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Bush Social Security Plan Cuts Future Benefits
Latin America in Revolt: Rice on Four-Country Tour As Leftist
Victories Sweep Region
Real ID Act Attached to "Must-Pass" Spending Bill
Imposes Anti-Immigrant Measures
Rallies Planned Ahead of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Meeting
Bush Social Security Plan Cuts Future Benefits
In a prime-time news conference, President Bush for the
first time proposes to cut Social Security benefits as part
of his plan to overhaul the retirement system. We get reaction
from Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA).
During a nationally-televised press conference last night,
President Bush proposed for the first time cutting Social
Security benefits for future retirees. The proposal - which
is part of his plan to overhaul the retirement system - would
preserve benefits for low-income workers but cut benefits
for everyone else.
The prime-time news conference was the first of Bus's second
term and just the fourth of his presidency. It comes at the
end of a 60-day road show on Social Security in which the
president argued that the retirement system is headed for
financial trouble and should be overhauled to include private
investment accounts.
The issue has turned out to be a politically divisive one
in Washington over the past few months. Virtually every Democrat,
as well as many Republicans, are opposed to the plan and a
Washington Post-ABC News poll this week found 51 percent of
Americans are against it.
In the hour-long news conference, Bush also acknowledged
the high price of gasoline and called on the Senate to pass
his energy program which includes drilling in a portion of
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He declined to offer
a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq
and stood by his embattled nominee for United Nations ambassador,
John Bolton.
But it was Social Security that topped the agenda last night.
The president again outlined his plan to overhaul the system.
- President Bush, news conference, April 28, 2005.
Joining us on the phone now from Washington is Democratic
Congressmember Jim Moran of Virginia.
Latin America in Revolt: Rice on Four-Country Tour
As Leftist Victories Sweep Region
As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice embarks on a five-day
tour of Latin America, we take a look at recent developments
in the region with several countries increasingly moving towards
to left of the political spectrum. [includes rush
transcript]
On Tuesday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice began a
five-day tour of Latin America. By the end of her trip, she
will have visited Brazil, Columbia, Chile and El Salvador.
Rice has billed her tour as an effort to "bolster democracy
and alleviate poverty."
- Condoleezza Rice, speaking in Brazil, April 27, 2005.
But the Bush administration is worried about several countries
in Latin America moving increasingly towards the left. In
recent weeks, popular protests in Ecuador forced out that
country's president - Lucio Gutierrez. Gutierrez took office
in January 2003 as a populist, anti-corruption reformer but
soon angered many Ecuadorians by adopting economic austerity
measures drawn up by the International Monetary Fund. Gutierrez
is the latest on a long list of neo-liberal Latin American
politicians thrown out of office- in elections, or by popular
revolt.
In the last five years, uprisings have overthrown governments
in Ecuador, Peru, Argentina and Bolivia. In Brazil, Chile
and Venezuela governments have been elected on anti-neo-liberal
platforms. In Uruguay, leftist president Tabare Vazquez was
recently elected. And much to the dismay of the Bush administration,
one of his first moves after being sworn into office was to
restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba. Left-wing forces
are considered to have a serious chance in upcoming presidential
elections in Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. And yesterday in
Columbia, Rice defended the U.S's more than 3 billion dollars
in military assistance to aid that country's efforts to counter
cocaine production and stop the left-wing insurgency.
But first we begin by taking a look at a country that Condeleezza
Rice is not visiting - and that is Venezuela. Relations have
been bitter between the two countries since the U.S tacitly
supported the 2002 coup that briefly ousted Venezuelan President,
Hugo Chavez. And in recent weeks there has been rising tensions.
Last Sunday, Chavez ended a 35-year military cooperation agreement
with the U.S and ordered out four American military instructors
that he accused of fomenting unrest inside the country. And
the New York Times has reported that the Bush administration
is considering funneling more money to foundations, business
and political groups opposed to Chavez's government.
- Greg Wilpert, journalist and sociologist living in Venezuela.
He joins us the line from Caracas.
Real ID Act Attached to "Must-Pass" Spending
Bill Imposes Anti-Immigrant Measures
Congress is poised to pass a law billed as an antiterrorism
measure that would have a significant impact on immigrant
rights in this country. The bill is attached to a "must-pass"
appropriations measure for troops in Iraq and tsunami relief.
We take a look at the "Real ID Act" with Aarti Shahani
of Families for Freedom.
Congress is poised to pass a law billed as an antiterrorism
measure that would have a significant impact on immigrant
rights in this country.
The "Real ID Act" would make sweeping changes to
the nation's system for issuing drivers licenses and would
overturn laws in nine states that allow undocumented workers
to obtain drivers licenses. Another set of provisions raise
the standard for granting asylum for those fleeing persecution
in other countries.
The House sent the bill to the Senate as part of a "must-pass"
appropriations measure for troops in Iraq and tsunami relief.
Neither chamber has held hearings or thorough discussions
on the measure.
Six Republican senators last week signed a letter last week
asking Senate majority leader Bill Frist not to let the Real
ID Act appear in the final bill. They wrote "Legislating
in such a complex area without the benefit of hearings and
expert testimony is a dubious exercise and one that subverts
the Senate's deliberative process." Despite the objections,
House Republicans are pushing to keep the Real ID in the final
conference report.
The American Civil Liberties Union has been joined by a number
of groups in opposing the measure. And the Boston Globe, New
York Newsday and Washington Post have all come out with editorials
against the legislation.
Rallies Planned Ahead of Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty Meeting
On May 2, nearly all of the governments in the world will
meet at the UN to review the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
- a review conference that takes place every five years. We
take a look at some of the rallies and marches planned ahead
of the meeting to demand global nuclear disarmament. [includes
rush
transcript]
On Monday, May 2, nearly all of the governments in the world
will meet at the United Nations to review the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty, a Review Conference that takes place every five years.
A coalition of over 2,000 organizations around the world,
have teamed up with United for Peace and Justice to organize
a big march and rally this Sunday, the day before the conference
opens, to demand global nuclear disarmament. Thousands of
people are expected to attend including the mayors of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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