Bush Won't Push Social Security

President Bush's main architect charged with reforming Social Security today sounded resigned to moving forward on small changes both Republicans and Democrats can agree on instead of the massive program once envisioned by the White House.

"We need to fix this problem," Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told reporters at a newsmaker roundtable this morning. But he said that with both sides eager to fight instead of debate the issue's major problems, it's best now to move on the fronts where there is agreement instead of simply giving up. One of those issues he indicated would not be worked on is the administration's goal of individual retirement accounts, in part because Democrats worry about how those would be affected by poor stock market conditions. He also said that solving the issue can't be done unless there is a bipartisan solution.

"I'm not naive; I'm not going to tilt at windmills," he says, explaining why he isn't pushing for a new debate on massive, Bush-styled reform. Paulson described himself as a lonely soldier in the effort to battle for Social Security reform, one of the major issues he came to Washington to work on. He said that he has been encouraging ideas from all sides, but so far, "I've been playing solitaire."

To break the logjam, he plans to have Treasury start issuing papers on topics that both political camps agree on with the hopes of pushing through some changes.

—Paul Bedard