Nothin’ – they got nothin’

I’ll have to go to Real Clear Politics tomorrow to look up the transcripts but the Sunday morning shows were remarkable for the Democratic guests’ responses to questions on Social Security. No matter how many times they were asked, they simply refused to propose a single measure to prop up the program. A frustrated George Stephanopoulos – fustigated by Nancy Pelosi’s shadow boxing – was reduced to wailing “How how how?” trying to get the House minority leader to say anything. Pat Leahy out-and-out lied about President Bush’s approach to the problem (claiming, for example, that Bush would not negotiate on any point.)

This leads to a devilish thought. What if Bush throws up his hands and says the following: “I’ve been unable to get past the political opposition to my Social Security reform plan. But the crisis of Social Security’s solvency is simply too important to kick the problem down the road. Reform initiated now will obviate the need for much more difficult measures in the future. Therefore, I call on the Democrats to propose a reform plan and I’ll sign it. Yep, personal accounts are off the table. So is the pledge on the payroll tax. Raise the cap, raise the rate, whatever.”

I submit that a capitulation scenario like this would be the worst nightmare for the Democrats, since it would lay bare their demagoguery on Social Security. Handed the keys to the car, they would immediately clamor for a bipartisan committee for political cover.