01:00 AM EST on Thursday, February 3, 2005

BY JOHN E. MULLIGAN
Journal Staff Writer

WASHINGTON -- Rhode Island Democrats largely rejected President Bush's suggestions for repair of the Social Security system last night, flatly opposing his plan for personal investment accounts and asserting that much of the problem could be solved by rolling back some of his tax cuts.

But Republican Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee said that, while the president's speech underlined what a "hard sell" the Social Security initiative will be, Mr. Bush made "a good start" on a negotiation that may be able to draw some Democrats in to partnership with the GOP.

The delegation -- Chafee, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed and U.S. Representatives Patrick J. Kennedy and James R. Langevin -- were unanimous in their agreement with Mr. Bush's statement that American troops should return home from Iraq after the attainment of the goal of a democratic Iraq that can defend itself.

"I absolutely support" Mr. Bush's declaration that there will be no "arbitrary timetable" for reducing the U.S. troop commitment in Iraq, Reed said.

The three Democrats also praised Mr. Bush for a speech filled with what Reed called "soaring rhetoric." Langevin credited the president with an "aggressive agenda." But they differed sharply with parts of that agenda -- principally the Social Security overhaul.

Mr. Bush said he wished to put "on the table" such possible Social Security changes as lower benefits for rich people, a higher retirement age, a shift from indexing benefits to the worker's wages to indexing them to prices, and the creation of voluntary personal investment accounts for individuals.

Kennedy said he would not consider any of those measures as part of a Social Security overhaul. If Congress did nothing else, it could "repeal all of the Bush tax cuts and extend life of the Social Security system by 50 years," said Kennedy.

Kennedy agreed with the president, however, that Social Security payroll tax increases should be off the table, along with any change that would affect workers 55 years of age or older.

Langevin endorsed those two exclusions but he, too, ruled out support for any form of personal investment account under Social Security. Langevin also said he would rule out reduced benefits for the wealthy and a higher retirement age.

Beyond that, Langevin said he was "open to any proposal" that would help Mr. Bush and the Congress "find common ground."

Reed said a 20-percent reduction in the permanent tax cuts enacted under Mr. Bush could essentially solve the coming Social Security crunch. "I'd like to avoid any cuts," particularly in the form of shifts in how benefits are calculated, Reed said.

But he said he would be open to debate on a wide variety of possible cuts and tax hikes and noted that just such a blend of changes in the system won bipartisan support during the mid-1980s and forestalled a looming Social Security crisis for decades.

Chafee said that he is part of a group of about 15 Senate "centrists" -- relatively liberal Republicans and relatively conservative Democrats -- who have agreed "to keep open minds on all the reform measures."

"I thought as I heard it, 'This is a tough sell for the average American to be hearing numbers,' " Chafee said. He cautioned, moreover, that Senate Republicans are clearly signaling Mr. Bush: "You've got to sell this" Social Security overhaul if it is to pass.

Chafee said Mr. Bush "is brave" to have taken on such a tough issue and has made a start on a long debate to come.

Chafee also praised Mr. Bush's emotional introduction of the parents of a Marine who had died at war in Iraq.

"Thought it ended very well," he said. "It was one of the better elements of any speech I've heard from the president. Particularly in these last few days, when we've had some glimmers of hope from the Middle East, we need something uplifting."