A Sober Congress? Please

Judging from your responses to my last email, you are concerned about the national debt. You are NOT alone!

A recent CNBC poll found that, like you, 84% of Americans believe now is the right time to start reducing the national debt, yet some Congressional leaders refuse to see the problems looming ahead. In fact, just last week Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) said on CNN, "Social Security does not contribute one penny to the deficit and won't until 2037."

You and the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services know Schumer is wrong! As former Senator Alan Simpson, co-chair of President Obama's debt commission, would say, Schumer needs to "sober up!"

There is reason for hope, however. In spite of Senator Schumer, there are several senators who understand the problem and are working to fix it. They are drawing on some of the Commission's recommendations, as well as several ideas from the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) to fix Social Security, strengthen America's retirement system, and reduce the deficit. What a concept - instead of bickering and backbiting, politicians are working together to reach consensus for the good of the nation!

We'll continue to keep you informed and we hope you'll support our work.

Richard W. Walker
COO
National Center for Policy Analysis