Bush, Obama, Notre Dame, and Social Security

The Notre Dame Speech by Obama got me thinking of President George Bush yesterday. Bush , like any Republican, will also have the almost undefeatable presumption that he is a foe of basic Catholic Social Doctrine. We saw this as to the McCain race by the way also.

Yesterday Obama was hailed for wanting to meet a common ground on abortion by saying .

So let’s work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions by reducing unintended pregnancies, and making adoption more available, and providing care and support for women who do carry their child to term.

When Bush gave his address at Notre Dame in 2001 besides invoking LBJ (A Democrat that for some strange reason never gets the credit he deserves by Catholic Social Justice Folks) at least he gave examples of how he was going to work to combat social ills.

I was indeed an irony to me that Bush, and McCain, expended political capital twice on immigration reform and the then Senator Obama played a large role in killing it with a poison pill for political gain. For all the talk of healing racial hatred people should go back and review Bush's speeches on the topic. Where he said in one instance "I'm deeply concerned about America losing its soul," . It is not noted by many of the talking heads but some Latino leaders are thinking they got snookered last year(Scroll down).

It was ironic after all this talk about healing racial wounds one did not see Obama at the forefront trying to calm the Arab bashing that occurred over the Dubai Port Deal mess. Or as I mentioned his conduct on immigration in 2007 was the ultimate Judas moment. The expansion of the drug benefit that helped countless seniors is ignored. Bush's ultimate unforgivable sin was Iraq to many though for some reason the current VP and Sec of State who supported that conflict are exempt.


There is a huge charge that Bush was not fiscal responsible. No doubt he did spend more than many wanted. Of course some of this had to do that Bush had to make deals so the troops in Iraq would still be funded. Go back and look at the funding for the troops and see how much pork was added to "Troop Funding" bills. Bush of course could never veto anything like that.

One issue that Catholic Social Justice groups are going to have deal with is the reality of this deficit that Obama is giving us. Hard choices are going to have to be made. A hard choice that again Bush (expending political capital again ) tried in vain to get us to confront. A issue that Senator Obama was again AWOL on but hits at the heart of Catholic Social Justice. That is the elderly.

I saw this at the Corner and this is worth quoting in full

Runnin’ for a Reason’ [Jay Nordlinger]
On Friday, Ramesh recalled that President Bush (43) tried to reform Social Security, and spent political capital in the effort. This awakened several memories in me.In 2000, Bush campaigned on Social Security reform, which was thought either gutsy or foolhardy — maybe both.

Many Bush advisers warned against it. But he would say, “I’m runnin’ for a reason” — publicly, I mean. I must have heard him say that 100 times. And when he said it, he usually meant Social Security. He did not want to be elected president merely to mark time.

He wanted to accomplish something, or try to.Social Security was known as “the third rail of American politics”: Touch it, and you would fry. Joe Andrew, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, was quite explicit about this. He promised that Democrats would indeed fry Governor Bush on this rail.And they almost did.

A lot of people think Florida was as close as it was because Democrats had succeeded in scaring people — seniors in particular — about Social Security reform.Bush did not act in his first term — not on this. But he ran again on Social Security reform in 2004, and again won. Immediately after, he started campaigning for this reform. He held event after event, virtually barnstorming around the country. I covered one of these events, near Annapolis, Md. The president’s heart and mind were 100 percent in it.And he was very, very open about what he was doing. He said, “I’m spending my political capital.” He was reelected, and this is how he was choosing to spend his capital.

He had very little support. No Democratic support, of course. And just about no Republican support, because they were all hanging back, waiting to see what would happen.I don’t believe that we’ll get Social Security reform until there is a crisis. People don’t repair the roof while the sun is shining; it has to rain and storm before they’ll scamper up there. This will happen one day, with Social Security.

As Phil Gramm and others like to say, there will be a reckoning. It is unavoidable. And I think that George Bush will look prophetic and brave — ahead of his time. How you like them apples?I never thought Bush got enough credit, or any credit, really, for his gutsiness on Social Security. I mean from Republicans and conservatives — the only ones from whom such credit would be forthcoming. If you’re looking for another presidential candidate to run on Social Security reform — well, don’t.
05/17 08:48 PMShare

This issue has to be confronted and Catholic Social Justice groups must be at the forefront. Someone anyone is going to have take a look at priorities and hold this Congress and the President's feet to the fire on this. Yes even the cheering grads at Notre Dame. This has very much to do with the "Common Good".