The Social Security ropes

Democrats aren't letting up. Reid and Pelosi have (finally) started pointing out the key difference between Bush's privatization plan the Thrift Savings Plan that Bush tries to compare it to - that government workers get the benefits of the TSP on top of Social Security, not as the result of the weakening of it.

And I would probably point this bit out frequently as well:

But after the 2001 recession, [the TSP stock funds] have posted annual losses as high as 22 percent. Over the most recent 10-year period, all the funds were profitable, according to the plan's Web site.

Republican "town halls" continue to be met with great opposition, and Democrats have decided to use the President's strategy against vulnerable Republicans:

House Democrats are holding town-hall meetings on Social Security in the districts of Republicans, including Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania and Jon Porter of Nevada, who face potentially tight races next year. At least three events next week will focus on opposition to Bush's plan.

"I see a shift in the strategy," said Jennifer Duffy, an analyst at the non-partisan, Washington-based Cook Political Report. "Democrats are playing the president's game."

It's about time that Democrats capitalize on the giant political misstep that Republicans have taken. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

*UPDATE* Don't know why I didn't include this before, but Speaker of the House Hastert says he doubts a bill will pass until next year, giving Democrats plenty of election year fodder. If this bill fails to go through this year, there's no real hope for Bush's proposal. Which gives the rest of us great hope in earning Social Security benefits.