Ruth Marcus: We need a Clinton-McCain Social Security Commission

From the Washington Post:

Forget the Baker-Hamilton commission. I have high hopes for theClinton-McCain Commission to Fix Social Security. Haven’t heard of it?Actually, neither have Hillary Clinton and John McCain. It’s mylong-shot scheme for tackling the problem.

First, if not now,when? Third-rail political issues such as Social Security benefit from– maybe even require — divided government, to share the blame. Theycan’t be touched in an election year. They’re difficult to do during apresident’s first term, if he — or she — wants a second. So 2007offers the last, best hope for some time.

Second, if not Social Security, then what? The political systemright now is too broken, and relations between President Bush andcongressional Democrats too frayed, to deal with the truly dauntingentitlement issues, Medicare and Medicaid. Social Security isentitlement reform on training wheels.

Read more of this op-ed piece at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/05/AR2006120501131.html