Administration of George W. Bush, 2005 / Apr. 15 607 Remarks in a Discussion on body who’s hungry, or put your arm around Strengthening Social Security in somebody who needs love. Kirtland, Ohio I like to remind people that the greatest April 15, 2005 strength of this country is the heart and souls of our fellow citizens and the great compas- The President. Thank you all for coming. sion of our people. And so if you’re interested Please be seated. I appreciate you coming, in serving America, do so by becoming a vol- Steve, thanks. Glad to give you a ride home unteer in the community in which you live on Air Force One. [Laughter] I really do like and help change this country one heart and working with Steve. He’s a thoughtful fellow one soul at a time. who cares about issues, and this is—what So, Anita, thanks for coming. Thanks for we’re here to talk about is an important issue, meeting me at the airport. which is Social Security. Let me talk about Social Security. I could Before I do, I want to thank the commu- be talking about a lot of things, peace and nity college for hosting us. I’m a big believer freedom. The world is changing right now in community colleges. Community colleges because societies are becoming more free. have got the capacity to change curriculum And as societies become more free, more to meet the needs of a local workforce, for democratic, the world will become more example. And one of the real challenges of peaceful. the 21st century is to make sure people have Today I went to a little restaurant, and the got the skills necessary to fill the jobs of the owner happens to be Lebanese American. 21st century. And a fabulous place to find And he said, ‘‘Thank you, Mr. President, for those skills is our community colleges. staying focused on a country like Lebanon So thanks for what you do. Thanks for and insisting that Lebanon be allowed to being a host. Thanks for letting us come and have free elections.’’ And I assured him, like have a—what I think you’ll find to be a really I’ll assure you, that when America speaks, interesting educational experience about a we mean what we say. When we say ‘‘free vital issue confronting the country. elections’’ to the Syrians, we mean free elec- I want to thank Lieutenant Governor tions. Get out of Lebanon, and let this good Bruce Johnson for joining us today. I appre- country have a free election as scheduled. ciate State Treasurer Jennette Bradley for When I say, ‘‘Get out of Lebanon,’’ I mean joining us today. out of Lebanon with all your troops and all I want to thank the mayor, Ed Podojil, who your security services and all the people try- is here. I appreciate you, Mr. Mayor. And ing to influence that Government. It is in I want to thank Dave Anderson. The last time the world’s interest that Lebanon be allowed I saw Dave, I said to Dave, I said, ‘‘Dave, to have free elections because a free society fill the potholes.’’ [Laughter] That’s just a will help spread the peace. piece of advice. [Laughter] And so I saw him We’re dealing with a lot of issues, and in in line coming in. He said, ‘‘I’m just here Washington, DC, I’ve submitted a tough to report for duty, Mr. President. I did fill budget and expect the Congress to be wise the potholes.’’ [Laughter] You’d get reelected about how they spend your money. I also if you want to run again. [Laughter] know that Congress needs to stop debating Anyway, I want to thank Anita Isom, who’s and get an energy bill to my desk now, during with us. Anita is a young lady I met when this session. we landed there at the airport in Cleveland. Congress also needs to take serious this She is a volunteer, and she has helped and issue about Social Security. People say, ‘‘Why been awarded because of her reading-related did you bring it up?’’ I said, ‘‘I brought it activities that benefit others. The reason I up because I see a serious problem that like to mention a soul like Anita is that, no needs to be fixed now, before it’s too late. matter what your age, no matter where you I also brought it up because the job of a live, you can help this country by becoming President is to confront problems and not a volunteer, by helping somebody who hurts, pass them on.’’ The easy route in politics is by teaching somebody to read, or feed some- to say, ‘‘Well, we got us a problem. We’ll VerDate jul 14 2003 21:29 Apr 18, 2005 Jkt 205250 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P15APT4.015 P15APT4 608 Apr. 15 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2005 just let the next person handle it.’’ The easy That’s the way the system works. It’s pay- route for a Member of the United States Sen- as-you-go. ate is to say, ‘‘There is a problem, but it per- And in 2017, the pay-as-you-go system is haps can wait. We’ll just let another United going to go negative. In other words, more States Senate fix it or send it to the House.’’ money goes out than comes in through pay- That’s not the way I think. I think I got elect- roll taxes. And every year thereafter, if we ed because people expect me, when I see don’t do something, it gets worse and worse a problem, to bring it to the fore and to work and worse and worse. To give you an example with people to get it solved. of how bad it gets, in 2027 the Federal Gov- And here’s the problem in Social Security. ernment is going to have to come up with There’s a lot of people like me getting ready $200 billion more a year just to make good to retire. [Laughter] As a matter of fact, I’m on the payments, and it gets worse the next retiring in 4 years—at least I hit retirement year and the next year and the next year. age in 4 years, which is convenient—[laugh- I also want to assure those of you who are ter]—in my case. I turn 62 in 2008. And I’m on Social Security, you will get your check. not the only one turning 62 in 2008. As a See, nothing changes for somebody born matter of fact, there’s a lot of us. We’re called prior to 1950. And that’s very important for the baby boomer generation. And not only people in Ohio to hear, because I fully under- is my generation fixing to retire, we are living stand a lot of people count on that Social longer than previous generations. And not Security check. That Social Security check only are we living longer than previous gen- means a lot to a lot of people in America, erations, we have been promised greater and they’re counting on it. That’s why, for benefits than the previous generation. In example, in some political campaigns people other words, people running for office say, try to say to seniors, ‘‘You know, if so-and- ‘‘Put me in office, and I’ll increase your So- so gets into office, he’s going to take your cial Security benefits for you.’’ And guess what? They did. check away from you.’’ That’s the old scare And so a lot of us are getting ready to re- tactics. Sometimes during this debate it tire, and the problem comes because there’s seems like people are resorting to those scare not a lot of people paying into the system. tactics. They’re telling seniors, ‘‘Really what See, in 1950, there were 16 workers for every they’re talking about is taking your check beneficiary. So you can imagine the load was away.’’ Let me just tell you point-blank, if somewhat lighter than today, when there’s you’re receiving a Social Security check in now 3.3 workers for every beneficiary. And Ohio, this Government of ours will continue soon there’s going to be two workers for to honor you, honor that commitment. every beneficiary. You’ve got fewer workers This issue isn’t about you. This issue is paying into a system that is going to require about your grandchildren. The issue con- more and more out-flow, because a lot of fronting the Social Security system is an issue us are retiring, living longer, and been prom- for young workers, young people coming up. ised greater benefits. And the math just One time I was having a discussion, and the doesn’t work. person said, ‘‘I saw a survey.’’ I said, ‘‘Oh, It’s a pay-as-you-go system, by the way. yeah, what did it say?’’ ‘‘It said young workers That means, when the money goes in, it like me are more likely to see—think we’re comes right out. It’s not a trust. I mean, some more likely to see a UFO than get a Social people in America, I suspect, think that the Security check.’’ [Laughter] That may be Federal Government all these years has been pretty close to accurate.