Berry expelled from the

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Berry expelled from the Fainthearted Faction!!!

We noted yesterday that Rep. Marion Berry of Arkansas might be fixin’ to leave the Fainthearted Faction. And this afternoon, in response to a request for comment from a reporter, he released the following statement to a local TV station in Jonesboro …

“Social Security is a sacred bond between the US Government and the citizens of this country. I will not support any Social Security changes that encroach on that promise…ever. Beyond that, I will not support any changes to Social Security — including privatization schemes — that require us to borrow any additional funds. President Bush’s initial proposals would require borrowing trillions of dollars to pay for his plans; I cannot support any plans that put this country any deeper in debt.”

To our minds, it <$Ad$>would be even better if the congressman had addressed the issue of privatization and phase-out in itself rather than primarily as an issue of fiscal discipline. However, the point of the Faction is not to get people to sign on to orthodoxies or catechisms. The point is get some clear and definitive word on where they stand on the president’s phase-out plan.

Many Reps. and Senators have made general comments that any reform has to be fiscally responsible and that they’ll never harm Social Security. But that can mean anything. Berry, on the other hand, is being far more specific. He says he cannot support “any changes to Social Security — including privatization schemes — that require us to borrow any additional funds.” (emphasis added)

One can imagine various permutations of an eventual Bush plan. But as far as I can tell there’s no conceivable permutation that would involve no borrowing whatsoever. Even Lindsey Graham’s bill requires substantial borrowing.

Transition costs are just unavoidable and huge — and we’re already in deficits. So I think Berry has made his position clear.

So, as Donald Trump might say, Marion Berry (requisite hand gesture), you’re fired from the Fainthearted Faction.

[ed.note: And in case you’re counting, that brings the House Faction down to an even ten.]

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