This is it, people: the final assault to destroy what little is left of the Democratic Party - and it's going to be paid for with our tax dollars. Sweet, huh?

Social Security Ends Up Pushing Own Makeover

By ROBERT PEAR

 WASHINGTON,
Jan. 15 - Over the objections of many of its own employees, the Social
Security Administration is gearing up for a major effort to publicize
the financial problems of Social Security and to convince the public
that private accounts are needed as part of any solution.

The agency's plans are set forth in internal documents, including a
"tactical plan" for communications and marketing of the idea that
Social Security faces dire financial problems requiring immediate
action.

Social Security officials say the agency is carrying out its
mission to educate the public, including more than 47 million
beneficiaries, and to support President Bush's agenda.

[snip]

But agency employees have complained to Social Security officials
that they are being conscripted into a political battle over the future
of the program. They question the accuracy of recent statements by the
agency, and they say that money from the Social Security trust fund
should not be used for such advocacy.

"Trust fund dollars should not be used to promote a political
agenda," said Dana C. Duggins, a vice president of the Social Security
Council of the American Federation of Government Employees, which
represents more than 50,000 of the agency's 64,000 workers and has
opposed private accounts.

Deborah C. Fredericksen of Minneapolis, who has worked for the
Social Security Administration for 31 years, said, "Many employees
believe that the president and this agency are using scare tactics to
promote private accounts."

[snip]

In a document sent each year to millions of workers, the government
emphasizes the looming financial problems. The document shows a
worker's earnings history and estimated future benefits. But it says
the scheduled benefits could be cut because "without changes, by 2042
the Social Security trust fund will be exhausted."

Agency employees raised their concerns with Reginald F. Wells, a
deputy commissioner of Social Security, and two associate
commissioners, David L. Feder and Roger McDonnell. Mr. McDonnell
confirmed that employee representatives had shared their concerns with
him, but he declined to say how he replied.

Robert M. Ball, who worked at the Social Security Administration for
three decades and was commissioner under Democratic and Republican
presidents from 1962 to 1973, said: "It's fine for the agency to answer
factual questions, but it's unusual to use the Civil Service
organization to push a political agenda, especially because what
they're saying is not true. The program is not going bankrupt."

We're now at a point where the resources of the federal government are being used to promote a partisan agenda. If they carry this off, democracy in America will be a thing of the past.