WP: Bush Ally in House Alters Social Security Debate Strategy

[Pirate Smile]

Bush Ally in House Alters Social Security Debate Strategy

By Jonathan Weisman and Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, May 5, 2005; Page A05

With President Bush's top domestic priority fading fast, Republicans once again have turned to one of their least liked but most effective colleagues: Rep. Bill Thomas, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

The California Republican saved President Bush's tax cut in 2003, has never lost a vote on the floor and, despite resistance among other House GOP leaders, is poised once again to try to revive the president's proposal to add personal investment accounts to Social Security.

Thomas's aggressive grab for control of Social Security legislation marks a major shift in legislative strategy. The White House and House leaders had wanted the Senate Finance Committee to craft legislation first -- a narrow bill based largely on the president's proposal. Bush aides had figured that the Finance panel would have more luck attracting bipartisan support while House leaders did not want to force their rank and file to vote on a measure that had no chance of Senate passage.

But Thomas, a mercurial lawmaker and former college professor who relishes a challenge, "wants to get in the game," whether or not the GOP leadership wants him to, said one corporate lobbyist with close ties to House leaders. A Republican leadership aide said House leaders were caught by surprise Friday when Thomas announced he would draft legislation in early June that would enlarge the bill considerably to include a grab bag of popular retirement savings provisions and tax incentives. But those who have worked with the chairman were not so surprised.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/04/AR2005050402402.html

[cap]

1. we gotta make him lose this one...

same strategy as the tax cut... the White House went out with a highly aggressive plan, Thomas "cut it back" and the wealthy were gifted at the expense of the rest of us.

[lancdem]

2. Yep

Time to break his unbeaten string.