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Remembering the Hyde Park Declaration
August 01st 01:47:47 PM
The youth of America has a message for Congress as it prepares to take a break from the heat and humidity of our nation’s capital, and, along with it, a respite from the equally steamy debate over Social Security reform: we will not forget, and we will be waiting when you return in September.
A surprising number of the youngest generation of American The youngest generation of American workers has been listening – believe it or not – with rapt attention these past few months to the debate over integrating Retirement Accounts into the current Social Security system – which 66% of us support. While the rest of Washington seems to have forgotten what this debate is truly about, we have not.
We have not forgotten that this debate is not about privatization or personalization or whatever jargon the politicians are using these days, because it is not a debate about rhetoric. It is not about transition costs or benefit cuts or tax increases, because it is not a debate about numbers. It is not about which Senator from which party puts forward a proposal, because Tit is most certainly not a his debate is most certainly not about partisan politics or who gets the credit (though you could have fooled us).
These Young workers have not forgotten that this debate is really about principles, principles that are intrinsically American: universality, opportunity, and choice.. We believe in uUniversal access to instruments of wealth creation;, the opportunity to pass on an inheritance to our children,; andbut most importantly, the ability to choose whether we want either of those.
We have not forgotten that America itself was founded born out our ancestors’ sincere need to choose their own way. Back then, it was about religious freedom, but Americans’ intrinsic desire to make decisions has not disappeared. Need proof? Just walk down the breakfast cereal aisle of your local supermarket.
Young Americans enraptured by the Social Security debate have not forgotten the visions of Social Security’s founder, who embraced these very principles. When President Roosevelt created the Social Security system in 1935, he acknowledged the importance of ensuring that all Americans had a claim to the Social Security system, that everyone had “a legal, moral, and political right to collect their pensions.” Embracing the true spirit of Roosevelt’s Social Security system, Personal Retirement Accounts restore Social Security’s original intent while simultaneously modernizing it to adapt to today’s economy.
We have not forgotten these visions of the past, and we certainly will not forget the promises of the present. In its 2000 Hyde Park Declaration, the Democratic Leadership Council addressed the problems facing the Social Security system. The Council asserted that Social Security should be “modernized to reflect conditions not envisioned when [it] was created in the 1930s.” Furthermore, it identified several goals that the Party should achieve by 2010: that “structural reforms” to the Social Security system should be undertaken to “slow [its] future cost growth,” that “beneficiaries should be given more choice and control over their retirement,” and that “Retirement Savings Accounts” should be created.
Though Tthe Hyde Park Declaration may have taken was made place five years ago, but we have not forgotten the promises made its vision. Senators like John Kerry, Blanche Lincoln, and Joe Lieberman signed the statement of principles that was to guide the party for the next ten years. Half way through this first decade of the 21st century, they have an opportunity to fulfill their promise. We also have not forgotten the old adage “It is amazing how much can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit.” Democratic Leadership Council, your moment is nownow is your chance.
America’s young workers also recognize that changing the status quo is difficult. Personal Retirement Accounts seemare revolutionary because they change the philosophy behind the welfare state by, restructuring adjusting the system from paying in the present a pay-as-you-go-system to one that planning plans forfor the future – no small task. However, the integration of asset ownership into the welfare state is long overdue.; Iit is the next step in the evolution of our economic policy, reflective of the principles on which the Social Security system was founded and of the economic progress the United States has made since.
We have not forgotten what this debate is really about because we cannot afford to; it is the youngest generation of workers that will be most affected by the decisions made by politicians today. Like those who came before us, we want choice.
Congressmen, Senators: enjoy the recess. We’ll be waiting for you in September.
Posted by Jeremy Tunnell
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