A Softer, Gentler Social Security Scam

House GOP members have apparently come up with a compromise Social Security reform plan which won't deliver nearly all of the New Deal destruction reform that Bush wanted, but will rather only screw the benefits recipients a little.

The House Republican plan to overhaul Social Security requires retirees to give up their guaranteed benefit level if they want a personal account that can be passed on to heirs, GOP aides said Monday.

Only those who invest the accounts in government securities while they are working and in an annuity when they retire can be certain of receiving the full Social Security benefit they are promised, the aides said.

Well, at least surviving spouses will see a nice benefit out of this, eh? As usual... not so fast there, Sparky.

Aides also disclosed that in many cases, a personal account that is inherited by a spouse would be used to pay a portion of the survivor benefit they are entitled to.

The effect over time would be to reduce the amount of money in the inherited account while easing the burden on the Social Security trust funds.

So we're going to improve solvency by paying people less, but we're going to play the old shell and pea game to make it less obvious who's getting screwed. Democrats need to continue to stomp on these scam plans as they are laid out for consideration.