The Truth Be Told

George W. Bush recently visited Omaha to promote his Social Security proposal. I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at a fact-check on what he has been saying so I read the January 11th CBS MarketWatch article “Fact-checking Bush on Social Security: President exaggerates problems in retirement system” (http://www.marketwatch.com/). The article points out another of Bush’s mishandling of information important to every American. The article illustrates Bush’s fast and loose handling of the truth in regard to important dates, what benefits actually will be available to younger people, the projected cash flow problem, impact of changes in life expectancy, and the real and positive impact on Social Security of women working outside the home.

An important lesson from the presidential election is that moral values were said to be on voters’ minds and that they played a role in electing George W. Bush. However, the definition of moral values put forth by the Bush camp was a narrow and divisively constructed one. It is we who will need to broaden that discussion of moral values, to include values like honesty and integrity in our government, and we can start with advocating the basic moral value of telling the truth and ask that our President do that when talking about the financial future of our nations’ retired workers.

Social Security very definitely will be on the political agenda and the direction it takes and where it ends up must be determined not by special interests and the Bush administration’s propaganda machine but by a knowledgeable and vocal citizenry. As this critical political drama plays out we can fight for an updated and just Social Security system, and at the same time further our efforts to broaden the definition and dialogue on moral values. In the weeks ahead we of The Left Coast of Iowa can all look carefully at what is said about the condition of Social Security and the proposals that are made, and contact our Congressional delegation; Senator Chuck Grassley, Senator Tom Harkin and Representative Steve King to express our views on how best to strengthen and maintain our Social Security program and let them know that we value, and will settle for nothing less than, the truth and facts in achieving that aim.