of the mother.
That decision makes sense. Every effort by the Congress to enact the prohibition has failed
because there was no exception for the mother's health. Members of Congress enacted legislation believing they have
the right by law to say the mother's health is never at such a risk as to justify the use of the procedure. If health of the
mother is not defined, it would mean effectively no limitation on the use of the procedure. It would be reasonable and
responsible to limit the exception to the need to protect the mother's childbearing ability, excluding other health issues.
The mother's life is paramount, trumping all other considerations. Where her health is involved requiring a late-term
abortion for psychiatric or other medical conditions, the abortion can be achieved through the other surgical techniques
available and now employed by physicians.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Edward I. Koch, the former mayor of New York, can be heard on Bloomberg Radio (WBBR 1130 AM) every Sunday from 9-10 am . Comment by clicking here.
Archives
© 2006, Ed Koch
|
|

Arnold Ahlert
Mitch Albom
Jay Ambrose
Michael Barone
Barrywood
Tony Blankley
Lori Borgman
Stratfor Briefing
Mona Charen
Linda Chavez
Richard Z. Chesnoff
Ann Coulter
Greg Crosby
Alan Douglas
Larry Elder
Suzanne Fields
Frank J. Gaffney
Bernie Goldberg
Jonah Goldberg
Julia Gorin
Jonathan Gurwitz
Paul Greenberg
Argus Hamilton
Victor Davis Hanson
Betsy Hart
Ron Hart
Nat Hentoff
Marybeth Hicks
David Horowitz
Jeff Jacoby
Renee James
Paul Johnson
Jack Kelly
Ed Koch
Ch. Krauthammer
Michael Ledeen
John Leo
David Limbaugh
Kathryn Lopez
Rich Lowry
Michelle Malkin
Jackie Mason
Ann McFeatters
Dale McFeatters
Dana Milbank
Jeanne Moos
Dick Morris
Jim Mullen
Deroy Murdock
Judge A. Napolitano
Bill O'Reilly
Kathleen Parker
Star Parker
Dennis Prager
Wesley Pruden
Tom Purcell
Sharon Randall
Robert Robb
Cokie & Steve Roberts
Heather Robinson
Pat Sajak
Debra J. Saunders
Martin Schram
Culture Shlock
David Shribman
Roger Simon
Michael Smerconish
Thomas Sowell
Ben Stein
Mark Steyn
John Stossel
Cal Thomas
Dan Thomasson
Bob Tyrrell
Ben Wattenberg
Diana West
Dave Weinbaum
George Will
Walter Williams
Byron York
ZeitGeist
Mort Zuckerman

Robert Arial
Chuck Asay
Baloo
Chip Bok
Dry Bones
Lisa Benson
John Branch
John Cole
J. D. Crowe
John Deering
Brian Duffy
Everything's Relative
Mallard Fillmore
Glenn Foden
Jake Fuller
Bob Gorrel
Joe Heller
David Hitch
Jerry Holbert
Lee Judge
Steve Kelley
Jeff Koterba
Dick Locher
Jimmy Margulies
Rick McKee
Michael Ramirez
Kevin Siers
Jeff Stahler
Ed Stein
Danna Summers
John Trever
Gary Varvel
Kirk Walters

Mr. Know-It-All
Dr. Peter Gott
GET A JOB! by Marty Nemko
Richard Lederer
Frugal Living
Tech Maven
On Nutrition
Bookmark These
Bruce Williams
|