President Bush made strong points about his Social Security reform program. He has been sinking in the polls on this issue. He seemed to make a clear case for his plan. the clearest statement was to grandparents saying they will get their benefits but unless there is drastic reform their grandchildren will not get any benefits.

He led the press conference by talking about energy and laying out four steps to solve the energy problems we have today and will get worse.

In my opinion the president was in command of the press conference and showed a command of the subjects. Below is a summary of the questions and his responses.


To discuss two vital priorities. He intends to lower prices by addressing root causes driving up prices. Consumption growing 40x faster than production.

Bush says Americans must conserve. Use existing sources of energy. Find new sources. Help overseas consumers to use it more efficiently.

Social Security. Ss is headed for serious trouble. It has worked fine during the last century. A generation of baby boomers is getting ready to retire. Boomers will be living longer and collecting more benefits than previous generations. Fewer people will be paying into the system. SS is on the path to bankruptcy. Within three years the system will be well into the red. By 2041 the system will be bankrupt.

There is a hole in the safety net. Americans born before 1950 will get full benefits.
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Bush says those who pay into the system will get benefits and not retire into poverty.

A portion of funds can be put into a voluntary account getting a higher rate of return. The money from this will supplement the money they receive from SS. One option will be to invest in treasury bonds, fully backed by the government.

Questions
Terry Hunt: Are you frustrated by not getting an agenda through a Republican congress?
Bush: Realizes hard work takes a big commitment. Feels people will see the value of a good idea and back it. Does not worry about polls. Feels Americans do not a president to rely on polls and opinion to make the right decisions.

Steve Holland, Reuters: Why more insurgent violence in Iraq?
Bush: Some in Iraq are still wanting the tyranny of the past. Feels Iraqi people see the benefit of a free society. Iraqi security forces are getting better. Hard nosed killers in Iraq. A free Iraq in the Middle East is important to spreading peace. As democracy takes hole peace will be the norm. Freedom and hop must be spread. Talked today with Iraq's president and praised him for his leadership and progress is being made. There are a lot of courageous people in the nation who are making progress.

David Gregory, NBC: Judicial filibusters are an attack against people of faith. Do you agree. What role does faith have in the political debate?
Bush: Legislators are against his nominees because of their judicial views. role of religion? Religion is a personal matter. A person should be judged on how they live their life. Faith plays a important part of my life. I feel people oppose my nominees because of their ideology.

John Roberts, CBS: How would an energy bill have an effect on today's current record high price of oil?
Bush: Producing nations need to put more oil on the market. Nations with excess capacity should be encourage to put more oil on the market and this will take the pressure off the high prices because more oil will be in the market. Emphasizes conservation and using more of what we have in our own reserves. Abundant resources of coal. We should be using more nuclear energy. Ten years ago if we had a strategy we would be better off today.

Terry Moran, ABC: Terrorism is high. Why are more people dying on your watch?
Bush: We have engaged terrorists abroad and this creates more action. Stakes are high. Our strategy is to stay on the offense. Slowly and surely dismantling the Al Quaeda network. In the long term we must defeat the hopelessness that allows terrorists to flourish. We will be relentless.

Bush on Putin: He believes Putin supports democracy. We are working closely with russia on the matter of selling weapons to Syria. Selling enriched uranium to Iran is serious. Iran cannot be trusted to enrich uranium. Why do they need a civilian nuclear power agency. Russia says they will collect the enriched material.

Wendall Goler, Fox: John Bolton. Are the allegations true? Doe they disqualify him from holding the post to the UN?
Bush: he has answered the questions. Served for more than 20 years and has been confirmed by the Senate on four previous occasions. Feels he can get the job done a the UN. He is a blunt skilled and outspoken man who is not afraid to speak his mind. Bolton feels the UN is important but in need of reform. Bush wants a straight forward man to represent the US in this world body.

Bush: Feels a voluntary savings account is a must as part of SS reform. Ownership of personal assets are vital. He says you should the right to set up this account in order to get a higher rate of return than the government. Our current system is a pay as you go system. The government spends money put into the system on current retirees and other bills. What is left is a a cabinet full of IOU's. Owning your own assets is a vital part of making America a place of hope.

David Sanger, NY Times: Can you say that within the next year there will be substantial withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
Bush: Says as soon as possible but will not lay out a timetable. This helps the enemy.
Feels we have limited American capacity by the number of troops in Iraq. North Korea. Kim Jung Il is a dangerous person. There is concern whether he can deliver a nuclear weapon. China has a lot of influence in North Korea. He wants more than an American voice sending a strong message to Kim. A missile defense system is in the works.

Ed Chen, LA Times: Do you feel personal responsibility for the poisonous atmosphere in American politics.
Bush: Is a concerned and saddened by the atmosphere. Feels his party is one of ideas. Republicans have put forward ideas designed to fix the problems. On SS Americans want Washington to put politics aside and get the job done.

Bill Sammon, Washington times: Is there so much acrimony that your agenda is imperiled.
Bush: Does not think so. Believes he will get an energy bill by August. SS has not been addressed for twenty years. Says to grandparents they will get their benefits. But their grandchildren will not. Looked right into the camera and spoke to the television audience. Most effective maneuver of the night.

Mark Knolller, CBS: Taking insurgents to foreign countries for interrogation.
Bush: His job is to protect Americans. He will obey the law and treaties for treatment of prisoners. But he will protect America and will use every available and legal means to protect.

John McKinnon, WSJ: Your view of the economy?
Bush: Concerned. Higher prices at the gas pump. This impacts peoples pocket book and employers. Like an added tax. Experts tell him that growth for the coming months look good. Needs to continue opening markets for US products. Tax reform important. $330 billion uncollected taxes each year. Need reform to make it easier to pay and collect.

Richard
Bush: No child Left Behind is working. Kids are learning basic skills. States must show that basic objectives like literacy is being taught. Feels states are making progress. Feels it is best to measure early and correct detected problems. Will do all he can to prevent people from unwinding the program. Measure and evaluate whether objectives are being met.

Oliver Know,Agence-France: Military action on North Korea?
Bush: No. Speaking about diplomatic action. Wants to work with allies and develop a consensus on the common approach to the problem of North Korea. Aim is to solve the problem diplomatically. All options are on the table. But wants to work with four nations.

Ron Hutcheson, Knight Ridder Newspapers: How far will you go with the means based benefits? Whose benefits would rise faster? Cheney?
Bush: This can be negotiated. Lower income benefits will rise faster so they do not retire in poverty. A personal savings account will be an asset you can leave to a spouse or children. The system is not fair for those who die early. The survivor gets only one set of benefits, not both.

The president ended the conference at 9:00 PM.