Privatization Scheme Riles Many in GOP

Media reports indicate that off-the-record many Republicans are angry about the Social Security scheme. A few have been bold enough to speak out publicly. Here's a sampling of their comments:

• "I cannot support any plan to allow workers to place any portion of their Social Security taxes in risky investments, especially those that depend upon the stock market to appreciate in value. It remains my opinion that Social Security reform is not necessary at all if Congress would seriously address Medicare reform, balance the budget, erase the trade deficit, and make pension reform a real priority." —Rep. Jo Anne Emerson of Missouri, in a letter to constituents.
  
  
• "Every member of Congress would like to see (debate over) Social Security go away, but it isn't going to go away because the president won't let it go away." —Senate Finance Chairman Charles Grassley, Iowa.
  
  
• "The accounts are being oversold, and they will not come anywhere near being able to fix Social Security." —South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham.
  
  
• "Why stir up a political hornet's nest . . . when there is no urgency?" —Rep. Rob Simmons of Connecticut, who further told the Washington Post he won't support privatization as long as there are more pressing needs such as shoring up Medicare and providing armor to U.S. troops in Iraq.
  
  
• "I'm hearing from a lot of my very conservative supporters here—they don't want this money borrowed to create voluntary personal accounts." —Tennessee Rep. Zach Wamp.
  
  
• "The White House has got to get off the table any talk about changing benefits. As long as that discussion is out there, this thing is going to sink faster than the Titanic. And anybody that thinks it's not is just full of themselves." —Ohio Rep. Bob Ney.