The President explains the virtues of his Social Security plan, Tampa, FL, Feb. 4, 2005


WOMAN IN AUDIENCE: I don't really understand. How is it the new [Social Security] plan is going to fix that problem?

Verbatim response:

President Bush: Because the -- all which is on the table begins to address
the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculated, for
example,is on the table. Whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or
price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being
considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers,
affecting those -- changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has
been promised more likely to be -- or closer delivered to that has been
promised. Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled.
Look, there's a series of things that cause the -- like, for example,
benefits are calculated based upon the increase of wages, as opposed to the
increase of prices. Some have suggested that we calculate -- the benefits
will rise based upon inflation, as opposed to wage increases. There is a
reform that would help solve the red if that were put into effect. In other
words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised benefits grow, if
those --   if that growth is affected, it will help on the red.

Bev and Jerry