The State of the Union
From Wolf Blitzer
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- It's one of those opportunities the president has every year to set the nation's agenda, and by all accounts he will do so Wednesday tonight.
The centerpiece of his State of the Union address -- reforming Social Security.
"President Bush will show that the math speaks for itself. The bottom line is that the Social Security system, in 13 years, will be taking in less money than it's paying out. We'll go into the red," White House counselor Dan Bartlett said Wednesday.
Aides say the president will lay out a wide range of options for overhauling the current system and will push hard for his long-standing but controversial proposal to let younger workers use some Social Security funds to create private retirement accounts. Under his plan, workers currently over 55 will not be affected by the proposed changes.
But given the uncertainty of the stock and bond markets, Democrats say that would be a disaster.
"The president needs to decide whether he wants to take the lead in fixing Social Security or whether he wants to take the lead in, in fact, destroying the most successful social program in history," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York.
Beyond his domestic agenda, the president will lay out his foreign policy priorities, beginning with Iraq. He has been strongly encouraged by last Sunday's elections there but will insist declaring a specific timetable for a U.S. military withdrawal would be a huge mistake.
Aides say the president is likely to have some strong words for two of Iraq's neighbors -- Iran and Syria -- both of whom have been accused by U.S. officials of interfering in the Iraqi government's efforts toward achieving democracy. Iran also is suspected of trying to clandestinely build a nuclear bomb.
On a more hopeful note, expect the president to praise the most recent moves by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the new Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to revive the peace process.
