In the latest episode in the battle over Social Security, President George W. Bush announced far-reaching plans Thursday designed to ensure the program’s solvency for an aging population.

But while networks assess the response from Democrats and Republicans in Washington, the president’s most important audience might be the college generation.

Weinberg freshman Matt Braslow said he’s concerned that any changes made to Social Security now may have the greatest effect on current college students.

“We will end up putting lots of our paychecks into Social Security, and we better damn well get some money out of it,” Braslow said.

In the televised prime-time conference, President Bush proposed altering Social Security to protect low-wage workers by asking middle and high-income retirees to receive smaller benefits than they’re projected to receive.

The president’s plan of “progressive indexing” would increase payments to low-wage workers faster than payments to richer retirees, curbing Social Security benefits for most Americans to keep the system out of bankruptcy.

The president also reiterated his request for private investment accounts for younger Americans, proposing that they will ensure “future generations receive benefits equal to or greater than the benefits today’s seniors get.”

Weinberg sophomore Anna Geller agreed that private accounts would both benefit retirees and teach Americans fiscal responsibility.

“In general, privatization is a good practice,” Geller said. “It’s a way to teach people to be responsible rather than have the government dictate how to appropriate their earnings.”

Not all students agreed that less government involvement is better. Weinberg freshman Derek Linkous said he sees privatization as a slap to both Social Security and federal welfare.

“I think they’re wholly wrong,” Linkous said of the Bush administration. “Big government is good. By cutting benefits (to older workers) you’re punishing people who have been paying into the system their entire lives.”

Democrats on Capitol Hill appeared to share Linkous’ criticism after the press conference. A joint statement issued by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Bush’s privatization plan “would slash guaranteed Social Security benefits and burden future generations with trillions of dollars of new debt.”

The Democrats’ quick rebuttal of Bush’s proposal did not surprise Geller.

“No matter what he does, it won’t change most people’s views,” she said. “Democrats have already decided what they believe. Most people watching don’t know what (Bush is) talking about.”

Although the president framed the change in terms of preserving Social Security for future retirees, Friday’s newspapers highlighted a different aspect of president’s plan: lower benefits for most retired Americans.

Medill freshman Brendan Reardon said he thought the president’s proposal was “an interesting tactic.”

“He’s trying to sway Democrats who think he’s tied to big business and the wealthiest 1 percent of the country,” Reardon said.

Reardon added that while the press conference made him more inclined to support Social Security reform, he was not ready to support the president’s plan.

“Bush still hasn’t sold me,” Reardon said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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